wiring RGB LED Lights

[mhellebuyck]

I bought this kit: RGB LED Light Strip With Arduino Controller Kit (am-3010), from andymark, and I don't have the slightest idea on how to wire it. I just want to use it this year to make our robot look "cooler". Nothing fancy. Can you send me a pic, or point me in the right direction? I have been all over the internet the last few days, and I couldn't find anything that matched what I need!!!

Thanks

[Sperkowsky]

We also bought these http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JR0MJIU?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s02

and do not know how to wire/program them. It has a standard 3 pin header but that is about all I know about them.

[MetaEngineer]

On the AndyMark product page the second picture is the wiring diagram: http://www.andymark.com/product-p/am-3010.htm

- 12 volts input power and ground from the PDP go to both the Arduino and the DC-DC converter.

- Output power and ground from the DC-DC converter goes to the LED strip.

- Wire the Arduino signal ground to the ground terminal on the output side of the DC-DC converter.

- Wire the Arduino Digital IO pin to the LED strip signal wire. Make sure your code has the correct IO pin number or it won't work. The example code has it set for Pin 5.

[mhellebuyck]

Thank you for your quick response! I will try it today!

[electroken]

We also bought these http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JR0MJIU?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s02

and do not know how to wire/program them. It has a standard 3 pin header but that is about all I know about them.

That LED string uses the WS2812B individually addressable LEDs. They are also sold by Adafruit, and on their site you'll find links to more tutorials, code examples, and projects using them than one could read in a week.

You'll probably want to get somebody up to speed on Arduino programming to control the LEDs. It will be difficult to get the tight 800kHz timing they require out of the roboRIO while it's busy running the robot.

I'm an EE, but only write code when threatened and was able to get one of those strings to work.

[jimbo493]

You can use the same example code for the NeoPixel line at Adafruit to get these to work, and follow their guide here (https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neopixel-uberguide/best-practices)