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Edit:

If you really like this project, you can vote for me on the top right corner, for Featured Author Contest , just three days after the contest closes. And don't forget the other 2 contests: Glue and Battery Powered. Thank you very much in advance!!!

Hi All,

This is my second instructable: Arduino chandelier from mini jars. My first one was my : Cuckoo Alarm Clock from Hard Drive.

I wanted to give my room some special design, with mooth lighting so when I had the option to use RGB leds and a Arduino board I decided I needed my own making a chandelier.

Step 1: Intro: Gallery

Before we get started we are going to need a little bit of motivation, take a look at these pictures and realize what you will be making.

This project very tedious and time consuming. Any time that you get frustrated while making this project, take a deep breath, come back to this step, take a look at the pictures and remember what you are working towards!

Step 2: Materials List

Here is what you need to make your chandelier:

Electronics:

PCB sheet
Arduino mini 5V
USB Serial Light Adapter or Arduino Uno, Duemillanove or something similar to act as a HOST (detachable Chip!!)
RGB Leds (50 pcs)
8-bit shift register 74hc595d SMD (19 pcs)
Octal Bus Transceiver 74hc245d SMD
Electrolytic Decoupling Capacitors - 100uF/16V
High capacity rechargeable battery

Frame:

Acrylic sheet
Spray paint
Copper wire
Insulation Sleeving
Mini jars (50 pcs)

Tools:

Handsaw
Drill
Drill bits
Hot glue and it's gun
Super glue
Soldering iron
Solder
Wire cutters
Pliers
...

Step 3: Preparing the Acrylic Frame

I decided the dimensions of my acrylic frame at 6.5" diameter, it fits my room, not too small and easy lighting throughout the room. 6.5" with 50 jars and 50 leds corresponding.

First, drawing circles on acrylic plate, divide the LED position that you want to sort, then use a handsaw or sawmill parasols for sawing acrylic sheet. Next, drill holes at the locations specified by 2mm drill bit.

I broke the an acrylic plate because I saw too fast, of course, the experience for you as sawing slowly.

Next, remove the protective paper sheet from the acrylic and installation of insulation sleeving pipe was cut short into boreholes.

Finally, using spray paint to decorate it.

Step 4: Circuit Diagram and Programming

After shopping all the electronic parts, I assemble circuit follow the circuit diagram reference from elcojacobs.

With 50 RGB leds, I need 19 pcs of 74hc595 to driven.

Explain:

Take a look at the schematic

Each RGB led consists of three colors, corresponding to 3 pins controller.

Each 8-bit shift register 74HC595 has 8 control output.

I need to control 50 RGB Leds, which means I need 50x3 = 150 pins control, corresponding to 150/8 = 19 shift registers.

HOW TO UPLOAD THOSE SKETCHES TO AN ARDUINO MINI:

I’ve been into Arduino programming lately and looking forward to create a small form factor project. To get code into it you might want to try the following technique.

You’ll need an USB Serial Light Adapter or Arduino Uno, Duemillanove or something similar to act as a HOST (detachable Chip!!) .

Basically, connect the main Arduino’s 5v, GND, RX,TX (not crossed, just RX to RX and TX to TX) and RESET to the mini. Now for the most important part. DETACH the ATMega chip from the host board (Duemilanove, Uno.. what ever) and start uploading your sketches as you would with the normal arduino. No need to change the Board in the Arudino software. THAT’s IT. Nothing more. Just do it and enjoy.

About Programming:

I using ShiftPWM library for Arduino, you can download at Elcojacops Githup. Very thankful to Elco Jacobs for this library. You can refer to the example file in this library.

Based on software PWM on site http://www.elcojacobs.com/shiftpwm/ I chose the PWM frequency is 60, the maximum brightness is 255.

My code file is attached below.

LampJars_c.ino
Download

Step 5: Making Printed Circuit and Soldering

How to make print circuits boards?????

Just type and search, hundreds of results on Instructables.

Refer to the Eagle pcb file is attached below, including control board and Leds board.

Note: PCB file has not been finalized.

Step 6: LEDs Soldering

Sawing Led board up into small pieces, then soldering the RGB Leds on it.

Finally, use pliers to cut short the pins for the leds

Step 7: Hot Glue and Gun

Use glue gun to glue the LEDs and the jars together.

Note: be careful with the high temperature glue guns.

Step 8: Soldering Copper Wire and Test

Cut into four strands of copper wire for each LED, do be careful not to rope broke.

Then, cut short 1/4" of the insulation sleeving pipe, insert the copper wire into the pipe.

Next, soldering the wire with led boards and testing.

Step 9: Connected to the Control Board, Battery

Solder the copper wires on the control board.

OMG! 150 wires. I spent 2 days to complete the wiring, it is an extremely difficult task.

Any time that you get frustrated while making this project, take a deep breath, come back to Step 1, take a look at the pictures and remember what you are working towards! haha

Finally, fixed battery cells wired together with plastic wire ties.

Get the rechargeable batteries from the electronics down, I decided to connect it to a chandelier for use in areas where electricity is not available. I wired parallel four-cell battery, which is 4000mAh (1000mah for each).

I test it used to be about 5 hours, the battery cell is ideal to power lights for outdoor activities where electricity is not available. After the battery has run out, the charger for about 2 hours to be able to continue using.