For a project of this size I would be tempted to use several smaller power supplies, perhaps one PSU suppling two panels. Separating the positives but continuing both data and negative lines throughout the network. This keeps wiring to manageable levels and allows better control and fault finding.
This works for me on my longer led roof lines.
Alan
The thing is I want this to hang on the wall as a frame. Having the national electricity grid strapped to the back may not be practical…lol
Wondering also
Using 3 gpio to drive 3 panels each. Are there preferred pins for speed? To increase fps.?
Hard to say. Look and see if it has an amp rating stamped on the cord.
I also doubt you will be running those panels at 100% brightness as that is wickedddd bright.
If you want to use a lesser rated wire;
I would use some heavy wire and set them to white and adjust the brightness for what you think would be the brightness you wish to use and then take a reading of the amp draw. Then size your wire according to that and add a fuse to protect for anything over that.
Voltage is not the same as amperage. It could be rated for 240v and maybe 5a or 15a
A quick search on Amazon has turned up several different values:
This one ‘claims’ 35a 450v: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CB2W1ZMH/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2
While this one is only 10a 380v: https://www.amazon.com/GUBCUB-Terminal-Position-Electrical-Connector/dp/B08VND5XDN
Basically any gpio in the chart that is Green ‘ok’ and does not say input only should be fine. ESP32 Pinout Reference: Which GPIO pins should you use? | Random Nerd Tutorials
Morning.
I truley appreciate the time you took to research those items really. I have altered a few things based on advice. Ie… I had power source on the end of a long wire. Now its strapped to the back with much much shorter wires. And I will probably trim it more now the supply will live on the back of frame.
Can I asked what may seem a silly question… tho on the journey to understanding there are no silly questions lol
Right…
Amps.
Can the wrong gauge of wire resrict amps?
I understand too thin and too much amp will result in heat…and I don’t feel any heat in wires. Also if thicker wire was needed why is there thinner wire already fixed yo the panels? Shouldn’t they be thicker out the packet?
As even though I have “30a” power supply it’s still not driving leds to the near maximum. As I can tell when a sweeping effect is on and the first set of leds are really bright yet as more come on the first start to dim… that tells me it’s still starving of a little juice current?
I’m wanting to put it all behind a diffuser of some sort. Tested paper. Now thinking deffused perspex … and even that needs consideration on defusser density and distance from led source… I prefer it when I can’t see the square of the led and the absolute beginning of that de-focus as it smoothes out effects… so brighter the better to push through that.
Please tell me my musings arnt a sign of madness…lol
Want to understand from gurus so too boost knowledge without joining Mensa.
Lol
Ps.
I tried to include relay to cut power to panel.
Didnt seem to work. Without panels inline i can hear relay switching and led staus on relay changes. But when i put mesh back inline … the status light changes but relay does not switch…as i understand it now… lack of current left to actuate relay?
So that be my reasoning to get more amps and not so much for that much brightness.
Any thoughts Obe Wan?
The short answer is Yes!, but…
The “restricting of amps” you mention is actually more like “uses up amps you want to use some where else”
Any (and I mean ANY) piece of wire you use to connect your power supply to LEDs (or any other powered device) is actually a long resistor. The amount of that resistance depends inversely on the size of the wire and porportonatley to its length - bigger wires are smaller resistors and shorter wires are smaller resistors.
What happens to a wire carrying too much current (too many Amps)? Well nothing really, the wire acts the same way as it always does like a resistor. The current in the wire will cause a voltage drop equal to:
V(drop)=I(current) x R(reistance) and incidentally will use up some power and turn it into heat W(watts of heat)=V(drop)xI(current)
So the losses depend on the size of wire and it’s length. You can use a 22AWG wire to safely carry 20A, the problem is you can’t carry it very far. At 5cm, that wire will lose a little better than 0.1V which is just OK. More importantly, that wire will dissapate (use up) 20A x 0.1V= 2W of heat which may be getting near what it can safely handle over that distance.
So why would anyone use small wires when big reliable ones exist? The answer lies in looking at what you’re connecting those big power wires to. The tiny copper pads on many LED strips are not big enough or tough enough to connect a piece of 14AWG wire. The wire will just break off as the physical connection won’t hold the weight of wire you’re connecting.
The alternative is to use short piece (or multiple short pieces) of smaller wire that can easily be soldered. The smaller wire does drop more voltage, but because it’s short the effect is small. And because it’s small the solder connection is easier and more reliable. You just end up connecting the smaller (shorter) wire to the bigger (longer) power wires which can be done more reliably.
It’s not needed on the panel with the length that is supplied, but to keep voltage loss in check if you lengthen them then you’d want that thicker the longer you have to go. And when you connect 9 small water pipes together to a common one that one’s going to be 9 times larger in area, same thing. It’s what’s between your connection block and the PSU that needs to be thick to carry the total current.
Looks like im breaking into the wall cavities tonight… some nice grage copper in there…lol
I figured i had to shorten then wired coming from psu to first contact. Had to stick it to the back which is gonna be a nightmare removing…
As from the picture should i try and mount (psu) it in centre and shorten even more the wires from it?
Get rid of block connector and go straight to psu. Would have to make sure i didnt have to move psu. Though for it to still hang on wall psu would need to be near top and change clasp to strong chain ( as weight is noticeable ) so that is layed more flat agianst wall…
And leave gap for psu to breath. But sunce it will be so far away from wall now… im think to modify some more i order for ut not to look so out of place
Oh and…
I tried to put this relay inline but it does not switch.
It recieves power from the main feed. When i connect input wire to gpio 12. To test I turn it all on.
Everything come on as relay not interuptung power to led panels.
Now 1 of 2 things happens.
When i go to settings to alter pin number… the relay will click and latch on reset. But esp32 sit blinking not booting. Like not enough power to do so.
And when i pull the pin off and boot it without out it latching. When i put pin back on while on relays latches straight away but when powering off wled nothing happens. Like not enough power to do it.
Ive tried it on my smaller project and that does the same.
That has 2 panels and a 5v 10a power supply.
So confused
Could be. A better test would be with a solid color. White would use the most power. If you are having problems with parts not being as bright you may need to add more power connections where the connectors are. I see in your pic the parts where the JST SM connectors are, you just have them chained from panel to panel. You may need to add power at those locations. If you don’t want to tap into their +/- to inject power you could buy JST SM splitter cables to gain a set of pigtails to inject power. https://www.amazon.com/Vrabocry-SM-Splitter-Connector-WS2812B/dp/B0C39T77FT
As for the other questions, I think they have been answered 
Recognise har gptd handwriting anywhere lol…
And the issue with the relay.
Just for clarity, was the “gptd handwriting” re: my response on “…restrict Amps…”?
Got a very similar response myself from it.
Was it not?
No, not at all.
I don’t know whether to be flattered or insulted.
Personally I learned, and learned to use, Ohm’s law and all the other physics that goes along with it the old fashioned way - I read, experimented, blew stuff up and then read some more.
I eventually had so much fun I actually did some formal schooling in Physics - enough to get a degree, although that “filled in the blanks” and expanded my understanding rather than replaced what I’d learned the hard way.
From my POV, AI responses are a matter of copying what can be found on the internet that “looks” like it’s correct. Copy enough stuff that enough people repeat the same way - it “must be correct” right?
Talking with someone who actually has spent time to understand the rules for the game of electricity/electronics is always going to one up the AI - bots (until the bots start competing with actual conscious thought - we’re not there yet…)
Erm compliment. Lol
What an Impressive path you took. Seems your talented self has now become the Yoda of the Discordians…
I can can only stand on your shadow as I don’t know the things you know. I too have blown up, fried. .popped … melted… and sniffed the final few second of “electronic Euthanasia” however I didn’t learn the things you clearly have. I just open the window… release the acrid aftermath in to the world and carry on. Lol
Ok… so can you help with the relay issue? I’d love to explain it to others but have no clue why it’s not working for me.
If I remove power from panels… so it’s just relay eland esp that getting power … it seems to release enough currant to switch relay. But not from esp. As soon as I place yhe wire in the pin it latches. And there it will stay.
I’ve orded some 1000µF capacitors that was suggested I’m assuming that to dampen currant?
Am I doing something wrong?
My wled install onba eso32 keeps rebboting every odd time… breifly see something saying warning low on memory… the glitches then reboots… im still thinking it the amps lol. Idk
You might need a level shifter to bring the Esp’s output up to 5v. The relay might not operate at the gpio’s 3.3v. Also note that relay says it’s only rated for 10A DC
Have you got any specs on that relay module?
Very possibly the relay needs more than 3.3V and more than the little current the ESP can provide.
Levelshifting the GPIO could help, or (for relays only) use a simple NPN transistor as an output drive.
Also make sure you’ve got a back-emf diode across the relay coil. The reverse voltage pulse from the coil when you switch it off can cause lots of grief.
As far as power drops for the ESP, start with a separate dedicated supply for the ESP capable of 5V and 2A.
Use that only for the ESP and connect a common ground with the main supply, or better yet, run a separate ground line alongside your data line to the start of the display. That will ensure any glitches on the display power can’t affect the MCU power.
Hi.
It’s the type they say is for these projects. I don’t use 3v supply from esp… it come from the main 5v feed. With a common earth connecting to esp.
And your right It’s “low” ratings… but still should switch.
Which is weird… as it did at one point in the start with different wiring. Did alternate yhe leds on the relay… making my think it wasn’t getting g power. That time I plugged it into a 5v output on that board the esp is in.
I’ve been esp8266 board with built in relay … I’m assuming wled could be installed on that. May get that for a smaller lamp i have.
But this one’s a doozy
