# Newbie Desperately Needs Help

**URL:** <https://wled.discourse.group/t/newbie-desperately-needs-help/7458>\
**Category:** Issues\
**Created:** [February 12, 2023, 6:26pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/newbie-desperately-needs-help/7458 "2023-02-12T18:26:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RayS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RayS](https://wled.discourse.group/u/RayS)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 6:26pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/newbie-desperately-needs-help/7458/1 "2023-02-12T18:26:02Z")

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I’m trying to get my LED strip working using WLED. I’ve watched a ton of YouTube’s and think I’m following their instructions but have not been successful. I am at wits end.  
**Here’s the hardware I’m working with:**  
• WS2812B ECO LED Strip from BTF-Lighting (BTF-6V-WS2812E-30L-W-L)  
• AC to DC Adapter 5V 3A Power  
• Songhe ESP8266 NodeMCU CP2102 ESP-12E  
• ESP WROOM 32 ESP32 Development Board 2.4GHz WiFi Dual Cores  
Microcontroller  
**Here’s What I’ve Done:**

1. Successfully flashed each of the ESP controllers with WLED, modified the WIFI  
setting and can access the controllers on my WIFI network.
2. Connected the LED strip to the controller with jumper wires connecting the White  
(-) lead to the GRD pin, the green (data) lead to the D4 pin and the red (+) lead to  
the VIN pin, in that order.  
a. As soon as I connect the positive lead, here’s the LED lights I get:  
i. # 1 & 2 - green-ish  
ii. #3 - very dim green dot.  
iii. #4 - not lit  
iv. #5 & 6 - white  
v. #7-35 - Not Lit  
vi. #36 – White  
vii. #37 to End of Strip – Not Lit  
**My WLED Settings**  
• LED Output = WS281X  
• Color Order = GRB  
• Length = 15 (Trying to light the first 15 LEDs on the strip)  
• GPIO = 16 (What WLED install defaulted to)  
• All other setting left to default install  
**What I’m Encountering**  
• The WLED interface seems to have no control over the LED strip  
o Changing the Length setting from 30 (default) to 15 – No effect  
o Changing the GPIO from 16 (default) to 2 – When I click on the WLED Power  
button, I get a slight blink on the controller board but, no change in the LED  
lights.  
• Changing the power source from my laptops USB to the AC to DC Adapter 5V 3A  
Power has no effect  
• Switching the controller boards – no change  
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tonyno](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/wled.discourse.group/tonyno/32/242_2.png) [@tonyno](https://wled.discourse.group/u/tonyno)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 2:26am UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/newbie-desperately-needs-help/7458/2 "2023-02-14T02:26:11Z")

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First, you should not be making connections with the power on. 😉

D4 is usually GPIO2. Either change to that in LED preferences, or move your wire to whatever GPIO16 is on your board.