Problem With LED Strips and Arduino Mega

dronemaster278 · November 8, 2023, 12:19am

Hello, I am trying to program a simple light show for christmas, and i am running into a series of problem. I have 12 12V LED strips being controlled by an arduino mega, and some strips have one color on no matter what i do short of unplugging it. I have narrowed down the problem to something with the arduino, and i have confirmed that it is not wiring. I have posted the code and diagrams below. Thank you for all and any help.

Code:

#define cr1 4
#define cg1 3
#define cb1 2
#define cr2 5
#define cg2 6
#define cb2 7
#define cr3 8
#define cg3 9
#define cb3 10
#define cr4 11
#define cg4 22
#define cb4 23
#define cr5 24
#define cg5 25
#define cb5 26
#define cr6 27
#define cg6 28
#define cb6 29

int state;
void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  pinMode(cr2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(cr3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(cr1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(cb2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(cb3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(cb1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(cg2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(cg3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(cg1, OUTPUT);
  Serial.println("Outputs Set");
}
void ledstrip(int strng, int cr, int cg, int cb) {
  if (strng == 1) {
    if (cr == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cr1, HIGH);
    } else if (cr == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cr1, LOW);
    }
    if (cg == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cg1, HIGH);
    } else if (cg == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cg1, LOW);
    }
    if (cb == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cb1, HIGH);
    } else if (cb == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cb1, LOW);
    }
  } else if (strng == 2) {
    if (cr == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cr2, HIGH);
    } else if (cr == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cr2, LOW);
    }
    if (cg == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cg2, HIGH);
    } else if (cg == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cg2, LOW);
    }
    if (cb == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cb2, HIGH);
    } else if (cb == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cb2, LOW);
    }
  } else if (strng == 3) {
    if (cr == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cr3, HIGH);
    } else if (cr == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cr3, LOW);
    }
    if (cg == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cg3, HIGH);
    } else if (cg == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cg3, LOW);
    }
    if (cb == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cb3, HIGH);
    } else if (cb == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cb3, LOW);
    }
  } else if (strng == 4) {
    if (cr == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cr4, HIGH);
    } else if (cr == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cr4, LOW);
    }
    if (cg == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cg4, HIGH);
    } else if (cg == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cg4, LOW);
    }
    if (cb == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cb4, HIGH);
    } else if (cb == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cb4, LOW);
    }
  } if (strng == 5) {
    if (cr == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cr5, HIGH);
    } else if (cr == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cr5, LOW);
    }
    if (cg == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cg5, HIGH);
    } else if (cg == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cg5, LOW);
    }
    if (cb == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cb5, HIGH);
    } else if (cb == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cb5, LOW);
    }
  } if (strng == 6) {
    if (cr == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cr6, HIGH);
    } else if (cr == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cr6, LOW);
    }
    if (cg == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cg6, HIGH);
    } else if (cg == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cg6, LOW);
    }
    if (cb == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cb6, HIGH);
    } else if (cb == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cb6, LOW);
    }
  } else Serial.println("Error, Uknown Strip Number");
}
void ledclear() {
  ledstrip(1, 0, 0, 0);
  ledstrip(2, 0, 0, 0);
  ledstrip(3, 0, 0, 0);
  ledstrip(4, 0, 0, 0);
  ledstrip(5, 0, 0, 0);
  ledstrip(6, 0, 0, 0);
}

void loop() {
}

Diagram.

Note the led strips are represented by the LED, and the battery represents 12 V.

kolaha · November 8, 2023, 1:23am

picture with wiring is not clear. make some schematic. enough to draw one color of one channel.

kolaha · November 8, 2023, 1:26am

dronemaster278:

    if (cr == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cr1, HIGH);
    } else if (cr == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cr1, LOW);
    }
    if (cg == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cg1, HIGH);
    } else if (cg == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cg1, LOW);
    }
    if (cb == 1) {
      digitalWrite(cb1, HIGH);
    } else if (cb == 0) {
      digitalWrite(cb1, LOW);
    }

    digitalWrite(cr1, cr);
    digitalWrite(cg1, cg);
    digitalWrite(cb1, cb);

TomGeorge · November 8, 2023, 1:28am

Hi, @dronemaster278
Can you please post a copy of your circuit, a picture of a hand drawn circuit in jpg, png?
Hand drawn and photographed is perfectly acceptable.
Please include ALL hardware, power supplies, component names and pin labels.

Thanks.. Tom...

DVDdoug · November 8, 2023, 1:35am

There are different kinds of LED strips. What exactly are you using? Do you have good specs or datasheet?

kolaha · November 8, 2023, 1:39am

const byte c_pin[6][3] = {
  {4, 3, 2},
  {5, 6, 7},
  {8, 9, 10},
  {11, 22, 23},
  {24, 25, 26},
  {27, 28, 29}
};

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  for (byte i = 0; i < 6; i++)
    for (byte j = 0; i < 3; i++)
      pinMode(c_pin[i][j], OUTPUT);
  Serial.println("Outputs Set");
  ledstrip(1, 1, 0, 0);
  ledstrip(2, 0, 1, 0);
  ledstrip(3, 0, 0, 1);
  ledstrip(4, 1, 1, 0);
  ledstrip(5, 0, 1, 1);
  ledstrip(6, 1, 0, 1);
  delay(5000);
  allClear();
}

void ledstrip(byte strng, bool r, bool g, bool b) {
  digitalWrite(c_pin[strng][0], r);
  digitalWrite(c_pin[strng][1], g);
  digitalWrite(c_pin[strng][2], b);
}

void allClear() {
  ledstrip(1, 0, 0, 0);
  ledstrip(2, 0, 0, 0);
  ledstrip(3, 0, 0, 0);
  ledstrip(4, 0, 0, 0);
  ledstrip(5, 0, 0, 0);
  ledstrip(6, 0, 0, 0);
}

void loop() {
}

dronemaster278 · November 8, 2023, 1:58pm

I tried this code, and for some reason it does not work. I went back to the old code and i have the same results as last time. I did rewire it, but the code seems to be the problem.

dronemaster278 · November 8, 2023, 2:12pm

Sorry, I have no experience using diagrams, but i tried to remake the first diagram. If this does not work, i can try another way.

kolaha · November 8, 2023, 2:50pm

this diagram is useless, more then old in post#1. +9V is nowhere connected.

dronemaster278 · November 8, 2023, 2:57pm

apologies. 9V is actually 12V in real life, and the RGB LED is the led strip.
Updated Photo

dronemaster278 · November 8, 2023, 6:31pm

Is there a program i can use to make one?

kolaha · November 9, 2023, 2:03am

paper and pen. or show picture where you learn how to wire a NMOS.

well, i see, 12V supply is only for Arduino.
how led strip is powered? Do you already have such a strip, do you have a photo of it?

compare

TomGeorge · November 9, 2023, 3:54am

Hi, @dronemaster278

If you are after a basic CAD try;

Very basic, does not use masses of HD or memory and produces nice results.

Tom..

mancera1979 · November 9, 2023, 4:39am

What is the part number of the transistors you are using?

How are they connected? The image is too blurry

dronemaster278 · November 9, 2023, 1:42pm

the resistors are 100 km i think.

dronemaster278 · November 9, 2023, 1:46pm

the 12V powers both the Arduino and the light strips. I found a youtube video that has the wiring for the whole set up.
Screenshot 2023-11-09 8.45.50 AM

kolaha · November 9, 2023, 8:22pm

is your project working now?

dronemaster278 · November 9, 2023, 8:24pm

no.

kolaha · November 9, 2023, 9:32pm

write simple sketch that toggles pins 5,6,9.

dronemaster278 · November 10, 2023, 11:13pm

modified the code, same result.

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