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Step 5Making the LED Matrix -- Preparing the Parts
LEDs
Prepare the LEDs by bending their leads. The following orients the LEDs with their flat edges facing in the same direction. The choice is arbitrary, but standardizing an orientation reduces the risk of error.
Hold the LED with its flat side (cathode side) turned to your right. Bend the cathode toward you. This points the cathodes to ground, the direction electricity wants to flow :-). Create the bend about 1-2 mm below the bottom of the LED. This will allow the LED to stand proud of the wire.
The anode will be bent to the left after the cathodes are soldered into place. This will prevent confusion when soldering. The two leads should form a right angle with the cathode pointing towards you and the anode pointing toward your left.
Heat shring tubing
Cut two 1/2" long pieces of 1/16" heat shrink tubing for each LED. That's one hundred sixty pieces and requires about seven feet just for these. Cut an additional eighteen (18) pieces for the headers.
Wire
Cut black wires equal in number to the ribs on the umbrella. Make them enough longer than the ribs so that there is enough wire to create the headers that connect to the Arduino.
There are 8 rings of LEDs that go around the umbrella (this is the number of output pins on the MIC2981) so each cathode chain or column will consist of 8 LEDs. Lay the wires out and mark the locations for the LEDs along the ribs. Spacing at this point establishes the distance between the concentric rings.
Strip a small piece of insulation (about 3mm) at each point. Cut through the insulation with wire strippers at two places about one-quarter of an inch apart. Then crush the insulation with pliers and cut the insulation out with a utility knife or pull it out with your fingers. In each open space, put a small amount of solder. This is in preparation for soldering the LED cathodes to these spots.
Prepare the LEDs by bending their leads. The following orients the LEDs with their flat edges facing in the same direction. The choice is arbitrary, but standardizing an orientation reduces the risk of error.
Hold the LED with its flat side (cathode side) turned to your right. Bend the cathode toward you. This points the cathodes to ground, the direction electricity wants to flow :-). Create the bend about 1-2 mm below the bottom of the LED. This will allow the LED to stand proud of the wire.
The anode will be bent to the left after the cathodes are soldered into place. This will prevent confusion when soldering. The two leads should form a right angle with the cathode pointing towards you and the anode pointing toward your left.
Heat shring tubing
Cut two 1/2" long pieces of 1/16" heat shrink tubing for each LED. That's one hundred sixty pieces and requires about seven feet just for these. Cut an additional eighteen (18) pieces for the headers.
Wire
Cut black wires equal in number to the ribs on the umbrella. Make them enough longer than the ribs so that there is enough wire to create the headers that connect to the Arduino.
There are 8 rings of LEDs that go around the umbrella (this is the number of output pins on the MIC2981) so each cathode chain or column will consist of 8 LEDs. Lay the wires out and mark the locations for the LEDs along the ribs. Spacing at this point establishes the distance between the concentric rings.
Strip a small piece of insulation (about 3mm) at each point. Cut through the insulation with wire strippers at two places about one-quarter of an inch apart. Then crush the insulation with pliers and cut the insulation out with a utility knife or pull it out with your fingers. In each open space, put a small amount of solder. This is in preparation for soldering the LED cathodes to these spots.
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