If there’s one factor we like round right here greater than seeing an improved model of a undertaking we’ve already lined, it’s when the enhancements make the unique undertaking cheaper. Within the case of this LED ring mild for pots and encoders, not solely is it cheaper than its predecessors, it’s higher trying and simpler to combine into your tasks.

Proper from its begin, [upir]’s “Pimp My Pot” undertaking has been all about bringing some zazzle to rotary controls. Knobs with a pointer and a scale on the panel are okay — particularly once they go to eleven — however extra lights imply extra enjoyable. The enjoyable comes at a worth, although; the earlier model of “PMP” used an off-the-shelf LED ring mild with a unit value of about $10. Not the top of the world, maybe, however prohibitive, and moreover, the place’s the enjoyable in simply shopping for a part particularly made for rotary management indication?

The brand new model proven within the video beneath is pin-compatible with the motive force board [upir] used for the earlier model, which relies on the MAX7219 show driver. Modifying the earlier board to accommodate 32 white 0402 LEDs over a 270° arc was no imply feat. [upir] covers each creating the schematic and the PCB structure in some element, offering his common trove of tool-chain ideas for minimizing the quantity of guide work wanted.

Correctly, [upir] selected to get his boards assembled by the seller; getting all these LEDs to line up completely is a job finest left to the robots. Whereas the board is designed to be used with pots that mount on both aspect, we a lot choose mounting the pot’s shaft by way of the board, because it retains the LEDs nearer to the knob. The ultimate worth per board works out to about $6.30 in portions of ten and falls to a trivial $1.70 every for many 1,000. Fairly candy financial savings on a fairly sweet-looking construct.

It is a cool use of a hoop of LEDs, however if you happen to choose the finger type, you can also make that, too. You are able to do it the simple means or the arduous means.