Never built before having trouble

Proffieboards
1

Im building my first saber and I’m not sure if I need to connect the two LED strips together or leave them separate. Also, if I do leave them separate, do I splice the positive, negative, and ground wires into six instead of 3 to connect to both strips?

2

Try this video

3

I followed the instructions, but the blade only turns on sometimes sometimes just one LED lights up, sometimes the entire blade, and sometimes it doesn’t turn on at all

This is my config


#ifdef CONFIG_TOP
#include "proffieboard_v3_config.h"
#define NUM_BLADES 1
#define NUM_BUTTONS 2
#define VOLUME 1000
const unsigned int maxLedsPerStrip = 144;
#define CLASH_THRESHOLD_G 1.0
#define ENABLE_AUDIO
#define ENABLE_MOTION
#define ENABLE_WS2811
#define ENABLE_SD
#endif

#ifdef CONFIG_PRESETS
Preset presets[] = {
   { "TeensySF", "tracks/venus.wav",
    StyleNormalPtr<CYAN, WHITE, 300, 800>(), "cyan"},
   { "SmthJedi", "tracks/mars.wav",
    StylePtr<InOutSparkTip<EASYBLADE(BLUE, WHITE), 300, 800> >(), "blue"},
   { "SmthGrey", "tracks/mercury.wav",
    StyleFirePtr<RED, YELLOW>(), "fire"},
   { "SmthFuzz", "tracks/uranus.wav",
    StyleNormalPtr<RED, WHITE, 300, 800>(), "red"},
   { "RgueCmdr", "tracks/venus.wav",
    StyleFirePtr<BLUE, CYAN>(), "blue fire"},
   { "TthCrstl", "tracks/mars.wav",
    StylePtr<InOutHelper<EASYBLADE(OnSpark<GREEN>, WHITE), 300, 800> >(), "green"},
   { "TeensySF", "tracks/mercury.wav",
    StyleNormalPtr<WHITE, RED, 300, 800, RED>(), "white"},
   { "SmthJedi", "tracks/uranus.wav",
    StyleNormalPtr<AudioFlicker<YELLOW, WHITE>, BLUE, 300, 800>(), "yellow"},
   { "SmthGrey", "tracks/venus.wav",
    StylePtr<InOutSparkTip<EASYBLADE(MAGENTA, WHITE), 300, 800> >(), "magenta"},
   { "SmthFuzz", "tracks/mars.wav",
    StyleNormalPtr<Gradient<RED, BLUE>, Gradient<CYAN, YELLOW>, 300, 800>(), "gradient"},
   { "RgueCmdr", "tracks/mercury.wav",
    StyleRainbowPtr<300, 800>(), "rainbow"},
   { "TthCrstl", "tracks/uranus.wav",
    StyleStrobePtr<WHITE, Rainbow, 15, 300, 800>(), "strobe"},
   { "TeensySF", "tracks/venus.wav",
    &style_pov, "POV"},
   { "SmthJedi", "tracks/mars.wav",
    &style_charging, "Battery\nLevel"}
};
BladeConfig blades[] = {
 { 0, WS281XBladePtr<144, bladePin, Color8::GRB, PowerPINS<bladePowerPin2, bladePowerPin3> >(), CONFIGARRAY(presets) },
};
#endif

#ifdef CONFIG_BUTTONS
Button PowerButton(BUTTON_POWER, powerButtonPin, "pow");
Button AuxButton(BUTTON_AUX, auxPin, "aux");
#endif
4

That doesn’t sound like a config issue, then. More likely a wiring or hardware issue. Are you sure the soldering is good and the pins are everything are making contact each time?

5

I re-wired everything, but it still doesn’t work. There are no shorts, but the LEDs don’t turn on. I checked the LEDs, and they work. What could be the problem?

6

This isn’t really my area of expertise so I’d wait for someone to try to help troubleshoot.

Do you have a wiring diagram of what you wired and where everything is connected as well as the config you uploaded?

You’ll probably also need a multimeter to test connections and check for potential shorts.

7

Pictures of the solder work can also help if it’s not the config, which it’s not.

8

I got it working, but when I turn it on, sometimes it turns red and only half the strip lights up. The rest of the time, it works fine.

9

I’ve had that happen in blades. Sometimes there’s one bad LED in a strip. It’s possibly the one at the end of the half that stays lit, but only if it’s just one of the two back to back strips.

Do both sides of the blade do the same thing?

If so the issue is likely at the base of the blade or in the hilt. Or there could also be a short right there if the back of the steps wore away or cracked.