Is my Wiring OK? - WS2811 LED Strips
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Hi all,
New to the forum and I'm not too sure if this question is allowed because it's not technically an Arduino project (im using an Artnet to SPI controller instead of Arduino), however im sure this could be done with Arduino so maybe it could be of help to others in future!
I am looking to install WS2811 LED Strips inside coving on walls for a down lighting effect. I have drawn up a wiring plan but i am not sure if it is correct / the best way to do it.
Is there any immediate issues with my wiring plan attached? Are there any suggestions / changes that would make it better?
My common ground connection to V- will be around 32 meters and im not sure if that will be an issue for the power supplies and/or signal for the LED's? (I understand ground / V- is used in the signalling of the LEDs?)
The setup is as follows;
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WS2811 LED Strip, each Strip is 12v and 5 meters long
2x 12v 60A power supplies -
BC-204 controller (Artnet to SPI), which has 4 LED outputs. Each output will send a signal to 10 meters of LEDs (2 strips per output)
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Fused Bus Bars from Power Supply 1 & 2 will be used to provide V+ to the LED strips and controller
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Bus Bars will be used to provide V- to the Controller and the other power supply
All wires will be routed along the edge of the wall (Not ideal as my wire lengths are pretty long, however im using 4 core 1.5mm2 cable and the voltage drop on this should (according to some rough calculations i did online) be acceptable.
The distance between Power Supply 1 & 2, and the other measurements can be found on the other attachment if it is of use!
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Well first off this is not even an Arduino forum specifically, but rather MySensors sensor library for Arduino (and other uCs). SO GET OUT!
Haha just kidding.
Now this advice is going to be worth exactly what you paid for it, so keep that in mind.
First impression, after lightly studying your plan, is that you have done your homework. You have also taken the time to make a nice plan and put it to paper so to speak, which I also think is a always a good part of the process, to help you work everything out; I usually do the same.
Based on the little bit I know about LEDs, it looks to me like you are powering from both ends, which is good and should prevent voltage drop (especially on 12v), assuming your other calculations (wire size, etc.) were correct. I neither have the inclination (headache already right now) nor the time at the moment to double check your calculations, so make sure those are correct for all the considerations (LED power requirements, amperage, wire size, etc...).
Something else I was wondering about your plan, are you really going to run a common bus bar all that way from one to the other corner of the building?
I also plan on doing something like this "some day." I found what I thought was a pretty good resource at https://quinled.info. I have no affiliation to that site, I just came across it in my research and found it packed with lots of good and detailed info. Guy is a bit of a nut about quality / color temperature of white light in particular, which is something I can appreciate. He has reviewed a lot of strips and grouped them into "best, good, and cheap." He does have affiliate links on his recommendations, which I personally do not have a problem with, he seems quite above board about the whole thing.
Oh, yes. One thing that I was convinced of by the aforementioned site is: If you haven't bought anything (lights, power supplies, wire, etc.) yet, consider going 24v instead of 12v, as your wire runs will not need to be as thick, carry as many amps, etc... Now it looks like you have planned accordingly (powering from both ends, etc.) however just something to think about while you await further replies.
Good luck! And we expect pictures of the finished product!
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Hello!
haha please forgive my ignorance!
I have already ordered the products, the strips were the cheapest i could find online and they only did the WS2811's in 12v and not 24v unfortunately!
My common ground wont be a bus bar per say, but actually a bus bar on the V- of the power supplies, then a nice thick cable (to be decided) connecting the power supplies.
It not ideal as its a 32 meter run, however the power supply 2 has to be on the other side of the building so that the length of cables being run stays at a minumum, if i had Power supply 2 next to powerr supply 1 i would have to run double the cable to get power to the other end of the LED strips!
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Well there is no more sense in any of us wasting any of our valuable resources (time, thought) if it will not affect the design anyway, since you have already ordered the parts.
Ignorance is fine, inconsideration for other people's time and effort is not (at least with me).
I realize you are in a hurry to build something, we all are, but some times when you hurry you cost yourself time. Or other opportunities like feedback and chance to modify the design. All of which are irrelevant now (at least insofar as this particular project)...
We still expect pictures of the completed project.
