Running Lights on Elev-8

Carol Hazlett

Has anybody else made the Running Lights Kit for the Elev-8 from the OSH Park circuit boards?
I can not seem to get mine to work even though I can find nothing wrong in the physical build
of the circuits and followed the changes to the firmware. I have rechecked the firmware several
times and tested each individual board for shorts or wrong components. At a total loss right now
for what to do next.

Publison

Carol,
I built mine a couple of months ago, and could not get them working. I asked Matt if he had any code to check one module at a time, but I never heard back from him.

The are one the back shelf right now, but I would also like to get them running.

Carol Hazlett

I am going to make an attempt at writing some code to test them one at a time.
I will do it on an Arduino first then adapt it to the Propeller board.I will post what
ever happens.

MattMatz

Good afternoon,

Publison, I'm so sorry I didn't get back to you earlier about these - I'll email you both shortly.

JasonDorie

Carol / Publison, I've attached an isolated version of the code from the Elev8 that runs the LEDs.

This is just the driver itself, so you'll need to put it into a project to run it, and it'll probably need the "pins.h" and "pins_v3" files from the Elev8 project folder.

This code should probably do it: (untested)

#include <propeller.h>
#include "pins.h"
#include "led_simple.h"

//LED Color values
const int LED_Red   = 0x00FF00;
const int LED_Green = 0xFF0000;
const int LED_Blue  = 0x0000FF;
const int LED_White = 0xFFFFFF;

int LEDValue[5];
const int LED_COUNT = 5;

int main(void)
{
    LEDValue[0] = 0;
    LEDValue[1] = LED_Red;
    LEDValue[2] = LED_Green;
    LEDValue[3] = LED_Blue;
    LEDValue[4] = LED_White;
    LED_Start( PIN_LED, (int)&LEDValue[0], LED_COUNT );

   // make the first LED glow slowly
   while(true)
   {
      for( int i=0; i<255; i++ )
      {
         LEDValue[0] = i | (i<<8) | (i << 16);
         waitcnt( CNT + 800_000 );
      }
   }
}

If this works, then the code from the Elev8 project *should* work.

Carol Hazlett

Thanks Jason. I'll give it a try but Matt also said that the parts list had the wrong LDO on it so I
have to change that also. Can't wait to get the lights going. Got big plans for them.

Publison

I ordered the new regulators:

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/texas-instruments/UA78M05CDCYR/296-12290-1-ND/416584

and some ChipQuik. Hopefully I can slide the reg off with that. I do not have a hot air station.

Matt updated the Learn site with the correct part number.

Carol Hazlett

Use the heat gun that you use for heat shrink. It works pretty good but will blow the part across the room!

xanadu

Publison wrote: »

I ordered the new regulators:

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/texas-instruments/UA78M05CDCYR/296-12290-1-ND/416584

and some ChipQuik. Hopefully I can slide the reg off with that. I do not have a hot air station.

Matt updated the Learn site with the correct part number.

IMO ChipQuik is better than hot air for the random small job where pins are exposed.

Publison

Carol Hazlett wrote: »

Use the heat gun that you use for heat shrink. It works pretty good but will blow the part across the room!

I have a good heat gun, But I think it might delaminate the board with the heat needed to unsolder the regulator. There is solder underneath the regulator. I will probably use the heat gun to pre heat the area, and then use the ChipQuik to slid it off the side.

Publison

JasonDorie wrote: »

Carol / Publison, I've attached an isolated version of the code from the Elev8 that runs the LEDs.

This is just the driver itself, so you'll need to put it into a project to run it, and it'll probably need the "pins.h" and "pins_v3" files from the Elev8 project folder.

This code should probably do it: (untested)

#include <propeller.h>
#include "pins.h"
#include "led_simple.h"

//LED Color values
const int LED_Red   = 0x00FF00;
const int LED_Green = 0xFF0000;
const int LED_Blue  = 0x0000FF;
const int LED_White = 0xFFFFFF;

int LEDValue[5];
const int LED_COUNT = 5;

int main(void)
{
    LEDValue[0] = 0;
    LEDValue[1] = LED_Red;
    LEDValue[2] = LED_Green;
    LEDValue[3] = LED_Blue;
    LEDValue[4] = LED_White;
    LED_Start( PIN_LED, (int)&LEDValue[0], LED_COUNT );

   // make the first LED glow slowly
   while(true)
   {
      for( int i=0; i<255; i++ )
      {
         LEDValue[0] = i | (i<<8) | (i << 16);
         waitcnt( CNT + 800_000 );
      }
   }
}

If this works, then the code from the Elev8 project *should* work.

Thanks Jason for the snippet. I'd like to try the Spin code first when I get my new regulators.