# Second led strip dont work - too long distance for data? **URL:** \ **Category:** Issues\ **Created:** [March 12, 2023, 12:55pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/second-led-strip-dont-work-too-long-distance-for-data/7744 "2023-03-12T12:55:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MW96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@MW96](https://wled.discourse.group/u/MW96)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2023, 12:55pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/second-led-strip-dont-work-too-long-distance-for-data/7744/1 "2023-03-12T12:55:21Z")
Hello, i’ve got two led strips for my two garage doors. I need to get them working with a plug and play wled wifi pixel controller (COD.M). So i use two different GPIO’s. The first strip is working without any issues. The seconds one has a very strange behaviour. I can’t be controlled and it shows only some led’s lighting in random colors. This led stripe is 3 meters aways from the pixel controller. I used a 1.5mm2 cable with 3 wires (12V, GND, Data) ![IMG_20230312_115142](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/wled/original/2X/7/7a5d79e69ca08935d6e09a6566c53951607b62bd.jpeg) . Is the big distance a problem for the data channel? Have a nice day! Matthias ---
**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:** [March 13, 2023, 1:31pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/second-led-strip-dont-work-too-long-distance-for-data/7744/2 "2023-03-13T13:31:30Z")
Yes, too far for data signal. If you don’t have a level shifter, try one. ---
**Author:** ![AshleyF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@AshleyF](https://wled.discourse.group/u/AshleyF)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 10:12pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/second-led-strip-dont-work-too-long-distance-for-data/7744/3 "2023-03-30T22:12:55Z")
How far can the data channel go? I thought it can go quite far as it should not have much bolt drop as draws very low wattage. ---
**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:** [March 30, 2023, 10:53pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/second-led-strip-dont-work-too-long-distance-for-data/7744/4 "2023-03-30T22:53:04Z")
It’s more of a noise issue with a small signal at that point. ---
**Author:** ![Artacus](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/wled.discourse.group/artacus/32/1258_2.png) [@Artacus](https://wled.discourse.group/u/Artacus)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 2:37am UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/second-led-strip-dont-work-too-long-distance-for-data/7744/5 "2023-03-31T02:37:55Z")
I’m not familiar with the one you mentioned. But most commercial controllers have a level shifter built in. I’d swap the connectors and make sure the pin for the second strip is able to control the first strip. If you don’t have level shifter on your controller you can try using a sacrificial pixel. I take a set of male/female JST connectors, trim the wires down to an inch or two, solder a single pixel between the two, and put a heart shrink tube around it. Connect that right off your controller and then set it to skip the first LED in LED preferences. ---
**Author:** ![AshleyF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@AshleyF](https://wled.discourse.group/u/AshleyF)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 7:22am UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/second-led-strip-dont-work-too-long-distance-for-data/7744/6 "2023-03-31T07:22:48Z")
Ah ok, I my setup I have strip on top of my kitchen cabinets. 1 run is about 4 feet from the esp board and the other about 20 feet. The strip at 20 plays about a bit, maybe caused by the long data run? Am I correct in saying it would be better to take the data feed for the second strip from the end of the first strip, rather than both direct from the esp pin? Both data lines using the same IO pin on the board. ---
**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:** [March 31, 2023, 12:18pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/second-led-strip-dont-work-too-long-distance-for-data/7744/7 "2023-03-31T12:18:18Z")
If the end of the first strip is closer, yes. ---
**Author:** ![AshleyF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@AshleyF](https://wled.discourse.group/u/AshleyF)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 1:24pm UTC](https://wled.discourse.group/t/second-led-strip-dont-work-too-long-distance-for-data/7744/8 "2023-03-31T13:24:10Z")
Na further, Sorted my problem by using the 2nd pin out.(tx) and seperate g the data lines then setting them up in led preferences. This helped loads as the 1st strip is rgb and second brg so could change the settings to suit the strip