Setup WLED (latest version) on a standard ESP32 and have configured it to allow access via WiFi and also setup the 2 D configuration for 960 LED’s in a serpentine pattern. This will consist of 15 tiles. Each tile containing 64 individually addressable LED’s.
I have checked for 5 volts from the power supply and its present. I have then checked at the end of the first tiles LED strip and it is also present. So this tells me that there is 5 Volts being supplied to all of the strips . 8 x 8 matrix of strips.
I can measure for voltage input with my multimeter , but I cannot measure for the Data Output on the ESP 32’s GPIO pin that I am using. Currently using GPIO2 and have it configured within WLED.
Im stuck. Here is a picture of the wiring and connections.
Are you sure you connected to the input side of the strip(s)? Data only flows 1 direction.
I would also highly advise not using that barrel connector once you get things working. Those are only good for about 3A before they start to overheat and melt.
You can’t measure data with your multimeter. You would need an oscilloscope for that.
It is hard to tell what you have hooked where on that Esp in your pic. Are you 100% sure you have the right pins connected? Make sure your ground is connected to GND and not CMD they can look very similar.
Thanks for the reply! I made sure that the
Data Connector was connected to the direction that the arrow points on the LED strip(s) and that all of the LED strips were connected so that the Data connectors were inline.
Thanks for the tip about the Barrel Connector. I will use it to get things going and then go hardwired.
Im using pin 1 on the left side of the diagram for 5 volts input and pin 2 on the right side of the diagram for ground. Using Pin 5 on the right side for GPIO4 now and altered the settings within the LED configuration settings to reflect that GPIO. I am tempted to flash another ESP32 with WLED and reconnect the new one I flashed to see if it functions properly.
Everything seems ok, provided your Esp does match that pinout diagram. Try setting WLED back to 1d and see if they light up.
How did you solder to the strips? Did you bend them over? I can see their writing under your wires but for me to see that writing either the strip is bent over or the LEDs are facing the black plastic Maybe they were damaged by bending them?
I know you said you checked for bridged connections. Did you check where you soldered the strips for bridged connections? The soldering looks a bit sketchy.
Do you happen to have any extra/leftover LED strip that you could solder some wires onto and see if it works?
Thanks again for the reply. I just unsoldered the serpentine strips and then soldered to just one long strip of addressable LED’s like you suggested. In doing so I removed the connectors that will be going to other “tiles” and just went with Power , Ground, and Data to the LED strip. It lit up and performed as it should (switched LED light up effects , etc) .
So perhaps it was something in the solder connections some there along the line. Really unsure about that , but stripping it back to the most basic connections DID help.
So after that I resoldered to the Serpentine LED’s segments I had setup and all works as it should!
So another question. I will have 15 panels with 64 LED’s a piece in them - So an 8x8 matrix of led’s in each tile for a total of 960 LED’s . I am using a 10 amp power supply.
What power connector would you suggest instead of the barrel connector? Any other things to be concerned about?
Depends on how you are running the power. Is the power being split 15 ways or are your trying to run the power in series from one to the next to the next… and so on (I doubt you will have enough power doing this if you are relying on the strip to transmit the power from section to section).
If you are just taking the 1 input and splitting it 15x you would only need that high current capable connection for your first/main input.
Another option that I can think of would be SAE, but if you want panel mount you may have a hard time finding a slim mount.
-Glad you got it working. When soldering strips it can be super helpful to pre-tin the wires and pads on the strip. That way you can quickly touch the wire and iron to the strip and attain connection quickly, reducing the chance of bridged connections, overheating and cold solder joints. I would recommend 60/40 Tin Lead Solder or 63/37 and maybe .8 to 1mm diameter.
Thanks for the recommendations. I actually have some male and female XT60 connectors that I can solder up to the input. I had planned on using the 10 amp power supply to power all of the LED strips.
Since I am creating Panels that are 8 LED’s Wide x 8 LED’s tall I would just solder to the last LED in the series on the panel and pass the Power and Ground on to the next set of 8x8 LED’s and continue that until all 960 LED’s were powered.
I DO pre-tin the LED strips and wires so that its a quick touch of the iron to attach the wires to the pads on the LED’s. Ive got two panels working now!
If that means you are just connecting the power from 1 strip to the next, there is no way you will get to 900 LEDs without power injection from actual wires. There is not enough copper in the strip to send power that far without significant voltage drop. If you mean the wires run from panel to panel you should be good.
Ahhh, I see. I was going to try to pass the voltage from each LED strand to the next for the entire 960 LED’s. Well the voltage drop makes sense! So would I really need to break the one voltage output from the 5 Volt 10 amp power supply into 15 individual wires and wire to each and every panel?
Could I get by with 1/2 that ? Say 7 individual wires?
7 may work. If you have the space in each tile I would connect the beginning and the end power connections together with wires. It will help pass the power. Here is a crude edit of your pic. Hope you get what I mean . I would also recommend using the brightness limiter in LED Preferences because 960 5v LEDs if set to full brightness white would consume around 40A.
Thats a super cool idea! Can I just connect the ends of each tiles LED strip 5 Volts and Ground to the beginning Strip where its input and call it good? Or I still need power injection(s). Running a bunch of power wires externally starts to look messy. Thanks for the picture. I get it. BTW the end of the strips is actually across from where you drew the wires.
If you are trying to make a big matrix, I would split your tiles in 1/2 and use 2 data pins. Running 960 LEDs on 1 data pin is going to reduce your framerate.
Well I have already run into LED’s dimming and not even being lit on the 3rd tile. I measured voltage and its down to 2.4 Volts on the input to that 3rd tile.
I need to start running those internal wires for power and ground between the inputs and outputs. I need to figure out how I would even begin to 1/2 the tiles and use another GPIO.
Strike that last comment. It appears I accidentally reverse biased the 3rd panel led strips and then when corrected those LED strips do not light up properly. I probably toasted 64 LED’s . Uggh. Live and learn.
Maybe they were damaged by bending them?
I would recommend 60/40 Tin Lead Solder or 63/37 and maybe .8 to 1mm diameter.
