Mighty mini for newbiea

[nickavina]

So I'm dumb and I can't get franks site to work on my iPhone but... I need to know how the mighty minis can get incorporated into my design for this year. I know zilch about led as my setup is all ican however I love the effect produced by the mini. I will prob get 4 of franks built mini's but I'm at a loss as what to do next (other than put it in a enclosure).

I have a ren ss24 and a Olsen but from what I can glean from all I've read is I need a different controller (exudes ignorance).

If someone cam slap some sense into my head with a detailed plan to get 4 mighty minis into my display as cost effective as possible my display will be forever grateful.

Nick-

[dirknerkle]

If someone cam slap some sense into my head with a detailed plan to get 4 mighty minis into my display as cost effective as possible my display will be forever grateful.

Nick-

If you're involved in this hobby, you have no chance at gaining any sense at all :mrgreen: !!!

Mighty-minis are essentially small flood lights. They are powered by DC current and SS boards or 595's, Grinches, etc. are not compatible with them. At this late date (i.e. mid-August), you may be way behind the curve in adding them to your display, especially if you're new to LEDs.

I have not checked Frank's site for availability, but you will likely want to use either the Ren24LV or Budude's Ren48LSD board to control them as both of those boards are designed to work with DC current and LEDs.

Do some more research and read up on LEDs before you take the plunge. It's a whole new world...

[nickavina]

Should have known dirk would be the first to reply. Always educating the ignorant, thanks

Isn't it funny how mid august can be way to late in the game for December this is truly a year round hobby I have so much respect for you all I don't know how you manage to stay on point and grounded(pun intended). There should be a month by month calendar with where you should be at by now's for every month for us newbs.


Nick-

[dirknerkle]

Nick,

Please know that you're not an ignorant guy! That you ask questions puts you in the ranks of the true enthusiast, and you're to be commended for that!

I just look at things through a different set of eyes... Doing that has driven my wife crazy and my two kids are so much beside themselves that I think they're becoming schizophrenic! HAH!

Anyway, check it out. The mighty minis are pretty cool little gizmos. Don't give up on the project just because it's August. Geez, I sometimes start projects now and even into October -- sometimes I don't finish them in time, but I can use them the following year. The point is, you have to get started before you can get finished. :cool:

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program...

[dgirard]

Agreed!....

I'm in the same boat...except that I've got a few mini's already assembled...but no way to power them up yet...

Worst case, I've got a head start on my 2014 display :rolleyes:

I've seen conflicting reports on the LSD controller having the juice to handle the mini's...so I'm working on building a ren24LV to do it...

Good luck!
David

[budude]

Agreed!....

I'm in the same boat...except that I've got a few mini's already assembled...but no way to power them up yet...

Worst case, I've got a head start on my 2014 display :rolleyes:

I've seen conflicting reports on the LSD controller having the juice to handle the mini's...so I'm working on building a ren24LV to do it...

Good luck!
David

Definitely not the case - in fact just the opposite. The LSD will drive 360mA per output which is well beyond what the 24LV can provide. I'm absolutely not suggesting the LV is not up to the task - it's a perfectly fine controller - but I do want to clarify anything regarding the LSD. The issue to-date is the regulator overheating with the higher voltages. If you use the switching regulator suggested in another thread, you can run 24vdc to the MM's just fine and you can run up to 12 of them with one board. With that said, I do not have any boards in stock at the moment.

I will be laying out a new version of the board that will have an integrated LM2575 switching supply and will handle up to 24v with no issues at all. It will only add about $4 to the overall cost (single qty) as well so it's not an expensive change to make. I am planning to have another group buy in September if you are interested.

Brian

[LabRat]

"out of the box" (if you can call it that) the current REN28LSD won't do 24v. However there are modifications that can be done, in order to support the 24v requirement.

Read the PDF in this thread. (http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11773&page=2)

So for 24v DC, you pretty much have three options...


Ren24LV - will drive six 4-color floods.
Ren-48LSD - will drive 12 4-color floods
A "simpleREN (8/16/24/32)" + DCSSR modules - will drive 2/4/6/8 4-color floods
A Ren64 + DCSSR modules - will drive sixteen 4-colour floods


Yes... I can't count. :)

[plasmata]

There should be a month by month calendar with where you should be at by now's for every month for us newbs.


Nick-

The only problem is every month would say "YOU'RE WAY BEHIND!!!"

Oh, no one has mentioned you could use a Ren64 with DCSSR's.

[Warlock]

If you want to use Franks mighty mini's with your olson it is doable with RPM's 16 channel dc ssr...You will need to have it dmx compatable which he can help you out with.ANother route you can take is to get one of his dmx dongles,one of his grinch dimmers,then one of his ssr 16 dc ssr's and you will have no issues.Or you can go yet another route and use the oz ssr which I believe is a dc ssr..It should work for Franks mighty mini's as well...

[LabRat]

The only problem is every month would say "YOU'RE WAY BEHIND!!!"

Oh, no one has mentioned you could use a Ren64 with DCSSR's.

Clearly you didn't read all the way down to item number 4 in my 3 item list.
(It *was* there.. even before you posted ;) )

[budude]

While DCSSRs (plus a controller) are perfectly viable, overall they are fairly expensive (relatively speaking) and a bit overkill for driving 200mA/channel MightyMini's. If you only have four MM's I think your best choice is the Ren24LV or RPM's 16-channel DCSSR. The only issue with the Ren24LV is that you can't run all channels full on at the same time due to limitations with the ULN2803 drivers. With careful sequencing this may not be an issue.

[mikentn]

"out of the box" (if you can call it that) the current REN28LSD won't do 24v. However there are modifications that can be done, in order to support the 24v requirement.

Read the PDF in this thread. (http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11773&page=2)

So for 24v DC, you pretty much have three options...


Ren24LV - will drive six 4-color floods.
Ren-48LSD - will drive 12 4-color floods
A "simpleREN (8/16/24/32)" + DCSSR modules - will drive 2/4/6/8 4-color floods
A Ren64 + DCSSR modules - will drive sixteen 4-colour floods


Yes... I can't count. :)

Pssttt..you forgot the Helix, a 24V supply, and DCSSR's, too. ;)

[LabRat]

Pssttt..you forgot the Helix, a 24V supply, and DCSSR's, too. ;)

D'oh!!

[mikentn]

D'oh!!

I'm planning on mounting the Helix daughterboard, PS, and 4 DCSSR's in the same enclosure, and use the Helix to control both my megatree and my MM's. That's my plan, anyway..we'll see how it works out.

[dgirard]

"out of the box" (if you can call it that) the current REN28LSD won't do 24v. However there are modifications that can be done, in order to support the 24v requirement.

Read the PDF in this thread. (http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11773&page=2)

So for 24v DC, you pretty much have three options...


Ren24LV - will drive six 4-color floods.
Ren-48LSD - will drive 12 4-color floods
A "simpleREN (8/16/24/32)" + DCSSR modules - will drive 2/4/6/8 4-color floods
A Ren64 + DCSSR modules - will drive sixteen 4-colour floods


Yes... I can't count. :)
Thanks!

That helps. Just when I've got my head wrapped around AC-SSR's, and the Ren24SS boards, along come these way cool mini's and the DC situation that goes with them!

I've got 8 of the mini's, and have been trying to figure out the best way to power/control them. I was worried about some of the comments I saw on the LSD thread...but it sounds like the the concern is/will be moot with the next update...

The LSD might be a better choice for me since I'm looking for a mostly-permenant installation that will be clean and easy to maintain...one board certainly helps with that!

I still don't totally understand how the DC-SSR's work, but that will come with more reading and experimentation...as always around here, I bow down to all the electronic expertise and knowledge!....there's no way I could be where I'm at without all you guys.

[plasmata]

The DC SSR's are really no different than AC SSR's. They are different physically (different boards) but not functionally. The different parts just allow you to use a DC power supply instead of AC. They are even wired into your display the same.

[budude]

I've got 8 of the mini's, and have been trying to figure out the best way to power/control them. I was worried about some of the comments I saw on the LSD thread...but it sounds like the the concern is/will be moot with the next update...

The LSD might be a better choice for me since I'm looking for a mostly-permenant installation that will be clean and easy to maintain...one board certainly helps with that!

I still don't totally understand how the DC-SSR's work, but that will come with more reading and experimentation...as always around here, I bow down to all the electronic expertise and knowledge!....there's no way I could be where I'm at without all you guys.

I ran the Ren48LSD with the Aimtec regulator/converter at 24v for several hours (all 48 channels, full on) and it barely gets warm. The next rev of the board will use an integrated LM2575 converter configuration which is what RPM uses on his DC stuff but you can add the Aimtec part with the existing boards.

The only minor issue with these is you have to bend the legs around in a 'triangle' pattern to match the board but it's not hard to do.

From the logic side (controller to SSR) there is virtually no difference between an ACSSR and DCSSR - the input to an optoisolator sinks the current and turns on the output side. From there it's a bit different between the two - an ACSSR uses TRIACs and the DCSSRs typically use MOSFET transistors. Read up on those to get a better understanding on the differences.

[Entropy]

This has me wondering about some possible ideas for kit/groupbuy designs:

1) LM2575-based switching regulator with a cable harness that lets it get wired to 7805-style pads. I'm doing this with my breadboard projects right now - I cannibalized a USB car charger and added 3 wires to it (Vin, Vout, Ground).

2) AC line power-to-5 volt switching power supply with an integrated ZC detector that could be used as a module in various designs (replacing the AC transformers in a lot of current DIYC designs) - This one's a lot harder, I haven't seen many good ref designs for off-line switchers.

[budude]

This has me wondering about some possible ideas for kit/groupbuy designs:

1) LM2575-based switching regulator with a cable harness that lets it get wired to 7805-style pads. I'm doing this with my breadboard projects right now - I cannibalized a USB car charger and added 3 wires to it (Vin, Vout, Ground).

I was thinking along those lines myself - I bought a couple sets of SMD components (LM2575, Diodes and Coil) to put on a 3 SIP pin board. The modules from ECE are actually cheaper than the components from Mouser (single qty...) but if there is enough interest in them we might get the price down - and the components might be easier to acquire than the modules in some cases. Also - the ECE modules use a lot of horizontal space and I would like to keep as close to a TO-220 shape as possible...