Frozen Flame Crystal (v2)

thingiverse

I created a custom base to fit all my electronics gear and added a couple of buttons to control the program, along with AAA batteries and a power switch. The project is still a work in progress. After printing, I re-used parts from Thingiverse's #2049102 design, including the cover and scaffold pieces. I also printed one of the AAAx4 versions of the battery holders at Thingiverse's #456900 and wired it into my project. To keep the battery disconnected most of the time, I added a power switch to the positive wire. Note that I can only use rechargeable batteries; alkaline batteries would damage my NeoPixel LEDs due to their higher voltage. This is an optional feature - the whole thing could work without batteries altogether. I usually plug in a 5v power supply into the Arduino's power outlet, which keeps everything on even when the power switch is off. To make room for my buttons, I soldered cables onto them so they can be placed in their intended location away from the breadboard. Next, I placed the Arduino, breadboard, battery holder, power switch, and buttons into the base's bottom. Then, I removed the cover and scaffold from the old base and re-attached the old scaffold to the new lid. After that, I re-attached the cover and connected the wires to the breadboard. With everything in place, I placed the lid back on and it was all covered up. The current program doesn't need the NeoMatrix library but still uses the Apex LED; it can be controlled by the buttons. Normally, pressing the buttons changes the program modes (there are only two right now: rainbow and single color) while the colors cycle automatically. If you press both buttons, the color will stop cycling and using the two buttons will allow you to select the color. Pressing both buttons again returns to the previous behavior. Lessons Learned One of my design's problems was that it curled up at the bottom, making the "Arduino Bumper" part a little too snug for my Arduino. I should fix this in future versions by widening the space where the Arduino fits. My current solution is to just press it into place using pressure and friction. Also, the "Arduino Bumper" space was mis-measured, preventing the lid from closing all the way. This will be fixed in future versions, but for now, I'm leaving a 1mm gap on one side. The holes for my buttons were too narrow, so I drilled them out to make them bigger. The opening for my power switch was a bit too wide, making it loosely held in place. In the future, I should think about making it easier to swap out batteries - right now, it's kind of a pain because I usually plug it into an outlet anyway.