RGB lamp with Custom Moodlamp Library

I wanted to have an easily programmable RGB light to toss into a Jack 'O Lantern for Halloween. Who really wants a dull pumpkin in these days of pumpkin pimping madness. So I set to work building a pocket tin sized RGB lamp that could be reused after Halloween for some other RGBing need. The goal, that it could fit into a tin with room to spare for possible future additions, that it be hyper-simple to write up a new light show. That it used an Arduino at its heart, because I am familiar with them and they are fun.

So lets get to making something!

If you are here for the library it is in step 3. Go on then, let then others read quietly.

Step 1 Gather up your kit

To build a replica of my pocket RGB lamp, you will need....

A RGB LED..(You can get these at most electronics stores/sources)
An Arduino Mini Pro 5v (Available from Sparkfun and Robotshop and a bunch of other places too)
A good pocket sized tin that can house a 9v battery and some stuff. I used an alternative to the minty fresh choice of many a maker. Mine, while lacking in freshness is both sharp and precisely engineered...or so I am lead to believe....Your tin will be fine, don't get tin envy...honestly it is only a tin.
A small protoboard, or a larger one that you don't mind cutting to make a smaller piece.
3 resistors, I went with 330ohms. Usually a safe bet with LEDs, but if you have your datasheet, and options, do the math...V=IR is a good place to start.
A 9v battery connector
Some female headers (available at many online retailers)
a small on/off push-button (Dollarama is a great place to find stuff like this attached to other stuff that is also often useful)
Some bits of hookup wire.
some thin foam or thick paper or something to line the bed of the tin in to keep it from shorting out anything.
A small credit card Fresnel magnifier. Not strictly necessary, but I like excuses to cut up credit card sized Fresnel lenses.
ummm...a drill, a computer....ummm...thats it I think.


Okay have you gathered your gear? Do a dry fit. Put the board and battery in the tin, place other components on top, close tin. If the test goes well, proceed to next step, otherwise, figure out what is going to be the problem and then find a slightly larger tin.

I had to cut a bit of my protoboard off. A quick way to do this if you don't mind a rough cut is to score a line and snap it off.

Comments

[loudboy]

Your Moodlamp_Library.pde file saves as a temporary file, not a .pde.

Maybe corrupt/bad link?

[fjordcarver]

Thanks, sorry about that, I don't know what happened. I am attempting to upload again now, while we're at it, were the other files okay?

[fjordcarver]

I don't understand why it won't accept a pde file, but in the meantime, here it is as a txt file, you will have to do a copy/paste into Arduino to try. (The sketch just provides a couple of examples of the library usage) Share and enjoy.
Thanks for letting me know the link was bad.

[fjordcarver]

I just wanted to point out that while one RGB LED is sufficient to illuminate something like a pumpkin (nice semi reflective white interior), the library will work with multiple LEDs wired up to pins 9(red),10(green),11(blue). You will probably want to build some supporting electronics to handle the current though. There are loads of resources on how to go about it. My goal was a simpler in nature, and having the library written, I am well prepared for RGB lamps of a grandeur scale.
I really wish I had somewhere to host the files properly (or understood git) but for now people will have to build their own from the text files and instructions I have provided...

[omnibot]

I was sceptical at first but that seems to work really well in the pumpkin.
tip : If you put a fastener ring from a harddriveplatter around the lenshole on the outside it looks really cool.

[fjordcarver]

Good tip, I actually had a little ring I was gonna glue on, but your idea would look cool. (I had decided my little grommet thingy didn't ,so I left it rough)