NeoPixel Dream Color Halos

[Alienwrangler]

Adafruit (http://www.adafruit.com/products/1768) NeoPixel (Dream Color Halos) installed in 2013 Camaro Headlights.
Before Installation:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdcRoKrTZjY

Installed:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C6PfQlQg2Q

These are $40 per ring and the controller is $19 from E-Bay

Here's the parts list if you want to try this:
NeoPixel 1/4 60 RING
www.adafruit.com/products/1768
You need (4) of these to make a complete circle.
I only used (3) per side on my Non-RS headlights but I needed to rest the bottom of the halo on the lower part of the black headlight insert for it to fit. These need to be soldered together to make a ring.
I found you need to glue them together end to end first, then solder a solid copper wire across the leads to add strength to the ring or it may bend at the solders.
$9.95 each segment

Waterproof Polarized 4-Wire Cable Set
www.adafruit.com/product/744
$2.50 each
I used these for quick waterproof disconnects through the headlights.

E-Bay Item: 121242197828
Mini Controller 300 changes DC female For WS2811 WS2812 LED Strip Light DC5V RF
$19.99

E-Bay Item: 151298302075
DC-DC Converter Step-Down Buck 12V/24V to 5V 10A 50W Car Power Adapter
$13.59

I tried a smaller power supply at first but it overheated.
Flora RGB Smart NeoPixel version 2 - Pack of 4
www.adafruit.com/products/1260
$7.95
I have one of these single LEDs inside the car so I can see what the halos are doing.

Feel free to Improve on these and post your results.

[DPerry]

Wow this is awesome !

[GVA 45TH 2SS]

Originally Posted by Alienwrangler

Installed:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C6PfQlQg2Q

Awesome job, I was going to use neopixels for one of my projects. Adafruit has some killer LEDs.

Those are THE best HALOs I have ever seen

did you have to program anything or did the controller do those patterns?

[sjmautoprod]

I was wondering how long it would take someone to do this! Nice work.

[Alienwrangler]

The $19.99 Controller does 300 Patterns, like a 30 minute light show. No programming required. Everything connects with 3 wires. 5v, Ground and Data. I used some CAT-5 cable for the wiring because it handles data well.

You have to split your Headlights and glue the Halos in them. To get the Headlights out, you need to remove the wheels, the wheel well shroud, then the bolts for the front bumper. It took me about 6-8 hours on a Saturday to do everything, but I took my time.

[issues]

do you know if the NeoPixel 1/4 60 RING will fit behind the RS halo?

Just did some research on it.. Looks like we need 155mm (thank you 2SSRS) and the NeoPixel 1/4 60 RING is 6.2" in diameter. Which comes out to 157.48mm...

Think I will go this route on my RS headlights. Might even do an ABL dash and door kit with these RGB LED Strip.

[Alienwrangler]

Schematic Attached
Here is your parts list:
NeoPixel 1/4 60 RING
www.adafruit.com/products/1768
You need (4) of these to make a complete circle.
I only used (3) per side on my Non-RS headlights but I needed to rest the bottom of the halo on the lower part of the black headlight insert for it to fit.
These need to be soldered together to make a ring.
I found you need to glue them together end to end first, then solder a solid copper wire across the leads to add strength to the ring or it may bend at the solders.
9.95 each segment

Waterproof Polarized 4-Wire Cable Set
www.adafruit.com/product/744
2.50 each

I used these for quick waterproof disconnects through the headlights.
E-Bay Item: 121242197828
Mini Controller 300 changes DC female For WS2811 WS2812 LED Strip Light DC5V RF
19.99

E-Bay Item: 151298302075
DC-DC Converter Step-Down Buck 12V/24V to 5V 10A 50W Car Power Adapter
13.59
2.68 Shipping
I tried a smaller power supply at first but it overheated.

Flora RGB Smart NeoPixel version 2 - Pack of 4
http://www.adafruit.com/products/1260
7.95
I have one of these single LEDs inside the car so I can see what the halos are doing.

Make you circuit and let it burn in for a few days before installing. LEDs can be flakey sometimes.

[issues]

Life saver! Thank you and happy new years...

[jgray1978]

I'd love to know the life expectancy of these if you fired them all up white.

[Alienwrangler]

Life expectancy may be an issue. Not sure these were designed for automotive use. The SMD LED's are the same ones used on the dream color strips that everyone else are using for wheel & under glow. Not sure how long they will last. Of course my Oracle halos lasted less than a year before I started losing LED's in groups of 3 at a time... And those were $80 each ring. At least these are only $30-$40 per side.

[BiG_TiMe]

those are sick. definitely a game changer because of the price and the color mode options

[issues]

Got all my parts in. Once the weather is nice I plan on pulling headlights and starting install. I just completed shoving everything in my project box. Here are some pics and more to come..

[Alienwrangler]

I used the same project box, but it looks like you did a better/cleaner job at fitting everything in. :-)

[c5Legend]

looks nice!