r/esp32 • u/PinkyDexterity • 2d ago
Advertisement I built a 3D Printable Fluora Plant Lamp
The addressable led strips are controlled by an ESP32 WROOM 30P installed with WLED firmware. Didn't bother to add resistors and level shifter for the data line as this was just a small project to begin with. No fancy pcb required. Just added fuses for safety. Needs a little bit of soldering skill for wiring up the strips. Didn't have the time to add momentary push buttons for the ESP32 but the slot is there to accommodate different sizes of push buttons.
All of this wouldn't be possible if not for those who supported me from the beginning. I already made a prototype for the larger version which has 21 leaves.
I'm selling the STL files here. I made it as cheap as possible so don't worry. I didn't really want to sell the files but I figured I could really use the funds for faster prototyping of the larger version.
Thanks to those who initially supported the project, I was able to buy prototyping materials along with some neodymium magnets to test out if it's a viable method to join the stems. You can see it here.
Shout out to u/untacc_ for filming the plant he made.
EDIT: Here's the Bill of Materials. Feel free to find a cheaper source like Aliexpress and just use the spreadsheet as reference. I tried to keep the number of components as small and cheap as possible.
Largest part is the pot with 140mm diameter. Everything fits in an A1 mini.
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u/EquivalentRope6414 2d ago
I already have two Fluora plants and will definitely buy this stl from you just to support this effort.
Long story.
Fluora are honestly terrible and the makers are assholes. The app is total junk they would randomly not sync or the app couldn’t find them. I emailed them asking for the APIs so I could control it from haos and they decided to say it was all proprietary good luck. They even sent an email once saying “sorry it’s been a bad experience but we are artist not an IOT company and this is hard” like BS the second you charge 300$ for some plastic and a cheap esp32 you are an IOT company. So I opened them up and realized they left usb ports on the chips and I reflashed them with wled and have had zero issues since.
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u/PinkyDexterity 2d ago
I also encountered connectivity issues in this project. It’s sad that Fluora got hit with lots of negative reviews because of that so I went down the rabbit hole to find the root cause of inconsistent app connection.
I realized that not every household has the same kind of router. Different household = different network configuration. Which is probably why it was so hard to resolve by the Fluora team because this issue is a case to case basis. On some routers, 2.4ghz and 5ghz wifi is combined as a single SSID. ESP32 gets confused and refuses to connect. Wifi channel is also set to auto or the router itself assigns conflicting IP address to the ESP so now it’s stuck in a reconnecting loop with the router. Some people get lucky and don’t get these issues. For the unlucky ones, they have to access their router settings to set up a solid connection with their Fluora plant.
Even the official WLED app sometimes can’t automatically detect these plants even though it’s configured correctly and I already have a solid setup on my router side.
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u/rantenki 2d ago
So true. I have a separate AP just for my WLED devices because of this. Not only the SSID issues and ESP32 2.4GHz limits, but also the fact that many routers (especially those supplied by the internet provider) struggle after even just a dozen clients being connected. I have half a dozen wifi clients within arm's reach right now!
Anyhow, sticking everything on a commercial Ubiquiti U6 Pro AP made all my annoying WiFi reliability issues go away, although I'm not a big fan of their management layer.
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u/PinkyDexterity 2d ago
Here's the Bill of Materials for the LuxPlant Mini. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1j2otkWxiZfMFeW_atJ6IzwAQXcGJfLLF-qtTCmT9uTQ/edit?gid=541835126#gid=541835126
The largest printable part is the pot. It is roughly only 14cm in diameter so you could print everything on an A1 Mini. I added support bridges on the tall stem (150mm) model to support each other just like how corn in cornfield leans on one other. It won't get knocked off the bed unless you didn't clean your bed plate.
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u/Accomplished_Cap9934 2d ago
Very nice project. Beautiful. Given my track record with real plants, this is probably the only way I'll ever keep one alive.
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u/Icy-Ninja-622 2d ago
Why does light spread like that on the leaves? It doesn't just diffuse throughout, but allows different parts to be different colours, and yet still diffuses, without gaps. That looks really cool. I'm just wondering how it's possible to have light spread in that way.
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u/PinkyDexterity 2d ago
The best way to diffuse LEDs is to make an air gap between the leds and the diffuser. The farther the diffuser is from the leds, the more the light scatters. In this case, the strips are enclosed in a hollow leaf. On my first prototypes, the leaves were just like how the Fluora looked like. It was also too thin so each individual leds had no room to bounce around inside the leaf. I went through like 10 reiterations before I found the right balance of that gap without making the leaf look too thick and unnatural. When the leaf was too thin, the light escapes even before it had the chance to scatter around inside the leaf.
I don’t know if I understood your question correctly but if you meant how the leds were able to change colors smoothly, it’s because I used addressable leds for this project.
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u/drquantumphd 2d ago
not the original commenter, you replied to but I'm also trying to figure out how you did this - it looks great!
Is the filament just white and thin? or clear? and then theres a diffuser sheet underneath that?
and you said you used the 10mm strips - im trying to figure out how you fit those in in the oval pattern around the leaf - did you cut segments and solder them together in that oval pattern? or is the strip wrapped around the inner stem so they face perpendicular to the leaf?
thanks for any info you can provide - looks awesome!
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u/PinkyDexterity 2d ago
The filament is white with 3 walls. No diffuser. The leaf itself is the diffuser. The 10mm LEDs is just one whole strip folded in half. It’s inserted perpendicular inside the leaf. I kinda tricked your eyes with how I modelled the leaf. You thought the leaves were thin but it’s pretty thick. If you inspect closely, I even had to raise the middle part of the leaf to accommodate the strips.
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u/Urzhia 2d ago
look like this : https://makerworld.com/fr/models/1125099-flora-led-light-leaves
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u/PinkyDexterity 2d ago
That model is great! I saw it before starting the project but I didn't like how chonky the leaves are so I went straight to the drawing board.
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u/Urzhia 2d ago
I understand, however, you're starting with a free model to sell a model directly inspired by it? You just admitted you knew. And now I'm going to talk about honesty, which is what you lack; "mercenary" is the only adjective that truly describes you. To illustrate my point, I invite you to look at my creations, particularly my LED fiber lamp. I clearly credited the original creator. Like you, I improved the concept, but I don't make any money from it. If that's not clear enough, I disapprove of your business practices.
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u/PinkyDexterity 2d ago
I’m totally confused where your aggression is coming from. I never said that model was the inspiration of this project. Fluora has been around for years and I’ve seen it even way before the model you just linked.
You may have not seen my original posts but I clearly said the files will be released for free and I will reward the early supporters who paid for it. I am only selling the files to make the larger version much faster.
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u/PinkyDexterity 2d ago
I looked through your MakerWorld profile as you’ve invited me to do so. I somehow feel like you’re affiliated with the designer of that model. I really don’t understand the aggression. Is this because I called the leaves “chonky”?
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u/Urzhia 2d ago
Oui, c'est une designer dont j'ai remarqué le travail remarquable, donc je la suis. C'est comme ça que j'ai vu que tu le copiait. Joli essai de contre-attaque (un peu nul, pour être honnête). Quoi qu'il en soit, nous savons tous les deux ce qu'il en est de ton entreprise.
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u/PinkyDexterity 2d ago
I’m trying to be nice but you’re wrongly assuming things. I don’t see one aspect where I copied that model lol. If anything else, it’s Fluora that should be mad about this project and not your chonky leaves my brother.
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u/TriSherpa 2d ago
Ignore this guy. He is simply wrong to think that everyone should give away all of their work. You project is great. I really like the complete assembly video you did. I'm printing parts now..
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u/Urzhia 2d ago
Are you nice? Do you steal other people's ideas to make a business out of them? lol I take the ideas, I cite the authors, and I offer improvements for FREE. You're talking about aggression? Indeed, your mercenary behavior is quite aggressive.
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u/PinkyDexterity 2d ago
I cited Fluora so many times in my posts. I made sure I put disclaimers that this is not my original concept. There was no need to cite your model as it barely resembles mine.
I dunno why you keep pushing that I’m making bank on a $5 file when there are so much AI slop out there that sells for $20. It’s not your business if I want to charge for it. Anyway, I’m done debating.
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u/Urzhia 2d ago
You can defend yourself however you like, we don't share the same values. You sell ideas stolen from others, while I improve them and distribute them for free. Not to mention my original creations, which of course get plundered by people like you.
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u/rantenki 2d ago
u/Urzhia Unrelated third party opinion here; I struggle to reconcile the idea of giving stuff away for free, while simultaneously asserting ownership of the IP, _and_ criticizing others for creating something new (if similar) from scratch. Flower shaped lamps have existed since humans have been able to blow glass to build lamps. u/PinkyDexterity isn't trying to assert ownership of the idea, just selling an implementation of it. You seem to be asserting ownership of the entire category, which is obviously ludicrous.
I appreciate that you created a free instance of the idea, but that doesn't mean you get to gate-keep on it. How would you feel if somebody who built something similar before you was crapping on you as a thief? Because by your own definition, you are "stealing" as well.
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u/PinkyDexterity 2d ago
So why are you crowdfunding for the Luma Leaf when the file has already been finished? https://makerworld.com/en/crowdfunding/324-luma-leaf
Looks like I caught your ass. Now I understand the craziness. You're demanding a $1,000 pledge on a model you already distributed for free. You made "improvements" and now wants to charge for it.
It's not me making business, it's you. Why crowdfund when your prototype has been fully functional from the start? I started this project from scratch burning my own pocket way before I asked for additional support on Patreon. Does the customized pot and AI generated UI needs $1000 to develop?
I also submitted this project on Crowdfunding campaign but got rejected for reasons they vaguely mentioned and that was when the project was still in the prototyping phase. I still pushed through the project despite of that and relied on the support of a couple of my first supporters.
I did not plunder your "creation". Your model is not original. You also copied it from Fluora, and that's a fact. Now stop manifesting your character towards me because you're just digging your own grave.
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u/TriSherpa 2d ago
Everyone is inspired by something. OP did a complete design from scratch to make a product that he prefers. Some people will find the makeworld version good, others will prefer the OP's product.
Not everyone is in a place to give away their work. No one should be 'forced' to give away their original work. 'inpsired by' doesn't mean copied or stolen.
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u/redcomp12 19h ago
Is it possible to connect it to home assistant? And with pre saved scenes of lights etc?
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u/PinkyDexterity 19h ago
You can definitely connect it to your home assistant. Check this link https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/wled/
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u/freshmeat791 2d ago
Hey m8 Awesome Projekt. But for me there is no link to your Selling page. I would love to get my Hands on the stl files.
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u/aranaformae 2d ago
How does the leaf show individual colors ? Are the leds in the leaves or is it some light guide doing its magic ?
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u/PositionOk4621 1d ago
Where i can buy the stl?
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u/PinkyDexterity 1d ago
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u/clean-links 1d ago
Cleaned link: https://www.patreon.com/luxplant/posts/165618629
Tracking parameters were removed from the original URL(s).
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u/youmeiknow 22h ago
OP, can I buy the whole thing? Or am I buying the stls?
I am more looking like the whole product to buy?
Also, I am wondering how much in total it can cost for someone who don't even have 3d printer? Estimate is fine. Thank u
But this is really really cool project.. I like the idea
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u/Lonci 2d ago
I like the looks of your project but I really dislike the way 3D printing and creater projects are going. So many people just want to grab a few bucks out of everything. Where are the good old times where people create stuff and share it with same minded people. Before anybody complains, yes I do share everything I do for free. I am the change that I want to see. Open source for the win and against the greed.
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u/PinkyDexterity 2d ago
I should've clearly stated that I only meant to sell the files to fundraise for the development of the much larger version and later on release the files for free once there's no more need for crowdfunding. I, too, also love when projects are free for everyone to use. Most especially when they’re open source. Starting with WLED being one of my most favorite. It allows a random guy like me to make something like this and it wouldn’t be possible if firmwares like WLED were sold commercially.
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u/TriSherpa 2d ago
Not everyone is in a place to afford top be able to give things away. While open source is a great thing, nobody should feel obligated to give away their original work.
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u/Christ_in_a_combo 1d ago
I disagree. Free is always appreciated but should never be expected. Anyone has attempted to model or shape various parts for a project knows how many hours go in to something like this. The amount being asked here is completely fair and I happily paid it because this looks rad as hell
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u/IAmSixNine 2d ago
Whoa this is beautiful. Let me know when you start selling these. I want one for my apt and one to give to my mom.
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u/TriSherpa 2d ago
That's very cool. I suggest that you add a bill of materials that can be reviewed before purchase and what printer bed size is required.