So plan 1 to run higher voltage from my PSU to the lights and use a BC is dead… Can’t get the voltage to even 6V.
I have thought of putting a PSU at each location (Of the 4), but that involves pulling down my ceiling, and doing some rather dodgy wiring (and 120V wiring at that) so I may need to look into ordering a 12V, or even 24V PSU. I can however use the 5V PSU I have for my stairs project. So that may work… However. This long data lines thing changes things… I had tried connecting the MCU right at the PSU, and running a data line the 25’… And that of course didn’t work. But now armed with the “Long data lines” info, that changes things…
So this then brings up 2 other questions.
#1- What is the voltage drop tolerance of the LEDs? Is there a point they can no longer process the data they receive? I know if the lights are only receiving 4.2V they are dimmer, but that I can handle… Its if the ships inside that process the data can handle it…
And #2. I am seeing the easiest way to do this is to “split” the data line. Once it reaches a point I need data at, splice off the dual line and run it to the LEDs, instead of using the Data out line. This of course would mean I would have 2 48 strips of LEDs, both if which would only process the data for LED 0-47, unless there was a device I could place at the beginning of set 2 (The LEDs that should be 48-95) to re-process the data, so it transmitted the data for 48-95 as 0-47. Something that would kind of take the place of the first 48 LEDs, so the first LED on set two, would get the data for the 49th (#48) led.
I hope what I said is clear enough (And it might be more trouble than its worth, but if I at least have the information, then it is a-More information than I had going into this, and b-more information I can use to make a final decision on exactly how to do this.)
Oh, and I don’t think I have said this yet, but thank you both for all the assistance. I am not only learning a lot, but my LED setup when I am done will be very nice thanks to the both of you.
Oh, and just so I don’t make any errors…
Aliexpress link
Will these guys work? They are super cheap. Last thing I wanna do is order the wrong thing and end up getting frustrated I can’t get it to work, lol.
From what you’re describing of your power setup, I’d dedicate the 5V PSU to the stairs and call it a day for them.
I’d probably use a 24V 200W supply for the rest of your stuff so you can keep your bus wiring to 18AWG.
At 8A current over 50’ you’d see a 5V drop, leaving 19V for the BC.
That’s definitely a worst case scenario for what you’ve described.
The LEDs actually will work down to some pretty low voltages, I’ve had some tests continue to work at 4.0V and less. Though your colour and brightness will definitely suffer. In general, with proper power design, I expect the LEDs to get 4.5V or better for their usual modes of operation and that keeps things nice and stable.
Not sure where you’re going with 0-47, 48-95 split data thing.
You normally have 2(1/2) choices when running data to 2 different strips
-
Wire the strip data such that: MCU---->Strip1----->Strip2
Strip1 is wired so that its Data Out line feeds the Data In line of Strip2 -
Wire 2 different GPIOs from the MCU, one for each strip
/GPIOa----->Strip1
MCU
\GPIOb------>Strip2
For either approach the strip looks like one continuous line to WLED.
You can address the 2 sections by creating segments starting at LED 0 - Stop 48 for Strip1
and LED 48 - Stop 96 for Strip2.
If you need both strips to present the same effects and/or colours, you create a Segment that groups the LEDs from Strip1 with those of Strip 2 with a spacing of 47 (see Segments - Grouping & Spacing) You can of course turn this on and off with different presets.
The 1/2 method I think you were referring to uses option 1), but feeds the same data to Strip 1 and Strip 2.
This can work, but limits you (unnecessarily) to keeping the strips identical. Handle that in the software if you need it.
As for your ALI Link… That’s exactly the devices I prefer to use. Just make sure to activate the 120R termination resistor on the receiving board.
So, the 5V PSU on the stairs is what I ended up doing, and the setup is 2/3 done! I have the power run, and the strips on the “outside track” of the stairs (Stairs turn a corner) in a nice corner defuser. I just need to place the defusers and the LEDs on the “inside track” (If I have enough LEDs left over) and if not, I will just have to order more! lol.
Now, the whole “Wire 2 different GPIO pins” won’t work for the lights (I will try and explain again below) but will work AMAZING for my stairs. Where/how can I learn to do that?
Now to try and explain the lighting, and what I was thinking… For this example I will just use 2 lights, each consisting of 48 leds. I will call them “Light 1” and “Light 2”
Light one is the furthest away, and the data line needs to run right past light 2, to get to light one. So the idea is to run the pair of data lines connected from the RS485 past Light 2, into light 1. Now I could (As you suggested) just run a wire from the Data out of light 1, to the Data in of light 2, but what if I “spliced” into those 2 data lines as they crossed Light 2.
Now, from my understanding, I could. Just both lights would do the exact same thing, as the first LED in each of the two strips considers itself the first LED. But what if I took that data at light 2, and somehow told it to ignore the first 48 LEDs. So light one would process the 49th to 96th led. This would avoid running a line back from Light 1 to light 2, but obviously would require some kind of controller to “Ignore” the first 48 LEDs…
I hope that was clearer…
I am also having another issue, but I will open another topic for it so that it will be easier for both me to find, and anyone else to find in the future. But I would like to continue our “work” here.
There are only 2 ways to get separate data for both strips.
1: Run from strip 1 OUT to strip 2 IN
or
2: Run from 1 gpio to strip 1 IN and run from second gpio to strip 2 IN
There is no way (at least nothing you can buy) to skip the LED’s of one strip when running parallel data (some Chinese LED curtains/icicle lights have chips to do this. Not something you can buy though).
psst… Where can I find information on wiring a second strip of lights to a different GPIO pin? lol
And in reply to your message…
Yea, the Chinese curtain lights is where I kind of got the idea.
So anyway, I guess I will figure out what to order, and order some more stuff. And I have a vacation coming up soon, so I may not be able to work on this for 3-4 weeks. Once I get everything in and start playing if I need any more help (Other than the the topic I started) I will start a new thread.
Thank you so much for all the help.
If using an Esp8266 your best bet is to use gpio 2 and 1
If using an Esp32, basically any pin that is green(ok) and that does not say input only should be fine (scroll down the page to the table). ESP32 Pinout Reference: Which GPIO pins should you use? | Random Nerd Tutorials
Its not what pins to use (But I suppose that is helpful) its how to tell WLED I am using 2 pins…
That’s in Config->LED Preferences->Hardware Setup.
Click the “+” sign and add another strip with its own Protocol/GPIO/Colour order etc.
I’d say RS485 on a separate GPIO to strip 2 is your best overall solution.
Making both strips work the same in WLED software is pretty simple.
Actually gonna do it with my stairs. I think instead of running a wire across the bottom and putting segment 2 in reverse, just gonna wire them both from the top.
Sounds reasonable, but there’s nothing that says you can’t use RS485 in multiple places.
The general TxRx pair solution works well anywhere you have appreciable data distances (+10ft).
You just drop it into the middle of the data line you’re dealing with.
You’ve already seen how cheap they are.
BTW, the “chinese light” solution @Jinx was referring to, consists of addressable LEDs that have hard coded addresses. If you cut a strip of 100 in half, it doesn’t matter what order you use the strips.
In order to get the original LED #75 to light up, you have to send it 75 chunks of data.
Sounds like they might be useful, but if LED #75 dies, there’s no easy way to replace it.
Haven’t seen too many of those anymore, I think they were a flash in the pan that expired pretty quickly.