Marching band dad looking for prop design help, LED lighting, random flash

[MrDEB]

I followed every code example I could trying to figure out WHY the ode executes ALL the code and not stopping when it gets to a FALSE statement.
I have setalldigital.bas and the code is basically the same (exactly) as my Mexican Train game code for 8 switches.

 

[Pommie]

You have been posting here now for 10 years and in that time you appear to have learnt very little, if anything at all. To portray yourself here as competent is bordering on fraud. My apologies to the OP as I'm currently too busy to help with this but thought it was my duty to point out the above.

Mike.

 

[MrDEB]

I found my missing command
setalldigital

 

[MrDEB]

I feel that I have learned a-lot seeing how I took 3 years off and no programming experience much less electronics from high school class in 1968.
I have written lots of working code as well as developed different games and devices that work quite well. Most of the members here are full time code writers and have had schooling in writing code and electronics.
At least give me credit for trying and not giving up.

 

[OlPhart]

My $.02: I did a train firebox emulator out of a bunch of yellow / orange / red LEDs.
I built 4 555 timers at different freerun frequencies. Then used logic gates to combine the outputs to drive ULN200x for the LEDs.

While I agree a micro is far superior, the learning curve seems a dealbreaker. Good Hunting... <<<)))

 

[Tony Stewart]

First off, I am a contractor, primarily a carpenter. I also am a hobby mechanic (hot rod guy) so while I have mechanical ability, I am not an electronics expert by any stretch. I have partially build a stand alone ecu fuel injection computer system, megasquirt, but all of the parts can in the package with step by step instructions for dummies like me.

My son is in a competitive high school marching band. I donate my time building props for the show they put on. This year, I am building spinning platforms that are 12 feet long, about 2 feet tall. The actual design and construction is complete. Now, the band director want to make them flash, literally.

My idea is to install battery driven LED flashers in the sides of the platforms. 12 or so lights on each side run on a battery installed in the platform. I want to make the lights flash randomly to give them a sparkle appearence. I have 6 platforms and lights need to go on both sides, so 24-30 lights per platform. The lights need to be bright enough to show up under stadium lighting. We typically end up competing on the state level in a professional sports arena, so the brighter the better.

Did I mention since this is a fine arts program in a public school, the entire budget for this comes out of my pocket? I could use specific parts and sources. Designing specific use pcbs is not my expertice. Can anyone give me guidence?

Thanks.

You may have given up but LEDstrips with remote controls vary greatly in power per string and cost may be from 0.25$ to $1 per W, but for visibility with stadium lighting, you will need more than 25W per string. RGBW usually run off 5V for individual control, but substrings of 3V per set in series would control more efficiently with 12 or 24 V. Look for 5m reels with V*I=P > 25W if you want them to be seen well under stadium lights from afar. More is better but for 6 platforms you might be looking much more than 150W. Nothing less and that's 30Amps of heavy wiring at 5V or 10A at 12V or 5A at 24V .

The net Lumens from 150W using LEDstrips is low effic. so expect only 750 Lumens or 1/2 of the best power Discrete single DC LED. or about the same as 10x 8 W high effiency white LED lamps. Remember Green has best acuity and RED is dimmer and Blue is dimmest to the eye in bright light and white is the brightest.

Cheapest is a single colour string but maybe no remote included.

my 2cents
Tony

 

[MrDEB]

This project is pretty much done. M Smith in Florida is busy building the platforms and waiting for more of the 3w leds. The circuit boards are done and tested, just waiting for confirmation that the 4 different programs I coded will work for his application or if changes are needed. The boards have 20 outputs, 4 different programs or sequences plus a pot to adjust the sequencing speed.

 

[JonSea]

Any testing of the operational life of the LEDs with marginal/no heatsinking?

 

[MrDEB]

M smith tried connecting a 9v battery to one led and it lasted for several seconds. I had sent with the first board a wiring diagram with 5 leds in series. Last I heard he ordered more Leds to complete the 7 platforms. That's 100 leds per platform x 7 = 700 leds.
Each platform will have a 20 channel board. Each channel controls 5 leds if he wires up 5 leds in series per channel.
Still waiting for result video

 

[JonSea]

Wow. I could not in good conscious design something so costly to implement without testing the hell out of it before turning it over to someone unskilled in these matters.

Proper heatsinking of the LEDs is crucial but I'd be worried about power dissipation on the circuit boards too.

 

[MrDEB]

I made the traces to the mosfets as wide as possible. The mosfets are TO-220 with room for heat sinks if needed. It should be ok since the circuit is on for 5 minutes or less an it is outdoors. I discussed all this with M Smith.

 

[MrDEB]

Well here is and update. The Leds don't get hot as well as the board does not get warm.

I need to program the pics and send him the remaining 8 boards. Good thing I have an low force insertion socket to program the 40 pin chips

 

[JonSea]

Glad it all worked out for you. There was a lot of money invested in this.

Why on earth didn't you include an ICSP socket on rhe board?

 

[MrDEB]

Yes a lot of money spent on the boards. M Smith prepaid for it all. Now I need to mail the rest of the boards with programmed chips in them.
There are 5 ICSP header pads on the boards. The plan is I wrote a program with 4 different sequences and a pot to vary the led flash rate. The ICSP has just the pads, no header installed except for the one board I am retaining.. This was so I can connect one board to the Pickit2 and make desired changes to the code at will then after M smith wires up on board to see if it is what he wants. If everything is a GO then I mail the remaining 8 boards with programmed chips. I am retaining one board in case he wants to change the program for next year. He removes the chips. inserts in the plastic dip shipping tube and ships the chips back to me. Way cheaper than shipping all the boards back. I wanted to do all in smd but then the boards would need to be shipped. I put a-lot of though into this project and different scenario's concerning the shipment and re-programming of chips. I mailed him a descriptive wiring diagram and suggestions on led placement as well. Included a caution concerning removal of chips. Now we wait for a video of the actual band competition. The board and program code are very basic. No extravagant code or exotic parts. I think I posted a pic of a completed board with schematic.

 

[M Smith]

Once I have the first prop completed, I will post up a video of it in use. I need to set up a step so a couple of drum line students can get on top of it. They will stand back to back and play while it spins.

For all of the controversy that came up all I can say is that MrDEB stepped up and gave me the help I needed to get this project done. The kids were awestruck when the saw the prop light up the first time. They put so much effort into the program practicing 18 hours a week after school in 95 degree heat on a blacktop parking lot. I am thankful MrDEB stepped up to help. When I put up video of the show it will be amazing.