RGB Led Strips Control

[kitwashere 1]

So I got the motivation to implement this from this thread here.

I'm new to arduino/electronics in general so it took me some time to get this working and there are probably some bad practices in the code but it works!

 

I tried to follow what I thought was proper procedure while implementing this into Marlin. You'll need to edit Configuration.h and Marlin_main.cpp, as well as add in two new files. I'll post everything at the bottom, except for the changes to Configuration.h as everyone's is probably a little different. Add this some where to the bottom, I put it right under the servo stuff:

 

#define LEDCONTROL
#ifdef LEDCONTROL
// Declare pin numbers for the RGB channels
#define REDPIN 8
#define GREENPIN 9
#define BLUEPIN 10
#endif

To physically connect this, you'll need to break out EXP3 (I just used female headers for now, and I broke out all of the analog pins while I was in there). I used pins 8, 9, and 10 connected to red, green, and blue channels respectively. If you use different pins, edit the above code accordingly.

I used an Ikea Dioder led strip which came with a controller. This is an over priced solution so I wouldn't recommend it, but lucky for me I already had it and it comes with a built in controller which has all the components already there to control this easily. I hacked apart the controller like

. Here is a picture of my set up:

 

This whole thing is controlled with G-Code, so I've just been adding it in to the start/end code in Cura.

Running "M420 R255 E255 B255" will make the lights turn white (can't use "G" for green as that is already a special G-Code character)

"M420 S0" will make the lights fade through all the colors like the above video. There is some error checking so you can't run a pattern like that when the hot-end is set above 0.

 

I'm working on a way so you can use a custom pattern for the end of the print, but I'm new to coding and this isn't coming along quickly so I figured I'd post what's working now. Also working on a Cura plugin so that I can keep the lights off for the most part, and just have them light up for a bit on layer changes.

 

Here are the files you'll need when building firmware:

marlin_main.cpp

changes to the above if you don't want to sift through it

LEDcontrol.h

LEDcontrol.cpp

 

Hopefully someone will get some use out of this, but if not, it was fun to finally get my feet wet with the Arduino. Feel free to critique away.

 

[z-axis-3d 4]

This is great. I have a question that I have asked elsewhere, but since you have obviously gone quite in-depth with this project you may be able to help me. Do you know what the allowable current draw on the standard LED circuit on the UM2 is?

Cheers,

Greg

[amedee 349]

Do you know what the allowable current draw on the standard LED circuit on the UM2 is?

 

The current goes through a BC817 transistor so the absolute max is 500mA, but avoid to go beyond 400mA...

[neotko 1,417]

I would stay on the safe bellow 250mA...

[amedee 349]

For the Fan output, definitely as they take more current at startup. For the LEDs there should be no probs to go a bit higher.

But yes, better be safe than sorry

[neotko 1,417]

True true, led's aint motors that can ask for more power just to start spinning.

[z-axis-3d 4]

Thanks, that is useful . I guess that sounds about right then. If I cut 3 sections of 200mm from the LED strip I bought then that should draw 360mA.

Cheers,

Greg