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Arc of LED lights...any ideas?

TAP42

Aug 20, 2014
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First time poster, asking for the boards help.

I am looking for a 6" or so 5-10 LED light strip, controllable with an Arduino microprocessor. Kicker is, it needs to be in or formable to a flat arc. The flexible strips I have found stand too tall and are too long. A short, flexible neon type tube would also work, but the whole setup needs to be battery powered (~9V?) with a 1 hour run time.

The large 60 LED NeoPixel ring would work great if I could just cut the arc length I need out of it. Anyone know if this is possible?

Any ideas?
Thanks!
TAP
 

BobK

Jan 5, 2010
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I'll go out on a limb here. I don't really know, but, as I understand it, these are just linked together in series, so they can be cut anywhere. In fact, if you read about the ring, it consists of 4 arcs that are soldered together to make the ring. If you need a 90 degree arc, that is the way it already comes!

Bob
 

TAP42

Aug 20, 2014
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Thanks Bob, I will look into that. I am wondering if it would be possible to use a flat strip, cut the backing up to the wires and then form it into an arc?
 

Gryd3

Jun 25, 2014
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Thanks Bob, I will look into that. I am wondering if it would be possible to use a flat strip, cut the backing up to the wires and then form it into an arc?
Does it need to be rigid or flexible?
Do you need the LEDs to be addressed individually?
 

BobK

Jan 5, 2010
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Thanks Bob, I will look into that. I am wondering if it would be possible to use a flat strip, cut the backing up to the wires and then form it into an arc?
Great minds think alike! I was wondering the same thing. If the wires are close to the middle of the string, you might be able to cut notches between each LED and bend it.

But, since you mentioned that the NEO pixel 60 ring is the right curvature, why not use it? How many degrees of arc were you wanting?

Bob
 

TAP42

Aug 20, 2014
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Does it need to be rigid or flexible?
Do you need the LEDs to be addressed individually?

Rigid or flexible is fine, as long as it is in an arc roughly 6" long by 2-3" tall. Some of the lights in this project need to be individually addressable by the controller, but this arc will always be on.
 

Gryd3

Jun 25, 2014
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http://www.adafruit.com/products/1768
The PCB looks like it can be hacked apart if you need a smaller arc.
Power is provided in parallel to all neopixels, and the data line is daisy chained from one to the next.

Getting two of these looks ideal.
 

BobK

Jan 5, 2010
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Yeah, that's what some of us were already talking about. ;)

Bob
 

BobK

Jan 5, 2010
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Rigid or flexible is fine, as long as it is in an arc roughly 6" long by 2-3" tall. Some of the lights in this project need to be individually addressable by the controller, but this arc will always be on.
Well, even if it is always on, you will still have to load up the data for each LED, assuming you use the NeoPixels.

Bob
 

Gryd3

Jun 25, 2014
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Yeah, that's what some of us were already talking about. ;)

Bob
haha, I saw. I would have linked a different strip if all of the LEDs would simply be on.
Otherwise op would need to custom make a board, modify a light strip, or add additional LEDs that he may want individual control over.
I still need to order some of those things though. They look like fun.
 

TAP42

Aug 20, 2014
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Thats exactly what I need! I had browsed over it, but saw it was a ring and failed to read the fine print.

Thanks, guys!
 
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