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graphis/Zeal60_UnderglowGuidePublic.md

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Created April 14, 2018 07:41
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A guide detailing how to enable underglow on the Zeal60 with WS2812 LEDs.
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Zeal60_UnderglowGuidePublic.md

RGB Underglow Strip on the Zeal60: A Guide

A. Connecting the strip

You might find the full PCB image helpful. Ignore the red boxes!

  1. Connect V+ to the receiving end of the thermistor labeled F1; connect GND to the board's GND pin. (Avoid connecting +V to the board's +5V pin - you will likely overload the thermistor, and you will limit your maximum brightness.)

  2. Connect DI to PB0.

  3. Should look something like this when finished:

B. Enabling the strip

  1. If it is not present already, add the following to your keymap's Makefile:

    RGBLIGHT_ENABLE = yes
AUDIO_ENABLE = no     #Underglow animations cannot be used with audio.

  2. If it is not present already, add the following to your keymap's config.h:

    #define RGBLIGHT_ANIMATIONS    // Underglow animations. 
#define RGB_DI_PIN B0          // The pin your RGB strip is wired to
#define RGBLED_NUM 35          // Number of LEDs
#define RGBLIGHT_HUE_STEP 5    // How much each press of rgb_hue changes hue
#define RGBLIGHT_SAT_STEP 10   // How much each press of rgb_sat changes sat
#define RGBLIGHT_VAL_STEP 10   // How much each press of rgb_val changes val

  3. If they are not present already, add the following keycodes to your keymap to control the RGB strip: RGB_TOG (on/off), RGB_MOD (step through modes), RGB_HUI, RGB_HUD, RGB_SAI, RGB_SAD, RGB_VAI, RGB_VAD (HSV increase/decrease). Add these to your keymap.

C. Dealing with current limits

USB 2.0 ports on laptops provide up to 500mA max, but USB 3.0 ports can provide up to 900mA; USB 3.1 up to 1.5A; and powered USB hubs even more. We can run our keyboard at a higher brightness if we draw more power. The Zeal60 uses 500mA at max brightness. This means that you have about 400mA remaining for the strip to use on a USB 3.0 port; 1000mA free on a USB 3.1 port, so on and so forth.

Warning: This means you will need to turn off your RGB strip before connecting to a USB 2.0 port, as USB 2.0 cannot sustain the current necessary!

  1. If not present already, add the following to your keymap's config.h. Change variable definitions based on your needs.

    // Current limiting.
#define USB_MAX_POWER_CONSUMPTION 900     // Limit device max power consumption.
#define RGBSTRIP_CURRENT_LIMIT 400        // Strip current limit in mA.
#define RGBSTRIP_MAX_CURRENT_PER_LIGHT 60 // mA per light when at max brightness.

  2. Toggle on the LED strip (RGB_TOG) and step through animations (RGB_MOD) to test it out!

D. Sources and resources

A. Connecting the strip.

B. Enabling the strip.

C. Dealing with current limits.

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