Lego 21108 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 - Fully enlightened

[r5-j2]

M600, this is very clever, I love it! (ce qui est très intelligent, je l'aime !....I think!?)

Regards

Kenny

Edited March 11, 2016 by r5-j2

[M600]

The heck... Those notifications still land in the spam folder even if I changed it manually with a rule...

Once again, I didn't draw any circuit (yolo) but it's pretty straight forward: every LED is connected directly to the pin number in the code. No resistors, no capa, nothing else.

Why?

One: I'm lazy

Two: there's no room in the car.

Three: You won't power it on for hours and hours so the LEDs won't be harm. Don't worry for that, the Arduino work at 3.3v which is very close to the voltage of the LEDs. And you blink them.

In other word, when the code say "Red_Flasher = 5" that mean that the positive lead of the red led is connected to the pin 5 of the Arduino. The Negative goes to ground (GND). This is true for ALL the LEDs.

I might do one very soon if the code is not enough (which I suspect I should start doing one now....)

You will find the code here (updated upon need): https://github.com/m600x/Ecto1

lingham > The kit sold are much much easier than my solution but also much much less hidden and neat... Choose your camp!

Edited March 11, 2016 by M600

[zoomatomic]

cheers

[NOITAIDAR]

In other word, when the code say "Red_Flasher = 5" that mean that the positive lead of the red led is connected to the pin 5 of the Arduino. The Negative goes to ground (GND). This is true for ALL the LEDs.

I might do one very soon if the code is not enough (which I suspect I should start doing one now....)

Hey M600, hope you're getting the notifications now...

Everything's arrived, so I'm starting to gear up to make this. I've started doing a circuit diagram for my own clarity, as I've never worked with an arduino before, so want to get everything right first time... I came up with a few questions:

- The LiPo +, I assume goes to VCC, unless it's considered unregulated, then does it go to RAW?

- Terminals 2-9 are supposedly Digital, whereas 10-13 are Analogue... Does this mean that 10-13 should be returned to the GND that the LiPo is connected to, or do they all go to GND on the digital side?

- Does the FTDI require soldering in to program the Arduino, or can the contacts be loose? maybe should solder in a female header?

- Your roof is attached by a single wire... is this just a braid of wires (5-11,GND)?

- I assume the Delays in your Startup sequence can be reduced, or is this any kind of requirement on the Arduino?

- Is there any way to program in a check of the input voltage, so as to warn (or flash an error code) if the LiPo charge is low?

- Any recommendations on software to use to connect via the FTDI (I'm on a Mac)

Thanks for all your help!

Adam

[tripellex]

Just signed up to comment on this thread.

M600, you've done an amazing job. I have everything ordered based off your parts list. I'm confused though, about the actual mounting of the LEDs. You said no drilling/modification/Kragle, so I'm curious how the actual LEDs fit behind the transparent pieces. Is there enough room between the knob and the hole for it and the wires to fit? I've used WS2812B tri-color LEDs in my projects before, but they are a decent size. Are the ones I ordered based off your recommendation much smaller?

Adam, I'll be continually checking your progress and schematics so I can mirror my own after yours. Amazing work!

[M600]

Hi,

NOTAIDAR:

- The lipo run at 3.7v which is fine to go directly to the RAW input of the board (positive to RAW, negative to GND). Tbh, mine is on VCC but you should use RAW.

- Analogue or Digital is not relevant to the fact you should ground them or not. It's an output pin that can be for the analogue input or output and set a different state. Where Digital only got for output and can only be on or off.

- You don't and you should not put header since you won't have the space in it to fit the assembly. Either solder wire and desolder/cut them. Or loose connexion is fine if you can make it steady while it's uploading.

- It's a self made connexion with 8 pins (number 5 to 11 pins) 8 wires twisted together. (Huge mistake possible here).

- Delay can be reduced at your taste or even removed completely. It was what look like a starting car for me. Can be changed without any fear.

- I don't have any sort of control on that but maybe rerouting the VCC to an analogue then make a function that will monitor it and trigger a deep sleep might do the trick.

- Arduino standard IDE is perfectly fine for that (that's what i'm using to upload in conjonction with Atom text editor for the color coding. Arduino setting with external editor).

Your sketch is almost good. Only the Beacon part is wrong. When the line say

constint beacon[] = { 6, 7, 8, 9 };

It mean that pins 6 of the Arduino goes to the positive lead of the first LED (for all 4) of the beacon. Pin 7 goes to the positive lead of the second LED (once again for all 4 beacon). And so on for the 2 other. All the Negative of those LED goes to GND.

In summary:

pin 6 ---> 4 positive lead of LED Beacon 1

pin 7 ---> 4 positive lead of LED Beacon 2

pin 8 ---> 4 positive lead of LED Beacon 3

pin 9 ---> 4 positive lead of LED Beacon 4

GND ---> 16 negative lead from the Beacon

Hope it's a bit clearer.

Tripellex:

Yes, no drilling, no kraggle or whatever transformations of any sort. The Lego is made out of ABS with a tolerance of 0.2mm. The wire used is 0.1mm so it can be put between the brick. Yes, it will result in a very tight fit, almost a small amount of stress on those piece but not a major harm.

The tightess fit would be a snot with a round piece on top. Take one brick, place the wire across a snot and put a round piece on top, you will see that the wire will bend perfectly to the shape while still maintaining the connection.

WS2812B is what I'm currently using in my 10221 Super Star Destroyer (huge ship, huge LED). But the one I'm using in Ecto 1 is a fraction (litterally) of them. See your LED? You can fit 5 of the other in line and make only the length of yours... You soldering pad is the total size of the other LED.

That's how small they are.

Edited March 22, 2016 by M600

[NOITAIDAR]

Your sketch is almost good. Only the Beacon part is wrong. When the line say

constint beacon[] = { 6, 7, 8, 9 };

It mean that pins 6 of the Arduino goes to the positive lead of the first LED (for all 4) of the beacon. Pin 7 goes to the positive lead of the second LED (once again for all 4 beacon). And so on for the 2 other. All the Negative of those LED goes to GND.

In summary:

pin 6 ---> 4 positive lead of LED Beacon 1

pin 7 ---> 4 positive lead of LED Beacon 2

pin 8 ---> 4 positive lead of LED Beacon 3

pin 9 ---> 4 positive lead of LED Beacon 4

GND ---> 16 negative lead from the Beacon

Hope it's a bit clearer.

I think perhaps that's an error in my diagram. I understood the meaning originally, I should have identified each of the FL, FR, RL, RR symbols as a cluster of LEDs, rather than as an individual LED symbol.

[LegoPercyJ]

Looks awesome. Great job!

[Redoute]

Oh well... I havn't held a soldering iron or programmed an IC in 15 years - but now I've gone and ordered all the parts (with enough to either make two setups, or more likely, break half of the components in the process)...

If I don't manage to break everything, I think I'll attempt to light up the firehouse as well...

[tripellex]

Oh well... I havn't held a soldering iron or programmed an IC in 15 years - but now I've gone and ordered all the parts (with enough to either make two setups, or more likely, break half of the components in the process)...

If I don't manage to break everything, I think I'll attempt to light up the firehouse as well...

Here's hoping you and I don't set our houses on fire lol

[M600]

So... How's your progress? Any struggle? Hairpull? Hot shower in fetal position crying?

Pics maybe?

Don't hesitate to ask if anything is not clear!

[tripellex]

So... How's your progress? Any struggle? Hairpull? Hot shower in fetal position crying?

Pics maybe?

Don't hesitate to ask if anything is not clear!

In a word...tense! Lol. It's been slow going, as we just received our final package from China yesterday. I'm still getting used to doing the micro miniature soldering, I haven't done 2M since the military nearly two decades ago lol. Thank goodness for jeweler's eyepieces and steady hands lol. So far, I've got the rooftop breadboard cut, sized and soldered to an 8-pin female header, like yours. One step extra I took was shaving down a 1x2 rectangle piece with a Dremel and gluing it to the underside of the board, so that I can easily remove it if need be. The snots fit perfectly.

I'm fixing to start working on the individual LEDs for the roof. I hate to ask, but could you draw up a quick diagram of how you actually ran the wires and wired the beacons and roof lights? I'm trying to go by the images on Flickr, but I'm having a bit of trouble discerning where what goes.

Here's my progress:

http://i.imgur.com/a8QZMvP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IlJ2rJ0.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/DFgoRQj.jpg

Also, can you tell me how you wired up the Reed switch to the Arduino and how it's mounted?

[dreddbatfan]

I bought all the parts to light the Lego Ghostbusters Ecto-1 but I can't find anybody to do it for me.As you can see from the attached picture I'm not physically able to do it.I was wondering if anybody could help me out and do it for me?Thanks to whoever can help me,I realy appreciate it.

[larryr17]

In a word...tense! Lol. It's been slow going, as we just received our final package from China yesterday. I'm still getting used to doing the micro miniature soldering, I haven't done 2M since the military nearly two decades ago lol. Thank goodness for jeweler's eyepieces and steady hands lol. So far, I've got the rooftop breadboard cut, sized and soldered to an 8-pin female header, like yours. One step extra I took was shaving down a 1x2 rectangle piece with a Dremel and gluing it to the underside of the board, so that I can easily remove it if need be. The snots fit perfectly.

I'm fixing to start working on the individual LEDs for the roof. I hate to ask, but could you draw up a quick diagram of how you actually ran the wires and wired the beacons and roof lights? I'm trying to go by the images on Flickr, but I'm having a bit of trouble discerning where what goes.

Here's my progress:

http://i.imgur.com/a8QZMvP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IlJ2rJ0.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/DFgoRQj.jpg

Also, can you tell me how you wired up the Reed switch to the Arduino and how it's mounted?

can you or m600 take some more pictures. been awhile soldering something this small, have the arduino programmed and all the leds needed. just trying to put it all together. thanks everyone :)

[dreddbatfan]

Does anyone have a full wiring diagram for everything?That means not only the lights but the battery,battery charger,magnetic on/off switch,etc.Seeing as I can't find anyone to help me do mine,I'm going to try and find someone locallky to try and do it but I know they'll want a complete wiring diagram.If M600 can help me with that or someone else can it would be greatly appreciate.Has anybody thought about lighting the Lego Ghostbusters Firehouse Station?Thanks again to anyone who can help me and I hope to hear from someone soon :)

[Loneranger585]

Thank you m600 for your detailed information on how to transform Ecto 1 to an amazing LED lit kit.

I have just completed mine after roughly 24 hours painstakingly soldering the leds, routing the wire and finally building a stand! I have attached a short video of my now complete Ecto 1

Ps apologies for the music on the video

Edited April 23, 2017 by Loneranger585

[larryr17]

Awesome, have any photos of you took along the build? I like the display setup and interested how you did that ? Again looks great!

-larry

 

[SalientAnimal]

Hi there,

 

So this was posted a really long time ago, so I am hoping that I still get a reply.

Do you perhaps have a list of components used to build the lighting kit? I would like to try my hand and building my own kit.

 

Thanks

[Kolli75]

Also hope there still would be some action on this thread, just finished building hq and are awaiting the ecto the next few days. 

Is it possible for you to assemble the components and program the card? I would like 2 sets if you would do the effort to make up two sets. 

And how much do you want for it including programing? 

Or if you know someone that sells exactly this set? 

Additional information 

One for a friend and one for me. He is able to set it up. But hoped it was preprogrammed. 

[M600]

On 4/23/2017 at 9:49 PM, Loneranger585 said:

Thank you m600 for your detailed information on how to transform Ecto 1 to an amazing LED lit kit.

I have just completed mine after roughly 24 hours painstakingly soldering the leds, routing the wire and finally building a stand! I have attached a short video of my now complete Ecto 1

Ps apologies for the music on the video

FINALLY! Someone made one! So there's now 2 properly enlighted Ecto-1 on earth 

 

Good job made! I'm impressed!

SalientAnimal > The BOM is in the thread page 2...

Kolli75 > Replied to you via PM.

[Reckless]

On 22.7.2017 at 12:03 AM, Kolli75 said:

Also hope there still would be some action on this thread, just finished building hq and are awaiting the ecto the next few days. 

Is it possible for you to assemble the components and program the card? I would like 2 sets if you would do the effort to make up two sets. 

And how much do you want for it including programing? 

Or if you know someone that sells exactly this set? 

Additional information 

One for a friend and one for me. He is able to set it up. But hoped it was preprogrammed. 

Same for me. (only thing is, that i don´t need two of them)

just found this topic, and really don´t know if somebody´s reading this.

i love the lighting in this ecto and would love to add that to mine

[M600]

Hi Reckless, sorry for the delay in reply.

I'll answer you the same way as Kolli75: Cost would be way too expensive for it to be worth it and selling kit only would be time consuming and not worth for me. Search on Aliexpress, there's DIY kit that somehow look like mine.

Best regards.

[SalientAnimal]

On 7/22/2017 at 1:07 AM, M600 said:

FINALLY! Someone made one! So there's now 2 properly enlighted Ecto-1 on earth 

 

Good job made! I'm impressed!

SalientAnimal > The BOM is in the thread page 2...

Kolli75 > Replied to you via PM.

Thanks guys... I have slowly started getting the parts in to make this. 

My first step was to program my board, but ran into a few problems. Eventually got the code to upload. I haven't been able to test it yet as I haven't soldered any wires yet. My concern is that I needed to change a bit of the code from github, and I'm hoping this won't affect it.

I had to update the code to read: 

#define   TIMING 100

instead of:

#define   TIMING 100;

Next I have to get the reed sensors that's the only part I think I am still missing.

Oh I also wanted to ask, what does "to FTDI" mean in NOITAIDAR's sketch?

Edited November 26, 2017 by SalientAnimal

[M600]

Hi,

Thank you for pointing me the error on the code. The github have been updated with fixed error and refactorized code. The behavior remain the same.

https://github.com/m600x/Ecto1

I don't understand your question regarding FTDI but since you have programmed your board, I assume it doesn't apply to you since it's the device that allow you to program the board with an USB port...

The Reed sensor is not mandatory to build the mod ;-)

Edited November 27, 2017 by M600

[SalientAnimal]

On 7/22/2017 at 1:07 AM, M600 said:

FINALLY! Someone made one! So there's now 2 properly enlighted Ecto-1 on earth 

 

Good job made! I'm impressed!

SalientAnimal > The BOM is in the thread page 2...

Kolli75 > Replied to you via PM.

Hi there,

Thanks for your quick replay.

Sorry, my question is a bit odd as it's a 2 part question... My bad. Will try break it up better.

1. In NOITAIDAIR's circuit sketch he has the board and a section labeled "to FTDI" so I was wondering what this means. But I think I now understand it's just the connections for programming.

2. I have updated the code now to your new code and reprogrammed my board. I'm new to Adruino and have a lot to learn. What is the purpose of the PCB board located in the roof of the car?

Edited November 27, 2017 by SalientAnimal