I’m a first time user, I don’t have a lot of knowledge in regards to electrical - I’m doing my best to learn and google how to resolve, but I’m still having issues.
I’m using the following:
Power Supply: 5V, 30A
LED Controller: ESP32 with 4 outputs
LED’s: SK6812 (5V) - (332 LED’s total (between 3 strips))
I originally connected the wires as per V1 (connecting the power wires through the ESP32), but the brightness was very low. I removed the brightness limiter in WLED, but then the ESP32 malfunctioned and it wouldn’t connect to WLED.
Note: there are only 2 wired coming out of my ceiling. (No Ground) - is this important?
So I did a bit of research and found that I should connect the power wires to the LED strips directly from the Power Supply. (V2) I adjusted the brightness limiter and it was working perfectly… but then the next day, it wouldn’t connect in WLED again.
Now, the led’s flicker… and won’t connect to WLED so I can’t control it at all…
I don’t know what to go from here, any suggestions?
Update 1: seems when the led strips are connected directly to the power supply, the esp32 is shorting out… (even with the brightness limiter on)… the power light on it goes off after it boots up.
Update 2 : turns out the power converter had a switch that was set to 245… I changed it to 110 and now the controller works great… however, the lights flicker quite a bit now.
I like your project! ALL of your grounds should be connected to the same reference point! WLED is transmitting data (square waves), at 400Khz and in order for the data to be read clearly it needs to have a COMMON reference point. All of the grounds, tied to the same point, provide that reference point. I also don’t see a ‘level shifter’ between your ‘32 and the NeoPixels. Level Shifters (whatever you use), ‘clean up’ the square wave, making it easier for the 6812’s to read. I like the little Adafruit ‘Pixel Shifter’, it’s cheap and easy to connect. WLED is transmitting data at 400Khz. If you have a long-ish DATA OUT line from your ‘32 that might be inducing stray voltage, twist a ground wire around that data line and link it to the above mentioned ground. You might also make sure your DATA IN/OUT lines are not near enough another wire or electrical source that voltages ae induced into your data wire, corrupting the data. Again… love that design!
You should be powering the LEDs from the power supply. Not from the Esp. If your Esp is browning out then either your wires are too small or your power supply is junk. Stick to Mean Well power supplies. Adding the Cap(s) shown in the wiring diagram may help, but I am still convinced the real issue is wiring/cheap Chinese power supply that does not live up to it’s so called ‘rating’.
Update: turns out the power converter had a switch that was set to 245… I changed it to 110 and now the controller works great… however, the lights flicker quite a bit now.
