New to WLED - I want to install 8m LED Strip

Hardware
1

Hi

Currently I have two wifi Tuya LED strip lines, 8m each, with flashed with Tasmota and integrated in Home Assistant.

Now i want to change my LED strips and install WLED. I have already installed thw WLED in two ESP8266 Dev Boards and i want now to buy the LED strips. Here i want your help:

What should i buy? I read that the WLED is working with WS2812B. Is that correct? Where i can buy? I found many stores sell W28XXX strips but all of them are offering 5m maximum - but i need 8m. What charger do i need?

So i need your help to install an 8m LED strip with the flashed ESP8266 Board.

2

WLED works fine with WS2812B . You choose the 30led / meter or 60 …etc .

Just buy two 4 meters strips and connect them together.
The power you need would depend on the final number of LEDs . The formula is there once you know the total LEDs .

And you can use only one controller to control the whole thing .
Hope this helps .

I have BTF-lighting which I see everywhere. It is mentioning on the label 9 Watts per 1 meter. Density is 30led / meter. Since this is 5v we say 9/5= 1.8 Amps . Hence 1.8/30 = 0.06 amp ( 60mA per led ) .

To calculate the maximum power requirement :

NumberOfLed x 60mA = Amps

30 x 60mA=1.8 A ( 5X1.8= Watts PSU )

100 x 60mA=6A ( 30 Watts PSU )

244x 60mA=14.6 A , 480 x 60mA=29 A … etc

You just need to know the risks with 5V 12A power supply . It is not a small thing and things could start to heat up or catch fire unless you are very careful specially if you go above 150 LED or the standard 5 m strips and use more amperes.

Due to risk, I use half of the recommended power rating and I am thinking now to move back to 12V strips to avoid the power complication ( I heard the new WS2815 are great but it’s expensive right now )

3

Thanks

4

Minor correction:

(NumberOfLed/strip x 60mA/Led)/1000ma/A = Amps/strip

You have the right general idea, you’re just mixing mA with A without mentioning that 1A=1000mA.

Sorry, just my OCD moment on keeping the units of your formula correct…

5

WOW , Thx professor

6

Note that in reality, you will never see 60mA per. :wink: Fine for a safety factor, though.

7

Yes that is normally how a product data sheet works and how it’s mentioned as maximum in the above discussion.

I thought before that the 60mA is an estimate but it’s actually matching the label for BTF ( 9W for 30 led 1meter IP30 WS2812B).

Not sure if that the case with other brands and I don’t want to test the maximum power in any LED project so I always go for half or even less

8

They are being ultra-safe as well.