I’m using WS2812B strip lights to illuminate the interior of my PC case. I’m controlling the LEDs with an arduino Nano (uses ATmega 328P). For some reason, the LEDs stop responding halfway through the strip. Of the 20-long strip, the LEDs stop responding after around the 10th LED. I’m thinking it’s not a power or code issue since the code and arduino works perfectly fine on a different, longer strip. Does this mean that one of the pixels is broken/fried? Here’s the code I’m using: https://gist.github.com/anonymous/2adbd115c5d43eb5d3b2b783fac6534d
Your guess of a pixel gone bad in some way is probably a good one.
Use a multimeter to test the voltage of the +5v/ground lines on both sides of where the lit pixels stop. If you have voltage after the break then maybe only the Data is failing to go through. You could try skipping over the bad pixel with a short wire for Data. If that works then you can decide if you want to replace the pixel or just skip it. (If you just skip it remember to update the NUM LEDS variable.)
If there’s no voltage reading past the break point then you’ll need to cut the bad pixel out and connect the strip back together.
There is also a chance that the bad pixel data-out is shortes to ground. If you do a jumper short over you may still get no signal to the next pixel forward. I would first cut isolate the data pins from bad to next pixel and then jumper… another check for bad pixel data out pin may be constant high level… meter or scope could tell you better on signals… i know not the low tech method. But always a great way to learn. Keep the fun and pass the skills. 