DNA LED Lamp

Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- The Result
- The Parts
- The Schematcis / The PCB
- The 3D Print
- Assembly notes
- The Code
The Result
This project is still work in progress. The necessary files are listed below in case this is all you need.
The Parts
Amount | Part | Type | Datasheet | Links |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | STL file + blender sources | STL | ย | ๐พ |
2x | LED Lightstrip ~55 LEDs 144led/m (about 40cm) | LED | ย | ๐ aliexpress |
The 144LED/m lightstrips I got are divided into 72LED segments with a gap where they are linked, so if you get 1m of 144leds/m, you will have to cut it in half, and then trim both halves to about 55 LEDs.
The Schematcis / The PCB
//TODO
My initial idea was to create a custom PCB for this lamp, and left some space in the base of the model.
The lightstrip needs 5V logic. If you use an ESP8266 or equivalent controller with 3,3V
logic, you will need a level shifter.
In the end I designed a general purpose two channel ws2812b driver, that will get its own project page.
I might redesign the base a bit for the generic driver.
The 3D Print
It took me around 8-9h to print at 0.3mm, 60mm/s.
Assembly notes
Be careful not to destroy the lightstrip when inserting it into the lamp. If you do have a break in the lightstrip: I let mine run at 100% brightness and let it heat up over an hour it magically fixed it self. Or I was lucky and should never move the lamp again. Also, do not remove the cover of the sticky tape, it will get stuck half way in.
The โladdersโ of the DNA helix are spaced such that every 6th LED hits a horizontal bar (which are hollow). As you can see in the preview video above, I added an animation while inserting it so I could align the LEDs correctly. Then I hot glued the lightstrip in place.
Make sure to shake it slightly to see how the lightstrip falls into place before hotglueing.
The Code
See my github repository: pauls-3d-things/esp8285-ws2812-contrller:devices/dna-light