Good day!
I’m quite noobie to WS2811 12V. Currently all my projects working perfectly with WS2812, but I’ve bought 5 meters of WS2811 and I neeв to make a bed lightnings with it.
Can anyone help me with random blinking issue? Where should I put common ground or something else to avoid blinking issue?
Here is my wiring on scheme:
12V and 24V strips usually won’t work right without a level shifter for the signal.
Definitely step 1 - get a proper Levelshifter
Step 2, plan on proper wiring.
Your general layout is fine, just choose the right wire for power vs data.
I would recommend something like 24-22AWG for the data line and include both the data and ground line from the MCU to the strip (that adds a new data ground).
Keep your power grounds as they are, just use suitable wire for the total current your strip needs in worst case (max brightness).
You may or may not want to use a different GPIO on the ESP32, default these days is GPIO16 - that’s your call completely.
I have a similar 12V strip, and it’s working OK for me. The differences in our wiring are:
Without that ground connection, my strip won’t behave at all–I just tested it.
I am not using a level shifter at all but there are only a few inches of wire between my esp32 and the beginning of the strip.
I am about 5 minutes ahead of you in my WLED journey so I could be doing it all wrong.
For others, you normally can’t get 12V+ setups to work without a shifter. Keep one around just in case!
2 kinds of WLED users - those who have a levelshifter and those who are going to. 
I had this issue with a dig uno ae+ . I ended up having to skip the first led for it to work. It comes with level shifters . How is that explained. 12 in from contoller to first led.
The only thing skipping the first LED does is negate it from being counted and being lit. It operates the same skipped or not skipped. Data in>5v data out. The ‘skip’ check box does not change that. You likely have a firmware issue and need to reflash the board or there is some weird issue with the first LED. My money is on firmware as you said you were having other problems as well.
Anything more should be applied to your other topic to not muddy this one.
I have ordered some for when my luck runs out. 
Finally I’ve solved it)))
With level shifter - yes)))
With such wiring diagram. Sorry for bad drawing - not my strong side
Unfortunately, it looks like you’ve chosen an I2C style levelshifter.
Those are well known to cause issues with reliability and flickering LEDs, even if it seems to be OK now.
You’ve got a good wiring diagram, you just need the right type of levelshifter as in the KB (see above).
Look for one of the 74AHCTxxx based devices.
They tend to be simple and need only 5V.
Is this one suitable?
Those should be capable.
Be sure to follow the wiring diagram in the KB : TXS01018E
(the resistor shown is optional).
Looking at your diagram it looks like your level shifter is backwards? Low on high. High on low.
Anyways I am in the same predicament. I just fired up my ws2811 yesterday and there was glitching/flickering when trying to control. I bought the same level shifter you have (should have found this thread first!) and things are “better” but not 100%. The thought is that this shifter is just no good?
Mostly things work but especially when I create segments - segments further down the line get super glitchy. This sounds like a signal issue and not power/grounding right? My wiring is the same as yours. I have not tried any resistor on the data line.
Have no problems at all with the shifter on scheme at all. I thought if the problem will be then I’ll change shifter to recommended earlier.
Maybe it is backwards but the main thing is to connect 3/5V in right direction.
yeah im a bit frustrated that ive tried a bunch of different things and get the same result so far 
when yours was glitching did it look something like the following vid? (its like a strobe effect - not always - seems to work better if i dont do any segments)
video
im almost thinking about resoldering the data wire to the strip itself. i did order different level shifters though.
If you are talking about the one in the diagram, that is the wrong shifter. You would need either the TXS0108E or one of the 74AHCTxxx based ones.
Yeah my first attempt was with the exact same one he had which y’all are saying is no good. So I’ve bought TXS0108E and will give it a shot. Thanks.
followup here - 100% the dumb level shifter. TXS0108E fixed immediately even without resistor.
