DIY RGB Tube Lights

Details

DIY RGB Tube light is a multi functional tube light which can be used in photography, light painting photography, film making, gaming, as a VU meter and more. The tube light can be controlled by Prismatik  software or by a push button. These tub lights are made using a Arduino Nano and WS2812B LED strip.

Build instructions

Step 1:

• Disassemble the tube light by removing end caps, separating diffuser and removing whites LED strip from the tube.

Step 2:

• Make all the connections as shown in circuit diagram.

Step 3:

• Put all the electronics in the tube, put back the end caps and seal the diffuser using clear tape.

Step 4:

• Similarly make the second tube but this time use only WS2812b LED strip, connector, wires and connect the tube lights.

Step 5:

• Download the given zip files and extract them.

Files:

RGB Tube Code&Software.zip

Button_Tube.zip

• Open the RGB Tube code & software file, open the code given in Arduino IDE.
• Install the FastLED library in Arduino IDE.
• You can enter the number of LEDs you used in your tube lights, I used 65 LEDs in each tube lights, i.e. 130 LEDs in both tube lights.

#define NUM_LEDS 130

• Remember the port number. (for example: com8)

• Connect the Arduino to your PC, select the board type, select the port and upload the code.

Step 6:

• Install the prismatik software in your PC.
• Open the software and click on device.
• Click on Run configuration wizard and simply click on Next -> Next.

• Enter the Serial Port number and click Next -> Next

• Enter the number of LEDs at sides (i.e. in my case top=0, side=65, bottom=0) and click on custom -> Next

• Adjust the sliders to get white color on the tube lights and click on finish.

• Now you can choose different mode in the software and display on tube lights.

NOTE: The Arduino should be connected to the PC.

Step 7:

• Open the Button_Tube code in Arduino IDE.
• With this code you can change the color of the Tube Lights with the push of button.

• Install the Pushbutton library by clicking on sketch ->Include library -> Add zip library and select the Pushbutton-2.0 zip file in Button_Tube file.

• Enter the number of LEDs

#define NUM_LEDS    130

• In this code you can enter the values of the colors at CRGB(----, -----, -----)

for(int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++){
      leds[i] = CRGB(0, 100,255);
      FastLED.show();

• You can copy paste the color values from color picker

• Connect the Arduino to your PC, select the board type, select the port and upload the code.

Note:

• You can make this lights portable by using a power bank or some batteries.
• By using any Wi-Fi board like ESP8266 or ESP32 you can change the colors of the tube lights with a mobile app.