Jump to content
Light-O-Rama Forums

Pixel spinner


Steelers95

Recommended Posts

I'm working on building 2 pixel spinners out of ws2811 pixels and an e682 for next year but I'm not sure how to wire the pixels. I want around 8 pixels on every leg of the spinner but in order to make a continuous string of pixels would I need to run a wire from the end of one leg down to the middle of the spinner and connect that wire to the next set of pixels on the next leg. I apologize because this is probably not worded the best but I have searched and have not been able to find any real instructions on building a pixel spinner. 

  Thank you for any help you may have to offer

Link to comment
Share on other sites

rjmcasters Is right. That is where I got my spinner visualization from. I modified he visualization to fit the size I am building. Ron was gracious to share it with others. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm working on building 2 pixel spinners out of ws2811 pixels and an e682 for next year but I'm not sure how to wire the pixels. I want around 8 pixels on every leg of the spinner but in order to make a continuous string of pixels would I need to run a wire from the end of one leg down to the middle of the spinner and connect that wire to the next set of pixels on the next leg. I apologize because this is probably not worded the best but I have searched and have not been able to find any real instructions on building a pixel spinner. 

  Thank you for any help you may have to offer

The method you describe is about the only way I know unless you want to tie up a totally unnecessary number of outputs from the 682. I did a 10-spoke prototype using a single CCR ribbon with 5 pixels on each spoke. Lots of soldering but the results are worth it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Steelers95,

 

I made up a quick drawing of how mine are wired. You can see it at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/b1j1afepxpsuv5q/Spinner%20Wiring.pdf?dl=0

 

My large spinner is made up of 10 arms with 25 square pixels each. The small ones are made with strip pixels and have 17 pixels on 8 arms. Here is a short vid with my favorite effect for these: 

 

I also answered your PM with a link to a build I did last year. Although the build is a fan, the concept is the same. For those who may want to build something like this, here's the link to my Pixel Fan Build: http://www.boydchristmasinlights.com/how-to.html

 

Obviously, this is not the only way to do it but, this is the way I did it.

 

Hope this helps out a bit.

Edited by Ron Boyd
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

did you have to run each of the wires to the power supply seperatly or did you connect all the v+ wires together and just run one v+ wire to the power supply, if so how did you connect the v+ wires together.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I built my spinner, I powered the pixel strips from the center. I ran the data line, back down the arm. It's much easier conceiling 1 wire.

I was wondering if that would work. It does for strips, bit I haven't tried it with nodes.

 

Thanks for confirming.

 

edit:

 

Oh wait, you said strips. Does anybody know if this works for nodes too? I would think so, I just haven't tried it

Edited by Ron Boyd
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shouldn't make any difference   nodes and strips are the same except the circuit board -vs- wire connecting pixels. The modules themselves are the same just self contained in nodes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Strips are WS2812b, 5v from diyledexpress.com 17 pixels per leg and ran from a j1sys P12S. That will be replaced this year with a pixel extender from diy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...