This instructable is part of the "Brickduino" series. [Brickduino 1. LED]
- I expect that you did the Brickduino LED before you start with this instructable -
Mainly this instructable is the same as the Brickduino LED! So if you want to skip all the steps that are the same than jump directly to step 6!
To light more than one "Brickduino LED", I can simply stack them together. Than they are connected serially and shine half as bright. To keep the full brightness I need to connect them in parallel to each other. I can do this with the "Brickduino cable" but there must be an easier, and nicer way.
Using the G-code and jigs from the previous Brickduino instructable, it must be really easy to make this connector brick.
(To make it a little bit more logical, I'm going to swap the colors on this connector brick. I should do this on the cables also)
Paralles vs Serial
The easy explanation:
When you connect two lights in series, they divide the voltage in half.
For example:
A serial connection
I start with 5V from my Arduino. When I stack two LED's on top of each other they will be in series and will both have 2.5 volt to try to burn. Normally they need 5 V so they will only burn very pale or not at all.
A parallel connection
To give them both 5 V, we need to put them next to each other and connect the top connectors of both bricks and the bottom connectors of both bricks.
Now they will keep the full 5 V. (now they must share the amperage)
In this instructable I want to make the connectors for the tops and bottoms of the LED-bricks.
- I expect that you did the Brickduino LED before you start with this instructable -
Mainly this instructable is the same as the Brickduino LED! So if you want to skip all the steps that are the same than jump directly to step 6!
To light more than one "Brickduino LED", I can simply stack them together. Than they are connected serially and shine half as bright. To keep the full brightness I need to connect them in parallel to each other. I can do this with the "Brickduino cable" but there must be an easier, and nicer way.
Using the G-code and jigs from the previous Brickduino instructable, it must be really easy to make this connector brick.
(To make it a little bit more logical, I'm going to swap the colors on this connector brick. I should do this on the cables also)
Paralles vs Serial
The easy explanation:
When you connect two lights in series, they divide the voltage in half.
For example:
A serial connection
I start with 5V from my Arduino. When I stack two LED's on top of each other they will be in series and will both have 2.5 volt to try to burn. Normally they need 5 V so they will only burn very pale or not at all.
A parallel connection
To give them both 5 V, we need to put them next to each other and connect the top connectors of both bricks and the bottom connectors of both bricks.
Now they will keep the full 5 V. (now they must share the amperage)
In this instructable I want to make the connectors for the tops and bottoms of the LED-bricks.
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Signing UpStep 1: You will need:
LEGO:
Other stuff:
Tools and stuff:
- 2x2 red bricks
- 2x2 black plates
Other stuff:
- M2.5 x 5 mm bolts
- M2.5 nuts
- 0.5 mm copper plate
- some electrical tape
- some small wire
Tools and stuff:
- The LED's, jigs and G-code from Brickduino 1
- Needle nose pliers
- Wire cutter
- Small screwdriver
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Drillpress (it might also be doable with a hand drill)
- Drills: 2.5 mm, 4,5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm an old 8 mm wooddrill
- A CNC is helpful, but small files might also work
- Super glue
- Grinding wheel or power sander
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