I went from breadboard, to prototype board to custom designed PCB within a few weeks. This stuff is addictive. Don't be put off, mistakes will happen. But every day is a school day.
Agreed! I just recently started designing my own PCBs. I find that addictive as well. And oh yeah... mistakes will happen! I could fill a barrel with all the parts I've fried or otherwise destroyed over the years. But you are 100% correct... that is all part of the learning process. I think the fear of 'messing up' is what stops a lot of beginners from trying. But you accidently reverse the polarity on a component and you generate a little "magic smoke". OK... you destroyed a $3 part... but that is probably the cheapest schooling you are ever going get! Thanks for taking time to leave a comment.
You are very welcome! Thank you so much for the kind words. I do try to include some of the "why" as opposed to just the "how" so maybe people can take an idea I show and adapt it to their own projects. Thanks for taking time to leave a comment. I do appreciate it!
Glad I was able to help out. I think one of the most common mistakes that beginners make (and I did it myself) is trying to power a large number of LEDs via the 5V pin on the ESP controller. This results in either very dim LEDs or eventually a fried or destroyed ESP board. So I always try to stress the proper wiring to power LED projects by running the power in parallel. Thanks for watching and taking a moment to leave a comment!
You are welcome. Glad you found the video helpful. Just be forewarned though... after you build your first controller, you'll be looking for a reason to build another one and someplace else you can put some LEDs! Thanks for watching and taking time to leave a comment. Good luck with your DIY LED journey and let me know if you have any questions along the way.
Nice video. For those that are concerned the learning curve is to steep there are all in one controllers out there that run WLED and are plug and play.
Good point.. and thanks for the reminder. I almost always mention that pre-built controllers can be purchased in all my LED videos... but overlooked including that in this particular video. I appreciate you reminding folks that this is another option.
Good point and I initially tried to find controllers from the WLED wiki and what Amazon US offered was either over kill in power or not applicable to my use case. Have you had good success finding the built controllers?
@@BELSERVICEMAN Personally I have only used the QuinLED boards, the UNO and the Quad. He has came out with a simple plug and play option and also some more complicated boards you can stack depending on your needs, the latter are more in line with large to very large LED installations is my understanding. What I have seen is unless you have a very small amount of LEDs in your project a plug and play (DIY type) option probably is not going to do it for you.
@@Joseph-ko2kl Lots of respect for the Quindor Line and envious you have the use case. I don't have enough long LED runs yet to justify the cost AND they aren't available when I need one or could have used it.
Very good video covering the basics. I'm going to attempt to convert my Govee Permanent Outdoor lights to WLED and you've shown me that I need to power the ESP32 separately from the Govee Lights. So what I will do is get a 5V power supply for the ESP32 and only run the green wire to the Govees then use the supplied Govee Power Adapter (36v, 2.0A, 72W) to power the LEDs. I'm going to solder this to a board and also get a weatherproof enclosure to put this all in. Thanks for the fantastic instructions!
That should work... but in addition to the "green" data line, you need to establish a common ground between the controller and the LEDs when they are powered by separate supplies (whether they are the same or different voltages). Otherwise, it is very likely that the LEDs are going to misbehave due to ground potential differences. You can run a ground from the controller to the LEDs along with the data line, or otherwise create a common ground elsewhere between the power supplies.
@@ResinChemTech Oh great tip, thank you for this! I didn't even think about it, I'll make sure they're connected by the same ground! The other thing I was thinking is if it's possible to use just the Govee Power Adapter as the power source for both and put in a resistor just before the ESP32 to drop the voltage down to 5v? Or would 36v going into the board be too much? I'm going to use an electrocookie as my board to mount the ESP32 onto. My idea is to have the 36v coming into the board and put jumpers to get the 36v to the other half of the elctrocookie and have it pass straight thru that side as 36v and the wires to my lights connect to that side of the board (using same ground). But on the side with the ESP32 add some circuitry to drop the voltage to 5v into the ESP32. This is my first attempt at this kind of electrical work so please ignore my ignorance if I'm way off base with this question/idea of mine and if what I'm thinking of isn't possible on a electrocookie board (or any board for that matter).
I really enjoy watching and learning from your videos. I am in the process of installing a motion sensing LED strip on my basement stairs. Just waiting on all the parts to arrive.
Those extra wires are there in case you need to do power injection. For longer runs of LEDs, resistance will cause the voltage to drop, eventually leading to the lights fading/changing colors. These extra wires are provided so you can "inject" 5V and GND from your power supply along the strip to boost the voltage back up. For shorter runs (say around 300 LEDs or less), you probably won't need power injection, so you can just ignore those extra wires. I'll actually be releasing a video next Saturday that talks about power injection, along with a lot of other common LED questions. But I'm sure you can also search for LED power injection and find lots of useful information. Thanks for watching... and your kind words!
Thanks.... I'm glad you find them helpful. My videos do tend to be a bit longer than most, but I like to include the "why" as well as the "how" so that someone who might be a little newer to these types of projects can understand how to take my build or project and possibly modify it for their own particular needs. Thanks for watching... and thanks for taking the time to comment!
Pro tip: You don't need a logic level converter, a simple Diode will also do. It's cheaper and easier to wire and package IMO. How i do it: Separate the first LED from the strip and connect ground and signal with a wire to the rest of the strip as normal. Power the first LED through the Diode, and the strip/second led directly from the source (not through the diode). Here is why it works: The chips that live in each WS28xx LED can work on 3.3v and 5v and will switch automatically. Diodes drop about 0.7v which gets the voltage in range for the first LED to be in 3.3v mode and correctly interpret the signal from the microcontroller. The second LED (and the rest of the strip) runs at 5v, but the second chip can still interpret the incoming 3.3v signal and will output a 5v signal forward as its working at 5v. Basically the first sacrificial LED is used as Logic level converter. The only real downside of this, is that that first LED is not as bright, as its working on lower voltage. Works great for me as i always have a diode around and its easier to hide under the shrink tube or wherever you place the capacitor. Just thought i'd share, it made my life much easier. Thanx for making these videos, Happy ledding everyone! 🙃
Thanks for the tip. I think what you are describing is a version of the "sacrificial pixel" method that I do talk about and cover in numerous other videos, both on the logic level shifter and various other LED videos. Depending upon someone's comfort level with soldering, how they opt to mount components, etc., the sacrificial pixel method can be easier or more difficult than using a bidirectional shifter that I show here. In fact, WLED even has an option to omit lighting up the first pixel is you are using the sacrificial pixel method so that you don't need to worry about trying to hide it or tuck it away... it will just be skipped and remain unlit for all colors and effects. And as I mentioned (and have received numerous comments about), you can often get away without a shifter at all if you keep the data lead short. My take and opinion is to always include some sort of level shifting on my controllers. Then I don't have to worry about a longer data lead or misbehaving LEDs due to poor signal voltage. But these are DIY projects and everyone is free to do it there way... including omitting a shifter altogether if desired. But I do appreciate you taking the time to post a comment and an alternate method. With nearly all projects that I do on my channel, there are multiple ways to get to the same end result. Thanks for watching!
@@ResinChemTech sorry its the first video of yours i have seen : ) And my comment was honestly directed to the viewers, i should have worded it better. It makes total sense to show the shifter in the video, which is the correct way of doing it. I just assumed some future viewer might find the sacrificial pixel trick useful after watching the right of way of doing it. P.s. Thanx i didnt know there was an option in WLED even hehe. I usually just use it normally or ignore it in the segment : ) Keep doing what you are doing.
Absolutely no apology needed! In fact, I love it when viewers may suggestions for alternative (and sometimes better) ways of tackling some projects. In fact, I've improved a couple of my own projects (e.g. sensors on my stair lights) based on suggestions from viewers. And I can always learn a new thing or two as well. I only mentioned the fact that I was aware of the sacrificial pixel method and have used it myself. This particular video came about from many other videos where I create a soldered version of the controller and heard that a lot of viewers were unable, unwilling or too intimidated to attempt soldering... but really wanted to try their own DIY LED strips. I tried to make this particular video as simple as possible for someone that might be starting out creating their very first controller. So, I just stuck with a pretty simple option for a level shifter... and didn't want to add to the complexity or confusion by introducing other options... like the sacrificial pixel, the SN74AHCT125 quad buffer gate shifter, etc. The hope is that if someone accomplishes this simple breadboard version, they might move on to more 'advanced' or soldered versions... where alternative shifting methods could be employed as well. But truly, I do appreciate the comment and the recommendation. Thanks!
You're welcome! I'm glad you found it easy to understand. I was trying to show folks that believed building a DIY LED controller really isn't difficult.. and didn't require a bunch of specialty tools or skills to make it work. Thanks for watching... and taking the time to leave a comment!
I'm glad you are going to give it a shot. I think you'll be surprised at how easy it really is... and how amazing the results will be. Of course, just let me know if you have any questions or run into problems along the way!
Really nice overview - good way to entice to new people to the amazing world of LEDs. It is undoubtedly naive on my part, but I tend to worry less about the amperage requirements PER PIXEL, as that maximum tends to be with all sub-LEDs lit to 100% brightness (showing white), which I absolutely never do. My installations are somewhat close to static, so I often mix the per-pixel advice with WLEDs estimate. I then add a current limit in WLED below what is provided by my actual supply. My largest installation, my stair lights, with ~400 LEDs, when running the effect "ChunChun" with the palette "Rainbow", which I run at about 20% brightness, WLED estimates consumption at about 450mA. I do have a beefier supplier on there to handle considerably more than that just in case, but likely not as beefy as suggested. Additionally, it only runs these a couple dozen times a day for like 20 seconds :)
Funny isn’t it, I waste time on color when I use white often. I always go for the full amperage but I have a bit of OCD as my Electrical wiring tends to be done to code. Code is there for a reason and people can still cause fire burning up an unused DC line. So on a place like TH-cam with a video for beginners…I was so proud he didn’t mention the lack of concern so many show or say about not running white. I love my 275 + 90 LEDs on my garage and breezeway door and having them synchronize the effects is great but I use an HA automation for full white if my doorbell detects you in the driveway. I think we want these new people not to burn their houses down and come back to watch more. It is clear to me you can make decisions that are safe for you and your family. This is based on the cool stuff you show on your channel. Then your channel serves a different purpose and you have different goals. I make this comment because it is not your naïveté that concerns me but that of what I think is the target audience.
I agree that in most cases my LEDs, and probably most other people's, are primarily used for decorative lighting and will likely use colors and/or effects that result in significantly less amps than the theoretical maximum. But it does depend upon the particular project. My undercabinet lighting in the kitchen is routinely used on full bright white (for an extended time). And like you, my stair lights use a pattern and are only on for a few seconds at a time. But my wife does like to turn these lights on solid full bright white when vacuuming the stairs. So for me it isn't that I'd necessarily routinely use the LEDs at the maximum, but more about having the possibility to run them at full bright white without needing to worry about the power supply, even if I rarely do so. That's at least the approach I take... I want to have the availability for full power, even if I only need or use it on occasion. Thanks for the comment and feedback!
Thanks! I was hoping to maybe inspire some folks that have told me that other soldered versions seemed too complicated... or they simply didn't feel they could solder. My goal here was to show how simple it really could be... to at least try out the features of WLED and LED strips. Thanks for watching... and the kind comment!
Thanks Seth! While it's not what I'd build or recommend for a permanent installation, I've just had so many people say that they'd like to try this out, but felt it was too complicated or that they didn't have the ability to solder. So I wanted to make a true "beginner's build" that was simple and would allow folks to at least try out LED strips and WLED. As always, thanks for watching and I greatly appreciate your comment!
Thank you so much for your very clear explanation. However, I think I am doing something wrong. I have a WS2811 12V connected as you suggested, but as soon as I turn it on, it starts flashing and will not work with Effects or color changes. I have two strips, and they both do the same, so I think it has something to do with the configuration, but I don't know what it could be. Thank you so much for your help!!!!
Flickering, flashing or non-responsive LEDs generally points to an issue with the data line (it can also happen with larger installs further down the strip if the voltage drops too low). Check the following: Did you include a logic level shifter? This will resolve most signal issue if wired properly. Assure you have 3.3V, GND and the data signal from the ESP connected to the LV side of the shifter and 5V, GND and the data line out to the LEDs on the HV side. Assure the LEDs are receiving the expected 12V. If possible use a multimeter to verify the voltage is close to 12V at the +12V and GND connections at the start of the LEDs. Naturally, the controller should only be receiving 5V. If powering the system via two different power supplies (12V for the LEDs, and 5V for the controller... maybe via USB), be sure you create a common ground between the controller and LEDs. Ground potential differences when using multiple power supplies can cause the LEDs to misbehave. Verify that you have the proper LED type and GPIO pin selected in WLED. And finally, double-check all wiring connections. If using something like Dupont jumpers, these can make loose or intermittent connections. If possible, try swapping out the wires to assure it isn't a problem with a particular wire or connection, especially those related to the data line. Those are the most common causes of misbehaving LEDs. While it is less likely, it is possible that the LEDs, shifter or ESP board is faulty or the WLED flash is corrupt. If you have the parts, you can try swapping out individually to see if the problem is resolved when a particular component is replaced. Hope that helps.
@@ResinChemTech Thank you so much for your kind and extensive explanation here are my replies: Did you include a logic level shifter? This will resolve most signal issue if wired properly. Assure you have 3.3V, GND and the data signal from the ESP connected to the LV side of the shifter and 5V, GND and the data line out to the LEDs on the HV side. Answer: Yes I did Assure the LEDs are receiving the expected 12V. If possible use a multimeter to verify the voltage is close to 12V at the +12V and GND connections at the start of the LEDs. Naturally, the controller should only be receiving 5V. Answer: Yes I made sure that it is a bit above 12V and there is also a transformer from 12V to 5V If powering the system via two different power supplies (12V for the LEDs, and 5V for the controller... maybe via USB), be sure you create a common ground between the controller and LEDs. Ground potential differences when using multiple power supplies can cause the LEDs to misbehave. Answer: That is why I made sure to include the transformer from 12V to 5V Verify that you have the proper LED type and GPIO pin selected in WLED. And finally, double-check all wiring connections. If using something like Dupont jumpers, these can make loose or intermittent connections. If possible, try swapping out the wires to assure it isn't a problem with a particular wire or connection, especially those related to the data line. Answer: I have done that, with the data line I connected it from the strip directly to the leveler shifter Those are the most common causes of misbehaving LEDs. While it is less likely, it is possible that the LEDs, shifter or ESP board is faulty or the WLED flash is corrupt. If you have the parts, you can try swapping out individually to see if the problem is resolved when a particular component is replaced. Hope that helps. Answer: This is not the issue, because I used a 5V Led Strip and it works perfectly, the issue is the with the 12V strip. Could it be that I am not setting the WLED correctly? Is there maybe an email where I can send you pictures of my setup so you ( if you want of course ) could check what am I doing wrong? Again, thank you so much for all your help!!!!
Thanks for showcasing WLED software -- I manually bake all my custom animations into my NodeMCU units, so definitely going to give this a shot! I'd love to find out if it supports webhooks to trigger effects via the web after the wifi is hooked up. Thanks! -phrozen
You are welcome. WLED can use websockets, along with an HTTP and JSON API. You can see more about the available interfaces here: kno.wled.ge/interfaces/websocket/ While I have done a bit of custom stuff with LEDs and Arduino/C++ and FastLED... it's hard to beat the convenience and all the featuress baked into WLED. Good luck...let me know what you think if you try it.
@@ResinChemTech my mind is blown! Yes like you I know my way around an arduino and completely agree the convenience here is top notch! Just dig into the JSON api, and that’s exactly what I’m looking for! Fan - friggin - tastic! Thanks!
Hi, excellent video. I have 6 seperate lamps with 42 leds each, thus i am running 252 leds in total. Do i need to add anything to this setup in your video? cheers
Are the 6 lamp's LEDs wired or connected together so that they can be treated as one single run of LEDs? The data signal from the controller (that I show here) only has a single data wire. It connects to the first LED and then the data signal "travels" down the strip to the final LED. If each lamp's LEDs are standalone and not connected to each other, then you will probably need to use an ESP32 and multiple data pins... one running to the first LED of each lamp... and then define segments for each lamp. If you are not familiar with multi-pin setups and segments in WLED, you can try watching this video: th-cam.com/video/HYdouRHfadE/w-d-xo.html
I just came across this video and love how easily you show how to implement a logic level shifter. I am wondering if you have experience with 24V implementations. I need to run 4 different COB style LED strips that are 24V. I have a few of the ESP32 controllers sitting around, so I plan to use one. Currently I run everything from the 24V power supply, and use a buck converter, to step down the 24V to the 5V for the ESP, and then use the common ground for everything. I think I am having trouble with my data wire, and am seeing a slight flash from the LEDS every few cycles when testing with the “chase 1” effect. That is the easiest issue to explain. Based upon your design here, you are using 5V LED strips, but I need the ability to have very long strips, and was directed to 24V. I have seen on multiple videos that people suggest using the ground wire that is powering ESP32, to help make sure there are no weird issues, however, I don’t want to do anything that would cause long term issues or even immediate fry everything. Given that I need the logic level shifter to bring the 3.3V back up to 5V so I can send the data about 50 centimeters to the strips, I am wondering if I should have a separate 5V power supply for the ESP32, and then run LEDs off of the 24V power supply. And then in that case I am just unsure of which ground I should use. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you…
I don't personally have any experience with 24V, but have used 12V with a 5V controller. Most of my experience has been with WS2812b, WS2811 and SK6812. There are a few potential issues with flickering. Naturally an issue with the data signal is one. The other is due to ground potential differences. That is why if you do opt to use two different power supplies, you MUST create a common ground between the two. If you find it helpful, I have blog article with a bunch of different wiring diagrams... one of which is powering 12V LEDs and a 5V controller separately. This would be the same when using 24 V LEDs: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html There is also a remote possibility that the LEDs you are using are requiring timing that the regular I2C-compatible shifter can't handle. I've not personally experienced this, but other claim that they have. In that case you can try a shifter like the SN74ACHT125N shifter. If you want to know more about that, you can watch where I compared these two shifters here: th-cam.com/video/61VWgYmomz4/w-d-xo.html And of course, voltage drop can cause the LEDs to misbehave. While it is true that 24V LEDs can support more LEDs before power injection is needed, if you've tried all other remedies, it is at least worthwhile to try injecting power along, or at the end of the strip, as a test and to just rule that out as a potential problem I hope that gives you a little more info and maybe points you in the right direction for finding and fixing the flickering issue.
@@ResinChemTech Wow! Thank you for the prompt response. This is truly amazing. I think you would really dig the project that I am working on. My apologies for not including more of the specifications in the original post of the COB style LEDs or the rest of the components. I wasn’t entire sure if people responded to comments on TH-cam. I have these really cool work pods that I purchased for my startup. They were formerly dressing rooms at Bloomingdale’s in Santa Monica before they went out of business. What caught my attention was that these dressing rooms are shaped like the thing that Jeff Goldblum goes into in the Fly. They were suspended from the ceiling suspended from the ceiling and would lower down with a winch. It took me 11 years from the first time I saw them and knew I wanted them as my work pods until the store went out of business and bought them from the liquidation company. What makes them cool is that the frame is made out of 6 evenly spaced concentric rings that have smaller diameters on the bottom and top, and get bigger towards the middle. The bottom and top rings have a circumference of about 15’ and they double in size to as the rings go towards the middle. The bottom and top ring have Velcro to attach the fabric that covers the pod, which will make it hard to run an LED strip, but maybe in time I will figure something out. My plan has always been to run LEDs around the rings and by using the chase effect the pods will look like big cork screws. I am trying to keep everything as simple ass possible, so I am using as much off of the shelf stuff as possible. I plan to put all of the electronics into an enclosure that is on the door to the pod because that is the best starting point. At the moment I am running everything off of a BTF-LIGHTING 24Volt 5Amp ( a.co/d/enK0nTP )power supply. For the LEDs I am using BTF-LIGHTING FCOB WS2811 IC RGB Chip Flexible High Density Uniform Light Chasing Color LED Strip DC24V 720LED/m ( a.co/d/h2NrX9p ). What is nice about these strips is that there are 100ICs per strip. So they do use the WS2811 IC RGB chip like you mentioned. Then I am planning on using one of many buck converters to bring the power down from 24V to 5V for the ESP32 Wroom board. From watching some of the TH-cam videos for people who have played with these COB style strips, I did not realize that I needed a logic level shifter. Some of the people suggested a 62ohm resistor from the data pin, but of course I only had 68ohm resistors. I went to the website for WLED where it suggested the LLS or the 62omh resistors, so figured I would wait to try until I had all of the pieces in hand. Really, right now with my test setup the slight flash is not terribly noticeable, but when you add length it does become an issue. I am trying to mitigate damaging any of the components, so I think moving to a standard power supply like LED style supplies that are used in 3D printers, and then I can have better options for grounding, amongst other advantages. I know the project is a little hard to explain, but based on all of the videos that I have seen online, you have the most specific direction that I have come across. Thank you for your input above.
Again, I'm not an expert on those particular strips, but you did say one thing that I felt was of note. If the issue gets worse when the strip gets longer (you add more LEDs), this almost always points to a voltage drop issue. If you are still bench testing, then you might try running a separate 24V line from your power supply and connecting it to one set of extra wires at the JST connectors... these are there for power injection. Try it at somewhere around half way down the total length of the strip and maybe again at the end of the strip. See if the flickering gets better. While it is true that you don't have to power inject as often with 24V as you do with 5V, you still have to do power injection at some point if the number of LEDs gets large enough. Let me know the results of trying power injection.
Hi thanks for the video really helpful regarding level shifter 👍 I take its done in same way with the ESP32 chip ..... I have for longer no matter people say its not needed (sometimes they do say that) wanted to see if using a level shifter would help a problem I have ... I have been trying to solve it with different sizes resistors (well to see if it helped... the resistor I am using now is for sure better than what I started with)... But it doesn't totally solve the problem.... From time to time I on a nearly 10 meter long led strip (ws2812b) see short flashes of white ... which I think it because of the length plus that I don't use a level shifter (as said experimenting with different sizes resistors helped a bit until I found one that seems best... BUT it still happens)... So my idea was just to use the level shifter instead... I will try one and see if works .. very much thanks for showing it in your video will get me on to using these for sure 👍 (as said I take its done in dame way with ESP32)
Yeah... it would be the same with the ESP32. Both the ESP8266 and the ESP32 output 3.3V on the GPIO pins. The debate has raged on in my video comments (and others) about the level shifter. I will say what I always say... the LEDs _may_ work fine down to 3.2-3.3V at the first pixel... but they also may not. Adding a shifter (or even a sacrificial pixel) to boost that data signal up to the expected 5V won't hurt anything... but can definitely help a lot in many cases, especially with longer data runs. I include one in every build... whether the wire length is 6 inches or 6 feet. It costs less than $1 and takes me an extra 5 minutes to solder into place. That being said, 10 m is a pretty long run. As long as you are using a large enough gauge wire so that the voltage doesn't drop too much, using the shifter will probably help. Alternatively... or if you are still having issues... you can install a booster in the middle of that long run to 're-boost' the signal back up to 5V. There are multiple products/ways to do this, but the Falcon F-Amp is one of the more popular: pixelcontroller.com/store/accessories/53-famp.html Good luck with your project. Let me know if just adding the level shifter solves your issue.
@ResinChemTech oh wow thanks another for your comment and extra enlightenment on the topic.. I agree with you certainly doesn't hurt using the level shifter .. I have decent thick wires and also injection too and a power supply big enough to run at full power if needed .. so all that I don't think causes any problem.. I am for sure gonna go with a level shifter... also I am thinking the different points of views which sometimes ppl may forget is of related to also the unique project too like how big or small the project is ... I have the chip very near the strip in start of the strip.. Still I wanna see if the level shifter will help me here and will then look at the boosting later if needed thanks alot again
excellent video, thank you so much!! liked and subscribed. would you please confirm if the logic shifter can be replaced with a 220-460 ohms resistor, for a 6 feet data pin for instance? Also for power injection, do you have a tutorial for this? can we connect 2 strips with 2 different power supplies in parallel? Or should we keep only the negative/ground in parallel for all strips and the positive separate for each strip?
You are most welcome. In some cases, a resistor will work... but in others, you do need to boost the logic level (the voltage difference between a 0 and 1) from 3.3V to 5V. Personally, I just opt to add a shifter to all my installs just so I don't have to worry about how long the data line is (well.. within practical reason). I've only had one situation where I needed to also use a resistor and that was due to a very long run where the ground was in the same 3-wire cable as the data line. For the second question, yes you can use two different power supplies... with caution. As you alluded to, when using multiple power supplies, you never want the positive lines connected together (this is theoretically possible, but you really need special power supplies). So if attaching two different supplies to the same LED strip, you need to break the positive connection on the LED strip so that each power supply is only powering an independent part of the LED strip. Hope that little bit of info helps.
@@ResinChemTech Thank you so much, it is thrilling to receive live feedback like this! really enjoyed your content. if you ever find time for it, do a power injection tutorial, it would be great content for all of us. keep the faith.
I haven't done a dedicated video, but I do have a segment on power injection, why it is needed and how to do it in this video: th-cam.com/video/GZv5Ztj6i6I/w-d-xo.html It is a pretty long video covering multiple LED topics, but you can use the chapter links to jump to the portion that covers power injection. (Sorry for the delayed response... I've been traveling most of the day today).
Amazing project and video, thanks. Can i connect led strip directly to the ESP? How WLED program works that it can power leds with no additional power source? No breadboard and no transistors in scheme?
You are welcome. I'm glad you found the video helpful. As to your question, due to the current draw of the LEDs, if you try to power more than just a few LEDs (like more than 8 or 10) via the 5V pin on the ESP, the current draw will likely burn out the ESP... or you will have to run the LEDs at a very, very dim level to limit the current. You may want to watch my video on common LED questions ( th-cam.com/video/GZv5Ztj6i6I/w-d-xo.html ). In the chapter on 'Wiring it Up', I start out talking about this exact thing... why you can't power the LED strip directly from the ESP. There may be other information in that video that you might find helpful, but I do address your exact question in that section of the video.
Very happy I found this, thanks. This might be a dumb question, but once you've flashed WLED to the microcontroller and selected a pattern, color, etc from the browser will the microcontroller "remember" those settings when powered off and back on? I'm looking to use an LED strip setup for an outdoor cosplay thing where I can't be navigating to a browser on a wi-fi network every time I want to operate it. I want to press a momentary button to activate the strip with one of the chase pattern presets.
The last color/effect, brightness, etc. will be retained if the LEDs are switched off, but not if power is completely removed from the controller. However, the controller allows you to set a preset that will automatically be loaded when power is applied to the controller. So, if you create a preset with the color(s) and pattern you want (e.g. chase) and set that as the 'boot default', then that is what will be loaded whenever power is applied to the controller and it boots up. Honestly, you can find a way to do just about anything you want in WLED in some manner or the other.
@@ResinChemTech Thank you so much for the quick reply; I greatly appreciate it. My guess is I'd keep the controller running and switch the LED strip on an off as needed. I assume I can wire a button into the microcontroller to do that (I have looked at your very helpful website). I'm totally comfortable soldering and have designed PCBs for my prop projects, so this should be very easy. I'm excited to play around with all this!
Yep... you can certainly add a button (or even two) to the controller. Each button can have a single press, double-press and long press... and each can have a different function for controlling the LEDs, including on/off, effect or color, brightness, etc. Good luck with you own project and don't hesitate to let me know if you run into any other questions.
@@ResinChemTech Another question as I plan out my project. Let's say I have a strip of 100 LEDs. Can I use WLED to make LEDs 1-80 do an animated chase pattern of some sort and have LEDs 81-100 glow solid green? Thanks again!
You can save any effect you want as a preset. Then under the LED settings, you can apply this saved preset as the default to run when the LED controller boots up or is powered on. I believe this is what you are asking. You can check out all the features and options of WLED on their official web site: kno.wled.ge/
Very interesting on the power supply connector. I would assume if I buy a 5V 10Amp supply that the barrel connector was adequate for the load. Is there a link you could post to help educate us? I feel I would have to cut one open to see for myself to prove the red and black leads fitting you show is actually a better high current connection. Your thoughts?
I was only using 33 LEDs in my build (so around 2 amps max). As I mentioned, I wouldn't use the supplied connector for larger builds or for an extended length of time. I don't know the precise rating of the adapter, but you would think that if it was included with the power supply, it would be rated to handle the max current from the power supply. All I can say is that I have had a number burn out or fail, and internally I suspect the connections/traces are relatively thin. So personally I don't have confidence in them for higher current or for longer term/permanent use. The barrel connector that I briefly show, however, uses 18 gauge wire and is rated for up to 12A (at 5V). Anything higher than that is likely going to require a transformer style power supply and won't use these types of adapters anyway (although you can get some 15A power supplies in this 'brick style' power supply). And you can also get connectors with 16 gauge wire (although a different style) if you need higher current. But it is always a good idea to check all your components for their ratings vs. the maximum power you might pull. In all honestly, LED installs will generally draw significantly less than the max until you run on full bright white light... but you should always plan on the maximum for safety reasons.
Thanks! This was in response to a number of my other LED videos where I create a soldered version of the controller. Many people just starting out don't yet feel comfortable with soldering, so I thought I'd show a quick and easy way to at least try out building your own LED controller and to have a chance to play around a bit with the various WLED options before committing to building a more permanent version. Thanks for watching and taking a moment to leave a comment. I do appreciate it!
I generally 3D print my own enclosures. But before I had a 3D printer, I'd often use small electronic project boxes that you can find on Amazon and elsewhere (here's just one example: amzn.to/4cjtFgA - but you can find them in all sorts of various sizes). These project boxes are generally pretty easy to drill or cut openings for things like wiring runs, etc. But I've seen others use everything from plastic soap dishes to carry out food containers as enclosures. So sometimes you just have to be a bit creative.
Is it okay to tape the pieces to the breadboard using electrical tape? Also what if I want to connect a battery holder to it instead? Do I determine the amps the same way? (I don’t see that listed on the ones on Amazon) Do I connect the wires the same way?
I suppose electrical tape can be used as long as you maintain proper electrical connections between components (and don't create any unintended ones). The amp calculation is the same regardless of the power source. But I can tell you that any sort of standard batteries not going to last very long when driving a strip of more than a few WS1812b pixels. First, you still need 5V regardless. You might get away with 3 AA batteries connected in series that can provide 4.5V. But even at a 3000 mAh rating for the AA batteries, if your installation is pulling 3A, the batteries will only last about an hour (or even less). If you want something that is battery operated, you may need to look at a different type of LED, like fairy or pixie lights. If you use a larger power bank, like those used to recharge a phone or tablet, these are already 5V and can give you multiple hours with the lower amp draw of the smaller pixels. If you are interested in a battery powered version, I did build an LED matrix t-shirt powered by a power bank: th-cam.com/video/T2YGL1mzMKA/w-d-xo.html Now, you probably aren't looking to build a wearable like a t-shirt, but this video also contains information on how to use a power bank (along with links to the parts I used) to get multiple hours out of a larger display when using fairy lights.
everything went well as far as installing the drivers for the chipset, flashing, and installing on the network. But it doesnt seem to be loading the web interface as my browsers time out. I can find it on the nework with an IP scanner, but no web interface. Tried multiple wifi networks and even went to the latest stable build - no change.
Just to verify... you did use your phone to join the local WLED-AP hotspot, launch the config page (4.3.2.1) and enter in your wifi credentials and then restart the controller, correct? If the controller successfully joins your wifi, you should no longer see the WLED-AP SSID broadcasting. If you see a WLED-AP being broadcast, then the controller has not successfully joined your wifi. Double check both the SSID and password. Once it is successfully on your wifi, you should be able to launch a browser and go to whatever IP address was assigned by your router (e.g. 192.168.x.x). Let me know if you are still having issues, but the info here may also be of some help (see the section under WiFi setup): kno.wled.ge/basics/getting-started/
Thanks for the upload, i am looking some advice. I have 24v COB. Cant seem to get the data signal to be consistent (alot of random flashing) would you be able to sugest the correct way to wire and power inject ? I think i am being stumped on where to ground the 5v level shifted data signal. I am directly power injecting from 24v 60w power supply and have run a second negative/ground from that to the ground on the 5v side of the level shifter. But again this wont let me go very bright without random flashing. Help would be super appreciated.
Well, since you mentioned that the flickering only happens at higher brightness levels, it leads me to believe that it is a power injection issue and not a signal issue. When using two different power supplies (which I am assuming you are since you are running 24V LEDs and a 5V controller), it is important to create a common ground. But it sounds like you have already done that. You didn't mention how many LEDs you have, but I would try power injection first. If you don't have another convenient spot, inject 24V at the end of the strip as well as the power it is receiving at the end. If you don't see flickering at lower brightness, but only when the brightness is increased, then that is a voltage issue. If it was really a signal issue, you'd have the flickering issue regardless of brightness. That's my best guess anyway. I've pretty much only used 5V and 12V LEDs, so I don't have any personal direct experience with 24V COB LEDs.
You can check out the following blog article that I have that shows various wiring combinations for LED installs... including a couple of different options for using 12V LED strips with this 5V controller: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html
Thank you. I have now started to get interested in these things and I really enjoyed watching and listening to him. Thank you in advance for any help you can give. It's also my first time on a channel and everything is new to me, so sorry for any questions I might ask and thank you for your help. I'm from Portugal and sorry for my English, it was translated on Google. Greetings
Hello Sir! I trying to run about 70 ft of WS2812B in my crown molding ceiling how should I go about doing this? How much injections point and how much power supply ? do I have to run a separate power line along the 70 ft led strip for injection point? and do I need multiple esp32 I’ve watch one of your video where you show how to use multiple data pins and esp32 but since it’s not close up view like this video I’m stuck with my project. Please help advise me and thank you in advance!!!
I recommend this video, which I think will address a lot of your questions: th-cam.com/video/GZv5Ztj6i6I/w-d-xo.html You can also find information for things like maximum recommended LEDs per pin on the WLED web site: kno.wled.ge/ . Unless you have special needs, a single ESP32 using multiple pins can easily handle the 1.200-1,300 LEDs... assuming you are using 60 LEDs/meter. In short, it is hard to give detailed answers for specific installations as each is different. With that many LEDs at 5V, you will need multiple power injection points... approximately every 200-300 LEDs on average. But it also depends on the brightness level you plan to use. This also impacts the size of the power supply. For full bright white and if you are using 60 LEDs/m, you could be looking at up to 75A. But if running at less than 100% bright white, then less amps will be needed. I'd recommend using large gauge wire and fuses for an installation of that size that will potentially draw high current.
Can each if the Logic level shifter channels be used for four data outputs? What is the standard or best practice for building a controller with four, six or eight independent data outputs?
Yes, each channel can be used for separate data lines. As far as best practices, it depends on whether you are using an ESP32 or ESP8266. The WLED web site has recommendations on the max number of data channels and the max number of LEDs on each channel, based on the controller type: kno.wled.ge/features/multi-strip/
Awesome video. Love it. A question however. I was going to order the linked barrel Connector but saw that it does 12v 5amp. I think I needed something that can support 5v 10amp. Would this one still work without melting?
I've used those barrel connectors on a bunch of my LED installs. It should be fine for 5V 10A. I might consider something different if I was using something like 30-40+ amps... but you aren't going to find that style of power supply at those power levels anyway. Basically, if the power supply has a barrel connector attached to it, the barrel connector I I showed will handle the same amount of power (or even a little more as it has larger gauge wires) than the built in barrel connector that is attached to the power supply. Once you get over 15A, then you have to buy the type of power supply that you connect the wires directly to the terminals on the supply... and a barrel connector would not be used at all. I hope that helps! Don't hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions.
@@ResinChemTech yup that helps. Thanks. I am about to do my first one and have opted for esp32 30 pins. The pins are not marked as you mentioned so have messaged the seller for a pin out config. I assume not easy to figure out since I see the 5v 3.3v and GND all over the place. Does it matter which GND to 5v or 3.3v you connect things. I mean to ask if it matters which GNd o use vs the 5v or 3.3v? Also how do I decide which pins to use for sound etc?
As far as the grounds... they are all common, so it doesn't matter which one(s) you use. Ditto for the 3.3V.. it doesn't matter which one you use. Most boards only have one Vin or 5V pin... but I suppose it is possible to have more than one. One thing you may also find is that most ESP32 boards are just slightly wider than the ESP8266... meaning they won't fit on a standard breadboard and leave a row of connections on each side... so you may have to adapt for that if your board is wider than the ESP9266. As far as sound, there are a number of pins that you can use on the ESP32. You may want to peek at this (it is the ESP32 version of the pin out I shared for the ESP8266 in the video description). I use this all the time for determining which pins to use: randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-pinout-reference-gpios/ You can use any of the ADC1 pins for an analog microphone connection. Don't use the ADC2 pins, as they will interfere with wifi. Whichever pin you use, you just have to tell WLED that you are using that pin in the sound settings. Finally, I have found that many ESP32 boards won't automatically enter flash mode when connected via USB. If you have issues flashing WLED, you may need to hold down the boot or flash button on the ESP board when connecting it... continuing to hold it down until the flash starts.. then releasing it. Not all boards work this way... but I've had a number that do require that I do this to get them to flash. Good luck and let me know if you have additional questions.
@@ResinChemTech thanks I'll order the barrel Connector. I had the other connector you had in the video. I will use that and limit the current to 2 amps for testing until it arrives. Will check out the pin outs link you sent.
Hmm I had asked the seller for a pin out layout and am completely blown away. The seller sent me a pinout layout but it does not correspond to what's printed on the back of the chip itself. I am scratching my head now. The chip has pin 1 5v and others marked but it does not correspond to the picture they sent me. For eg 5v is printed somewhere in the middle between other pins but the layout he sent me positions it at the end😮 Are these meant to be standard or does each manufacturer layout differ?
You said multiple times not to use that screw terminal adapter on the power supply for "larger" installs. What qualifies as a larger install? Is there a documented current limit for it? I would've assumed it's ok to put 50A through it, if it comes with a 50A power supply.
If you look at those types of connectors sold independently on Amazon, they claim they can be used safely for up to 5A. Personally, I think that is pushing it and wouldn't push more than 2-3 A through one. They definitely are not rated for something like 50A. Yes, I feel it is irresponsible to include a component with the power supply that is not rated to safely handle the current of the power supply it comes with. Try connecting it and then after a few minutes of running higher current through it, you will feel it start to become warm... then hot. Eventually it will become hot enough to melt and possibly short out or start a fire. Do a quick Amazon search for 'barrel connector' and you'll find ones identical to the one include with the power supply. Most, if not all, say they are rated for a maximum of 5A. Like all projects, but especially those with high current, it is important to verify that all wiring and components used to carry power are properly rated for the expected current. Just because it is "in the box" doesn't mean it is rated for the maximum power that can be generated by the power supply.
@@ResinChemTech eek. That's scary. I was hoping to power a 5m strip of SK6812 (RGBW) with one of that exact 5v 10a (i meant 50w in my last post, oops lol) power supply you have in the video. Would you recommend going with something different?
Ah.. that makes a little more sense! A 50A power supply would be one of those larger, what I call 'transformer' style power supplies, and they generally don't come with the barrel adapter like you described. But they are definitely included with the smaller 'brick' style power supplies, that you can generally find up to around 15A. So 50W does make more sense than 50A... which would melt one of those connectors for sure! You can find barrel connector pigtails with 16 or even 14 gauge wire that can safely handle the higher current. It will somewhat depend on a number of factors... such as the expected total current draw from your LEDs, length of the wiring runs, etc. I do tend to be a bit on the over-cautious side. If you are running WLED, most colors and effects will pull significantly less current than the calculate maximum (which would occur when running on solid full bright white with all pixels lit). But I like to design for the maximum, even if I never hit it. If I have a higher current situation that I feel will exceed the barrel connector, I simply cut off the connector and solder larger gauge wire directly to a short section of wiring from the power supply itself. But as I said, I'm overly cautious. I always recommend that you do a bench test, run your LEDs on full brightness for a while, keeping an eye on all connectors, wiring, etc. If you note anything getting more than just slightly warm to the touch, then you need to reevaluate that connector or the size wiring you are using. It's better to test and monitor on the bench than after you install something and then have a component melt or fail.
@@ResinChemTech Thanks a lot for your quick responses! Going by your math (.06 * N-leds), the 10A supply may be a little short, but from what I've seen I can limit the amps in WLED, and if I find that limit.. too limiting I can always upgrade my power solutions. Thanks again!
No problem.. glad to help. Just remember that that 0.06 x LEDs is the calculated maximum for full bright white and not what you will likely normally run. But yes, in WLED, you can specify the size of your power supply in milliamps and if you enable the brightness limiter, it will keep the amps below the maximum. And I think you'll find the LEDs are plenty bright... even at 50% brightness... which will also use fewer amps. But as I said, I like to be over-cautious. Good luck with your project.
16:25 In conclusion, can I inject power through those extra 2 left over cables with a different power suply and inject power to the esp32 board with a different power supply? In other words, I can use 2 different power supplies to power the LED and ESP32 separately ? Right?
Yes, you can use a separate power supply for the ESP and the LED strip. However, you must establish a common ground between the two or erratic results will occur with the LEDs. You can see an example in my standard wiring diagrams: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html (see the example where a 12V and 5V supply are used... this same wiring can be used for two 5V supplies as well). However, never connect the positives (+) of two different power supplies together (only the grounds), even if they are the same voltage. You need special 'balanced' power supplies to connect them together or bad things are likely to happen. But yes, you can use one power supply to power the controller (like via the USB on the ESP board) and a separate 5V (or 12V) power supply for the LEDs. Just assure you connect a ground wire from the controller to the LEDs... and that you are NOT connecting the +V wire from the controller to the LEDs.
Well if done as shown here and as I cover in the video around 17:15 (please watch this section), the power for the LEDs is not running through the controller. So there is no limit on current as far as the controller is concerned, as the controller itself is only drawing a couple hundred milliamps at most. Where there are limits are on the size and length (and type) of wire you are using to connect the LEDs to the power supply... and of course the current limit of the power supply itself. The more current (and the longer the wiring run), the larger wire you need. There are numerous online calculators that can tell you the required gauge of wire based on the expected amps and your particular install. Any connectors should also be rated for the expected amp draw. But from the controller build itself, as long as you are not running the power for the LEDs through the controller board (or off the ESP 5V pin itself), this controller would work with an LED install of 1A, 10A, 50A or more. As I also mention in the video, if you try to run the power for the LEDs through the actual breadboard, I would recommend you don't exceed around 1A. To be honest, if looking at a larger more permanent install (and not just testing some LEDs), I would look at creating a soldered version of the controller anyway. But even then, there would be current limits on the pcb or whatever you are using. That's why I make the recommendation here (and in a lot of my other vidoes/blog articles on LEDs), that you run your power to the LEDs separately and in parallel to the controller. That way, the same controller will work regardless of the amp draw of the LEDs.
@@ResinChemTech thank you for the response. One last question, how do you wire up the logic level shifter if the 5v and 3.3v are on the same side of the ESP32? I have an ESPRESSIF ESP32-WROOM-32D that I am using to build a WLED controller, and this is the part that is stumping me.
If I understand what you are asking, you'd just have to run a wire directly from the 3.3V pin on the ESP32 to the 3.3V (LV) input pin on the shifter instead of using the breadboard power rail. Much like how the data signal wire is run directly from the pin to the shifter. It may or may not be helpful, but I have a set of standard wiring diagrams for these types of controllers. If you look at the version I use for the mini ElectroCookie, you see that it doesn't have power rails at all and the 5V and 3.3V from the ESP board are running directly to the HV and LV pins on the shifter: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html I hope that answers your question.
In this particular example, the two power rails are 5V and 3.3V. The 5V side can come from the power supply or the 5V pin on the ESP and the 3.3V comes from the 3.3V pin on the ESP board. Most ESP boards have both a 3.3V pin and 5V pin that can be used to power external peripherals... or as in this case a power rail on a breadboard.
Well, I do tend to buy things in larger quantities because I use so many in my projects and I can get a better price that way. But you can often find some of the items in smaller quantities than I linked to. The links I provide are generally the actual items that I ordered and used... there are sometimes cheaper alternatives, but since I haven't personally tested them, I don't link to or personally recommend them. And there have been some instance in the past where something has been updated with a crazy price after I've linked to it. Someone shared that a link I had provided to a simple $3 breadboard was showing a cost of $342... and that's just wrong! The issue is that the items (and costs) on Amazon are constantly changing and it is simply impossible for me to go back and try to keep all my links across all my videos and blog article up to date. Occasionally a product I link to will become unavailable after I publish. They are current at the time I make the video or write the blog article. What I always recommend is that when you use one of my links to go to Amazon, check out the alternative items that Amazon generally shows for any item. If the price for the one I linked seems way out of range when compared to the alternatives, then simply select one of the alternatives instead. But in certain cases, an item is only available in a larger quantity that what you need. You may, for example, have to buy a pack of 100 LEDs when you only need 3 for your project. But that just means you have extras on hand for your next project! I do greatly appreciate your attempt to use my Amazon links... but as always, it never hurts to shop around a little for a better price or quantity that more matches your needs.
can i connect micro sd to esp32 and make effects via jinx, mardix, led shift and similar? i want to replace t1000c controller. maybe it is possible to do it thanks to esp32 modifications?
For 5V standard LEDs, you should estimate a maximum current draw of 0.06A per LED. So in your case, 300 x 0.06A = 18A max current. That would be the max for full bright white... other colors and effects will draw less. You may wish to watch this video where I cover the most common LED questions, including determining the size and type of power supply needed for your project: th-cam.com/video/GZv5Ztj6i6I/w-d-xo.html
i am new to this, so i don't understand why would you connect the 5V from the power supply directly to the esp32 board? i though it only supports 3.3v? so you would need a voltage converter in between the esp32 VIN and the power supply, or not? okay i've read it in a different comment from you, that the dev board can regulate it down to 3.3. is it possible with the: AZ-Delivery ESP32S Dev Kit?
While it is true that the actual ESP chips themselves are powered by 3.3V, nearly all development boards (like NodeMCU, D1 Mini, etc.) are powered via 5V and have an onboard regulator for powering the ESP chip. This allows the dev board to be both programmed and powered via USB.... or via the 5V pin... both will use the onboard regulator. You can theoretically use the 3.3V pin to power the chip, but it would be critical to regulate that power yourself. But if you look at nearly all dev boards available, they are all listed as being powered by 5V... either via USB or the 5V pin... and have an onboard regulator for actually powering the primary ESP chip. I hope that answers your question.
My question: Do I need that level shifter? My LED-Strip works well without - even using the complete 5m length with 300 LEDS. And when I use a 12V strip do you need to boost the level up to 12V - didn't find such a shifter?
As I stated in this video (and many, many times in other videos), you can sometimes get away without the shifter... until you can't. I simply opt to always include one to avoid any potential issues. And it really doesn't matter how many LEDs; it is a matter of voltage drop on the data line between the controller and the first LED. The further away the controller is from the start of the LED strip, the more likely that voltage drop will cause an issue. But as I always say, the choice to include a shifter is entirely yours. While I recommend it, you can often get away without one if you keep the run between the controller and the start of the LEDs relatively short. To see an example of what can happen if the data line voltage drops too low, I show the results on another video related to the need for a shifter: th-cam.com/video/Q9mLitVxF3c/w-d-xo.html As far as 12V LEDs, nearly all types still expect a 5V data signal. So, while you will run +12V and GND to the +V/GND pins on the LEDs, the data signal is still expected to be 5V. The same is true with most 24V LEDs. So if you opt to include a shifter, the same shifter will work with 5V, 12V or even 24V LEDs.
@@ResinChemTech May I ask another question? Now that I wanted to order level shifters, I was reading the WLED kno.wled.ge pages about compability of hardware. There is a orange highlited "Warning (!): I2C shifters are generally too slow for addressable LEDs, so don't use them." The ones you are using are I2C shifters, right?! Do they work? Even with long strips with lots of LEDs? Is there a limitation? Why the warning?
I actually already have a video that shows an example of using multiple output channels and WLED segments on a single ESP32 (and an ESP8266). You can see it here: th-cam.com/video/q1ghNUND6gk/w-d-xo.html
Generally, I don't and haven't had the need to. I did have one exception due to a very long run of the data line where it was in a 3-wire cable so it ran over that distance in parallel with the ground wire. In that case, I needed to add a 33Ω resistor on the data line. But none of my other installs have had any issues without a resistor on the data line. Of course every situation is different and a resistor may be needed in some cases. With that one exception, I just haven't had a need to add one and haven't seen any negative effects without it.
Thank you very much. I've been reading your article on blogspot and I see that my led strips probably won't work for my WLed project. My led strips are RGB 5050 12V and are not addressable like yours. My led strips are normal rgb 4 wires R,G,B and V+. Is it possible to do a WLed project with my led strips? Thank you very much and if you can answer me I would be very grateful
WLED does have some limited support for non-addressable strips, but it does require additional circuitry that I do not cover in any of my videos or blog articles (which all deal with addressable strips). The official WLED web site does offer information, including a wiring diagram for how to use non-addressable LED strips such as the ones you currently have: kno.wled.ge/basics/compatible-led-strips/
Yes, WLED has support for that. I show adding an IR receiver in a number of my other LED videos as well as a pushbutton and microphone for sound reactivity. Although do note that the last time I checked, IR functionality was disabled in the sound-reactive version of WLED by default. If you are interested in a video where I add all three of these things to an ESP with WLED, you can check out this video: th-cam.com/video/9DqVpScO-xQ/w-d-xo.html You can also find information about hooking up peripherals like IR receivers, buttons and relays on the official WLED web site: kno.wled.ge/
While the Vin/5V pin does output at 5V, all of the GPIO pins only output at 3.3V. While this is right at the lower level for a working data signal for the LED strip, the LEDs actually call for a 5V data signal. By boosting the data signal from the 3.3V from the GPIO pins to the 5V expected by the LEDs, you can have a much longer run of wire between the controller and the LEDs without worrying about voltage drop leading to a problem with the signal. That's why I always include one... whether I could technically skip it or not. This way, I know I have a signal that is the expected 5V and don't have to be concerned about the length of my data line.
since there is only one jst connection, if i would cut the led stripe into 2 halfs, i need to solder another jst cable, right? or is there any other solution without soldering?
While I am not a big fan and prefer the more reliable soldered connection, there are various clips that snap on and allow you to attach wire/JST connector to the end of a strip similar to this: amzn.to/3AjxVOT There are also various versions of these same type of clips that will allow you to connect a strip directly to another strip, including options for making 90° connections. Just do a search on Amazon or Google for 3 pin LED strip connectors.
Thanks! While I'd always recommend a soldered version for permanent installs, this is meant to for those folks that have wanted to try DIY LEDs, but can't... or don't want to... solder. Thanks for watching... and taking the time to comment.
I actually have two separate videos that specifically cover the logic level shifter, including why you should use it and what can potentially happen if you omit it: Logic Level Shifter - Do you really need it?: th-cam.com/video/Q9mLitVxF3c/w-d-xo.html Are I2C Shifters Really Too Slow?: th-cam.com/video/61VWgYmomz4/w-d-xo.html The primary reason is that the ESP GPIO pins output a data signal at 3.3V and the LEDs expect a 5V data signal. While the LED strips will generally work with only a 3.3V data signal, if the voltage drops much below that (generally due to longer wire runs between the controller and start of the LEDs), then the LEDs will begin to flicker and give inconsistent effects due to a faulty/weak data signal. The first video list above shows an example of that and how a logic level shifter resolves the problem.
Are you saying that if you connect 5V to the 5V (or VIN) and ground to GND, the board does not power on? Will it power on if you connect it to USB? You may simply have a bad board or the onboard power regulator may have failed or be faulty. When powering the board via VIN/5V, either via the pins or USB with 5V, the voltage is stepped down by an onboard regulator to 3.3V, which actually powers the ESP chip itself. By connecting to 3.3V, you are powering the chip directly, but without any power regulation and even a small variance in that voltage can damage or destroy the ESP chip. However, if you say the board isn't powering on via the 5V connection, then the board is probably faulty. You might need try a different board.
If you check the video description, you see a link that I have to a article with various wiring diagrams for a LED controller.... including one with an option to use a step down converter that can be used with 12V or 24V LEDs.
It boost the 3.3V output from the ESP GPIO pin to the 5V signal expected by the LED strip. If the voltage drops too low due to resistance in a longer wire run from the controller to the start of the LEDs, the LEDs can flicker, misbehave or even refuse to light up. I mention this briefly in the video, but also talk about it in detail along with showing what can happen if the voltage is too low in my video specifically about the logic level shifter ( th-cam.com/video/Q9mLitVxF3c/w-d-xo.html ). I also talk about it and its purpose in my video on common LED questions ( th-cam.com/video/GZv5Ztj6i6I/w-d-xo.html ) which has a section specifically discussing the shifter. I recommend you check out one or both of those videos if you want to know more about why I recommend using a logic level shifter.
my esp32 is too wide for the breadboard. it only leaves one arrow available, not 2 like in your video. i don't understand why it's not the case for you in this video..
Well, because as I state in the parts used section, I'm using an ESP8266... and not an ESP32. If you want to use a breadboard with an ESP32 NodeMCU style, you have to either mount it on pin headers so that you can wire underneath, or use one of the 38-pin narrow ESP32s (usually listed as "narrow" or "breadboard friendly"). Most 30-pin ESP32 boards are, as you found, one row too wide for a standard breadboard. I talk about this exact issue and alternatives in my video on building your first DIY project: th-cam.com/video/ruSf2Mc-fgQ/w-d-xo.html (you can jump to around the 26 minute mark where I talk about the ESP32 and breadboards).
To flash the WLED software? It is simply a USB cable... a micro USB to USB A (or USB C if that's what your computer has). Nothing fancy, just connect the two via USB.
The ESP chips themselves operate on 3.3V. But most dev boards operate off of 5V and have an onboard regulator to step this voltage down to 3.3V for the chip (this is also why the GPIO pins output at 3.3V and the reason that the logic level shifter is used). If your board has a USB connection, then that means the board itself will handle 5V... as USB operates at 5V. But if what you have really only runs at 3.3V, then you can add a step down converter to drop the 5V to 3.3V... or purchase a different board that does run off of 5V.
You could use 12V LEDs and power the system via the car battery, but you'd need to step down the voltage to 5V for the controller via a buck converter or other means. And of course there is the whole waterproofing thing. I also can't attest to the legality of having multi-colored flashing LEDs for your headlights! But it certainly possible to do it.
This project uses the precompiled WLED firmware that you can just flash to the ESP. However, if you want the source code, it can be found here: github.com/Aircoookie/WLED
WLED sucks as a LED controller. it is very limited on effects and colors. the ESP32 and the ESP1866 do not retain memory when using WLED. each time you power down(turn it off, by disconnecting the power supply) the module loses your saved effects and color. WLED remains on the module, but needs to be reset to your effect and color. I'm using the lastest version of WLED 15.Xb.
@GregParker15 i have no idea. I have many different controllers ranging from the SE 110 to the SE 108. I have simple push button to blue tooth controllers. I have arduino nanos, I have ESP's. I have tried fasted, neopixel, and wled. I could not get noepixel to work. Fastled works but you have to write the code and install it on a arduino,
I went from breadboard, to prototype board to custom designed PCB within a few weeks. This stuff is addictive. Don't be put off, mistakes will happen. But every day is a school day.
Agreed! I just recently started designing my own PCBs. I find that addictive as well. And oh yeah... mistakes will happen! I could fill a barrel with all the parts I've fried or otherwise destroyed over the years. But you are 100% correct... that is all part of the learning process. I think the fear of 'messing up' is what stops a lot of beginners from trying. But you accidently reverse the polarity on a component and you generate a little "magic smoke". OK... you destroyed a $3 part... but that is probably the cheapest schooling you are ever going get!
Thanks for taking time to leave a comment.
The way you explain things and show us how to do it...excellent!!! Thank you for inspiration!
You are very welcome! Thank you so much for the kind words. I do try to include some of the "why" as opposed to just the "how" so maybe people can take an idea I show and adapt it to their own projects.
Thanks for taking time to leave a comment. I do appreciate it!
You gave me EXACTLY the info I was looking for which was how to power these two, amazing! Thank you!
Glad I was able to help out. I think one of the most common mistakes that beginners make (and I did it myself) is trying to power a large number of LEDs via the 5V pin on the ESP controller. This results in either very dim LEDs or eventually a fried or destroyed ESP board. So I always try to stress the proper wiring to power LED projects by running the power in parallel.
Thanks for watching and taking a moment to leave a comment!
Great video... I'm new to leds... well non I've had $15 from Amazon...that do nothing. Your videos are my go to. Thanks for the thoroughness!!!
You are welcome. Glad you found the video helpful. Just be forewarned though... after you build your first controller, you'll be looking for a reason to build another one and someplace else you can put some LEDs!
Thanks for watching and taking time to leave a comment. Good luck with your DIY LED journey and let me know if you have any questions along the way.
Great video and excellent overview of a solderless approach to begin a learning experience!
Thanks Rodney! I appreciate it.
Best beginner led instruction video. Thank you.
You are welcome. I'm glad you thought it was a helpful video. Thanks for posting a comment.
Nice video. For those that are concerned the learning curve is to steep there are all in one controllers out there that run WLED and are plug and play.
Good point.. and thanks for the reminder. I almost always mention that pre-built controllers can be purchased in all my LED videos... but overlooked including that in this particular video. I appreciate you reminding folks that this is another option.
Good point and I initially tried to find controllers from the WLED wiki and what Amazon US offered was either over kill in power or not applicable to my use case. Have you had good success finding the built controllers?
@@BELSERVICEMAN Personally I have only used the QuinLED boards, the UNO and the Quad. He has came out with a simple plug and play option and also some more complicated boards you can stack depending on your needs, the latter are more in line with large to very large LED installations is my understanding. What I have seen is unless you have a very small amount of LEDs in your project a plug and play (DIY type) option probably is not going to do it for you.
@@Joseph-ko2kl Lots of respect for the Quindor Line and envious you have the use case. I don't have enough long LED runs yet to justify the cost AND they aren't available when I need one or could have used it.
Very good video covering the basics. I'm going to attempt to convert my Govee Permanent Outdoor lights to WLED and you've shown me that I need to power the ESP32 separately from the Govee Lights. So what I will do is get a 5V power supply for the ESP32 and only run the green wire to the Govees then use the supplied Govee Power Adapter (36v, 2.0A, 72W) to power the LEDs. I'm going to solder this to a board and also get a weatherproof enclosure to put this all in. Thanks for the fantastic instructions!
That should work... but in addition to the "green" data line, you need to establish a common ground between the controller and the LEDs when they are powered by separate supplies (whether they are the same or different voltages). Otherwise, it is very likely that the LEDs are going to misbehave due to ground potential differences. You can run a ground from the controller to the LEDs along with the data line, or otherwise create a common ground elsewhere between the power supplies.
@@ResinChemTech Oh great tip, thank you for this! I didn't even think about it, I'll make sure they're connected by the same ground!
The other thing I was thinking is if it's possible to use just the Govee Power Adapter as the power source for both and put in a resistor just before the ESP32 to drop the voltage down to 5v? Or would 36v going into the board be too much? I'm going to use an electrocookie as my board to mount the ESP32 onto. My idea is to have the 36v coming into the board and put jumpers to get the 36v to the other half of the elctrocookie and have it pass straight thru that side as 36v and the wires to my lights connect to that side of the board (using same ground). But on the side with the ESP32 add some circuitry to drop the voltage to 5v into the ESP32.
This is my first attempt at this kind of electrical work so please ignore my ignorance if I'm way off base with this question/idea of mine and if what I'm thinking of isn't possible on a electrocookie board (or any board for that matter).
I really enjoy watching and learning from your videos. I am in the process of installing a motion sensing LED strip on my basement stairs. Just waiting on all the parts to arrive.
Those extra wires are there in case you need to do power injection. For longer runs of LEDs, resistance will cause the voltage to drop, eventually leading to the lights fading/changing colors. These extra wires are provided so you can "inject" 5V and GND from your power supply along the strip to boost the voltage back up. For shorter runs (say around 300 LEDs or less), you probably won't need power injection, so you can just ignore those extra wires.
I'll actually be releasing a video next Saturday that talks about power injection, along with a lot of other common LED questions. But I'm sure you can also search for LED power injection and find lots of useful information.
Thanks for watching... and your kind words!
Thanku so much for vedio i larning
Another fantastic video. I love the detail you go into and layout so it’s easy for me to do myself
Thanks.... I'm glad you find them helpful. My videos do tend to be a bit longer than most, but I like to include the "why" as well as the "how" so that someone who might be a little newer to these types of projects can understand how to take my build or project and possibly modify it for their own particular needs.
Thanks for watching... and thanks for taking the time to comment!
Pro tip: You don't need a logic level converter, a simple Diode will also do. It's cheaper and easier to wire and package IMO.
How i do it: Separate the first LED from the strip and connect ground and signal with a wire to the rest of the strip as normal. Power the first LED through the Diode, and the strip/second led directly from the source (not through the diode).
Here is why it works: The chips that live in each WS28xx LED can work on 3.3v and 5v and will switch automatically. Diodes drop about 0.7v which gets the voltage in range for the first LED to be in 3.3v mode and correctly interpret the signal from the microcontroller. The second LED (and the rest of the strip) runs at 5v, but the second chip can still interpret the incoming 3.3v signal and will output a 5v signal forward as its working at 5v. Basically the first sacrificial LED is used as Logic level converter. The only real downside of this, is that that first LED is not as bright, as its working on lower voltage.
Works great for me as i always have a diode around and its easier to hide under the shrink tube or wherever you place the capacitor.
Just thought i'd share, it made my life much easier.
Thanx for making these videos,
Happy ledding everyone! 🙃
Thanks for the tip. I think what you are describing is a version of the "sacrificial pixel" method that I do talk about and cover in numerous other videos, both on the logic level shifter and various other LED videos. Depending upon someone's comfort level with soldering, how they opt to mount components, etc., the sacrificial pixel method can be easier or more difficult than using a bidirectional shifter that I show here. In fact, WLED even has an option to omit lighting up the first pixel is you are using the sacrificial pixel method so that you don't need to worry about trying to hide it or tuck it away... it will just be skipped and remain unlit for all colors and effects.
And as I mentioned (and have received numerous comments about), you can often get away without a shifter at all if you keep the data lead short. My take and opinion is to always include some sort of level shifting on my controllers. Then I don't have to worry about a longer data lead or misbehaving LEDs due to poor signal voltage. But these are DIY projects and everyone is free to do it there way... including omitting a shifter altogether if desired.
But I do appreciate you taking the time to post a comment and an alternate method. With nearly all projects that I do on my channel, there are multiple ways to get to the same end result. Thanks for watching!
@@ResinChemTech sorry its the first video of yours i have seen : )
And my comment was honestly directed to the viewers, i should have worded it better. It makes total sense to show the shifter in the video, which is the correct way of doing it. I just assumed some future viewer might find the sacrificial pixel trick useful after watching the right of way of doing it.
P.s. Thanx i didnt know there was an option in WLED even hehe. I usually just use it normally or ignore it in the segment : )
Keep doing what you are doing.
Absolutely no apology needed! In fact, I love it when viewers may suggestions for alternative (and sometimes better) ways of tackling some projects. In fact, I've improved a couple of my own projects (e.g. sensors on my stair lights) based on suggestions from viewers. And I can always learn a new thing or two as well.
I only mentioned the fact that I was aware of the sacrificial pixel method and have used it myself. This particular video came about from many other videos where I create a soldered version of the controller and heard that a lot of viewers were unable, unwilling or too intimidated to attempt soldering... but really wanted to try their own DIY LED strips. I tried to make this particular video as simple as possible for someone that might be starting out creating their very first controller. So, I just stuck with a pretty simple option for a level shifter... and didn't want to add to the complexity or confusion by introducing other options... like the sacrificial pixel, the SN74AHCT125 quad buffer gate shifter, etc. The hope is that if someone accomplishes this simple breadboard version, they might move on to more 'advanced' or soldered versions... where alternative shifting methods could be employed as well.
But truly, I do appreciate the comment and the recommendation. Thanks!
Much simplier that way...solderless... easy to understand! Thanks!
You're welcome! I'm glad you found it easy to understand. I was trying to show folks that believed building a DIY LED controller really isn't difficult.. and didn't require a bunch of specialty tools or skills to make it work.
Thanks for watching... and taking the time to leave a comment!
You inspired me to buy all the parts to make one and i cant thank you enough! Thanks for your work mate, awesome stuff!
I'm glad you are going to give it a shot. I think you'll be surprised at how easy it really is... and how amazing the results will be. Of course, just let me know if you have any questions or run into problems along the way!
It took me all day, but the D4 was one pin off. Once I figured that out, it worked like a charm. Again, thank you so much for your videos.
Really nice overview - good way to entice to new people to the amazing world of LEDs.
It is undoubtedly naive on my part, but I tend to worry less about the amperage requirements PER PIXEL, as that maximum tends to be with all sub-LEDs lit to 100% brightness (showing white), which I absolutely never do. My installations are somewhat close to static, so I often mix the per-pixel advice with WLEDs estimate. I then add a current limit in WLED below what is provided by my actual supply.
My largest installation, my stair lights, with ~400 LEDs, when running the effect "ChunChun" with the palette "Rainbow", which I run at about 20% brightness, WLED estimates consumption at about 450mA. I do have a beefier supplier on there to handle considerably more than that just in case, but likely not as beefy as suggested. Additionally, it only runs these a couple dozen times a day for like 20 seconds :)
Funny isn’t it, I waste time on color when I use white often. I always go for the full amperage but I have a bit of OCD as my Electrical wiring tends to be done to code. Code is there for a reason and people can still cause fire burning up an unused DC line. So on a place like TH-cam with a video for beginners…I was so proud he didn’t mention the lack of concern so many show or say about not running white. I love my 275 + 90 LEDs on my garage and breezeway door and having them synchronize the effects is great but I use an HA automation for full white if my doorbell detects you in the driveway. I think we want these new people not to burn their houses down and come back to watch more. It is clear to me you can make decisions that are safe for you and your family. This is based on the cool stuff you show on your channel. Then your channel serves a different purpose and you have different goals. I make this comment because it is not your naïveté that concerns me but that of what I think is the target audience.
I agree that in most cases my LEDs, and probably most other people's, are primarily used for decorative lighting and will likely use colors and/or effects that result in significantly less amps than the theoretical maximum.
But it does depend upon the particular project. My undercabinet lighting in the kitchen is routinely used on full bright white (for an extended time). And like you, my stair lights use a pattern and are only on for a few seconds at a time. But my wife does like to turn these lights on solid full bright white when vacuuming the stairs. So for me it isn't that I'd necessarily routinely use the LEDs at the maximum, but more about having the possibility to run them at full bright white without needing to worry about the power supply, even if I rarely do so. That's at least the approach I take... I want to have the availability for full power, even if I only need or use it on occasion.
Thanks for the comment and feedback!
@@BELSERVICEMAN Fair points all.
@@ResinChemTech All excellent points.
AWESOME ! You pulled it off! Simple and Straightforward 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks! I was hoping to maybe inspire some folks that have told me that other soldered versions seemed too complicated... or they simply didn't feel they could solder. My goal here was to show how simple it really could be... to at least try out the features of WLED and LED strips.
Thanks for watching... and the kind comment!
Thanks for the video, man. Very informative. Appreciate the effort you put into it.
You are most welcome! Hopefully you found something helpful for your own projects.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to post a comment.
Another Great Video.. (Really Helps) for me (Noobie) Starting out 👍👍Explaining the reason for each step. Also keeping the projects affordable .
As always, you have nailed it! Simple, to the point and noob friendly.🎉
Thanks Seth! While it's not what I'd build or recommend for a permanent installation, I've just had so many people say that they'd like to try this out, but felt it was too complicated or that they didn't have the ability to solder. So I wanted to make a true "beginner's build" that was simple and would allow folks to at least try out LED strips and WLED.
As always, thanks for watching and I greatly appreciate your comment!
Well done and thurough video on how to do this. Thanks so much for creating it.
Thank you so much for your very clear explanation. However, I think I am doing something wrong. I have a WS2811 12V connected as you suggested, but as soon as I turn it on, it starts flashing and will not work with Effects or color changes. I have two strips, and they both do the same, so I think it has something to do with the configuration, but I don't know what it could be. Thank you so much for your help!!!!
Flickering, flashing or non-responsive LEDs generally points to an issue with the data line (it can also happen with larger installs further down the strip if the voltage drops too low). Check the following:
Did you include a logic level shifter? This will resolve most signal issue if wired properly. Assure you have 3.3V, GND and the data signal from the ESP connected to the LV side of the shifter and 5V, GND and the data line out to the LEDs on the HV side.
Assure the LEDs are receiving the expected 12V. If possible use a multimeter to verify the voltage is close to 12V at the +12V and GND connections at the start of the LEDs. Naturally, the controller should only be receiving 5V.
If powering the system via two different power supplies (12V for the LEDs, and 5V for the controller... maybe via USB), be sure you create a common ground between the controller and LEDs. Ground potential differences when using multiple power supplies can cause the LEDs to misbehave.
Verify that you have the proper LED type and GPIO pin selected in WLED. And finally, double-check all wiring connections. If using something like Dupont jumpers, these can make loose or intermittent connections. If possible, try swapping out the wires to assure it isn't a problem with a particular wire or connection, especially those related to the data line.
Those are the most common causes of misbehaving LEDs. While it is less likely, it is possible that the LEDs, shifter or ESP board is faulty or the WLED flash is corrupt. If you have the parts, you can try swapping out individually to see if the problem is resolved when a particular component is replaced. Hope that helps.
@@ResinChemTech Thank you so much for your kind and extensive explanation here are my replies:
Did you include a logic level shifter? This will resolve most signal issue if wired properly. Assure you have 3.3V, GND and the data signal from the ESP connected to the LV side of the shifter and 5V, GND and the data line out to the LEDs on the HV side. Answer: Yes I did
Assure the LEDs are receiving the expected 12V. If possible use a multimeter to verify the voltage is close to 12V at the +12V and GND connections at the start of the LEDs. Naturally, the controller should only be receiving 5V. Answer: Yes I made sure that it is a bit above 12V and there is also a transformer from 12V to 5V
If powering the system via two different power supplies (12V for the LEDs, and 5V for the controller... maybe via USB), be sure you create a common ground between the controller and LEDs. Ground potential differences when using multiple power supplies can cause the LEDs to misbehave. Answer: That is why I made sure to include the transformer from 12V to 5V
Verify that you have the proper LED type and GPIO pin selected in WLED. And finally, double-check all wiring connections. If using something like Dupont jumpers, these can make loose or intermittent connections. If possible, try swapping out the wires to assure it isn't a problem with a particular wire or connection, especially those related to the data line. Answer: I have done that, with the data line I connected it from the strip directly to the leveler shifter
Those are the most common causes of misbehaving LEDs. While it is less likely, it is possible that the LEDs, shifter or ESP board is faulty or the WLED flash is corrupt. If you have the parts, you can try swapping out individually to see if the problem is resolved when a particular component is replaced. Hope that helps. Answer: This is not the issue, because I used a 5V Led Strip and it works perfectly, the issue is the with the 12V strip.
Could it be that I am not setting the WLED correctly?
Is there maybe an email where I can send you pictures of my setup so you ( if you want of course ) could check what am I doing wrong?
Again, thank you so much for all your help!!!!
Thanks for showcasing WLED software -- I manually bake all my custom animations into my NodeMCU units, so definitely going to give this a shot! I'd love to find out if it supports webhooks to trigger effects via the web after the wifi is hooked up. Thanks! -phrozen
You are welcome. WLED can use websockets, along with an HTTP and JSON API. You can see more about the available interfaces here: kno.wled.ge/interfaces/websocket/
While I have done a bit of custom stuff with LEDs and Arduino/C++ and FastLED... it's hard to beat the convenience and all the featuress baked into WLED. Good luck...let me know what you think if you try it.
@@ResinChemTech my mind is blown! Yes like you I know my way around an arduino and completely agree the convenience here is top notch! Just dig into the JSON api, and that’s exactly what I’m looking for! Fan - friggin - tastic! Thanks!
Hi, excellent video. I have 6 seperate lamps with 42 leds each, thus i am running 252 leds in total. Do i need to add anything to this setup in your video? cheers
Are the 6 lamp's LEDs wired or connected together so that they can be treated as one single run of LEDs? The data signal from the controller (that I show here) only has a single data wire. It connects to the first LED and then the data signal "travels" down the strip to the final LED.
If each lamp's LEDs are standalone and not connected to each other, then you will probably need to use an ESP32 and multiple data pins... one running to the first LED of each lamp... and then define segments for each lamp. If you are not familiar with multi-pin setups and segments in WLED, you can try watching this video: th-cam.com/video/HYdouRHfadE/w-d-xo.html
@@ResinChemTech Thx for the rapid response. Yes all 6 lamps are connected as one. cheers
I just came across this video and love how easily you show how to implement a logic level shifter. I am wondering if you have experience with 24V implementations. I need to run 4 different COB style LED strips that are 24V. I have a few of the ESP32 controllers sitting around, so I plan to use one. Currently I run everything from the 24V power supply, and use a buck converter, to step down the 24V to the 5V for the ESP, and then use the common ground for everything. I think I am having trouble with my data wire, and am seeing a slight flash from the LEDS every few cycles when testing with the “chase 1” effect. That is the easiest issue to explain. Based upon your design here, you are using 5V LED strips, but I need the ability to have very long strips, and was directed to 24V. I have seen on multiple videos that people suggest using the ground wire that is powering ESP32, to help make sure there are no weird issues, however, I don’t want to do anything that would cause long term issues or even immediate fry everything. Given that I need the logic level shifter to bring the 3.3V back up to 5V so I can send the data about 50 centimeters to the strips, I am wondering if I should have a separate 5V power supply for the ESP32, and then run LEDs off of the 24V power supply. And then in that case I am just unsure of which ground I should use. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you…
I don't personally have any experience with 24V, but have used 12V with a 5V controller. Most of my experience has been with WS2812b, WS2811 and SK6812. There are a few potential issues with flickering. Naturally an issue with the data signal is one. The other is due to ground potential differences. That is why if you do opt to use two different power supplies, you MUST create a common ground between the two. If you find it helpful, I have blog article with a bunch of different wiring diagrams... one of which is powering 12V LEDs and a 5V controller separately. This would be the same when using 24 V LEDs: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html
There is also a remote possibility that the LEDs you are using are requiring timing that the regular I2C-compatible shifter can't handle. I've not personally experienced this, but other claim that they have. In that case you can try a shifter like the SN74ACHT125N shifter. If you want to know more about that, you can watch where I compared these two shifters here: th-cam.com/video/61VWgYmomz4/w-d-xo.html
And of course, voltage drop can cause the LEDs to misbehave. While it is true that 24V LEDs can support more LEDs before power injection is needed, if you've tried all other remedies, it is at least worthwhile to try injecting power along, or at the end of the strip, as a test and to just rule that out as a potential problem
I hope that gives you a little more info and maybe points you in the right direction for finding and fixing the flickering issue.
@@ResinChemTech Wow! Thank you for the prompt response. This is truly amazing. I think you would really dig the project that I am working on. My apologies for not including more of the specifications in the original post of the COB style LEDs or the rest of the components. I wasn’t entire sure if people responded to comments on TH-cam.
I have these really cool work pods that I purchased for my startup. They were formerly dressing rooms at Bloomingdale’s in Santa Monica before they went out of business. What caught my attention was that these dressing rooms are shaped like the thing that Jeff Goldblum goes into in the Fly. They were suspended from the ceiling suspended from the ceiling and would lower down with a winch. It took me 11 years from the first time I saw them and knew I wanted them as my work pods until the store went out of business and bought them from the liquidation company. What makes them cool is that the frame is made out of 6 evenly spaced concentric rings that have smaller diameters on the bottom and top, and get bigger towards the middle. The bottom and top rings have a circumference of about 15’ and they double in size to as the rings go towards the middle. The bottom and top ring have Velcro to attach the fabric that covers the pod, which will make it hard to run an LED strip, but maybe in time I will figure something out. My plan has always been to run LEDs around the rings and by using the chase effect the pods will look like big cork screws. I am trying to keep everything as simple ass possible, so I am using as much off of the shelf stuff as possible. I plan to put all of the electronics into an enclosure that is on the door to the pod because that is the best starting point.
At the moment I am running everything off of a BTF-LIGHTING 24Volt 5Amp ( a.co/d/enK0nTP )power supply. For the LEDs I am using BTF-LIGHTING FCOB WS2811 IC RGB Chip Flexible High Density Uniform Light Chasing Color LED Strip DC24V 720LED/m ( a.co/d/h2NrX9p ). What is nice about these strips is that there are 100ICs per strip. So they do use the WS2811 IC RGB chip like you mentioned. Then I am planning on using one of many buck converters to bring the power down from 24V to 5V for the ESP32 Wroom board. From watching some of the TH-cam videos for people who have played with these COB style strips, I did not realize that I needed a logic level shifter. Some of the people suggested a 62ohm resistor from the data pin, but of course I only had 68ohm resistors. I went to the website for WLED where it suggested the LLS or the 62omh resistors, so figured I would wait to try until I had all of the pieces in hand. Really, right now with my test setup the slight flash is not terribly noticeable, but when you add length it does become an issue.
I am trying to mitigate damaging any of the components, so I think moving to a standard power supply like LED style supplies that are used in 3D printers, and then I can have better options for grounding, amongst other advantages. I know the project is a little hard to explain, but based on all of the videos that I have seen online, you have the most specific direction that I have come across. Thank you for your input above.
Again, I'm not an expert on those particular strips, but you did say one thing that I felt was of note. If the issue gets worse when the strip gets longer (you add more LEDs), this almost always points to a voltage drop issue.
If you are still bench testing, then you might try running a separate 24V line from your power supply and connecting it to one set of extra wires at the JST connectors... these are there for power injection. Try it at somewhere around half way down the total length of the strip and maybe again at the end of the strip. See if the flickering gets better. While it is true that you don't have to power inject as often with 24V as you do with 5V, you still have to do power injection at some point if the number of LEDs gets large enough.
Let me know the results of trying power injection.
Hi thanks for the video really helpful regarding level shifter 👍 I take its done in same way with the ESP32 chip ..... I have for longer no matter people say its not needed (sometimes they do say that) wanted to see if using a level shifter would help a problem I have ... I have been trying to solve it with different sizes resistors (well to see if it helped... the resistor I am using now is for sure better than what I started with)... But it doesn't totally solve the problem.... From time to time I on a nearly 10 meter long led strip (ws2812b) see short flashes of white ... which I think it because of the length plus that I don't use a level shifter (as said experimenting with different sizes resistors helped a bit until I found one that seems best... BUT it still happens)... So my idea was just to use the level shifter instead... I will try one and see if works .. very much thanks for showing it in your video will get me on to using these for sure 👍 (as said I take its done in dame way with ESP32)
Yeah... it would be the same with the ESP32. Both the ESP8266 and the ESP32 output 3.3V on the GPIO pins.
The debate has raged on in my video comments (and others) about the level shifter. I will say what I always say... the LEDs _may_ work fine down to 3.2-3.3V at the first pixel... but they also may not. Adding a shifter (or even a sacrificial pixel) to boost that data signal up to the expected 5V won't hurt anything... but can definitely help a lot in many cases, especially with longer data runs. I include one in every build... whether the wire length is 6 inches or 6 feet. It costs less than $1 and takes me an extra 5 minutes to solder into place.
That being said, 10 m is a pretty long run. As long as you are using a large enough gauge wire so that the voltage doesn't drop too much, using the shifter will probably help. Alternatively... or if you are still having issues... you can install a booster in the middle of that long run to 're-boost' the signal back up to 5V. There are multiple products/ways to do this, but the Falcon F-Amp is one of the more popular: pixelcontroller.com/store/accessories/53-famp.html
Good luck with your project. Let me know if just adding the level shifter solves your issue.
@ResinChemTech oh wow thanks another for your comment and extra enlightenment on the topic.. I agree with you certainly doesn't hurt using the level shifter .. I have decent thick wires and also injection too and a power supply big enough to run at full power if needed .. so all that I don't think causes any problem.. I am for sure gonna go with a level shifter... also I am thinking the different points of views which sometimes ppl may forget is of related to also the unique project too like how big or small the project is ... I have the chip very near the strip in start of the strip.. Still I wanna see if the level shifter will help me here and will then look at the boosting later if needed thanks alot again
excellent video, thank you so much!! liked and subscribed. would you please confirm if the logic shifter can be replaced with a 220-460 ohms resistor, for a 6 feet data pin for instance? Also for power injection, do you have a tutorial for this? can we connect 2 strips with 2 different power supplies in parallel? Or should we keep only the negative/ground in parallel for all strips and the positive separate for each strip?
You are most welcome. In some cases, a resistor will work... but in others, you do need to boost the logic level (the voltage difference between a 0 and 1) from 3.3V to 5V. Personally, I just opt to add a shifter to all my installs just so I don't have to worry about how long the data line is (well.. within practical reason). I've only had one situation where I needed to also use a resistor and that was due to a very long run where the ground was in the same 3-wire cable as the data line.
For the second question, yes you can use two different power supplies... with caution. As you alluded to, when using multiple power supplies, you never want the positive lines connected together (this is theoretically possible, but you really need special power supplies). So if attaching two different supplies to the same LED strip, you need to break the positive connection on the LED strip so that each power supply is only powering an independent part of the LED strip.
Hope that little bit of info helps.
@@ResinChemTech Thank you so much, it is thrilling to receive live feedback like this! really enjoyed your content. if you ever find time for it, do a power injection tutorial, it would be great content for all of us. keep the faith.
I haven't done a dedicated video, but I do have a segment on power injection, why it is needed and how to do it in this video: th-cam.com/video/GZv5Ztj6i6I/w-d-xo.html It is a pretty long video covering multiple LED topics, but you can use the chapter links to jump to the portion that covers power injection.
(Sorry for the delayed response... I've been traveling most of the day today).
@@ResinChemTech awesome feedback! thanks again. will check it out. have a nice day.
Amazing project and video, thanks. Can i connect led strip directly to the ESP? How WLED program works that it can power leds with no additional power source? No breadboard and no transistors in scheme?
You are welcome. I'm glad you found the video helpful. As to your question, due to the current draw of the LEDs, if you try to power more than just a few LEDs (like more than 8 or 10) via the 5V pin on the ESP, the current draw will likely burn out the ESP... or you will have to run the LEDs at a very, very dim level to limit the current.
You may want to watch my video on common LED questions ( th-cam.com/video/GZv5Ztj6i6I/w-d-xo.html ). In the chapter on 'Wiring it Up', I start out talking about this exact thing... why you can't power the LED strip directly from the ESP. There may be other information in that video that you might find helpful, but I do address your exact question in that section of the video.
@@ResinChemTech Thank you very much bro
Very happy I found this, thanks. This might be a dumb question, but once you've flashed WLED to the microcontroller and selected a pattern, color, etc from the browser will the microcontroller "remember" those settings when powered off and back on? I'm looking to use an LED strip setup for an outdoor cosplay thing where I can't be navigating to a browser on a wi-fi network every time I want to operate it. I want to press a momentary button to activate the strip with one of the chase pattern presets.
The last color/effect, brightness, etc. will be retained if the LEDs are switched off, but not if power is completely removed from the controller. However, the controller allows you to set a preset that will automatically be loaded when power is applied to the controller. So, if you create a preset with the color(s) and pattern you want (e.g. chase) and set that as the 'boot default', then that is what will be loaded whenever power is applied to the controller and it boots up.
Honestly, you can find a way to do just about anything you want in WLED in some manner or the other.
@@ResinChemTech Thank you so much for the quick reply; I greatly appreciate it. My guess is I'd keep the controller running and switch the LED strip on an off as needed. I assume I can wire a button into the microcontroller to do that (I have looked at your very helpful website). I'm totally comfortable soldering and have designed PCBs for my prop projects, so this should be very easy. I'm excited to play around with all this!
Yep... you can certainly add a button (or even two) to the controller. Each button can have a single press, double-press and long press... and each can have a different function for controlling the LEDs, including on/off, effect or color, brightness, etc.
Good luck with you own project and don't hesitate to let me know if you run into any other questions.
@@ResinChemTech Another question as I plan out my project. Let's say I have a strip of 100 LEDs. Can I use WLED to make LEDs 1-80 do an animated chase pattern of some sort and have LEDs 81-100 glow solid green? Thanks again!
I found a tutorial that goes into segments, so it sounds like I can do what I've described pretty easily.
Great video. Can I use effect only to turn on the led strip and turn off. So when I connect electricity it would be like running water effects?
You can save any effect you want as a preset. Then under the LED settings, you can apply this saved preset as the default to run when the LED controller boots up or is powered on. I believe this is what you are asking.
You can check out all the features and options of WLED on their official web site: kno.wled.ge/
Very interesting on the power supply connector. I would assume if I buy a 5V 10Amp supply that the barrel connector was adequate for the load. Is there a link you could post to help educate us? I feel I would have to cut one open to see for myself to prove the red and black leads fitting you show is actually a better high current connection. Your thoughts?
I was only using 33 LEDs in my build (so around 2 amps max). As I mentioned, I wouldn't use the supplied connector for larger builds or for an extended length of time. I don't know the precise rating of the adapter, but you would think that if it was included with the power supply, it would be rated to handle the max current from the power supply. All I can say is that I have had a number burn out or fail, and internally I suspect the connections/traces are relatively thin. So personally I don't have confidence in them for higher current or for longer term/permanent use.
The barrel connector that I briefly show, however, uses 18 gauge wire and is rated for up to 12A (at 5V). Anything higher than that is likely going to require a transformer style power supply and won't use these types of adapters anyway (although you can get some 15A power supplies in this 'brick style' power supply). And you can also get connectors with 16 gauge wire (although a different style) if you need higher current.
But it is always a good idea to check all your components for their ratings vs. the maximum power you might pull. In all honestly, LED installs will generally draw significantly less than the max until you run on full bright white light... but you should always plan on the maximum for safety reasons.
Awesome video! Thank you!!
Thanks! This was in response to a number of my other LED videos where I create a soldered version of the controller. Many people just starting out don't yet feel comfortable with soldering, so I thought I'd show a quick and easy way to at least try out building your own LED controller and to have a chance to play around a bit with the various WLED options before committing to building a more permanent version.
Thanks for watching and taking a moment to leave a comment. I do appreciate it!
What do you use for cases or boxes to protect your controllers?
I generally 3D print my own enclosures. But before I had a 3D printer, I'd often use small electronic project boxes that you can find on Amazon and elsewhere (here's just one example: amzn.to/4cjtFgA - but you can find them in all sorts of various sizes). These project boxes are generally pretty easy to drill or cut openings for things like wiring runs, etc.
But I've seen others use everything from plastic soap dishes to carry out food containers as enclosures. So sometimes you just have to be a bit creative.
Is it okay to tape the pieces to the breadboard using electrical tape? Also what if I want to connect a battery holder to it instead? Do I determine the amps the same way? (I don’t see that listed on the ones on Amazon) Do I connect the wires the same way?
I suppose electrical tape can be used as long as you maintain proper electrical connections between components (and don't create any unintended ones).
The amp calculation is the same regardless of the power source. But I can tell you that any sort of standard batteries not going to last very long when driving a strip of more than a few WS1812b pixels. First, you still need 5V regardless. You might get away with 3 AA batteries connected in series that can provide 4.5V. But even at a 3000 mAh rating for the AA batteries, if your installation is pulling 3A, the batteries will only last about an hour (or even less).
If you want something that is battery operated, you may need to look at a different type of LED, like fairy or pixie lights. If you use a larger power bank, like those used to recharge a phone or tablet, these are already 5V and can give you multiple hours with the lower amp draw of the smaller pixels. If you are interested in a battery powered version, I did build an LED matrix t-shirt powered by a power bank: th-cam.com/video/T2YGL1mzMKA/w-d-xo.html Now, you probably aren't looking to build a wearable like a t-shirt, but this video also contains information on how to use a power bank (along with links to the parts I used) to get multiple hours out of a larger display when using fairy lights.
everything went well as far as installing the drivers for the chipset, flashing, and installing on the network. But it doesnt seem to be loading the web interface as my browsers time out. I can find it on the nework with an IP scanner, but no web interface. Tried multiple wifi networks and even went to the latest stable build - no change.
Just to verify... you did use your phone to join the local WLED-AP hotspot, launch the config page (4.3.2.1) and enter in your wifi credentials and then restart the controller, correct? If the controller successfully joins your wifi, you should no longer see the WLED-AP SSID broadcasting. If you see a WLED-AP being broadcast, then the controller has not successfully joined your wifi. Double check both the SSID and password.
Once it is successfully on your wifi, you should be able to launch a browser and go to whatever IP address was assigned by your router (e.g. 192.168.x.x). Let me know if you are still having issues, but the info here may also be of some help (see the section under WiFi setup): kno.wled.ge/basics/getting-started/
Thanks for the upload, i am looking some advice. I have 24v COB. Cant seem to get the data signal to be consistent (alot of random flashing) would you be able to sugest the correct way to wire and power inject ? I think i am being stumped on where to ground the 5v level shifted data signal. I am directly power injecting from 24v 60w power supply and have run a second negative/ground from that to the ground on the 5v side of the level shifter. But again this wont let me go very bright without random flashing. Help would be super appreciated.
Well, since you mentioned that the flickering only happens at higher brightness levels, it leads me to believe that it is a power injection issue and not a signal issue. When using two different power supplies (which I am assuming you are since you are running 24V LEDs and a 5V controller), it is important to create a common ground. But it sounds like you have already done that.
You didn't mention how many LEDs you have, but I would try power injection first. If you don't have another convenient spot, inject 24V at the end of the strip as well as the power it is receiving at the end. If you don't see flickering at lower brightness, but only when the brightness is increased, then that is a voltage issue. If it was really a signal issue, you'd have the flickering issue regardless of brightness.
That's my best guess anyway. I've pretty much only used 5V and 12V LEDs, so I don't have any personal direct experience with 24V COB LEDs.
Excellent. I have 5 meters 5050 RGB 12V led strip. How can I make a project? All I see is only with 5v led strip. Thank you
You can check out the following blog article that I have that shows various wiring combinations for LED installs... including a couple of different options for using 12V LED strips with this 5V controller: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html
Thank you. I have now started to get interested in these things and I really enjoyed watching and listening to him. Thank you in advance for any help you can give. It's also my first time on a channel and everything is new to me, so sorry for any questions I might ask and thank you for your help. I'm from Portugal and sorry for my English, it was translated on Google. Greetings
Obrigado por assistir meus vídeos e espero que eles sejam úteis. Fico sempre feliz em responder perguntas!
Hello Sir! I trying to run about 70 ft of WS2812B in my crown molding ceiling how should I go about doing this? How much injections point and how much power supply ? do I have to run a separate power line along the 70 ft led strip for injection point? and do I need multiple esp32 I’ve watch one of your video where you show how to use multiple data pins and esp32 but since it’s not close up view like this video I’m stuck with my project. Please help advise me and thank you in advance!!!
I recommend this video, which I think will address a lot of your questions: th-cam.com/video/GZv5Ztj6i6I/w-d-xo.html
You can also find information for things like maximum recommended LEDs per pin on the WLED web site: kno.wled.ge/ . Unless you have special needs, a single ESP32 using multiple pins can easily handle the 1.200-1,300 LEDs... assuming you are using 60 LEDs/meter.
In short, it is hard to give detailed answers for specific installations as each is different. With that many LEDs at 5V, you will need multiple power injection points... approximately every 200-300 LEDs on average. But it also depends on the brightness level you plan to use. This also impacts the size of the power supply. For full bright white and if you are using 60 LEDs/m, you could be looking at up to 75A. But if running at less than 100% bright white, then less amps will be needed. I'd recommend using large gauge wire and fuses for an installation of that size that will potentially draw high current.
@ thank you very much!! I’m using the ip65 60pixel/m 300 leds 16.4ft
Can each if the Logic level shifter channels be used for four data outputs? What is the standard or best practice for building a controller with four, six or eight independent data outputs?
Yes, each channel can be used for separate data lines. As far as best practices, it depends on whether you are using an ESP32 or ESP8266. The WLED web site has recommendations on the max number of data channels and the max number of LEDs on each channel, based on the controller type: kno.wled.ge/features/multi-strip/
Awesome video. Love it. A question however. I was going to order the linked barrel Connector but saw that it does 12v 5amp. I think I needed something that can support 5v 10amp. Would this one still work without melting?
I've used those barrel connectors on a bunch of my LED installs. It should be fine for 5V 10A. I might consider something different if I was using something like 30-40+ amps... but you aren't going to find that style of power supply at those power levels anyway. Basically, if the power supply has a barrel connector attached to it, the barrel connector I I showed will handle the same amount of power (or even a little more as it has larger gauge wires) than the built in barrel connector that is attached to the power supply. Once you get over 15A, then you have to buy the type of power supply that you connect the wires directly to the terminals on the supply... and a barrel connector would not be used at all.
I hope that helps! Don't hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions.
@@ResinChemTech yup that helps. Thanks. I am about to do my first one and have opted for esp32 30 pins. The pins are not marked as you mentioned so have messaged the seller for a pin out config. I assume not easy to figure out since I see the 5v 3.3v and GND all over the place. Does it matter which GND to 5v or 3.3v you connect things. I mean to ask if it matters which GNd o use vs the 5v or 3.3v? Also how do I decide which pins to use for sound etc?
As far as the grounds... they are all common, so it doesn't matter which one(s) you use. Ditto for the 3.3V.. it doesn't matter which one you use. Most boards only have one Vin or 5V pin... but I suppose it is possible to have more than one.
One thing you may also find is that most ESP32 boards are just slightly wider than the ESP8266... meaning they won't fit on a standard breadboard and leave a row of connections on each side... so you may have to adapt for that if your board is wider than the ESP9266.
As far as sound, there are a number of pins that you can use on the ESP32. You may want to peek at this (it is the ESP32 version of the pin out I shared for the ESP8266 in the video description). I use this all the time for determining which pins to use: randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-pinout-reference-gpios/
You can use any of the ADC1 pins for an analog microphone connection. Don't use the ADC2 pins, as they will interfere with wifi. Whichever pin you use, you just have to tell WLED that you are using that pin in the sound settings.
Finally, I have found that many ESP32 boards won't automatically enter flash mode when connected via USB. If you have issues flashing WLED, you may need to hold down the boot or flash button on the ESP board when connecting it... continuing to hold it down until the flash starts.. then releasing it. Not all boards work this way... but I've had a number that do require that I do this to get them to flash.
Good luck and let me know if you have additional questions.
@@ResinChemTech thanks I'll order the barrel Connector. I had the other connector you had in the video. I will use that and limit the current to 2 amps for testing until it arrives. Will check out the pin outs link you sent.
Hmm I had asked the seller for a pin out layout and am completely blown away. The seller sent me a pinout layout but it does not correspond to what's printed on the back of the chip itself. I am scratching my head now. The chip has pin 1 5v and others marked but it does not correspond to the picture they sent me. For eg 5v is printed somewhere in the middle between other pins but the layout he sent me positions it at the end😮 Are these meant to be standard or does each manufacturer layout differ?
Thank you.
You said multiple times not to use that screw terminal adapter on the power supply for "larger" installs. What qualifies as a larger install? Is there a documented current limit for it? I would've assumed it's ok to put 50A through it, if it comes with a 50A power supply.
If you look at those types of connectors sold independently on Amazon, they claim they can be used safely for up to 5A. Personally, I think that is pushing it and wouldn't push more than 2-3 A through one.
They definitely are not rated for something like 50A. Yes, I feel it is irresponsible to include a component with the power supply that is not rated to safely handle the current of the power supply it comes with. Try connecting it and then after a few minutes of running higher current through it, you will feel it start to become warm... then hot. Eventually it will become hot enough to melt and possibly short out or start a fire. Do a quick Amazon search for 'barrel connector' and you'll find ones identical to the one include with the power supply. Most, if not all, say they are rated for a maximum of 5A.
Like all projects, but especially those with high current, it is important to verify that all wiring and components used to carry power are properly rated for the expected current. Just because it is "in the box" doesn't mean it is rated for the maximum power that can be generated by the power supply.
@@ResinChemTech eek. That's scary. I was hoping to power a 5m strip of SK6812 (RGBW) with one of that exact 5v 10a (i meant 50w in my last post, oops lol) power supply you have in the video. Would you recommend going with something different?
Ah.. that makes a little more sense! A 50A power supply would be one of those larger, what I call 'transformer' style power supplies, and they generally don't come with the barrel adapter like you described. But they are definitely included with the smaller 'brick' style power supplies, that you can generally find up to around 15A. So 50W does make more sense than 50A... which would melt one of those connectors for sure!
You can find barrel connector pigtails with 16 or even 14 gauge wire that can safely handle the higher current. It will somewhat depend on a number of factors... such as the expected total current draw from your LEDs, length of the wiring runs, etc.
I do tend to be a bit on the over-cautious side. If you are running WLED, most colors and effects will pull significantly less current than the calculate maximum (which would occur when running on solid full bright white with all pixels lit). But I like to design for the maximum, even if I never hit it. If I have a higher current situation that I feel will exceed the barrel connector, I simply cut off the connector and solder larger gauge wire directly to a short section of wiring from the power supply itself.
But as I said, I'm overly cautious. I always recommend that you do a bench test, run your LEDs on full brightness for a while, keeping an eye on all connectors, wiring, etc. If you note anything getting more than just slightly warm to the touch, then you need to reevaluate that connector or the size wiring you are using. It's better to test and monitor on the bench than after you install something and then have a component melt or fail.
@@ResinChemTech Thanks a lot for your quick responses! Going by your math (.06 * N-leds), the 10A supply may be a little short, but from what I've seen I can limit the amps in WLED, and if I find that limit.. too limiting I can always upgrade my power solutions. Thanks again!
No problem.. glad to help. Just remember that that 0.06 x LEDs is the calculated maximum for full bright white and not what you will likely normally run. But yes, in WLED, you can specify the size of your power supply in milliamps and if you enable the brightness limiter, it will keep the amps below the maximum. And I think you'll find the LEDs are plenty bright... even at 50% brightness... which will also use fewer amps. But as I said, I like to be over-cautious. Good luck with your project.
Hello sir
Can you help me with this same setup?With the timer setup for the stairs?
16:25 In conclusion, can I inject power through those extra 2 left over cables with a different power suply and inject power to the esp32 board with a different power supply? In other words, I can use 2 different power supplies to power the LED and ESP32 separately ? Right?
Yes, you can use a separate power supply for the ESP and the LED strip. However, you must establish a common ground between the two or erratic results will occur with the LEDs. You can see an example in my standard wiring diagrams: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html (see the example where a 12V and 5V supply are used... this same wiring can be used for two 5V supplies as well).
However, never connect the positives (+) of two different power supplies together (only the grounds), even if they are the same voltage. You need special 'balanced' power supplies to connect them together or bad things are likely to happen. But yes, you can use one power supply to power the controller (like via the USB on the ESP board) and a separate 5V (or 12V) power supply for the LEDs. Just assure you connect a ground wire from the controller to the LEDs... and that you are NOT connecting the +V wire from the controller to the LEDs.
how many amps could you run through this build? or when it gets to a higher number of leds to control do you want to move to a different setup?
Well if done as shown here and as I cover in the video around 17:15 (please watch this section), the power for the LEDs is not running through the controller. So there is no limit on current as far as the controller is concerned, as the controller itself is only drawing a couple hundred milliamps at most. Where there are limits are on the size and length (and type) of wire you are using to connect the LEDs to the power supply... and of course the current limit of the power supply itself. The more current (and the longer the wiring run), the larger wire you need. There are numerous online calculators that can tell you the required gauge of wire based on the expected amps and your particular install. Any connectors should also be rated for the expected amp draw.
But from the controller build itself, as long as you are not running the power for the LEDs through the controller board (or off the ESP 5V pin itself), this controller would work with an LED install of 1A, 10A, 50A or more. As I also mention in the video, if you try to run the power for the LEDs through the actual breadboard, I would recommend you don't exceed around 1A.
To be honest, if looking at a larger more permanent install (and not just testing some LEDs), I would look at creating a soldered version of the controller anyway. But even then, there would be current limits on the pcb or whatever you are using. That's why I make the recommendation here (and in a lot of my other vidoes/blog articles on LEDs), that you run your power to the LEDs separately and in parallel to the controller. That way, the same controller will work regardless of the amp draw of the LEDs.
@@ResinChemTech thank you for the response. One last question, how do you wire up the logic level shifter if the 5v and 3.3v are on the same side of the ESP32? I have an ESPRESSIF ESP32-WROOM-32D that I am using to build a WLED controller, and this is the part that is stumping me.
If I understand what you are asking, you'd just have to run a wire directly from the 3.3V pin on the ESP32 to the 3.3V (LV) input pin on the shifter instead of using the breadboard power rail. Much like how the data signal wire is run directly from the pin to the shifter.
It may or may not be helpful, but I have a set of standard wiring diagrams for these types of controllers. If you look at the version I use for the mini ElectroCookie, you see that it doesn't have power rails at all and the 5V and 3.3V from the ESP board are running directly to the HV and LV pins on the shifter: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html
I hope that answers your question.
What voltage is on the low voltage side of breadboard. I don't see any voltage supply, unless it comes from the 12v
In this particular example, the two power rails are 5V and 3.3V. The 5V side can come from the power supply or the 5V pin on the ESP and the 3.3V comes from the 3.3V pin on the ESP board. Most ESP boards have both a 3.3V pin and 5V pin that can be used to power external peripherals... or as in this case a power rail on a breadboard.
Love this. Trouble is when I go to Amazon, it over $130 (CDN) worth of stuff from Amazon - which gives me a lot of left over things of course.
Well, I do tend to buy things in larger quantities because I use so many in my projects and I can get a better price that way. But you can often find some of the items in smaller quantities than I linked to. The links I provide are generally the actual items that I ordered and used... there are sometimes cheaper alternatives, but since I haven't personally tested them, I don't link to or personally recommend them.
And there have been some instance in the past where something has been updated with a crazy price after I've linked to it. Someone shared that a link I had provided to a simple $3 breadboard was showing a cost of $342... and that's just wrong! The issue is that the items (and costs) on Amazon are constantly changing and it is simply impossible for me to go back and try to keep all my links across all my videos and blog article up to date. Occasionally a product I link to will become unavailable after I publish. They are current at the time I make the video or write the blog article.
What I always recommend is that when you use one of my links to go to Amazon, check out the alternative items that Amazon generally shows for any item. If the price for the one I linked seems way out of range when compared to the alternatives, then simply select one of the alternatives instead. But in certain cases, an item is only available in a larger quantity that what you need. You may, for example, have to buy a pack of 100 LEDs when you only need 3 for your project. But that just means you have extras on hand for your next project! I do greatly appreciate your attempt to use my Amazon links... but as always, it never hurts to shop around a little for a better price or quantity that more matches your needs.
can i connect micro sd to esp32 and make effects via jinx, mardix, led shift and similar? i want to replace t1000c controller. maybe it is possible to do it thanks to esp32 modifications?
Just one question, how,much power would I need for 300 leds???
For 5V standard LEDs, you should estimate a maximum current draw of 0.06A per LED. So in your case, 300 x 0.06A = 18A max current. That would be the max for full bright white... other colors and effects will draw less. You may wish to watch this video where I cover the most common LED questions, including determining the size and type of power supply needed for your project: th-cam.com/video/GZv5Ztj6i6I/w-d-xo.html
i am new to this, so i don't understand why would you connect the 5V from the power supply directly to the esp32 board? i though it only supports 3.3v? so you would need a voltage converter in between the esp32 VIN and the power supply, or not? okay i've read it in a different comment from you, that the dev board can regulate it down to 3.3.
is it possible with the: AZ-Delivery ESP32S Dev Kit?
While it is true that the actual ESP chips themselves are powered by 3.3V, nearly all development boards (like NodeMCU, D1 Mini, etc.) are powered via 5V and have an onboard regulator for powering the ESP chip. This allows the dev board to be both programmed and powered via USB.... or via the 5V pin... both will use the onboard regulator. You can theoretically use the 3.3V pin to power the chip, but it would be critical to regulate that power yourself.
But if you look at nearly all dev boards available, they are all listed as being powered by 5V... either via USB or the 5V pin... and have an onboard regulator for actually powering the primary ESP chip. I hope that answers your question.
My question:
Do I need that level shifter? My LED-Strip works well without - even using the complete 5m length with 300 LEDS.
And when I use a 12V strip do you need to boost the level up to 12V - didn't find such a shifter?
As I stated in this video (and many, many times in other videos), you can sometimes get away without the shifter... until you can't. I simply opt to always include one to avoid any potential issues. And it really doesn't matter how many LEDs; it is a matter of voltage drop on the data line between the controller and the first LED. The further away the controller is from the start of the LED strip, the more likely that voltage drop will cause an issue. But as I always say, the choice to include a shifter is entirely yours. While I recommend it, you can often get away without one if you keep the run between the controller and the start of the LEDs relatively short. To see an example of what can happen if the data line voltage drops too low, I show the results on another video related to the need for a shifter: th-cam.com/video/Q9mLitVxF3c/w-d-xo.html
As far as 12V LEDs, nearly all types still expect a 5V data signal. So, while you will run +12V and GND to the +V/GND pins on the LEDs, the data signal is still expected to be 5V. The same is true with most 24V LEDs. So if you opt to include a shifter, the same shifter will work with 5V, 12V or even 24V LEDs.
@@ResinChemTech Thanks for your help!
@@ResinChemTech May I ask another question?
Now that I wanted to order level shifters, I was reading the WLED kno.wled.ge pages about compability of hardware.
There is a orange highlited "Warning (!): I2C shifters are generally too slow for addressable LEDs, so don't use them."
The ones you are using are I2C shifters, right?!
Do they work? Even with long strips with lots of LEDs? Is there a limitation? Why the warning?
I address that exact question (and provide my answer) in this video: th-cam.com/video/61VWgYmomz4/w-d-xo.html
I would like to you to demonstrate on esp32 with multiple channels LEDs out put on single esp32.
I actually already have a video that shows an example of using multiple output channels and WLED segments on a single ESP32 (and an ESP8266). You can see it here: th-cam.com/video/q1ghNUND6gk/w-d-xo.html
@@ResinChemTech thank you.
So you don't put a resistor inline with the data channel?
Generally, I don't and haven't had the need to. I did have one exception due to a very long run of the data line where it was in a 3-wire cable so it ran over that distance in parallel with the ground wire. In that case, I needed to add a 33Ω resistor on the data line.
But none of my other installs have had any issues without a resistor on the data line. Of course every situation is different and a resistor may be needed in some cases. With that one exception, I just haven't had a need to add one and haven't seen any negative effects without it.
Thank you very much. I've been reading your article on blogspot and I see that my led strips probably won't work for my WLed project. My led strips are RGB 5050 12V and are not addressable like yours. My led strips are normal rgb 4 wires R,G,B and V+. Is it possible to do a WLed project with my led strips? Thank you very much and if you can answer me I would be very grateful
WLED does have some limited support for non-addressable strips, but it does require additional circuitry that I do not cover in any of my videos or blog articles (which all deal with addressable strips). The official WLED web site does offer information, including a wiring diagram for how to use non-addressable LED strips such as the ones you currently have: kno.wled.ge/basics/compatible-led-strips/
Thank you very much
Is it possible to have an esp8266 with WLED, and connect an IR to the esp8266, so you can use a classic LED stripe remote?
Yes, WLED has support for that. I show adding an IR receiver in a number of my other LED videos as well as a pushbutton and microphone for sound reactivity. Although do note that the last time I checked, IR functionality was disabled in the sound-reactive version of WLED by default. If you are interested in a video where I add all three of these things to an ESP with WLED, you can check out this video: th-cam.com/video/9DqVpScO-xQ/w-d-xo.html
You can also find information about hooking up peripherals like IR receivers, buttons and relays on the official WLED web site: kno.wled.ge/
@@ResinChemTech thank you man. 🥰
Not entirely clear why you used the level shifter, if the voltage output is already 5V. Does it provide more current to the LED strip?
While the Vin/5V pin does output at 5V, all of the GPIO pins only output at 3.3V. While this is right at the lower level for a working data signal for the LED strip, the LEDs actually call for a 5V data signal.
By boosting the data signal from the 3.3V from the GPIO pins to the 5V expected by the LEDs, you can have a much longer run of wire between the controller and the LEDs without worrying about voltage drop leading to a problem with the signal. That's why I always include one... whether I could technically skip it or not. This way, I know I have a signal that is the expected 5V and don't have to be concerned about the length of my data line.
@@ResinChemTech Makes sense, thanks.
since there is only one jst connection, if i would cut the led stripe into 2 halfs, i need to solder another jst cable, right? or is there any other solution without soldering?
While I am not a big fan and prefer the more reliable soldered connection, there are various clips that snap on and allow you to attach wire/JST connector to the end of a strip similar to this: amzn.to/3AjxVOT
There are also various versions of these same type of clips that will allow you to connect a strip directly to another strip, including options for making 90° connections. Just do a search on Amazon or Google for 3 pin LED strip connectors.
@@ResinChemTech thank you so much, have a nice day
Can i use D2,D4 and D16 from esp32 for 3 LEDs strips for different light effects simultaneously?, ty
Yes you can. See the WLED site for information on how to use multiple pins and strips: kno.wled.ge/features/multi-strip/
Brilliant
Thanks! While I'd always recommend a soldered version for permanent installs, this is meant to for those folks that have wanted to try DIY LEDs, but can't... or don't want to... solder.
Thanks for watching... and taking the time to comment.
You keep mentioning the Logic Level Shifter. But you never mentioned why why should or shouldn’t use it. Benefits? Necessary in what situations?
I actually have two separate videos that specifically cover the logic level shifter, including why you should use it and what can potentially happen if you omit it:
Logic Level Shifter - Do you really need it?: th-cam.com/video/Q9mLitVxF3c/w-d-xo.html
Are I2C Shifters Really Too Slow?: th-cam.com/video/61VWgYmomz4/w-d-xo.html
The primary reason is that the ESP GPIO pins output a data signal at 3.3V and the LEDs expect a 5V data signal. While the LED strips will generally work with only a 3.3V data signal, if the voltage drops much below that (generally due to longer wire runs between the controller and start of the LEDs), then the LEDs will begin to flicker and give inconsistent effects due to a faulty/weak data signal. The first video list above shows an example of that and how a logic level shifter resolves the problem.
Sir my esp32 is not working at Vin supply but it only works at 3.3 v can you help with your expertise on this field to solve this problem
Are you saying that if you connect 5V to the 5V (or VIN) and ground to GND, the board does not power on? Will it power on if you connect it to USB? You may simply have a bad board or the onboard power regulator may have failed or be faulty.
When powering the board via VIN/5V, either via the pins or USB with 5V, the voltage is stepped down by an onboard regulator to 3.3V, which actually powers the ESP chip itself. By connecting to 3.3V, you are powering the chip directly, but without any power regulation and even a small variance in that voltage can damage or destroy the ESP chip.
However, if you say the board isn't powering on via the 5V connection, then the board is probably faulty. You might need try a different board.
What if you are using LEDs that require 24VDC? Can you wire in a step down transformer to 5V?
If you check the video description, you see a link that I have to a article with various wiring diagrams for a LED controller.... including one with an option to use a step down converter that can be used with 12V or 24V LEDs.
@@ResinChemTech I did not notice that. Thanks!
What does logical level shifter do for me?
It boost the 3.3V output from the ESP GPIO pin to the 5V signal expected by the LED strip. If the voltage drops too low due to resistance in a longer wire run from the controller to the start of the LEDs, the LEDs can flicker, misbehave or even refuse to light up. I mention this briefly in the video, but also talk about it in detail along with showing what can happen if the voltage is too low in my video specifically about the logic level shifter ( th-cam.com/video/Q9mLitVxF3c/w-d-xo.html ). I also talk about it and its purpose in my video on common LED questions ( th-cam.com/video/GZv5Ztj6i6I/w-d-xo.html ) which has a section specifically discussing the shifter. I recommend you check out one or both of those videos if you want to know more about why I recommend using a logic level shifter.
my esp32 is too wide for the breadboard. it only leaves one arrow available, not 2 like in your video. i don't understand why it's not the case for you in this video..
Well, because as I state in the parts used section, I'm using an ESP8266... and not an ESP32. If you want to use a breadboard with an ESP32 NodeMCU style, you have to either mount it on pin headers so that you can wire underneath, or use one of the 38-pin narrow ESP32s (usually listed as "narrow" or "breadboard friendly"). Most 30-pin ESP32 boards are, as you found, one row too wide for a standard breadboard.
I talk about this exact issue and alternatives in my video on building your first DIY project: th-cam.com/video/ruSf2Mc-fgQ/w-d-xo.html (you can jump to around the 26 minute mark where I talk about the ESP32 and breadboards).
Please I don't understand how you connected the board with the computer
To flash the WLED software? It is simply a USB cable... a micro USB to USB A (or USB C if that's what your computer has). Nothing fancy, just connect the two via USB.
My esp8266 wont work on 5v it works on 3v3 pin
The ESP chips themselves operate on 3.3V. But most dev boards operate off of 5V and have an onboard regulator to step this voltage down to 3.3V for the chip (this is also why the GPIO pins output at 3.3V and the reason that the logic level shifter is used).
If your board has a USB connection, then that means the board itself will handle 5V... as USB operates at 5V. But if what you have really only runs at 3.3V, then you can add a step down converter to drop the 5V to 3.3V... or purchase a different board that does run off of 5V.
@@ResinChemTech it has the vin and gnd next to each other but the leds dont work under that just under 3v3 pin
want to apply this Mod to my headlights for my vehicle :)
You could use 12V LEDs and power the system via the car battery, but you'd need to step down the voltage to 5V for the controller via a buck converter or other means. And of course there is the whole waterproofing thing. I also can't attest to the legality of having multi-colored flashing LEDs for your headlights! But it certainly possible to do it.
@@ResinChemTech It is quite illegal and opens one to 3rd party damage claims as well
without source code not possible this project .....
This project uses the precompiled WLED firmware that you can just flash to the ESP. However, if you want the source code, it can be found here: github.com/Aircoookie/WLED
WLED sucks as a LED controller. it is very limited on effects and colors. the ESP32 and the ESP1866 do not retain memory when using WLED. each time you power down(turn it off, by disconnecting the power supply) the module loses your saved effects and color. WLED remains on the module, but needs to be reset to your effect and color.
I'm using the lastest version of WLED 15.Xb.
So what do you suggest other than wled?
@GregParker15 i have no idea. I have many different controllers ranging from the SE 110 to the SE 108. I have simple push button to blue tooth controllers. I have arduino nanos, I have ESP's. I have tried fasted, neopixel, and wled. I could not get noepixel to work. Fastled works but you have to write the code and install it on a arduino,