I’ve been putting together a Mega Tree for the holidays. It uses 1800 WS2811 5v strings. Running off a DigQuad. This isn’t my first project, but it’s the first time a pre tested LED strip had a pixel fail after install in the carrier straps. I get about 20 pixels in than nothing. Tested all 8 outputs of the DigQuad and all other strands. Everything else is good.
So where is the BEST place to cut and splice? Just after the last working pixel, or remove the last working one? As I understand it, the last working pixel may not be sending data to the first ‘bad’ one, but is there a way to be sure? I’d like to keep the splices to a minimum.
My usual technique is to “break” the output of the last working pixel and then temporarily hardwire in a known good strip of 10-20 LEDs. That will tell you if the last pixel is outputting good data.
Then to be doubly sure, I connect a spare WLED device to the input of the 1st bad pixel.
That should not work (if it does, start looking for wiring issues) so move on the the next input and hopefully everything will light up.
If it doesn’t light, you may need to move farther down the chain.
I normally leave the power wires connected and just deal with data until I’ve isolated the pixel(s)
You can also try squeezing the first pixel that does not light with pliers (I am assuming that you are using bullet pixels) and see if it comes on. If it does it has a bad solder joint on the board. And wow a 5v mega tree. That sounds like a power injection nightmare.
). Thanks