About

This is a bin reminder. Modelled as a 1:10 scale model of the 360 litre UK wheelie bin. It has an insert you can wrap RGB LEDs around (however you like) and light it up.

Necessary hardware

15x M2 threaded insert ( https://amzn.eu/d/4sRyAvn )

6x M2x8mm button cap screw ( https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281208396283?var=580251595239 )

9x M2x6mm button cap screw (although the 8mm should also work, won't be visible once assembled)

1x usb-c panel mount ( https://amzn.eu/d/b95jFUV ) - this is not a PD port, so any power-delivery chargers won't work. This will work with usb-a to usb-c cables, which have the 5V always on. Feel free to pass through any other cable through the hole you want (might be less elegant but will work) or modify the model to include a cutout for a connector of your own choice!

1x esp01s ( https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204186588842 )

1x esp01 USB flashing tool ( https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194302707589 or equivalent)

1x esp01 neopixel board ( https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264613069347 )

RGB LEDs ( https://amzn.eu/d/bWxRtl4 )

How to print

I printed this in white PETG. Although, originally I went with transparent PETG and it didn't diffuse the LED light nearly as well and I switched to the white PETG. I don't see why PLA or any other material wouldn't work - I just like printing with PETG.

There's only two places that need support

• the main body needs support for the wheel cutout flanges
• the lid needs support for the two round handle bars touching the printing bed

I set the auto support for 1 degree and manually removed the bits around the usb port cutout and around the two small square handles.

Recommended to print the wheels in black. But I am not your boss.

How to assemble

• There is a lot of heated inserts, all the threaded insert holes are made 3.25mm and at least 3mm deep (although all should permit longer screws). Insert them all first.
• Flash the esp01 board in advance so you can then flash it over the network later
• Take the inside box main body, attach the neopixel+esp01 board
• Attach the two shims (arrows always pointing to the top (all open end)
• Attach the lid to the inside box body.
• Be careful not to break any of the standoff shims
• Wrap around the RGB LEDs (the photo shows how I did it but there's more than one way to skin a cat). The neopixel board has a cutout for the LED output port. I would recommend daisy-chaining the LEDs together. Mine worked out in 9 LEDS per layer, 5 layers.
• Install the usb-c port
• Sort out the means of connecting the usb-c port cables to the board
• Insert the inside box
• Connect the usb-c power when the inside box is sitting where it is supposed to be
• Screw on the top lid
• Screw on the wheels
• Enjoy

esphome/home-assistant

https://pastebin.com/50DbjYa5

If you're lucky and your local council has an API for bin collection dates (how I envy you lucky bastards :-D) you will need to set up the automation yourself based on the API.

For us whose councils do not have a public API, you can set a time automation in home-assistant to trigger on a certain day of the week. This project does not add anything code-wise, because that all is already existing and well robust.

Final thoughts

• I am sure you can fit any other esp8266/esp32 or any other microcontroller into this (I made all source files available, so feel free to modify the mount). I have a lot of esp01 in my drawer and it has well enough power to drive a couple of LEDs.
• The inside shims have 0.2mm distance from the walls just to make it snug, but not creaky. Also, they are different lengths because the walls are not square vertically (slight incline in all of them). Horizontally, they should be all square. Just saying that the lengths are intentional and you need to keep in mind which inside shim goes where
• Our bins are green for general waste and blue for recycling, so that's why those colours, but obviously you can pick whatever colour or animation you like.
• I am including the drawing I used as a template - I just found it online (https://britishbins.co.uk/page/wheelie-bins-sizes-and-dimensions )
• I sketched this entirely myself, used only the britishbins.co.uk as a template. Although I did get inspired by https://www.printables.com/model/290978-rgb-wheelie-bin-reminder-lamp - I had this working for a couple of years but I wanted a bit more RGB than that version offered, also, this is much nicer to work on. My inspiration did not have much room on the inside and it was awkward to print. Also, I didn't like powering the LED from the gpio directly. I respect the original creator, although I did not directly use any of their assets, they did inspire me to make this