# WiFi Jellyfish Lantern with WLED ## Overview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHYFF-UQm_4 Our oceans are full of life, and few species are more fascinating than the jellyfish. Jellyfish are more than 600 million years old, having survived all five mass extinction events. Some are deadly, some have bioluminescence, and one species may be immortal. This tutorial will show you how to create your own luminescent jellyfish out of iridescent vinyl and NeoPixel LEDs. Easily add endless light patterns with the free, and easy-to-use WLED software, with no coding required. You can even make multiple jellyfish and sync them up over your WiFi network.  ![Jellyfish Lantern](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/447/medium800/adafruit_products_jelly_pretty.jpeg?1664377462) ### Difficulty This is a fairly easy project with no coding and just a little soldering. The end result is out of this world. This guide will show how to use either our powerful [Feather ESP32 V2](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5400) or our teeny tiny and affordable [QT Py ESP32 Pico](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5395) get your lights up and running in minutes.  Build two or more jellyfish and sync them together to run simultaneous animations through your swarm. Sounds tricky, but it's two clicks in WLED. This software is free, powerful, and so easy to use that it feels somehow like you're cheating. Get access to around 100 different LED animation patterns that can be paired with dozens of color palettes. WLED gives you speed and intensity control as well. There is no end to the variations of patterns you can create with this amazing software. ## Parts ### Adafruit Mini Skinny NeoPixel Digital RGB LED Strip - 144 LED/m [Adafruit Mini Skinny NeoPixel Digital RGB LED Strip - 144 LED/m](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2970) So thin. So mini. So teeeeeeny-tiny. It's the 'skinny' version of our classic NeoPixel strips! These NeoPixel strips have 144 digitally-addressable pixel Mini LEDs per meter and are very affordable and are only 7.5 mm wide (0.3") if you remove the strip from the... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2970) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2970/guides) ![Adafruit NeoPixel Digital RGB LED Strip wired to a microcontroller, with all the LEDs in a rainbow](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/product-videos/640x480/2970-05.jpg) ### Adafruit ESP32 Feather V2 - 8MB Flash + 2 MB PSRAM [Adafruit ESP32 Feather V2 - 8MB Flash + 2 MB PSRAM](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5400) One of our star Feathers is the [Adafruit HUZZAH32 ESP32 Feather](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3405) - with the fabulous ESP32 WROOM module on there, it makes quick work of WiFi and Bluetooth® projects that take advantage of Espressifs most popular chipset. Recently we had... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5400) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5400/guides) ![Top view of black rectangle-shaped microcontroller.](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/5400-13.jpg) ### Adafruit QT Py ESP32 Pico - WiFi Dev Board with STEMMA QT [Adafruit QT Py ESP32 Pico - WiFi Dev Board with STEMMA QT](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5395) This dev board is like when you're watching a super-hero movie and the protagonist shows up in a totally amazing costume in the third act and you're like 'OMG! That's the hero and they're here to kick some serious butt!" but in this case its a... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5395) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5395/guides) ![Angled shot of purple square-shaped microcontroller.](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/5395-00.jpg) ### Which Board Should I Use? Other than size and price, distinguishing features are that the Feather has built-in charging for lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries, an “enable” pin for adding a power switch, and mounting holes to firmly stay put. Battery charging can be added to QT Py with the [“charger BFF” add-on](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5397). There’s also a broader add-on ecosystem for Feather…including FeatherWing boards packed with [NeoPixel](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2945) and [DotStar](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3449) LEDs. Most other FeatherWings might not be useful with the core WLED firmware…but if you get into writing custom WLED _usermods,_ there might be opportunities for combining lighting with things like relays and motor control. ### Part: Heat Shrink quantity: 1 3/4" Clear Heat Shrink Tubing [Heat Shrink](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1020) ### Part: USB Power Supply quantity: 1 5v switching USB Power Supply [USB Power Supply](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1994) ### Part: USB C cable quantity: 1 USB C to USB A Cable [USB C cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4474) ### For the Jellyfish - Lantern tops: [30 gauge iridescent vinyl](https://www.fabricempire.com/30-gauge-holographic-transparent-plastic-vinyl-fabric-54-wide-sold-by-the-yard.aspx)  - Large tentacles: [sparkly iridescent sequin fabric](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D6FF2QQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) - Small tentacles: [silver tubular crin](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075D5VJGK?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) - Stability: [18g steel wire](https://a.co/d/2gElqS8) - Clear packing tape - [Metal bowls](https://a.co/d/cPNbeH0) to use as a form ## Tools & Accessories - Heat Gun - Hot Glue Gun - Soldering iron & accessories - Cable ties # WiFi Jellyfish Lantern with WLED ## Wiring Diagrams ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/376/medium800/adafruit_products_jellyfish_wiring5_bb.jpg?1664252012) We'll be powering the pixels directly through the board since we only have a few pixels in each lamp. For larger projects with more LEDs, you'll want to power the pixels directly from a 5V power supply. For the Feather: - USB to +5V - 13 to DI - GND to GND For the QT Py: - +5V to +5V - A0 to DI -- This is also know as [digital pin 26](https://learn.adafruit.com/assets/112309) - GND to GND ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/117/498/medium800/adafruit_products_bff_wiring_bb.jpg?1673381919) If you're using the QT Py, Adafruit also stocks the [QT Py BFF "backpack"](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5645) with a NeoPixel port. It attaches to the QT Py with headers, and allows you to just plug in your NeoPixel strip. Adafruit carries [0.5m, 60/m NeoPixel strips](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3919)with the correct Stemma connector already in place, so if these strips work for your project, they can make your life a bit easier. # WiFi Jellyfish Lantern with WLED ## WLED Software ## Board Choices WLED runs on several different boards in Adafruit's collection. There are different benefits to each, but the installation process is largely the same. This page contains instructions for multiple boards -- be sure to use the pinouts and installation instructions for the one you're using, **Sparkle Motion** This is our flagship ESP32 board, designed with WLED and Xlights in mind. It has 4 outputs and is set up to drive either 5v, 12v or 24v pixels. It's a workhorse of a board and for larger projects it's the clear winner. It has an onboard microphone for instant sound-reactive support, and an IR sensor built in, to make it easy to control your project with an infrared remote. It also has a couple stemma ports so you can add your own sensors or peripherals. **Sparkle Motion Mini** The Sparkle Motion Mini is a smaller version of the Sparkle Motion board. It has two LED outputs, a microphone, and two stemma ports that make it easy to add an IR sensor or other peripherals. It's got an onboard NeoPixel and a small footprint, making it perfect for wearables or smaller projects. It will power a whole lot of pixels through the onboard USB port: it's safe to draw up to 4A through this port, giving you plenty of power for most wearable projects. Info: For Sparkle Motion Mini use at least the 0.15.1 release of WLED. **QT Py Pico ESP32** The [QT Py Pico](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5395) is small and affordable, so usually my go-to for smaller costumes or wearables. It also has a range of BFF add-on boards that add functionality. [Here's a guide with more QT Py info](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-qt-py-esp32-pico/overview). The QT Py will drive up to around 30 pixels through the onboard USB port, so if you have more LEDs than that you may want to consider the Sparkle Motion Mini instead, or you can power the board through the +5v pin. Note: WLED works on the QT Py Pico but NOT on the S2 or S3 versions, at the time of writing. **Feather Huzzah ESP32 ** The [Feather Huzzah ESP32](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3405) the top of the line. It's a great choice for projects where you want to add sensors, interaction, or drive a whole lot of LEDs. It's the most reliable as well -- I've run these for two months straight with no power cycling and they just keep on truckin. Adafruit has a very wide selection of Feather Wing boards that connect to the Feather microcontroller line. The sky is the limit with these boards. It also comes in a version with a high-powered WiFi range extender! If you're trying to sync multiple instances across distance, check this one out. [Feather Huzzah ESP32 V2 w.FL Antenna](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5438) **Feather Huzzah ESP8266** The [Feather Huzzah ESP8266](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2821) will run WLED as well, but won't drive as many pixels: the ESP32 limit on WLED is around 1000 pixels per input, but the ESP8266 tops out at around 500. It's about $5 cheaper though, so for smaller projects it's a great way to save a little money and still have access to all the Featherwing options in the Adafruit store. ## Driver Update Some versions of our controllers have a new serial chip which needs a driver installed before we can install WLED. Head over to our [How to Install Drivers for WCH USB to Serial Chips](https://learn.adafruit.com/how-to-install-drivers-for-wch-usb-to-serial-chips) tutorial, and download and install the new driver. If you have an older QT Py with CP2102 USB-to-Serial bridge, [use SiLabs’ driver instead](https://www.silabs.com/developers/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers?tab=downloads).   ## Install WLED These next steps require a **_Web Serial_-compatible browser**. As of this writing, that means **Google Chrome** , **Microsoft Edge** or **Opera** ,or **Firefox** “desktop” browsers. Other browsers (Safari, Explorer and _anything_ mobile) won’t work. Visit [https://install.wled.me/](https://install.wled.me/) Plug your microcontroller into your computer with a known good USB cable. Click "Install" and select the port for your board. Depending on the USB-to-serial bridge chip on the board, you might see one _or two_ serial ports. On Mac, for instance, there might be both “/dev/cu.usbmodem[number]” _and_ “/dev/cu.wchusbserial[number]”. Use the “ **wchusbserial** ” one. ![adafruit_products_Install_WLED.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/287/medium640/adafruit_products_Install_WLED.jpg?1663802069) After successful installation, enter your WiFi network name and password when prompted. This must be a **2.4 GHz** WiFi network; ESP32 does not support 5 GHz networks. If it can’t connect, then as a fallback WLED will create its own 2.4 GHz WiFi access point. ![led_strips_Install_WLED.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/134/601/medium640/led_strips_Install_WLED.jpg?1737574345) Danger: Sometimes the "Connect to Wi-Fi" prompt doesn't show up. Don't panic, just see the step below on connecting your computer or mobile device to the WLED-AP access point created on the microcontroller itself! If you don't see the "Connect to Wi-Fi" prompt, you'll need to set up your WiFi network using AP (access point) mode. Open up your WiFi settings and look for a WiFi network called `WLED-AP`. (Note, this access point can take up to 30 seconds to appear sometimes.) Connect to this network using the default password `wled1234`. The WLED interface will pop up in its own captive browser window. From here, go into **Config/Wifi Settings** and enter your WiFi credentials for the access point you normally use near the top. Give your project a name in the mDNS field a little further down the page. Now you can type in "projectname.local" (where "projectname" is your mDNS name) into any web browser on the same wifi network to access your microcontroller. You can also scan the QR code below to open access point mode.  For more help and troubleshooting tips visit the [Getting Started page on the WLED knowledge base.](https://kno.wled.ge/basics/getting-started/) ![led_strips_install_no_wifi.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/134/597/medium640/led_strips_install_no_wifi.jpg?1737574050) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/136/104/medium640/led_strips_Screenshot_2025-03-31_at_9.39.02%E2%80%AFAM.jpg?1743439611) ![led_strips_WLED_wifi_settings.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/134/598/medium640/led_strips_WLED_wifi_settings.jpg?1737574103) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/134/599/medium800/led_strips_WLED-QR-Connect-WB.png?1737574151) ## Setup & Preferences ### WiFi Setup Head to the **WiFi Setup** screen under Config and create a good URL so you can control your project from any web-enabled device. Call it something you'll remember, that's easy to type into any web browser on your WiFi network in order to connect to your project. In Safari or Chrome on your phone or computer, type in this web address to access the WLED interface: [http://projectname.local](http://projectname.local)  (where "projectname" is whatever you put into this field). Check out the Additional Settings page for more info on accessing your project. WLED has an "access point mode" that doesn't require a WiFi network for when you're out on the go. It's also helpful to download one of the WLED apps to help manage and organize your projects. ![adafruit_products_wled_config.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/288/medium640/adafruit_products_wled_config.jpg?1663802411) ![led_strips_adafruit_products_WiFi_Settings_generic.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/131/679/medium640/led_strips_adafruit_products_WiFi_Settings_generic.jpg?1722624553) ### LED Preferences Next, head to the **LED Preferences** tab under the Config menu. Scroll down to  **Hardware Setup**. Put your total number of LEDs into the "Length" field, and change GPIO to the pin number associated with the pin you soldered to. Check the pinout diagram for the board you're using (it's the number in yellow). - [Sparkle Motion Pinout](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-sparkle-motion) - [Sparkle Motion Mini Pinout](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-sparkle-motion-mini/overview) - [QT Py Pico Pinout](https://learn.adafruit.com/assets/112309)  - [Feather Huzzah ESP8266 Pinout](https://learn.adafruit.com/assets/46249)  - [Feather Huzzah ESP32 Pinout](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-huzzah32-esp32-feather/pinouts) ![led_strips_led_settings.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/131/680/medium640/led_strips_led_settings.jpg?1722624626) ## Use It ![adafruit_products_WLED_interface.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/394/medium800/adafruit_products_WLED_interface.jpg?1667150591) Now you can use any computer or handheld device to control your LEDs.  Make sure your device is on the same WiFi network as your board. Navigate to your custom URL (projectname.local/ ) in a web browser. You'll see a color picker above a whole bunch of color palette choices. Choose a color, choose an effect, and watch your lights animate and glow! Save your favorite combinations as presets, create playlists, control the speed and intensity of the animations, and lots more. This web app is incredibly intuitive and easy to use. Head over to the WLED wiki at [https://kno.wled.ge/](https://kno.wled.ge/) to delve into all the particulars. # WiFi Jellyfish Lantern with WLED ## WLED Additional Settings ### Brightness Limiter Find this on the LED Settings screen. WLED automatically limits the brightness of your project so your power supply doesn't get over-taxed. The default amperage is 850mA, which is a little low for most power supplies. For some projects, especially battery-powered projects, having the limiter turned on is a good idea. But if you're not getting the brightness you expect, try adjusting this number to match the amperage of your power supply or battery pack. ![adafruit_products_brightness_limiter.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/127/565/medium640/adafruit_products_brightness_limiter.jpg?1707333888) ### Access Point (AP) Mode While you're home, it's easy to control your project over your local WiFi network. But when you're out at a festival you probably don't have WiFi access. It's still possible to connect to your project and control it using WLED's Access Point Mode. Turn your project on and give it a minute or two to start broadcasting. Look in your WiFi networks and find **WLED-AP** - this is a mini WiFi network being broadcast by the microcontroller. Connect to it - the default password is "wled123". An instance of WLED will automatically pop up and you can control your project from anywhere. If you're putting your lights up in public, it's a good idea to change the AP Mode default password so strangers can't log in and control your lights. This could be a security risk. AP Mode only broadcasts for a few minutes after you boot up the board so if you don't see the WLED-AP network try rebooting. ![led_pixels_apmode.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/129/081/medium640/led_pixels_apmode.jpg?1711986345) ### WLED App There are a couple different apps available to manage your WLED projects. Name and organize your projects, and find them quickly without having to type in a URL. Check the Apple or Android store for downloads.  My favorite is "WLED Native". It allows you to organize multiple instances and easily switch between devices without having to remember any URLs.  ![led_pixels_wled_app.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/131/681/medium640/led_pixels_wled_app.jpg?1722625769) ### Backup Config & Presets Under Config / Security & Updates you will find a place to back up your data. It's a good idea to back up your config file as soon as you're happy with the settings. Save it as a .json file on your computer. Now you can prototype and experiment to your heart's content, and if everything breaks, just re-upload this file. Or, if you're doing another build you can use this feature to copy all your settings from one board to another. ![led_pixels_backup.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/131/695/medium640/led_pixels_backup.jpg?1722904724) # WiFi Jellyfish Lantern with WLED ## Electronics Assembly I'm using super high-density 144/m NeoPixels, in the "mini skinny" variety. These are actually a bit easier to solder than the full-size strip. The smaller LEDs leave a little more room to reach the solder pads. Carefully count out your pixels and cut your NeoPixel strip to length. I'm using 12 pixels in my strip. ![adafruit_products_00_cut_pixels_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/407/medium640/adafruit_products_00_cut_pixels_%281%29.jpeg?1664309667) ### Feather Huzzah ESP32 V2 Wiring  - Red wire to USB - White wire to pin 13 - Black wire to G ![adafruit_products_01_feather_wiring_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/409/medium640/adafruit_products_01_feather_wiring_%281%29.jpeg?1664309700) ### QT PY Wiring - Red wire to +5V - White Wire to A0 (aka GPIO 26) - Black wire to G ![adafruit_products_02_qtpy_wiring_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/410/medium640/adafruit_products_02_qtpy_wiring_%281%29.jpeg?1664309717) ### NeoPixel Wiring The wiring for the NeoPixel strip is the same no matter which board you're using: - Red wire to + - White wire to DI - Black wire to G It's very important to make sure you are soldering to DI (in) and not DO (out). These NeoPixel strips are directional so be sure you're soldering to the correct end. ![adafruit_products_02_neopixel_wiring_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/411/medium640/adafruit_products_02_neopixel_wiring_%281%29.jpeg?1664309728) For more tips on how to solder to these teeny tiny pads, check out our guide on [How to Solder NeoPixels](https://learn.adafruit.com/make-it-glow-how-to-solder-neopixels-a-beginners-guide). Plug in your board with a USB cable. If you've uploaded the software correctly, the lights will turn on. Success! ## Troubleshooting If the lights don't come on, here are a couple things to try: 1. Double check your wiring. Those pin numbers are tiny.  2. Open the WLED software and go to the LED Settings page. Make sure you have the correct pin (GPIO) entered here. For the Feather we've soldered to 13, and for the QT PY the pin should read 26, which is the digital pin number (A0 is the analog pin number. Find this in the [pinout diagram in the QT PY guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/assets/112309)) 3. Be sure you've soldered to the IN end of the NeoPixel strip and not the OUT end. 4. If it's still not working, head over to the [NeoPixel Uberguide](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neopixel-uberguide) and try uploading some basic code, just to see whether the problem is with your wiring or with the software. If you can get the lights to come on using Arduino or CircuitPython, the trouble is with the software -- try reinstalling. ### Sealing the Strip Slip a small piece of clear heat shrink over each end of the strip. Squeeze a little bit of hot glue inside the heat shrink, covering the ends of the wires. While the glue is still wet, use a heat gun to shrink the heat shrink down over the hot glue and wires.  When you're done, the wires will be potted in solid plastic, making them very unlikely to pull out or get disconnected.   ![adafruit_products_04_hotglue_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/413/medium640/adafruit_products_04_hotglue_%281%29.jpeg?1664309756) ![adafruit_products_05_heat_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/414/medium640/adafruit_products_05_heat_%281%29.jpeg?1664309768) ![adafruit_products_06_done_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/415/medium640/adafruit_products_06_done_%281%29.jpeg?1664309799) # WiFi Jellyfish Lantern with WLED ## Jellyfish Build ## Materials - Lantern tops: [30 gauge iridescent vinyl](https://www.fabricempire.com/30-gauge-holographic-transparent-plastic-vinyl-fabric-54-wide-sold-by-the-yard.aspx)  - Large tentacles: [sparkly iridescent sequin fabric](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D6FF2QQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) - Small tentacles: [silver tubular crin](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075D5VJGK?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) - Stability: [18g steel wire](https://a.co/d/2gElqS8) - Clear packing tape - [Metal bowls](https://a.co/d/cPNbeH0) to use as a form Choose a metal bowl that's about the size you want your jellyfish to end up. It's helpful to prop it up on top of something to give yourself more working space. We'll place our iridescent vinyl on top of this bowl and use a heat gun to form its shape. Measure up and over the back of your bowl to figure out the size to make your pattern. Add a couple inches to this measurement if you want more of a domed shape to your jellyfish. My jellyfish are roughly between 16-24 inches across. I like having a variety of sizes since that makes it feel more like a swarm. ![adafruit_products_metalbowl1.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/298/medium640/adafruit_products_metalbowl1.jpeg?1663874262) ![adafruit_products_metalbowl2.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/299/medium640/adafruit_products_metalbowl2.jpeg?1663874271) ## Cutting ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/297/medium800/adafruit_products_jellyfish_pattern.jpg?1663873652) Resize the pattern so the diameter matches up with your measurement, and trace it out on a big piece of paper to make your pattern.  Cut out two copies of the pattern in iridescent vinyl for each jellyfish. Cut a little slit at the point of the pattern to help the pieces lay flatter when we put them together. Warning: Lay out the pattern pieces on top of some cardboard or another heat-resistant surface with the straight edges overlapping by about 1/4".  Use a heat gun to gently melt the overlap and make a seam. The vinyl will fuse together. Press it down carefully with a cloth or tool. Be careful! The vinyl gets hot. ![adafruit_products_10_jelly_seam1.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/330/medium640/adafruit_products_10_jelly_seam1.jpeg?1663951362) ![adafruit_products_11_jelly_heatgun.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/332/medium640/adafruit_products_11_jelly_heatgun.jpeg?1663951475) Turn the pieces around and match up the remaining straight edge, overlapping the slits you cut in the center to get it to lay as flat as possible. We're creating a dome shape here so the other side will be up in the air. It's helpful to prop this up on something, or have someone hold the other side while you make the second seam. ![adafruit_products_12_jelly_seam2.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/333/medium640/adafruit_products_12_jelly_seam2.jpeg?1663951515) Place the vinyl on top of your metal bowl and get it as centered as possible. It may help to prop your bowl up on something if your jellyfish shape is deeper than the curve of your bowl. Let the sides dangle down. Now it's time to sculpt your jellyfish using your heat gun. This vinyl is pretty thick, but it still acts like shrink-wrap if you're patient. Start in the center and work your way out to the sides. The idea is to get the vinyl to shrink and mold itself to the bowl. ![adafruit_products_13_jelly_form.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/334/medium640/adafruit_products_13_jelly_form.jpeg?1663951611) This is very satisfying.  I spent about 15-20 minutes heat-sculpting each jellyfish. I kept my heat gun on high, and got the most interesting results when I was brave enough to get the vinyl hot enough that it got very close to the melting point. The hot vinyl shrinks and crinkles and the colors melt into each other, letting the rainbows out.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/341/medium800thumb/adafruit_products_jelly_timelapse.jpg?1663953352) The vinyl will thicken up and hold its shape to a certain extent. For smaller jellies, heat-forming the vinyl was sufficient to get them to keep their shape. The larger ones need a little more structure to keep from collapsing and turning into jellyfish tacos under the weight of the vinyl.  To keep the jellyfish round, I added a circle of 18g steel wire to the top side of the jelly. Since these will be hanging from a high ceiling, the wire will not be visible or obvious if it's on the top side. If your jellies will be hanging at eye-level, you can put the wire on the underside. I used clear packing tape to fix the wire to the smooth section of the jellyfish body.  ![adafruit_products_14_jelly_wire.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/344/medium640/adafruit_products_14_jelly_wire.jpeg?1663953555) Balance the jellyfish on the tip of your finger to find the exact center by weight, so it'll hang straight. Poke a hole in this spot with an awl for your hanging wire. ![adafruit_products_15_jelly_awl.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/345/medium640/adafruit_products_15_jelly_awl.jpeg?1663953933) ## Tentacles I'm using iridescent sequin fabric torn into strips of varying lengths, as well as silver tubular crin ribbon for my tentacles. The iridescent sequins catch the light beautifully and match very well with the iridescent vinyl tops.  Cut your tentacles to the desired length and set them aside. We'll add them during final assembly. ![adafruit_products_16_jelly_tentacles.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/347/medium640/adafruit_products_16_jelly_tentacles.jpeg?1663954301) ![adafruit_products_17_jelly_tentacles.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/348/medium640/adafruit_products_17_jelly_tentacles.jpeg?1663954525) # WiFi Jellyfish Lantern with WLED ## Final Assembly Bend your NeoPixel strip into a ring with the pixels facing outwards. Use a cable tie to secure the ends together. ![adafruit_products_07_ziptie_ring_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/416/medium640/adafruit_products_07_ziptie_ring_%281%29.jpeg?1664309888) Use another cable tie to secure the pixels and wires to the board so that the ring dangles below. This is a little trickier with the QT PY since it's so small, but it's do-able. Be sure to catch the wires inside the cable tie. This will provide strain relief so the wires won't accidentally pull out of the board. ![adafruit_products_08_test_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/417/medium640/adafruit_products_08_test_%281%29.jpeg?1664309951) Now it's time to add your tentacles. The tentacles will diffuse the pixels for a nice soft reflective look. I tied a couple pieces of tubular crin to the bottom of my pixel loop, then cut a small slit in the sequin fabric and slipped the miccrocontroller through, so the fabric hangs on both sides of the pixel strip, covering the lights completely. ![adafruit_products_09_add_tentacles_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/418/medium640/adafruit_products_09_add_tentacles_%281%29.jpeg?1664310044) ![adafruit_products_10_more_tentacles_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/419/medium640/adafruit_products_10_more_tentacles_%281%29.jpeg?1664310150) ![adafruit_products_11_ziptie_tentacles_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/420/medium640/adafruit_products_11_ziptie_tentacles_%281%29.jpeg?1664310193) Slip the end of your USB cable through the hole in the top of your jellyfish head. Plug it into your board. Add another cable tie around the board and cord so the weight of the jellyfish is NOT hanging from the USB port.  Add another cable tie on the outside of the jellyfish around the cord so the microcontroller stays in place. Pull a bit on your cord and make sure that all the strain is taken by the cable and the cable ties, and that nothing is pulling unduly on the LEDs or the microcontroller. ![adafruit_products_12_cable_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/421/medium640/adafruit_products_12_cable_%281%29.jpeg?1664310265) ![adafruit_products_13_plugged_in_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/422/medium640/adafruit_products_13_plugged_in_%281%29.jpeg?1664310350) ![adafruit_products_14_ziptie_top_(1).jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/423/medium640/adafruit_products_14_ziptie_top_%281%29.jpeg?1664310438) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/424/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3258.jpeg?1664310463) Hang your lamp up to see the NeoPixel animations reflect and shift inside the iridescent hood.  # WiFi Jellyfish Lantern with WLED ## Expansion ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/115/427/medium800/adafruit_products_multiples.jpeg?1664311821) Making one jellyfish lamp is fun. Making multiple jellies and syncing them together is much more fun. This is really easy to do with WLED. There are three methods for doing this: ### 1. Add more LED strips on the same controller WLED will support up to 3 strips on the same controller, soldered to different pins. You can control the strips together or individually. ### 2. Add more pixels to the same strip Alternatively, you can solder a wire to the D0 (data out) pin on your NeoPixel strip and run it to a second NeoPixel strip's DI (data in) pin. You'll need to connect power and ground as well. Think of it as one strip that's been cut into sections with wire running between them - it still acts as one strip, just with some extra space between the pixels. I made 50 jellyfish and wired them all together as a large scale art installation. ### 3. Sync Multiple Controllers Together WLED will find multiple controllers on the same network and sync them together. Using this method, you can place multiple jellyfish in different locations (as long as they're within around 400 feet of each other) and the jellyfish will "talk" to each other. Your WLED animations will run on all the controllers, without having to wire them together.  This type of thing used to be difficult to achieve, but it's really easy in WLED. ## Featured Products ### Adafruit ESP32 Feather V2 - 8MB Flash + 2 MB PSRAM [Adafruit ESP32 Feather V2 - 8MB Flash + 2 MB PSRAM](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5400) One of our star Feathers is the [Adafruit HUZZAH32 ESP32 Feather](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3405) - with the fabulous ESP32 WROOM module on there, it makes quick work of WiFi and Bluetooth® projects that take advantage of Espressifs most popular chipset. Recently we had... 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