Hello all - I’m new at LED strip lightning…I’ve done LOR for many years.
So here are the pieces I have:
WS2811 LED strips - 12v,
Caged power supply - 12v, 60A, 300W
NODEMCU Controller w/ WLED installed - powering by computer USB
So, when I plug the LED lights using pins to the positive and negative connection of the power supply, the lights on the reel light up white. When I use a pin connector on the data pin of the LED lights to D4 on the NODEMCU, the lights start to blink as if I have a preset on WLED turned on. Even if I click on the solid preset on WLED, the lights continue to blink randomly. The presets change the blinking patterns, but not as described on WLED.
Can somebody please provide some help on what I’m doing wrong. I thought I could tackle this issue on my own, but with multiple attempts…I need to ask for help.
Hi - thanks for replying. I literally have two things connected. 3 pins led - one pin goes to positive on PS. One pin goes to negative on PS. Center data pin is connected to Nodemcu, pin D04. Nothing else besides USB is connected to Nodemcu.
You can’t power the nodemcu using the usb as the grounds for the data and the larger 12v psu are not common so the data line doesn’t have a reference.
I use a buck convertor to bring the 12v down and use that to power the nodemcu giving a common ground.
Some nodemcu will allow power to be from the same 12v source, though check as some don’t allow that high a voltage.
Thank you. I have a converter on order and I will try that. Hopefully, adding the PS to the converter and the LED strip will allow WLED to control the NodeMCU correctly.
Thank you all for help providing a solution to my issue. @mre150 - your solution worked. I got the 12v to 5v converter to power the MCU, used the VIN and grd pin of the Nodemcu to the led strip, used the data from the led strip to pin D04. Injected power from the led strip on the 12v PS. Wled works like a champ.