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Ahch-To: Instructional Section related to constructing your own Lightsaber => Component Blades - Neopixel / LED String blades => Topic started by: Darth_Muppet on October 27, 2019, 12:10:42 AM

Title: No NEOPIXEL
Post by: Darth_Muppet on October 27, 2019, 12:10:42 AM
Complete newbie to Saber building so please bear with me.

Im constructing a Wattos Junkyard DARK LORD sabre with a 132 neopixel blade to a Shtok CustomWorx NPXL NeoPixel LED Connector PCB Kit - LONG PINS all connected to a Plecter Crystal Shard v4 with the 4.5 upgrade (so it can run Neopixel)

Hilt powers up fine, got sound and motion but absolutely no lights at all on the blade or the hilt. Have checked the wiring, no broken wires or shorts.

Had a look at the config file but cannot fine anything there that defines the led blade led length (I believe there should be). Could it be that thats the problem?

Going to remove the tiny resistor and chage to an inline resistor and try it again today to see if that makes a difference.

Title: Re: No NEOPIXEL
Post by: K-2SO on October 27, 2019, 12:26:21 AM
You would have to make sure you have the config files for the CS4.5 and NOT the CS4.0. Also, which battery are you using?
Title: Re: No NEOPIXEL
Post by: Darth_Muppet on October 27, 2019, 02:48:34 AM
Keeppower 3.7v 3120mah 15A High Drain PCB Protected Removable Lithium Ion Battery

I couldnt find a V4 board manual, so had to base it on the V3 crystal shard. Had a look on the PlecterLabs site but cannot see a default config for the 4.5

Title: Re: No NEOPIXEL
Post by: QUI-GON JINN on October 27, 2019, 07:48:38 AM
Keeppower 3.7v 3120mah 15A High Drain PCB Protected Removable Lithium Ion Battery

I couldnt find a V4 board manual, so had to base it on the V3 crystal shard. Had a look on the PlecterLabs site but cannot see a default config for the 4.5
Default package for the CS 4.5 can be found here: Article Info - Plecter Labs - Props Electronics (http://www.plecterlabs.com/shop/article_info.php?articles_id=1) This includes the configuration file necessary for neopixel setups.
Title: Re: No NEOPIXEL
Post by: eastern57 on October 27, 2019, 09:10:09 AM
Check the Override file.  The parameter for neopixel blade length is put in there by default.  It should be "ledstrip=132."
Title: Re: No NEOPIXEL
Post by: Darth_Muppet on October 28, 2019, 02:38:53 AM
Thank you.
Title: Re: No NEOPIXEL
Post by: erv on October 28, 2019, 02:44:10 AM
also, eventually post pics of your board top and bottom so that I check the CS4.5 has been correctly patched for ledstrip operation
Title: Re: No NEOPIXEL
Post by: ShtokyD on January 25, 2020, 02:10:06 PM
Complete newbie to Saber building so please bear with me.

Im constructing a Wattos Junkyard DARK LORD sabre with a 132 neopixel blade to a Shtok CustomWorx NPXL NeoPixel LED Connector PCB Kit - LONG PINS all connected to a Plecter Crystal Shard v4 with the 4.5 upgrade (so it can run Neopixel)

Hilt powers up fine, got sound and motion but absolutely no lights at all on the blade or the hilt. Have checked the wiring, no broken wires or shorts.

Had a look at the config file but cannot fine anything there that defines the led blade led length (I believe there should be). Could it be that thats the problem?

Going to remove the tiny resistor and chage to an inline resistor and try it again today to see if that makes a difference.
Check how you wired the connector pcbs again and compare to the NPXL connector PDF manual. Which resistor configuration did you choose for your setup: V1, V2, V3 or V4? Did you solder a Data resistor on the Blade side pcb?