Build a light-up tree with LED noodles, QT Py RP2040 and an AW9523 LED driver. This 3D printed project features eight helical spokes that spiral and taper to form a tree. Each LED noodle fades sequentially creating a subtle effect that brings the lights to life. 

The AW9523 LED driver connects to the QT Py RP2040 over STEMMA QT to easily control the LED noodles using PWM with CircuitPython.

Choose from a range of LED noodle colors to create your own color combination. Each easily press fits into the spokes of the tree making a glue-free assembly.

An elegant tree topper sits atop the tree, concealing the various wires. A piece of heat shrink tubing keeps the wires held together and passes down to the bottom connecting to the LED driver board.

Prerequisite Guides

Take a moment to review the following guides to learn more about the products.

Parts

Video of hand holding a QT Py PCB in their hand. An LED glows rainbow colors.
What a cutie pie! Or is it... a QT Py? This diminutive dev board comes with one of our new favorite chip, the RP2040. It's been made famous in the new
$9.95
In Stock
Video of a Adafruit AW9523 GPIO Expander and LED Driver Breakout connected to a LED changing colors.
Expand your project possibilities, with the Adafruit AW9523 GPIO Expander and LED Driver Breakout - a cute and powerful I2C expander with a lot of tricks up its...
$4.95
In Stock
Video of a pair of white hands coiling and playing with a 300mm long green LED filament.
Our favorite food when hacking on code or electronics is a hot bowl of noodles - and around NYC these are often called 'noods'! What we've got here are flexible LED...
$6.95
In Stock
Video of a pair of white hands coiling and playing with a 300mm long red LED filament.
Our favorite food when hacking on code or electronics is a hot bowl of noodles - and around NYC these are often called 'noods'! What we've got here are flexible LED...
$7.50
In Stock
Angled of of JST SH 4-Pin Cable.
This 4-wire cable is 50mm / 1.9" long and fitted with JST SH female 4-pin connectors on both ends. Compared with the chunkier JST PH these are 1mm pitch instead of 2mm, but...
$0.95
In Stock
1 x CR2032 Coincell
Battery for testing LED Noodles
1 x 30AWG Silicone Wire
Red 50ft spool
1 x 30AWG Silicone Wire
White 50ft spool
1 x Heat Shrink Pack
Multi-Colored Heat Shrink Pack - 3/32" + 1/8" + 3/16" Diameters
1 x Resistor Pack
Through-Hole Resistors - 220 ohm 5% 1/4W - Pack of 25

Hardware

Required screws and nuts for assembly.

  • 2x M3 x 6mm long pan head machine screws
  • 4x M3 x 10mm long pan head machine screws
  • 6x M3 hex nuts
  • 4x M2.5 x 6mm long pan head machine screw

This guide was first published on Nov 06, 2023. It was last updated on Nov 08, 2023.

This page (Overview) was last updated on Nov 08, 2023.

Text editor powered by tinymce.