Neopixel stick

[james]

I';ve done quite a bit of work with Neopixel strips - a nice big 1000uF electrolytic connected across + and - input pins for power is a must-have, and you also want a 330 Ohm (or thereabouts) resistor between the data pin and your controller. With those two and power supplied at a nominal 5V via a regulator, I';ve never had issues.

I do keep power supplies separate for lighting and other stuff, since LEDs can be fairly noisy - my main rig has a separate UBEC with chokes fed direct off the battery for lighting. Makes grounds interesting, of course...

[Stalker]

I would recommend adding a capacitor, but the issue you are mentioning suggest you haven';t got a good common ground between your ESC and FC. I would suggest if you don';t have already linking the ground from the Neopixel to the ground on the FC

Thanks Paul. I';ll give that a try, and get one of those capacitors orders. [emoji106]

[Ben]

If you';ve got a Maplins near you, they stock them at a pretty good price. About 60 or 70p IIRC.

[djathers]

Mine is doing the same random flash thing after a min or so, a capacitor didn';t help.
i put the cap across the pos and neg (parallel), is that right or do you wire them in series on the 5v feed line.
ive not tried the resistor yet though

[james]

Mine is doing the same random flash thing after a min or so, a capacitor didn';t help.
i put the cap across the pos and neg (parallel), is that right or do you wire them in series on the 5v feed line.
ive not tried the resistor yet though

Parallel, yep. The resistor (in series on data) is a must-have - it protects the data input on the first pixel from spikes from your control stuff, as the data lines are pretty sensitive and if they get poked in the wrong way then damage to the chip can occur.

[djathers]

Got it sorted, RTFM. lol
Cleanflight manual says put a diode in series on the data line,
I used a standard IN4001 and it worked a treat.
This lowers the voltage about 0.7V and will also stop them getting ';poked the wrong way';
Ive got the 1000uF cap across the + and - aswell.
Dave

[teslahed]

I also get random flashes and have not used a diode or capacitor.

I will fit both this weekend and report back.

[Paul01]

I also get random flashes and have not used a diode or capacitor.

I will fit both this weekend and report back.

Hi Teslahed,

The Diode is the bit that will stop the random flashing, the capacitor is there to extend the life of the pixels by keeping the supply voltage constant.

[Stalker]

Has anyone come across a decent 3d printed bracket or anything similar for mounting these sticks to a 250? All the printed brackets I';ve seen are curved.

[Paul01]

you could always mount them using polymorph

[Ben]

I just used a piece of thin angle and painted it black. It';s thin enough to bend in a big crash and the neo';s are just stuck on with double sided tape.

[Stalker]

I found a black DVD case earlier that I';ve now hacked up and bent into a right angle and stuck on with double sided tape. Should bend in any crashes, the same as yours Ben.