PcRGB

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License

Your gaming PC doesn't have RGB?! Just buy some! But what if your motherboard doesn't support it either? Well... Build your own controller!

The project Briefly

This tutorial shows you how you can create your own RGB controller for use anywhere in your house. Including your gaming PC with little if ANY cost. We are using Arduino and some LED strips or fans.

Required matterials

The average total cost is around 24 dollars including not required materials.

The list of all materials can be found in Required Materials.xlsx

Circuit

You do not need to build the whole circuit, you can define which parts you need over to the code section

Animated	Schematic

You can see a higher resolution version of the Schematic and Animated Schematic or download the Fritzing (.fzz) file to edit them.

If you decide to not use some of the unnecessary parts just exclude them and their wires. If you upload the corresponding code for your changes everything should work just fine.

Code

After building the circuit it is time to test it.

Locate the code that corresponds to the parts you have excluded (if any), connect to the Arduino via USB, select the port the Arduino is connected, change board to Arduino nano and the Processor (according to your board. I sugget figuring out which one you have with trial and error. Then, upload the sketch.

Choose the correct code to load

Code for component combinations	Features
PcRGB_all LCD Potentiometers Button	Display Manual Breath Software Control Manual Control Color Wheel (Rainbow Effect) Bluetooth Control
PcRGB_noLCD LCD Potentiometers Button	Display Manual Breath Software Control Manual Control Color Wheel (Rainbow Effect) Bluetooth Control
PcRGB_noLCD_noPotentiometers LCD Potentiometers Button	Display Manual Breath Software Control Manual Control Color Wheel (Rainbow Effect) Bluetooth Control
PcRGB_singleMode LCD Potentiometers Button	Display Manual *Breath Software Control Manual Control *Color Wheel (Rainbow Effect) Bluetooth Control *You will have to choose between these effects each time you load the code
PcRGB_Bluetooth LCD Potentiometers Button	Display *Manual Breath Software Control Manual Control *Color Wheel (Rainbow Effect) **Bluetooth Control *You can only change modes with your android device over bluetooth **You need to set your hc-05 to 115200 bauds Link

Installation

After you finish testing you can add more RGB fans or Led strips in series or parallel. You can now remove the cover of the back of your breadboard and stick it in one 2,5 inch drive bay of your computer. Or, if you are not using it in a computer, you can just place it wherever you want to. A trick of mine was to get some cables out of the PCIe ports and add more RGB to my desk that was synchronised with my pc.

If you are using the full or no LCD versions I recomend either making a stand with the three potentiometers and the LCD outside the PC or drilling holes on the top of your case and then placing the potentiometers and the LCD with their nuts and hot glue respectively. You can even add potentiometer knobs to make them look more professional.

If your are using Bluetooth here is the download link for the android application and the link for the app inventor project to make changes.

Demo

Demo Image 1	Demo Image 2