LED strip for violin bow

[adlbrk]

Hi all,
I'm trying to attach a 0.7 meter (or 28 inch) LED strip to my violin bow: 3/8" width x 28 inches length.I need to power the LED strip from a battery (like a 9 volt) that i strap to my wrist.I want to be able to manually change the LED strip 3-4 solid colors (green, blue and red).
I assume that the following items would help me achieve this LED bow concept but it seems something's missing in the chain:PID: 2508 -Adafruit NeoPixel Digital RGB LED Strip - Black 60 LED 1m - BLACK PID: 80 -9V battery clip with 5.5mm/2.1mm plugPID: 67- 9V battery holder with switch & 5.5mm/2.1mm plug

Questions:
1) How do i connect the "d2-pin JST SM Plug + Receptacle Cable Set" to my 9v (or 12 v?) battery wrapped around my wrist? is it even necessary? I want to avoid having to soldering the electrodes to the battery extension

2) will a 9v battery power the LED strip and keep it bright for 8 hours? That's my goal, if not longer.
3) If I cut the 1 meter LED strip (which I understand is the shortest option), do I need to put a cap on the end or leave it as is?
4) this is my present set up, but the LED strips are unreliable, don't last very long or break easily. I'm looking for brighter, more durable and reliable version than this: https://glowhut.com/2835-led-strip-with ... connector/

[adafruit_support_bill]

First your questions:

1) Neopixels require a microprocessor. You can't just connect them to a power source to light them up.
2) 9v batteries do not have the capacity or current capability to drive many leds for very long. You would be better off with something like a LiPo cell. These are available in various capacities depending on your run-time requirements. https://www.adafruit.com/category/574
3) A cap is not required

For a violin bow, one of the skinny pixel strips might be a better choice for less bulk: https://www.adafruit.com/product/2964
To control the pixels, you could use something like the Feather M0: https://www.adafruit.com/product/2772
It has a built-in charger for the LiPo cell and you could use a pushbutton, or capacitive touch sensor to tell it when to change the colors.

[dastels]

Do not use a 9v battery. Not only are they terrible choices for powering electronics (especially power hogs like LEDs), but the DotStar and NeoPixel strips operate at 5v at most (but will with nicely on 3.3v). 9v will likely destroy it.

You do not need to cap the end. In fact you could take the rubbery housing off entirely. It is purely for protection, and I doubt you let your bow get bashed around, soaked in water, etc.

To use DotStars or NeoPixels it is not enough to connect power. You need a controller for them, programmed to operate them as appropriate. https://www.adafruit.com/product/4062 might be a good choice. It has far more I/O than you need, and provides the easier option of programming it in CircuitPython. It has onboard support for a LiPo battery and Bluetooth support, so you can control it from your phone (with the right code running on the feather) to change https://www.adafruit.com/product/4062atterns, colors, etc.If you go with a slightly different board https://www.adafruit.com/product/4516 you also get a motion detecion sensor, sound sensor, light sensor, and some others. This would let you, for example, vary the LED color/pattern based on sound and motion. I can see some pretty cool effects.

As I mentioned this can be connected to a LiPo battery https://learn.adafruit.com/li-ion-and-lipoly-batteries and recganre it by connecting to the Feather's USB connection. LiPos are available in a variety of sizes and you might find a larger one that may give you the 8 hours you're looking for. The big factor is how much light the LEDs are generating. The more light, the shorter the battery life.

I hope this helps. There are many projects in the learning guide section of the site that might give you direction and ideas. https://learn.adafruit.com/

Dave

[adlbrk]

Thanks for your quick response.
Where I can i find this capacitive touch sensor to change the LED strips color?
Also how do I connect the LED strip you mentioned (https://www.adafruit.com/product/2964) into the feather MO (https://www.adafruit.com/product/2772). Would this require a 4-pin JST SM Plug + Receptacle Cable Set (https://www.adafruit.com/product/578) and do I need to solder anything to connect LED strip and feather MO?

First your questions:

1) Neopixels require a microprocessor. You can't just connect them to a power source to light them up.
2) 9v batteries do not have the capacity or current capability to drive many leds for very long. You would be better off with something like a LiPo cell. These are available in various capacities depending on your run-time requirements. https://www.adafruit.com/category/574
3) A cap is not required

For a violin bow, one of the skinny pixel strips might be a better choice for less bulk: https://www.adafruit.com/product/2964
To control the pixels, you could use something like the Feather M0: https://www.adafruit.com/product/2772
It has a built-in charger for the LiPo cell and you could use a pushbutton, or capacitive touch sensor to tell it when to change the colors.

[adafruit_support_bill]

Where I can i find this capacitive touch sensor to change the LED strips color?

The M0 processor on the recommended Feather M0 supports capacative touch inputs in hardware. You just need to connect a conductive surface to use as a touch-pad. That can be a bit of wire or foil. https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-fea ... -cap-touch

Also how do I connect the LED strip you mentioned

Some soldering will be required. The strips need 3 connections from the Feather: Ground, Power and a signal pin. https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neo ... -neopixels
Although designed for 5v operation, we have found that the pixels run just fine when powered from a 3.7v LiPo. So you can take power directly from the BAT pin on the Feather.
You can solder direct using some super flexible silicone coated cable like this: https://www.adafruit.com/product/3892
Or, if you need it to be detachable, you can use a 3-pin JST set: https://www.adafruit.com/product/1663

[adlbrk]

I see there's a "no soldering" option but it's only 0.5 meters and possibly too think for my violin bow.
https://www.adafruit.com/product/3811
I attached what I understand to be the correct setup from LI battery to MO express controller to neo pixel strip.
I'm not sure I understand the need for a 3 pin jst sm plug when these neo pixel strips have an sm plug that can go directly into the feather mo express. Either way I'm not seeing where any soldering is necessary with the setup I drew and attached based on your recommendations. I'd love if you could confirm I have this correct, as I'm new to all of this thanks!

Where I can i find this capacitive touch sensor to change the LED strips color?

The M0 processor on the recommended Feather M0 supports capacative touch inputs in hardware. You just need to connect a conductive surface to use as a touch-pad. That can be a bit of wire or foil. https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-fea ... -cap-touch

Also how do I connect the LED strip you mentioned

Some soldering will be required. The strips need 3 connections from the Feather: Ground, Power and a signal pin. https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neo ... -neopixels
Although designed for 5v operation, we have found that the pixels run just fine when powered from a 3.7v LiPo. So you can take power directly from the BAT pin on the Feather.
You can solder direct using some super flexible silicone coated cable like this: https://www.adafruit.com/product/3892
Or, if you need it to be detachable, you can use a 3-pin JST set: https://www.adafruit.com/product/1663

[adafruit_support_bill]

The JST connector on the Feather board is a 2-pin connector and is for the LiPo cell only Please read the guide: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-fea ... sic-proto/

The Neopixel strip needs 3 connections: Ground, BAT and one of the GPIO pins. The GPIO pin to control the Neopixels will be specified in your code

[adlbrk]

The JST connector on the Feather board is a 2-pin connector and is for the LiPo cell only Please read the guide: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-fea ... sic-proto/

The Neopixel strip needs 3 connections: Ground, BAT and one of the GPIO pins. The GPIO pin to control the Neopixels will be specified in your code

For those 3 neopixel connections, I just wrap them around those 3 pins, but how do I change the neopixel strip from green to blue to red at a live event where I'm playing? I can reprogram it each time...and the alligator clip option is too unreliable with them falling off.
You referred to the button that switches the color but I didn't see in the report where I can add that to the chain. I also don't want to make it look messy attached to my arm.

[adafruit_support_bill]

For those 3 neopixel connections, I just wrap them around those 3 pins,

They should be soldered for reliable connection - especially for something that will be moving around as much as a bow.

but how do I change the neopixel strip from green to blue to red at a live event where I'm playing?

You need to program it to change colors based on a button push.

You referred to the button that switches the color but I didn't see in the report where I can add that to the chain. I also don't want to make it look messy attached to my arm.

I posted a link above to instructions for creating a capacitive touch button on the M0. This can be as simple and unobtrusive as a small loop of wire. https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-fea ... -cap-touch

[adlbrk]

neopixel pic PINS.png (284.6 KiB) Viewed 382 times

I see that using a bolt-on kit ( as described here: https://youtu.be/vCDfyxNFeEw?t=116 )
allows me to skip the soldering. but the Circuit Playground Express - Base Kit appears to be out of stock.
But I'm assuming I can achieve the same thing with the MO express (you're recommending), I just don't see where I can buy those bolts to the attach the neopixels to the pins on the mo express. Can you direct me to the url?

For those 3 neopixel connections, I just wrap them around those 3 pins,

They should be soldered for reliable connection - especially for something that will be moving around as much as a bow.

but how do I change the neopixel strip from green to blue to red at a live event where I'm playing?

You need to program it to change colors based on a button push.

You referred to the button that switches the color but I didn't see in the report where I can add that to the chain. I also don't want to make it look messy attached to my arm.

I posted a link above to instructions for creating a capacitive touch button on the M0. This can be as simple and unobtrusive as a small loop of wire. https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-fea ... -cap-touch

[adafruit_support_bill]

We do have these: https://www.adafruit.com/product/3816
But any M3 (Metric) or 4-40 (UNC) threaded machine screws & nuts will work.

[adlbrk]

We do have these: https://www.adafruit.com/product/3816
But any M3 (Metric) or 4-40 (UNC) threaded machine screws & nuts will work.

Thanks, will these fit onto the MO express PID: 2772 that you recommended? I don't mind using circuit playground https://learn.adafruit.com/introducing- ... playground
...actually not sure what the difference would be.

Also, I'm strapping the feather to my wrist and would like some protective buffer. Do I attach the feather to a small breadboard? If so, can you direct me to the correct size breadboard or equivalent that would keep everything really compact and barely visible?

[adafruit_support_bill]

They will not fit into the Feather M0 Express. That board is designed for soldered connections. The CircuitPlayground has larger holes that can accept bolts.

[adlbrk]

They will not fit into the Feather M0 Express. That board is designed for soldered connections. The CircuitPlayground has larger holes that can accept bolts.

so can you direct me to bolts I can use for the MO express? Circuit playground is out of stock...is there anything else similar that I can use?

[dastels]

The Feathers don't use bolts for connections, just for the mounting holes.

There are 3 models of CircuitPlayground: Classic https://www.adafruit.com/product/3000, Express https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333, and Bluefruit https://www.adafruit.com/product/4333. Each are built around a different MCU and have different feature sets, but all have the same general functionality.

Dave