Hi guys, I need some some help again.

Hi guys, I need some some help again. I’ve been using the digispark for a while until Mark pointed out that i need a more powerful board to light 5 meters of LED strip. So i got myself an Arduino Nano clone (http://goo.gl/rfa3ky). The problem i’m having is that when the strips light up, they flicker like crazy, it looks like they’re having a seizure or something. It looks to me that they are lighting up white in between each color they want to produce. The code i’m using is the FastLED Color Palette Example. The Color Palette Example code works just fine on my digispark clone (once i add the line: volatile unsigned long timer0_millis = 0; ) but is totally out of control on the Nano. What’s the problem? Am i uploading wrong? Is something wrong with the code? (highly doubt it) Is the board just bad an i should get a different one? When uploading i have Arduino Nano ATmega328 selected under board, and Digispark under programmer. (Someone told me it doesn’t matter what i have selected under programmer.) The serial port is also correct because my uploads go throu. Can someone please help me. Thanks in advance.

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Most flickering problems that I’ve encountered are power issues. Typically a 5 meter strip will need power at both ends of the strip. How is power connected to your strip? What are the power supply ratings (volts, amps, watts)? What gauge power cable are you connecting?

Yup, many people built huge flicker-prone displays with OctoWS2811 in the early days (most of 2013) before I made a special signal board and better wiring instructions. Flicker problems almost always turn out to be poor wiring.

I use to power strips at least every 100 leds in order to limit the voltage drop along the strip. I just don´t like the reddish color when I tell the leds to shine white.

I have a couple of different types of Nano clones and they work like a charm. Awesome board.

If you are using one of the FastLED examples (and we haven’t seen the code that you’re using), then, like the others, I suspect you have a power issue. On a 5M strip, I’d supply power at both ends directly from a stable/smooth/measured 5V power supply.

In addition, we don’t know the the pins you’re using for data or power or the type of power supply you’re using. Wiring diagrams and code always helps.

I’m using pin 5 (D5 I think) & a 2wire 5v 2a dc thing from an old router. I’ll try adding more power like you guys suggest.

I think i figured it out. It was a power issue likely due to uneven power. I detached the other 4 meters of LED strip and the white blinking was still there. I was powering my NANO via a usb power bank from the usb port at 5v 1a and the LED strip from the 2wire 5v 2a dc thing. What fixed it was powering BOTH the NANO and the LED strip from the same power source, so the 2wire 5v 2a dc thing. I’ll try it later with the full 5 meters later.

You don’t mention what type of leds you’re using, but 5 meters of WS2812, 30 leds per meter calls for 9 amps at 5 volts for all on, solid white. 2 amps is well below that, and you’re still likely to see problems if you use a high brightness, even if not showing a lot of white.

If you use the power limiting functions of the FastLED library, you’ll at least not risk burning up your power adapter.

It’s a mix, it’s 2 apa104 strips, 2 ws2812 and one ws2811