I apologize, I don’t know which category to file this under.
So I make shadow light boxes, where I cut cardstock with a digital die cutting machine, and assemble the card stock in picture frames with LED lights. Super simple store bought strips that are just single color changing. Nothing special. (Example pic attached)
I started learning arduino nano and designing stuff with addressable LEDs via FastLED to tell a story with the led, sort of a light show so it’s not just static white (but I digress).
The bread board I have is ultra simple. 5V from nano to 100mFD capacitor to power the strip , then nano to digital pin to resistor to data line of the LED strip.
I may add a button or knob down the road for like on and off, or brightness.
Could I make the final circuit board with a perfboard that will be sold (and maybe wrapped in electric tape or in a small plastic box? I don’t mind soldering, but I guess I could just order a bunch of pre made PCB boards too.
You are asking for problems if you build several of them.
My Crispy Critter Rules:
Rule #1. A Power Supply the Arduino is NOT!
Rule #2. Never Connect Anything Inductive to an Arduino!
Violating these rules tends to make crispy critters out of Arduinos.
Thank you! I didn't know that there was "approved" plug pack. The boxes are relatively small, and was just going to power through he USB Arduino Nano. Is that frowned upon?
WOW! Thank you for this. So If I understand this correctly, have a proper power supply/ac unit that connects tot he board and powers both the LED strip and the Arduino? I got some googling to do.
The rules about what you need to do in order to sell a product are different in different countries.
From your misspelling of the word colour I am assuming that you may be in the USA.
If so a product for sale must be approved by the FCC in the unintentional emitter category. This will require emissions testing in an FCC approved laboratory and will cost approximately $1000.
In such a case you should make a PCB because otherwise every hand soldered strip board would need to be tested as you can't ensure the layout will always be the same.
In every jurisdiction there are safety rules for anything connected to the mains.
(e.g. many chinese power supplies):
Sure you can use USB, ensure your design, and be prepared wor warranty and failure ‘returns’ because of broken/twisted USB connectors.
I sold a box for about $150 a few years ago. They were all installed between 20-500km from their owners offices.
If I had to perform on site hardware or software warranty, each visit could have costed up to $1000 each for time and labour. Ten times the cost of the unit
Get your design, assembly, testing and warranty terms very clear BEFORE the sale !
Also I’m not trying to do mass production or anything that big. It’s more like project requests. For example: someone orders a shadow box with a custom design request, and I would attach the arduino led strip.
Just fyi, I’m still going to research this as well
Yes, the quantity you plan to sell is totally immaterial.
I make music instruments for disabled people and I am not permitted to sell even one in the UK without the appropriate CE approval which would cost me a similar amount. I can only give them away.
Stupid I know, but this is the sort of "barrier to entry" the big manufacturers like in order to stop small people undercutting them. They lobby the legislature in every country to make sure it gets passed into law.
