jshaw:
I'll take it
[/quote#3 goes to jshaw.
Canobi:
um, would it be hard to make a switch box like this?
Cake.. batter.
all diameters of holes expanded by .1mm. The printer has a resolution of .2mm, but i am seeing a real world Margin or error of .3mm in ACTUALL prints. BUT the spacing on center of the 3 -3mm LED posts is still exactly 5mm. So your led mini lenses will still be spaced right, but the hole itself is a 10th of a mm wider. right!? a 10th of a mm. LOL. what is that a grain of salt?
billpealer:
Whooo Hoo! i'll do more than test it. i'll rig it with my flave of saber software. i will also use 2 sw-200 swing sensors in parallel. and positioned in a cross for "2axis" swings. i will need a 16p WT pre loaded with software. Anyone want to donate one to me? I don't have the WT loader box.Can you do that part Canobi?
Awesome 
don't be shy with the feedback. Good, bad or so so, it's all useful.
billpealer:
please load it with On sound, Hum, a few clashes, a few swings, and Off sound. then make these playlists.I can also send you the gap-less .wav files for this too.
Off sound
On sound with a few hums
Clash sound 1 with a few hums
Clash sound 2 with a few hums
swing sound 1 with a few hums
Swing sound 2 with a few humsThen tell me the playlist number associated with each one. 0 thru 5.
Yeh, I can help you out with that WT if you want to send the samples over.
billpealer:
i finished your button box last night. i'll post a rendering later when i get out of work. You said you'd PM me and never did. What i wanted to discuss was, would 4 be a good first print run? I will send you my address. i'll need yours. also. i printed one already and the mm tolerances are tight. for the small holes, i can print your specs exactly, but due to the reality of the prints,.. i had to lightly sand them to fit a jig of the intended OD of the small LEDs thru the hole. OR i can widen the small holes by .2mm and the print seems to nail the ID of the small holes. actually increasing your hole diameters by .2mm would be a good idea for all of it. but i can print it to exact spec and you can work a file or sand paper in the holes to widen them by .1- .2mm if you want super tight fits.
With all the layout reworking and stuff going on at home I clean forgot, my humblest apologies.
If it's possible to widen the little row of three holes to 5.2mm, that would more than suffice. The two small outer holes are for screwing it to the hilt and aren't size critical, the larger ones also as I can thread tap or sand them as you mentioned if they're a bit small.
A run of 4 would more than suffice though, thank you so much
Saying that, are your skills for hire?
billpealer:
My board prefs are the nano and WT 28p usb, which i successfully stack, (less than 2cm tall) with a header-less nano. So your PCB i am really testing for you and this motley crew.
For size, my PCB isn't in the same league as your stack by a long shot lol. I have been eyeing up the Leonardo 32U4 USB stick though. The mini is damn small but the 7 unused pins is bugging me as they equate to potential size reduction. The Leonardo would only have 4 spare pins left over and is half the size as the mini so could loose another 20~25mm in length.
I did come up with an idea for a stackable PCB system but I really need to finalise this one first before I get into deeper tinkering (I'm far too easily distracted).
Canobi:
Saying that, are your skills for hire?
after your first velociraptor. everything else,.. is cake.
i can model anything. if only my Blender STL files could be sent to a CNC machine. i could have anything CNC'd too.
What do you need modeled? PM me. i can also send you the STL files to have 3d printed locally.
Or were you talking about my Nun-Chuck skills?
JakeSoft:
No problem. It's for a good cause!I assume you'll do some lab testing with the software I posted first before sending out field test units, yes?
Yep I have a few tests in store for the PCB including current tolerances and continuity as well. I've also started looking at making a small test rig as I found some spring loaded pins while out web shopping which could be used in a drop down contact type setup for the PCBs, and there's a good amount of space next to the console on my DIY power supply where it can go too (I've attached a pic this time as my PhotoBucket app isn't working for some reason).
JakeSoft:
Thanks! Which diagrams, though? The artwork I posted before had the FETs on the other end of the board. Do you have another version that you haven't showed us?
Ah yes, um no.. with so many versions flying around now its getting hard to navigate around here lol. The ADXL version of the PCB is based on your MkIV diagram.
Canobi:
Yep
Ok, great. PM sent. How exciting!
Canobi:
I've also started looking at making a small test rig as I found some spring loaded pins while out web shopping which could be used in a drop down contact type setup for the PCBs...
Oooh, really? That would be great to have to program the pro-mini without needing to solder the programming pin headers on and thereby save some space. Care to share?
Has anyone found a good reliable supplier for the 16p modules with 16M or 32M of flash? Ordering from eBay, they often don't tell you how much flash in the description and it's a crap shoot. I've ordered from the same suppliers and sometimes I get 8M modules, sometimes I get 16, and once in a while I'm lucky enough to get a 32M module.
billpealer:
JShaw...
WT28p set up. with a nano, and BTW this schematic DOES NOT CONTROL the BuckBoost with PWM LED fading. but it will turn on the buck boost, and turn it off, meaning- no FOC and no blade up or down. effect. just on/off LED
i can't get PWM to work with a mosfet if i move it to the LED Vout side of the Buck Step down.
i have since moved my arduino Pin that goes to the mosfet to Pin 11 for PWM, tho i haven't gotten fading to work with a Buck, and the 2 sensors to non PWM pins. it's arbitrary. you can do what you want. also some people put a 1kohm resistor from pin 1 to pin 3 of the MOSFET to crash the PWM signal to 0 (Ground) for Digital (HIGH/LOW) mosfet switching, you do not need it.
I'm still a bit confused why a buck is needed for LED control...? I thought a MOSFET and a PWM capable signal is the complete stuff you need for it...
Protonerd:
I'm still a bit confused why a buck is needed for LED control...? I thought a MOSFET and a PWM capable signal is the complete stuff you need for it...
If i send 8.2v and unrestricted current to my LED it will fry it.
PWM does not limit current. it really doesn't limit voltage either, but when you go from 0 volts to 8.2v 250 times a second,.. it starts to average to lower voltages. I COULD put 1 ohm / 2-3 watt resistors to my LEDs,.. what is what a lot of (maybe even most) people do here to protect their lights. That could be wasting 40% of the batt power to heat loss. Bucks waste maybe 10% or less of power in the conversion process. and they can drive other components.
good review of LED control. I read it for the first time just now, but have been tossed most of these crumbs via the folks here and old roommates from college who are versed on the topic of Computer Science, Control Systems, and Electrical Engineering.
http://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2010/apr/how-to-dim-an-led
Buck up/downs- or what my smarter electrical engineer pals tell me are called, constant current induction devices- limit current and convert voltage to the desired Max levels, thru either custom set up, or the ones i use have mini potentiometers for adjustment.
Jake-----
I can't find half of this stuff anywhere ELSE but Ebay. If i do, it is often 10X the cost. and yeah,.. it is hit or miss with 75% of it. i am tired of getting devices with ratings and specs that after testing prove otherwise. This is a great question. i hope someone comes forward with another provider.
billpealer:
JShaw...
WT28p set up. with a nano, and BTW this schematic DOES NOT CONTROL the BuckBoost with PWM LED fading. but it will turn on the buck boost, and turn it off, meaning- no FOC and no blade up or down. effect. just on/off LED
i can't get PWM to work with a mosfet if i move it to the LED Vout side of the Buck Step down.
i have since moved my arduino Pin that goes to the mosfet to Pin 11 for PWM, tho i haven't gotten fading to work with a Buck, and the 2 sensors to non PWM pins. it's arbitrary. you can do what you want. also some people put a 1kohm resistor from pin 1 to pin 3 of the MOSFET to crash the PWM signal to 0 (Ground) for Digital (HIGH/LOW) mosfet switching, you do not need it.
You know, it occurs to me that your fading of the LED might work better if you supplied constant power to your Buck converter and moved your transistor to be between the LED and the converter.
billpealer:
If i send 8.2v and unrestricted current to my LED it will fry it.PWM does not limit current. it really doesn't limit voltage either, but when you go from 0 volts to 8.2v 250 times a second,.. it starts to average to lower voltages. I COULD put 1 ohm / 2-3 watt resistors to my LEDs,.. what is what a lot of (maybe even most) people do here to protect their lights. That could be wasting 40% of the batt power to heat loss. Bucks waste maybe 10% or less of power in the conversion process. and they can drive other components.
good review of LED control. I read it for the first time just now, but have been tossed most of these crumbs via the folks here and old roommates from college who are versed on the topic of Computer Science, Control Systems, and Electrical Engineering.
http://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2010/apr/how-to-dim-an-ledBuck up/downs- or what my smarter electrical engineer pals tell me are called, constant current induction devices- limit current and convert voltage to the desired Max levels, thru either custom set up, or the ones i use have mini potentiometers for adjustment.
Jake-----
I can't find half of this stuff anywhere ELSE but Ebay. If i do, it is often 10X the cost. and yeah,.. it is hit or miss with 75% of it. i am tired of getting devices with ratings and specs that after testing prove otherwise. This is a great question. i hope someone comes forward with another provider.
Sorry, my mistake, I did not pay attention to your supply. But, what about the following: you only use 1x3.7V supply (instead of 2) and use a boost to give 5V to your Arduino. Then connect your single LED to the 3.7V with PWM. Additional advantage: less space eaten up by batteries (they are big or have limited capacity) and a smaller boost, because the "logic" does not eat so much compared to the HP-LED's.
JakeSoft:
You know, it occurs to me that your fading of the LED might work better if you supplied constant power to your Buck converter and moved your transistor to be between the LED and the converter.
yeah,. good eye.
this diagram is for NO PWM fading,. as the mosfet arduino pin isn't even PWM. i have rearranged things as a told jshaw for pwm.
i do have a new set up with an additional fet tween the vout of the buck and the led. still no good. i orered a new buck. maybe this one is bad.
Protonerd:
Sorry, my mistake, I did not pay attention to your supply. But, what about the following: you only use 1x3.7V supply (instead of 2) and use a boost to give 5V to your Arduino. Then connect your single LED to the 3.7V with PWM. Additional advantage: less space eaten up by batteries (they are big or have limited capacity) and a smaller boost, because the "logic" does not eat so much compared to the HP-LED's.
yup. you are correct sir.
i DO that exactly with the saber i posted as my first build with Sw-200 sensors, back in Dec. 5v buck up, and 3.7v DIRECT to the LED, no resistors as i said,. if you have a 3.3-3.4v LED that can take an Amp,. you don't need resistors at all, due to the internal resistance of the battery. which is about 1 ohm. I am moving to a higher powered green Cree. so i can do more dramatic FoC. and PWM fading, and only use a buck wth the LED instead of the Arduino. i'll change this diagram to illustrate my new goal, and post a diagram for my working one battery set up. which by the way,. is easy to make, change batts, and is cheap.
billpealer:
yeah,. good eye.
this diagram is for NO PWM fading,. as the mosfet arduino pin isn't even PWM. i have rearranged things as a told jshaw for pwm.i do have a new set up with an additional fet tween the vout of the buck and the led. still no good. i orered a new buck. maybe this one is bad.
yup. you are correct sir.
Try putting your nFET on the negative side of your LED instead.
JakeSoft:
Try putting your nFET on the negative side of your LED instead.
i have the neg out of the buck,. on the.. uh... source pin. right pin. i have the neg of the LED on the drain. middle pin.
you think switch that?
billpealer:
i have the neg out of the buck,. on the.. uh... source pin. right pin. i have the neg of the LED on the drain. middle pin.you think switch that?
That sounds right. Not sure why it doesn't work. Sorry, man; I'm stumped too.
JakeSoft:
That sounds right. Not sure why it doesn't work. Sorry, man; I'm stumped too.
i'm buying a new buck.
my original hypotheses was the buck actually uses a pwm or maybe a ripple freq based output, so the negative OUT of the buck going to the source pin of the Mosfet was not syncing with the PWM on the gate pin. so the orchestra of pulses and frequencies were out of tune.
the PWM to the buck wasn't doing "nothing". it just wasn't fading like a raw PWM to LED set up. random behavior. from working once, to not working again, to just plain random LED intensities.. not shutting fully off. turning off when Foc was supposed to go down. very frustrating.
i also want to add, i can't find a single HOW To or forum that has this topic discussed. google search = ghost town. i figure because it is so simple that i am the only dolt having issues,.. or that it may be laymen's knowledge that you CANT use digital PWM and MOSFET tween an LED and Buck
So...one step forward, one step back.
I printed a hilt in three pieces using a 3D printer (standard PLA) and had it at 30% infill with triangular structure. the outer wall is at 1.65in and the inner wall is at 1.35in, so a total thickness of .3in, and now the results....
the physical pieces can take a major thrashing without cracking, breaking or compressing. Had my son hit the bladeholder directly at varying degrees of force and nothing. the inner core where the blade rests had no damage either. the metal screw I used as a retention piece was fine and unscrewed and rescrewed without a hiccup (printed the threads in the design).
you may be asking yourself...how do you know what the inside looks like and that there is no damage? well....that's because the hilt snapped....into three pieces...right on the 3-d printed threads. I was using 1.43inx12 ANSI threads and they couldn't take the force of the vibration from the impact. the rest of the body was fine. I am thinking about making the parts slide inside eachother until they catch and holding them together with a couple of machine screws. unless anyone has a different suggestion?
Lets see I found this: Wiring a buckpuck to Arduino
Transistor to communicate PWM to Buckpuck LED driv
Code at the end, for controlling alot of LEDs in a fish tank light.
LED Unit Blueprint
DJWing79:
So...one step forward, one step back.I printed a hilt in three pieces using a 3D printer (standard PLA) and had it at 30% infill with triangular structure. the outer wall is at 1.65in and the inner wall is at 1.35in, so a total thickness of .3in, and now the results....
the physical pieces can take a major thrashing without cracking, breaking or compressing. Had my son hit the bladeholder directly at varying degrees of force and nothing. the inner core where the blade rests had no damage either. the metal screw I used as a retention piece was fine and unscrewed and rescrewed without a hiccup (printed the threads in the design).
you may be asking yourself...how do you know what the inside looks like and that there is no damage? well....that's because the hilt snapped....into three pieces...right on the 3-d printed threads. I was using 1.43inx12 ANSI threads and they couldn't take the force of the vibration from the impact. the rest of the body was fine. I am thinking about making the parts slide inside eachother until they catch and holding them together with a couple of machine screws. unless anyone has a different suggestion?
Have you thought about maybe printing your parts as a sleeve over some cheap brass sink tube or solid PVC pipe to reinforce it? That way, your parts are basically an attractive facade over cheap hardware store parts. Nobody will be able to tell the difference.