Pixel Tester Box

thingiverse

Basically this is a work in progress. It's a way to test either 2801 or 2811 pixels to see which pixel is bad. It's always the one acting up or the one before it when one goes bad. This box uses needles that pierce the jacket of the pixel wire in order to tap into the data signal. It's set up to be able to tap ground, data, clock. It uses a 9V battery for power. However, it could use a lipo or other power source depending on what you have and the voltage of your pixels. Since this box supplies it's own power, you just rely on the data signal wires. So you can use this box to test 5V and 12V pixels once it's set up. I am going to be using a slide switch for powering the box On/Off. I am then using a three position DPDT micro switch to choose between 2801 and 2811 pixels. The switch will allow me to move the third pin to have nothing on it or clock. Reason being is that in a 2811 pixel the voltage wire WILL BE TAPPED into. Using a switch ensures it's dead or again, has clock only when it's 2801. I have uploaded a wiring diagram to show how I wired it all up. When inserting the pins you should be able to grasp the pin with needle nose pliers and press them into the holes. The point of the pin should at a minimum go through the box, into the channel outside of the box and be even with the end of the outside edge. See image in the files section illustrating with a red line where the pins should extend to. In my opinion, you should have the middle, data, pin protrude just a tad more. This allows you to get into the jacket of the data wire first and help line everything else up. The wires to the pins just wrap around a screw and get screwed down onto the pins as shown in the photo. The pins were purchased from Wal-Mart and can be seen in the photo. The holes and channels were created using those pin widths. The screw length should really be 1/4" or 6mm. That way you can screw down all the way. I didn't have any and just used a 3/8" screw. I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH. YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WITH YOUR PIXELS IN FRONT OF YOU. ONLY YOU CAN KNOW THE WIRING ORDER. I AM PUTTING THIS TOGETHER USING MY PIXELS. CURRENTLY PIXABULBS, SQUARE AND BULLET NODES. YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING!!!!!!! The switches I used are Radio Shack part 2750401 and Radio Shack part 2750620 UPDATE 11/20/2018 I am going to upload a second version of the box that will use a SPDT on/off switch. The switch is smaller and will only power the pixel type you're testing instead of powering both pixels up with data only going to one. I have uploaded the wiring for that box as well. This version will use Radio Shack Part 2750325 and Part 2750620