Art and Technology are Friends

Contact me

The LED Artist
Akimitsu Sadoi

aki@theledart.com
347-915-4570

12A Louis PL.
Brooklyn, NY 11233 USA

Website: https://www.theLEDart.com

Git: https://github.com/theledartist

35 Responses

  1. Rob

    I’m looking for a solution that I’m hoping you can help me with. I built a custom car a while back (see website link). It has an electric radiator cooling fan that has two speeds. I want to use a single LED to let me know when the fan is on low speed vs. when it’s on high speed. I’ve seen plenty of RGB, RB, & YG tri & bi colored LED’s but I want to avoid greed & red as the LED is in close proximity to my turn signal indicators which are green & red usually indicates a failed ignition in automotive applications. I’d like a way to get two different intensities of yellow… a yellow/orange when the low speed is powered and then a more orange shade when the fan’s high speed is on. Is there such a thing as a Yellow/Orange bi-color LED? Or maybe a way to use Yellow for low speed & have both yellow & red on to mix & look more organge for high speed? Appreciate any help you can offer.

    Thanks,

    Rob

    March 15, 2014 at 3:35 pm

  2. B Martin

    Hi. Do you accept sharing the C source code for the Aurora 48?

    Thanks

    January 30, 2014 at 9:48 am

  3. Robert

    R48 – can I use an Adrunio to trigger and power the unit? I’m not looking to program it, just add it to a project and toggle the display.

    Is this possible?

    Thanks

    December 18, 2013 at 11:44 pm

    • You can power R48 with 5V regulated power, but I recommend putting a diode in series to drop the voltage a little (to about 4.3V).
      As for triggering – you can use Arduino to toggle the switch. Switch on R48 is normally open, so by putting the Arduino pin that’s connected to the switch to low momentarily (about 80 ms) would advance the light patterns on R48.

      Aki

      December 19, 2013 at 1:41 am

  4. glen

    I’d like to software control two Aurora 12 bars from a PC, possibly thru a DMX512 box. I’ve seen the numerous SMD strips, but the spacing of the LEDs is not close enough for my applicaion. Please advise.

    September 6, 2013 at 2:17 pm

  5. Till

    Hi, Thanks for the cool driver well done.

    I found a simple fix for the 20 volt vgs problem. Just swap in an FQU11P06. it’s the same package, has a 30 volt vgs, is faster, cost the same and just as easy to get.

    As the LM393 can handle 30 volts, it makes it a perfect match :)

    July 12, 2013 at 1:51 pm

    • Thanks for the suggestion! I will check it out.

      July 12, 2013 at 2:05 pm

  6. Chris Pontius

    Hi Aki! You are a true artist. I’ve been doing artsy things with led’s for years. I bought an assembled version of your mini 18 last year. Still haven’t decided what to do with it yet except to wear it in the middle of my chest with a crazy Ironman costume :) Anyway, I’m fascinated with the Aurora 18×18 with an audio interface & using it for my next art project. I drilled 15 5mm random holes in a 4′x4′ black 1/2′ Gatorfoam board, glued mostly white & a few slow-fade rgb’s & covered my ceiling with the panels. It looks stunning & feels very soothing for room light.
    So…drilling 324 holes in a spiral spread out on a 4′x4′ panel & mounting the rgb’s then connecting the 2′ lead wires to the Aurora pcb will take a few tedious days. I think it will look breathtaking & be well worth the effort. I assembled a Heathkit color tv when I was 12. I’m not experienced with smd’s so if it you could mount everything but the rgb’s & resistors, which is most of the work, it would be greatly appreciated & save me some problems. I’ll just use th resistors since I have lots of room. Also program the pic & add a “through hole” audio kit.
    I’ll shoot some video when I’m done & you can post it if you like. Send me a price & I’ll send ya some money! Thanks & keep on creating:) Chris

    June 26, 2013 at 7:27 pm

  7. Luz

    Hello Led Artist, congratulations for your work…
    I’m an artist from France, I have a question about your Color Organ triple deluxe..can the audio jack be replaced by a microphone? to avoid to have a cable connected to the color organ?? thanks for your help

    May 19, 2013 at 1:33 pm

  8. Nerijus

    Hi. I will buy from your aurora 12 and Audio Interface Kit for Aurora (through-hole version), 2 months, and still do not get the parcel, the parcel is registered on behalf Linas Jagminas from Germany. If you can, check. Thank you.

    May 9, 2013 at 7:59 am

  9. Kamala prasad verma

    hi
    Dear all
    i seen today this site during tring to search LED relative post.
    i am making LED Moving lights and now i want make Musical dancing light but i am not geting an electronics person how can make for me softwere and PCB.
    i think some one will suggest me any good idea.

    Regards
    KP Verma
    India

    April 21, 2013 at 9:55 am

  10. Dave Belyea

    Thanks again Aki,

    The Wave JT went together in a few hours and works perfect.

    Take Care……Dave….

    March 3, 2013 at 8:18 pm

  11. Dave Belyea

    I just received the USB Blinkies that I ordered a couple weeks ago. What a great little project. They went together without a hitch and work well.

    I’m going to start the Wave JT tomorrow. Hopefully it goes well too.

    Thanks Aki!

    Dave…..

    February 27, 2013 at 5:35 pm

    • Great! Hope Wave JT works out well for you as well.

      Aki

      February 28, 2013 at 1:52 am

  12. david ciciotti

    Trying to find someone to design / build a round PCB about 2.5-3 inches in dia. that will hold multiple RGB LED 50/50 type of LEDs for a project I am trying to build.
    Thank you for your help!
    David

    February 23, 2013 at 10:48 am

    • Hello David,

      Please email me (aki @ theledart.com) the details. I might be able to help you.

      Thanks,
      Aki

      February 23, 2013 at 11:52 am

  13. Ricardo

    Simplicity and low cost! Great. Just one question: Can you power a 10 LED (Green) bar from 5V input wiring the LEDS in series? Thanks.

    November 26, 2012 at 10:19 pm

    • If I understand your question correctly, you can’t. 10 LEDs connected in series will require at least 11V or so to light.

      December 1, 2012 at 12:31 pm

  14. Karl Howell

    Aki,

    Fantastic designs, glad I started on the 18 mini. First try with surface mount. Even I could not mangle the project beyond repair. I look forward to working up to the larger aurora kits.
    Awesome programming on the patterns.

    Thank you,
    Karl Howell

    October 20, 2012 at 4:47 am

  15. cozzz

    I bought several Poorman Buck. I believe I have assembled it correctly… When I connect my power supply (laptop supply 19.5v/4.6a) my output to LED’s is still 19.5v even when I try to dial down the output. Any idea what I might have done wrong?

    October 11, 2012 at 12:11 pm

    • Do you have any LEDs connected to the output? As Poorman’s Buck is a constant current driver, if the output is open, you will get the supply voltage at the output. Constant current driver means that the circuit adjusts the output voltage to get the desired current – if there are no LEDs connected, or too many LEDs connected in series, the output current won’t reach the set current, so the circuit tries to give more current by outputting the maximum voltage it can give.
      If you want to test the circuit without connecting a LED, you can use an ammeter (or multimater set to 1 A DC or higher current mode) and connect to the output. Even though this seems like a short circuit, Poorman’s Buck will regulate the output current. If you move the potentiometer, you will see the current change.

      October 11, 2012 at 12:31 pm

  16. dieter

    Hi my name is Dieter and im from South Africa, im busy build a skull out of resin and was hoping to change it into a lamp and i would like it to have the aurora effect. i have never worked with led or curcit boards before any advise for a beginner

    October 1, 2012 at 8:18 am

    • Hello Dieter,

      Aurora mini 18 is the simplest of the Aurora kits I have. Which still requires intermediate soldering skill to assemble, but you can also purchase completely assembled ones as well. I think you can incorporate any one of Aurora; mini 18, 9×18, or 18×18 into a fixture. With 9×18 and 18×18 you can remote control with a Sony or Universal remote controller as well.

      Aki

      October 2, 2012 at 10:48 am

  17. Omar

    Hi Aki,

    I bought your poorman’s LED driver for my project. My question is: Can I use 12Vdc to power my 5watt LED that has a forward voltage of 7.0V~7.5 (700mA? I know that the ideal voltage for my LED is 9Vdc but is it posible to use 12vdc and not damage the led nor the driver?

    -Thanks

    September 19, 2012 at 7:47 pm

    • Yes you can use 12V power supply with Poorman’s Buck to drive 7 to 7.5V LEDs. Poorman’s Buck is a constant current driver, so you can use any supply voltage from 5 to 20V, as long as the supply is at least 2V higher than the connected LED’s total forward voltage.

      September 19, 2012 at 11:43 pm

  18. This is all quite fascinating! Would you be open to building a specific device, or at least making a kit for me to solder so you don’t have to, of two LED discs similar to the Aurora units but with a different LED layout?

    – Jordan

    September 14, 2012 at 9:53 pm

    • Designing PCB for something like Aurora takes a lot of time and effort, so it’d be very difficult for me to do just for two…

      Aki

      September 16, 2012 at 6:59 pm

      • Okay, thanks though. I can’t find anyone who will

        .__.

        September 20, 2012 at 1:23 am

  19. Alfred

    Love your design. Have looked at many others.
    I am interested in the Night Joule and Colour Joule (for Christmas Presents).
    Would like to know if it would be possible to add a 1.5v or 2v solar cell (with a blocking diode) to this circuit.
    This would make a terrific present that won’t be trashed when the battery dies.
    Thank You.

    September 12, 2012 at 12:53 pm

    • Thank you for your comment.
      I think that Joule Thief should work of off a solar cell, given that the cell is enough voltage and the power. I have never tried this, so experiments are in order…

      Aki

      September 12, 2012 at 1:28 pm

  20. Randy Cozby

    Can you let me know when the 9 bar kit is back in stock? I’ve bought several kits from you recently but, I better practice (smt soldering)on this kit before I attempt the others.
    Thanks,
    Randy

    September 3, 2012 at 3:47 pm

    • Sorry, I didn’t mean to be misleading, but I won’t be stocking Aurora 9 bar kit anymore. Since I designed Aurora 9 bar, newer PICs came out – ones that work with 5V supply. I designed Aurora 18 mini and other Aurora’s with those PICs, because using 5V capable PIC made the Aurora circuits much simpler.
      I think Aurora 9 bar has done it’s job providing a bridge for those who were not ready for Aurora 9×18, however I think Aurora 18 mini took over the place.
      If you like the straight bar form-factor of Aurora 9 bar, I might design something similar in the near future. Please let me know…

      Aki

      September 4, 2012 at 7:29 pm

  21. Brian McWhorter

    I was hoping you could give me some tips. I just purchased the Universal High Powered LED driver from you and was having a couple of problems. When I apply a 12V DC power the LEDs light up for a sec or two and then go off, the green LED on the board flickers a bit and goes off as well. Any help or advice would be appreciated.

    Thanks

    August 27, 2012 at 8:09 pm

    • Hmm… Can you double check all soldering joints and connection to the LEDs? The driver will shut off when the output is open, even for a split second, to protect the circuit, but the status LED should blink when that happens. If the status LED flickers there must be some problems with the connection somewhere…
      You might want to give me more info as to how many LEDs, type, connection topology (serial/parallel), length of wire between the driver and the LEDs, what the power supply is, etc… The more info I have the better I can help you.

      Aki

      August 27, 2012 at 8:30 pm

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