#4967298
ok so I tweaked the code to get the bar graph going I did not do the swap between 1 and 2 yet i wanted to see what it would do. surprisingly it worked pretty well. Except it glitches slightly on the 9/10 segment when i fire it, it works fairly well but a little erratic. Generally it almost works like the 15 segment does but maybe you can check out the code. I do however have an issue when the switch is turned off for safety it stops right where the segment lands it doesn't go all the way down and off. I have to hit the switch right when it is at the off part of the segment and well it will look right again. i think your definitely right that it may only need 6 cases for it to work but i don't know yet.

https://youtube.com/shorts/4E6e24In0As?feature=share

/*************** Bar Graph Animations *********************/
// This is the idle sequence
unsigned long prevBarMillis_on = 0; // bargraph on tracker
const unsigned long pwrcl_interval = 60; // interval at which to cycle lights (milliseconds).
bool reverseSequenceOne = false;

void barGraphSequenceOne(unsigned long currentMillis) {
// normal sync animation on the bar graph
if ((unsigned long)(currentMillis - prevBarMillis_on) > pwrcl_interval) {
// save the last time you blinked the LED
prevBarMillis_on = currentMillis;

if ( reverseSequenceOne == false ) {
switch_graph_led(seq_1_current, HIGH);
seq_1_current++;
if ( seq_1_current > num_led ) {
reverseSequenceOne = true;
}
} else {
switch_graph_led(seq_1_current, LOW);
seq_1_current--;
if ( seq_1_current < 0 ) {
reverseSequenceOne = false;
}
}
}
}

// This is the firing sequence
unsigned long prevBarMillis_fire = 0; // bargraph firing tracker
int fireSequenceNum = 1;

void barGraphSequenceTwo(unsigned long currentMillis) {
if ((unsigned long)(currentMillis - prevBarMillis_fire) > firing_interval) {
// save the last time you blinked the LED
prevBarMillis_fire = currentMillis;

switch (fireSequenceNum) {
case 1:
switch_graph_led(2, LOW);
switch_graph_led(9, LOW);
switch_graph_led(1, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(10, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum++;
break;
case 2:
switch_graph_led(1, LOW);
switch_graph_led(10, LOW);
switch_graph_led(2, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(9, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum++;
break;
case 3:
switch_graph_led(2, LOW);
switch_graph_led(9, LOW);
switch_graph_led(3, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(8, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum++;
break;
case 4:
switch_graph_led(3, LOW);
switch_graph_led(8, LOW);
switch_graph_led(4, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(7, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum++;
break;
case 5:
switch_graph_led(4, LOW);
switch_graph_led(7, LOW);
switch_graph_led(5, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(6, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum++;
break;
case 6:
switch_graph_led(5, LOW);
switch_graph_led(6, LOW);
switch_graph_led(6, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(10, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum++;
break;
case 7:
switch_graph_led(6, LOW);
switch_graph_led(10, LOW);
switch_graph_led(7, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(9, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum++;
break;
case 8:
switch_graph_led(7, LOW);
switch_graph_led(9, LOW);
switch_graph_led(6, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(10, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum++;
break;
case 9:
switch_graph_led(6, LOW);
switch_graph_led(10, LOW);
switch_graph_led(5, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(6, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum++;
break;
case 10:
switch_graph_led(5, LOW);
switch_graph_led(6, LOW);
switch_graph_led(4, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(7, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum++;
break;
case 11:
switch_graph_led(4, LOW);
switch_graph_led(7, LOW);
switch_graph_led(3, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(8, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum++;
break;
case 12:
switch_graph_led(3, LOW);
switch_graph_led(8, LOW);
switch_graph_led(2, HIGH);
switch_graph_led(9, HIGH);
fireSequenceNum = 1;
break;
}
}
}
#4967435
Here’s my new test of the bargraph with 5 cases. I kinda like how it looks shows the bargraph looking as the button pressed and the action of firing. I might leave it like that or tweak it to try and get it to look like Counts. I am still iffy on the top of the bargraph when it looks like the top led comes on before the second. Thoughts? https://youtube.com/shorts/qbQ0M7F7m74?feature=share
#4967505
line 254
unsigned long firing_interval = 40; // interval at which to cycle firing lights on the bargraph. We update this in the loop to speed up the animation so must be declared here (milliseconds).

increase that number to slow it down. It is updated as you hold down the firing button but this is the base number it starts at. You can find the other values by searching for firing_interval and adjusting those. I believe it drops to 30 and 20 as well but it's been a while.
2wED1 liked this
#4967526
Question for 2wED1, did you address the LED's correctly in your bar graph? I watched the animation a couple of times and the 2nd from the bottom LED lit up after the very bottom one before the firing sequence. And if it did that when you put the code on the Arduino, then it's a problem that CountDeMonet put in accidentally.
#4967542
Yeah, I can understand that, I'm in the process of learning how to program Arduino's myself for my own Spirit pack, Walmart trap pedal, and a belt Gizmo that I found the code for here on the boards. I'm gonna make a light sequence for the PCB prototype board I'm gonna mount the Arduino and the LCD keypad shield to. That post is here. It also has links to buy the Arduino and and keypad shield.
#4967715
Hi,

I've done printing my pack, need to sand it down and get the finish on it. I've been playing with the electronics and they all work beautifully.

Would a 100% printed Wand look out of place at the side of this pack or would the 83% one be better? Got to start printing the wand soon now all the electronics are done and the pack printed.

Thanks for everything you've done with this, it works beautifully!

Regards,

Brett
#4967865
I'm now printing the Q-Pack Wand at 90% which I don't think will look too out of place with your pack.

I have a question about the cyclotron on your pack. The cyclotron light covers are two different sizes. The holes on the cyclotron are all the same diameter. The smaller light covers actually fit tight into the holes on the cyclotron itself whereas the bigger ones fit on top of the cyclotron and cover the holes.

Do I need to print 4 of the bigger size so they all sit on top of the cyclotron or does the smaller ones actually fit into the holes with the bottom flush with the inside of the cyclotron and the two larger ones sitting on top of the cyclotron? Two larger ones I'm assuming will be for the top holes and the smaller ones for the bottom two holes on the cyclotron.

Can you elaborate any on this?

Regards,

Brett
#4968900
Hello!

I know this thread is a few years old, but I only recently discovered this thread after doing some research on Arduino and proton packs. I have been developing a concept for a newly designed pack for my son for a couple years.

I am finally in the stages of prototyping all the electronics. After coming across your build ( which turned out excellent btw!) I have decided to use your schematics and code as a skeleton to achieve what I am trying to accomplish. The pack design has 3 Powercells.

Instead of the round Cyclotron design, I created mine in a parallelogram shape with only 2 viewing windows for lights that are rectangular shaped. So basically in the pack I will have 5 neopixel sticks ( 3 for the powercells and 2 for the cyclotron) and one round jewel neopixel for the n-filter. I plan on starting a thread soon on this project as I have been procrastinating, but once the build commences I shall start a thread.

I have a question regarding the adafruit soundboard and amp. I am running the same boards and amp that you are running, hooked up exactly the same. The only thing different is I am using one buck converter. The issue I am having is, when flipping the toggle switch and powering on the pack. I am getting nothing but a constant clicking, popping noise for sound.

The led on both arduino and soundboard flicker consistently with the popping. I have one 2" 4ohm 3w speaker hooked up. I am trying to figure out how to resolve this. I was wondering if it is because I need the second buck converter running to the soundboard? The buck converter I have is a 15w DC/DC 12v to 5v 3amp max. I know you have already done so much regarding this thread, but any feedback is greatly appreciated.

I am pretty sure everything else works how it should. Just not getting the sound. Thank you in advance!
-Matt
Last edited by Kingpin on April 16th, 2022, 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.Reason: Added paragraph breaks
#4969698
Hi Eric,

Nice to finally reach out! Love that you're a fellow dad working on this for your kiddo.... I've been building your proton pack for my daughter over the last month, and I'm an Arduino newbie. I've spent countless hours trying to figure out how to get this thing working but I feel like I'm hitting a brick wall.

The setup powers on (Arduino Nano shows a red power light, Sound board Shows a green power light), but then it just sits there for about 15 seconds and then both lights start blinking in tandem,

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Grateful for any help.

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#4969708
First thing i saw on the breadboard: i think you wired the POSITIV Wire on the Amp to the Ground and via versa, but i think thats not the reason for your problem.

Which code did you load on the Arduino? If you loaded the Code WITH the Bargraph and dont have the SX1509 hooked up the Code will not run smoothly ;-) (i encountered the same problem once ;-) )
#4969714
Thanks for the reply!

Yeah, I spent all last night with a multimeter trying to figure out why I had 11.5v into the bucker, 5 v out, but only 1.5v to everything else. Duh.

Got it wired correctly I think. Still blinking (although not the nose jewel is blinking along with the FX board and the Nano).

I loaded the neutrino wand only sketch file.

Photos included below. Sorry for the rats nest of wires.

Thanks again for the reply, and your insight. =)

Image
Image
#4969718
So two things:

1.) Thank you for the reply. Grateful.

2.) At the risk of being even more annoying than I already am, but because you have been so generous with your replies and help, I'm going to be real with you Snooker... at the beginning of this project a few weeks ago I was googling things like "How to I solder" and "What is flux". I watched CountDeMonets videos after everything he suggested I order came from Amazon and discovered that I had no idea what that white thing was he was plugging everything into. I only discovered it was a 'breadboard' after doing additional research.

So readers digest version.... I really have no business being on this board talking to you guys because I have no idea what I'm doing. That said, I have a 6 year old who LOVES Ghostbusters and has been looking over my shoulder for the last several weeks as I've been fumbling around trying to put this thing together (unsuccessfully so far). The idea of giving up on this and disappointing her is not something I like thinking about. =)

So ALL of that said, very grateful. Sincerely.

I did what you said and soldered the board to the pins... everything still acts as before. I used my multimeter and discovered that the voltage coming out of the bucker is 5V when I have it disconnected from the circuit (Battery -> Bucker -> Measure), but when I connect it I am only getting between .8 and 1.2v everywhere.

I know I'm doing something wrong, I just have no clue what it is. =(

Image
#4969726
Kudos to you for giving this a go. It's not the easiest of projects out of the gate. Normally for someone like you just trying it for the first time I would have recommended starting with the simpler setup

https://github.com/CountDeMonet/Arduino ... itMinimial

but here we are. When working with the breadboards and the arduino it is important to solder the headers on. I usually buy several arduinos at a time and I'll use 1 for breadboarding and then the others are for the actual end product I'm building as I don't usually put headers on the final product.

Here's a quick tutorial on soldering headers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37mW1i_oEpA

Have you tried triggering the toggle on pin 6? That's the one that starts up the pack. Without that toggle on the pack will look like it's powered off.

You have made some great progress but I would highly recommend getting those headers soldered on before you do anything else. Weak connections can do all kinds of strange things with the arduino.
EmuSteve liked this
#4969729
Wow, thank you! And yeah, in retrospect that would have much smarter. I'm a glass half full kind of guy, and like my grandpa used to say "The sun shines on a dogs butt every once in a while", so I thought after watching your videos I could do it.

Side note: remind me to cancel my base jumping appointment next week. =)

Seriously though, thanks for the suggestions. To each of your comments:

- Snooker made the suggestion to solder the headers as well, and I did that immediately based on his comment and used the following tutorial (although I didn't have all of the items they had in the video). Ive attached a photo so you can see the close up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0joOKaQ43A

- I did try toggling the pin (switch) on pin 6. No joy.

As a side note, I had a friend who took a look last week and asked be if I had set the buckers to 5v. I had no idea you even need to set those, as I had assumed that they just reduced the voltage from 11.1v to 5v. Of course, had I taken the time to actually read the specifications I would have realized (duh). But ever since that obvious mistake I've been trying to make an extra effort to double check my assumptions.

For example, did I wire the switches correctly (photo attached)? Do the ground and wire to the Arduino need to go on specific sides of the switch/button? Have I managed to fry the boards because I hooked them up before setting the buckers?

The current setup I am reasonably confident is wired correctly (I have your wiring schematic pinned up in front of my workstation), and I am reasonably sure the FX board and Nano were flashed correctly... but when I power it on, the arduino (power), nose jewel, and fx board (power) begin to blink in unison. No other lights come on, and the setup does nothing else. When I measure the voltage going in to the bucker, its 12.5v. Coming out of the bucker is 5v, unless I actually hook it up to the circuit, and then it drops to .8v-1.2v.

My instinct tells me I must have something wired incorrectly, but I've compared it to the schematic so much my head hurts.

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