Hello,
I am interested in setting up led’s on my stairs in my new home and wish to know which hardware I should be getting. I will be approx 27meters over 2 stairways.
Is there a kit that has a big roll of that length or so, instead of buying multiple smaller rolls?
Dave
hi @Vanfilmguy Welcome
is it inside or outside
you can use the standard WS2812b
about 2USD per stair 1meter width
multipple is better the 1meter stripes got plug on eatch end
and alo for Power injektion cables
see here https://de.aliexpress.com/store/1102861088
Hi Magig,
Both are inside stairs, and I am not comfortable using aliexpress. I was looking at this on Amazon. BTF-LIGHTING WS2812B RGB 5050SMD Individual Addressable 16.4FT 60Pixels/m 300Pixels Flexible White PCB Full Color LED Pixel Strip Dream Color IP30 Non-Waterproof Making LED Screen LED Wall Only DC5V : Amazon.ca: Musical Instruments, Stage & Studio but dont see anything longer than 5meters
There are manufacturers that can supply “bead” style addressable LEDs in 10’s to 100’s of m lengths (some with 2cm spacing). Unfortunately I don’t know of any non-ALI suppliers.
5m is a common upper length size for strips, people will often cut them to size and splice as required.
You are not going to find any individually addressable strips longer than 5m any place other than china and even then you would likely need to contact one of the manufactures to have them made special. Strips are generally short sections presoldered together at the factory to create a longer (5m) strip. If you were to look at them you will see soldered connections every few feet.
If you are going to use non-waterproof strips you will need to put them in some sort of channel as there is zero protection over the soldered on LEDs and you are just asking for them to get broke. If not using a channel I would go with IP66/67 strips. They have that domed epoxy stuff over them. Don’t get IP68 as those are in a silicone tube and do not have a sticky backing. Also I would advise against buying those crimp down strip connectors as then tend to make poor connections and are more of an issue than the seemed advantage of just sticking them on and squeezing them down.
If you are looking to make straight runs up the sides of your stairway you will need power injection. You will not get away with powering 5m (or more) 5v strips from only 1 end.
I would not be afraid of buying from aliexpress I just spent $260 there 2 weeks ago from Ray Wu (one of the larger pixel manufactures). Generally shipping time from ali is about 2 weeks to me in NY.
As divsys mentioned you could also look at maybe using seed pixels and either like stapling them on or putting them in some channel. I just completed an 8ft mini mega tree using 12v seed pixels @ 5cm (2in) spacing. 50m roll from Ray Wu was $79 + $8 shipping + tax. It got to me from China in 12 days. He also offers them in tighter spacing but be warned the tighter the spacing the harder it will be to solder to the short wires.
You can find those here: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806272779153.html
Here is a quick test video of them on my tree running 2 ports with 608 pixels per port at about 20% brightness with no power injection. Tree has a total of 1,216 pixels split on 2 ports running WLED 2D. https://youtube.com/shorts/4gLJiu435Qo
Here is Ray’s store: Ray wu's store - Amazing products with exclusive discounts on AliExpress
Here are lots of 12v and 24v strip options: Ray wu's store - Amazing products with exclusive discounts on AliExpress
Hi Jinx,
I might be interested in Ray’s store, but I am in BC and generally stuff I have ordered from China takes a month, although even 2 weeks would be too long as the stairs are going to be finished in about a week or so. There will be channels made for the lights when the new steps go in. Currently I have access to underneath the steps until the boards are replaced with better materials. The electrician has already wired a 120v electrical box by each stairs.
So now I know that 5m lengths is the norm, then that will have to do. I just have to get a few of them. And you recommend actually soldering each connection instead of using the clips? So I will get some cable with my order then as well.
Will I need to run power with each 5m section, or would I get a high amp power supply for a longer string? Or multiple power injectors at each 5m length. say every 5 steps, with a wire running up to each step and a new 3’ string. The lights I have above are 5v. Should I be getting 12v or 24v instead?
Thank you
Are you running a long strip up each side of the stairs or are you running them across each step?
If you are running a long strip up the sides you will likely need to power them from the beginning and add more power every 5m or so.
If you are lighting across each step, you could wire a few from one to the next and add more power every few steps, or could run individual power wires to each step from a central location.
If you are doing 2 stairways you might want to look at 2 power supplies and controllers.
You may want to also ask over at WLED discord as there are many people there that have wired their stirs in the past.
I’m in BC too, ALI stuff can be variable, but I’ve had good luck with many LED orders.
I generally accept that it will take up to 3Wks and am pleasantly surprised (10 days - 2wks).
I watch for shipping with tracking and sometimes there’s better timing if you’re willing to pay a little more.
The best I’ve seen is under a week (but that’s rare)
I just did my stairs and used ws2815 by BTF. They are 12v and work really well. They are 5m but I cut the strips and soldered the connection with shrink tubing. I heard mixed reviews on the clips and just went with soldering everything. Turned out great! I also wired it for Pir sensors which I’m now playing with trying to figure out how to change colors at different times. As of right now when someone walks up or down the stairs they light up with the selected effect. I was going to buy a kit on Amazon until my wife said “it would be cool if we could change the colors of the lights”. That’s the beginning of my wled journey. I power injected all 16 of my strips at one end of each strip using a 50amp power supply and a couple bus bars. I attached all of them serially in one string of 937 total leds. Their is a staircase usermod, I haven’t figured out usermods yet.