Wiring Confirmation

Hardware
1

Hi, I’m having an issue with my wiring; I have a diagram below of exactly my wiring, because the WT32-ETH01 does not always boot correctly and connect to wifi every time, I introduced a delay relay to delay the boot so it would successfully connect each time. Because of that, I think I now have an issue with my logic-level converter.

For simplicity’s sake, here is the hardware used:

  • 3.3v to 5v Logic Level Converter Module
  • NE555 DC Delay Relay (5v version)
  • DC to DC 12v to 5v Step Down Converter Module (5v, 3a output)
  • WT32-ETH01
  • Wago Connectors
  • 12v Power Supply

I have done the following to help:

  • 12v is going to the converter, and 5v is coming out of the converter (tested).
  • 3v is being sent from the WT32-ETH01 to the logic level converter, and 5v is being received on the other side.
  • The delay relay has power immediately when powered on, and the WT32-ETH01 gets power successfully when the timer goes off.

HELP
HELP1920×1280 177 KB

The issue is, it never shows on WiFi or on the network at all, if I plug in ethernet, the ethernet lights never turn on (interesting).

Keep in mind, remove the logic level converter, remove the delay relay, the WT32-ETH01 appears perfectly fine, it also works if I connect just the logic level converter without the delay relay, but only if I disconnect the 5v cable and reconnect it (as if the converter needed power first?)

Things to note:

  • My LEDs are 12v but require 5v data (So I’ve been told)
  • The maximum output of the WT32-ETH01 is 3.3v, hence, the logic level converter.
  • The 5v powers the WT32-ETH01, despite it being able to be powered by 3.3v because it was easier than converting again from 5 to 3.3 then back to 5.

I have tested every combination of cable going to and from, I’ve tried just the logic level converter on the delay relay, I’ve tried just the WT32 on the relay and not the logic level shifter. I feel I’ve tried everything.

I believe the issue is the logic level converter though, somehow, it wants power before the WT32, because without the delay relay, but without the relay, the WT32 doesn’t connect to the network.

It’s weird how the ethernet lights don’t power on though using the relay delay, but do if I remove it. Yet, 5v is being recieved at the WT32 successfully.

I am in desperate need of help, I am not kidding when I say this, I started this on January 1 and have spent over 80 hours on just this for me to finally accept I failed and that I need help. Typical guy.

Please someone help me, I realise it might take you considerable time to look at it and assess my mistake, which is why I didn’t want to ask because I don’t want to bother anyone, but I really really need help.

2

First issue I notice is the logic level shifter (LLS).
What you posted in your pic is an I2C LLS which will be too slow for addressable LEDs to work reliably.
I strongly suggest a 74AHCTxxx based LLS, 74AHCT32, 74AHCT125, or 74AHCT245 are all good
choices.
Wiring is simpler as they only require +5V, just make sure to use the 100nF (0.01uF) ceramic bypass capacitor and connect floating (unused) inputs to ground.
See the KB: Levelshifters

Why are you wiring ESP power through the relay at all?
Normally. power relays are used on the LED power lines to reduce standby power for the LEDs.
Standby power of the ESP is usually (much) less than 1W so it’s not an issue.
Probably simpler to start without the relay and add it after everything works.

The WT32-ETH01 can be made to work with hardwired ethernet (that’s what it’s for) but that can be tougher to get working reliably.
I’d suggest you load a standard WiFi .bin to the board for starters and get things working.
Once you’re up and running you can move to an ETH .bin and try and activate the ethernet port (NB, most installs I’ve seen (and done) with those boards do not activate the Link and Act lights properly).

Keep your data wiring short(er) in general.
You probably want to dedicate a pair of lighter wires from the LLS to the LEDs for the data connection, 1 for data and 1 for separate ground.

Make sure your power wires are large enough for the distances you need to run.
12V supply definitely helps to reduce voltage drops, but is not immune.

You’re on the right track, keep going :wink:

3

I actually have some 74AHCT125 but because of the lack of instructions or writing on them, I actually couldn’t work out how to wire them at all so put them aside for the ones that had writing on them (if that helps you determine my level of experience with electronics).

The delay relay is on the ESP because if I don’t have it, the ESP connects to WiFi maybe every 5 or 6 boots? Whereas with the delay relay it’s every time (until I add the Logic Level Shifter and then it all stops working, which is why I think that it is that, which is the problem. The demand for power before the ESP’s power, or, it just stops the ESP from properly booting.

My wiring is short, it’s all extremely short actually, it’s simply the ESP not connecting to why this is all an issue, the delay relay does help with that.

The logic level shifter I used whilst it does say is not recommended, when I did have it working without the Delay Relay and manually disconnecting the 5v from and putting it back in to boot (this was the only way to make it work) for my application, it did work.

But I am open to the idea of the 74AHCT125, but for the life of me, I could not find information online (that I could understand) for my application.

4

For the '125 look in the KB link I posted above. Near the bottom of the page there’s wiring diagrams.
Don’t worry about a resistor, but the capacitor (ceramic not electrolytic) is required.

It might look confusing, but those devices are really very simple, the chip contains 4 indivdual buffers.
Each have an input, output and ~OE control.
The ~OE (read NOT OE) is a control that disables the individual buffer unless it’s grounded.
Input goes to you ESP’s GPIO and output to the LEDs.
The only other issue is the remaining 3 buffers in the chip. You can’t just leave the inputs disconnected (floating), even if you’re not using them. You have to connect those to a Hi level (+5V) or Lo (Gnd).
The diagrams show unused ~OE’s pulled to 5V and unused A’s pulled to Gnd, but you can pull all unused ~OE’s and A’s to ground. Just leave unused outputs alone.

The description of this is more complicated than the solution (really).

The ESP not connecting WiFi may be a bad flash issue.
What version of WLED are you running?

5

Kind of makes sense, tried last night but failed. But that’s not to say you’re incorrect.

In the meantime, I did find a video of a man who is using identical hardware as mine, he even explains why he added a delay relay. He is using a bread board though, to which I have no idea how they work or how to convert a bread board to a format I understand (the diagram I drew).

Maybe by looking at the breadboard. you can quickly see where I went wrong?

6

OK, watched the video.

I have no doubt the author is happy with his solution to the issues he has found.
If it keeps working for him, then great.

As a general solution to the problems he ran into - not so much.
IMHO, the basic issue he has is that his power supply is not providing reliable startup power and/or the WT32 is going into “brownout” because of slow startup rise.

Using the timer delay is certainly a solution, but not a particularly elegant one.
It would be much simpler to either find a more reliable software version (he doesn’t mention what version of LED software he’s running), delay the reset timeout on the board (typically a small capacitor), or better yet, get a better power supply.
The breadboard is just a way to let you do “changeable” wiring with jumpers.
They’re very handy for prototyping, but it’s not something you want for a live/production environment.

As far as your setup goes, there’s a pretty simple solution at least for testing to see if its a power issue.
Use a dedicated 5V supply for the ESP to eliminate power to the MCU as a variable.
It doesn’t need to be much, a 5V2A supply is typically plenty.

You still need a proper levelshifter - I note the YouTuber is using an I2C based shifter.
As I said earlier, that’s not a reliable solution.
Follow the diagrams in the KB for 74AHCTxxx devices.
The first on for a 74AHCT32 will also work for you 74AHCT125.

Once you’ve got reliable operation, look at whether or not you need single supply control of everything.
You could even solve get control “backwards” by using WLED to control your relay and switch the 12V supply to the LEDs.

One final question: what version of WLED have you been loading and how are you flashing your WT32-ETH01?

7

I had problems at first, but all was quickly fixed when I gave the device a static IP and deleted its 2 entries from my router. The DHCP got to it before I did and it assigned multiple IPs. You could be running it ethernet and wifi on 2 different IPs at the same time.