The Lightstrips choice thread

Hardware
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102

Thanks for all the contribution @sparkydave @Petrica

I am starting to get ready with buying components.

Anything in particular i should know of? any components i need more? (especially power)
Any help especially wiring guide will be very helpful

103

You will need a pretty beefy power supply for that LED strip. I have bought a 300W 5Vdc supply in the past for running such strips. You can get them at a reasonable price on AliExpress.

Example ESPhome code:

esphome:
  name: arcade_table_lighting_controller
  platform: ESP8266
  board: nodemcuv2

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password
  manual_ip:
    static_ip: 192.168.0.63
    gateway: 192.168.0.1
    subnet: 255.255.255.0

api:

# Enable logging
logger:

ota:
  password: !secret ota_password

light:
  - platform: fastled_clockless
    chipset: WS2812B
    pin: GPIO15
    num_leds: 60
    rgb_order: GRB
    name: "Arcade Table LEDs"
    effects:
      - random:
      - strobe:
      - flicker:
      - addressable_rainbow:
      - addressable_color_wipe:
      - addressable_color_wipe:
          name: Colour Wipe Christmas
          colors:
            - red: 100%
              green: 0%
              blue: 0%
              num_leds: 5
            - red: 0%
              green: 100%
              blue: 0%
              num_leds: 5
      - addressable_scan:
      - addressable_twinkle:
      - addressable_random_twinkle:
      - addressable_fireworks:
      - addressable_fireworks:
          name: Fireworks Random Colour
          use_random_color: true
      - addressable_flicker:
104

Thanks again

Im a bit confuse about power requirement (ive been reading quite a bit) so i want to make sure im getting this right

Lets say i get this one instead:

So its a 12v, 5M roll (60 led per meter, total of 300 leds)
I should be ok with a power supply (12v 10amps)?

Also i read that the WS2815 is newer and i think it is simillar to the WS2812B

105

Both strips use the same SMD 5050 component and each led draws around 0.3 W. A 300 led strip would then require at least 90 W of power supply (for 144 led/m ~ 250 W).

In the WS2812x/2813 flavor the voltage is 5V thus 60 mA are drawn. To prevent the voltage drop you would need to connect additional power wires at each 1.5 - 2 m (in addition to ends) and use thicker cables.

For WS2815 there are 12V * 25 mA. Connecting only the ends of the strip to power should suffice as the wires resistance is lower.

Might also need a logic level converter (I used for mine although people are using it without). From what I’ve read WS2815 uses the same libraries as WS2813.

Even if going for the WS2812/2813 5V led strip, don’t power it from the 5V pin of the ESP8266 as you’ll fry it (instead ground them together).

I would recommend a WeMos D1 R2 board if you haven’t already bought a controller as I found it more stable on wifi than its smaller counterparts.

2 Likes
106

So i got my strip finally in the mail!
Upon inspecting i am seeing that there are 4 wires namely:
12v , GND, Bin(out) and Din(out)

My guess the Bin is for backup.
I am interested in knowing how would one wire those to a nodemcu
Anyone?

107

Declare strip as WS2813 and use the Din pin to connect to ESP8266 (Bin allows for using the strip even if one of the leds in the middle of the strip gets burned).

Although it should work with the 3.3 V, I would recommend adding a logic level shifter.

1 Like
108

did you get everything working? I’m looking to do something similar. would you do/buy anything different?

109

Hi, yep my project was a success
i ended up using a ESP8266 with WLED (google it)
It works flawlessly. HA even have an integration now

I also did alot of research regarding leds
So to resume and to help future readers getting a head start:

i got a WS2815 which is 12v

  • 12v are better for long strips 5m+ (less voltage drop)
  • get a 12v power adapter, im using a 10amp one running at roughly 300 leds @ 5m, i think you can away with less but i didnt have nothing else

the WS2815 came with 4 pins

  • i connected ground, power and data, i didnt need the backup one (B-out on the strips) so i didnt bother connecting it

Powering the esp8266

  • You can either connect both the strip and the esp8266 on different power sources, but you gotta make sure they share a common ground wire

  • I used a buck convertor to have both the esp8266 and the strip power using the same power source
    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32828600888.html

Data from esp8266 to the strips

  • I heard that a logic shifter should be use to boost the signal

  • I personally did not do it as the wire from my esp8266 to the wire is < 1m long so it seems to work without any issues, YMMV

Small Tips, if you think you are going to do multiple strips project
I would recommend getting these as well (QOL)

  • A crimper for dupont wires (make your own wires)
  • dupont connectors (comes in different configuration, i mostly use 1 pins)
  • Led wires
  • DC Power Plug connectors
  • Wire connectors (if you can get transparent one, will save you alot of troubleshooting)

Good luck

5 Likes
110

Color order, what value did you put? Does your led have 4 channels?

1 Like
111

3 channel only. Theres 4 pins on that strip

112

modelo

Is correct? Do I need to connect on the 12v (with a 5v converter) to the ESP too?

1 Like
113

It worked.

circuito2
circuito21333×986 108 KB

Config

image
image721×744 25.9 KB

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You like the LED strip you got? https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000166168900.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.4d723c00Jp6eFm&mp=1

I see that they are 5m/16ft each - can I buy 3 and connect them together (15m total)? I’m thinking about using this rgbgenie z-wave power source/controller to make things a bit easier for me.

115

Hey everyone I picked these up and after a slow cruise from China, I set them up with wled and they work great. I am using a 12v power supply, a buck converter and an esp8266. These will be installed on my new home as permanent lights under the gutters. I will use led channels that diffuse light and hopefully this gives an almost hidden effect. I will update this thread as I move forward.
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32846128838.html?spm=a2g0n.orderlist-amp.item.32846128838&aff_trace_key=f85e67cf71364724afd2632aa0f117c9-1612366090557-01916-UneMJZVf&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=9709amp-AhMFBbYv-b47pHFzvG82mw1612366120198&browser_id=784b2dc0324846439794c42bab546b41&is_c=N

116

We have a contractor installing a shallow hanging ceiling around the permieter of our main room. I plan to use an LED lightstrip to provide some nice indirect lighting. Something like in these photos:

1
1900×563 102 KB

2
21024×683 146 KB

We want strips that are dimmable, can change color temperature, and are RGB. Individually addressable would be more of a novelty, but if possible than why not? I can imagine some fun running light effects.

My number one concern is durability and reliability. Once these go up I don’t want to have to touch the strip itself again for 5-10 years. That said the controller and and the power supply will be in an easily accessible panel, I just don’t want to have to re-run the strips.

The total run is 12m.

Some questions for Those Who Have Gone Before

@dougbaptista Where is this power calculator? I tried searching for it online but can’t find it.

@GGexe This link is dead now, anyone have a link to a “buck converter”?

Also, I have a dupont crimper and supplies. But what exactly do you mean by “LED wires” and “DC Power plug connectors” and “wire connectors”? Have any photos?

Could you share links to all the parts you ordered?

117

no matter what ledstrip you buy, there is no garantee it will last 5 or 10 years.
i got more expensive and cheap ones, and some of the more expensive have little parts that stopped working, while some cheaper ones i use more often, still are perfect.
buy i certainly noticed that the ip66 strips (silicone on top) are more reliable.

the controller and power adapter are you biggest choices.
i wouldnt go for individual addressable. they are a hell of a lot more expensive, and you probably will end up addressing them with a DIY project, which is nice, but with 12 meter you will run into a lot of problems (like heat, way higher power, etc)
i would buy a rgbw strip, a good power adapter (on the strip, that you probably will buy at 5M length normally it says how much power is needed) and at first a cheap controller.

with that you can control your lights and find out what your wishes are (some people find out they always set the strip to 1 color only, other use them to make disco parties, but how and how often you use them, you most likely will only find out when its there)

when you are used to it, you can decide if you want another controller (zigbee, zwave, wifi, or whatever fits your needs)

118

Lights I chose 5M of the ip67 but if you are just going interior you would just want the non waterproof ones. They come in 30 led/m, 60 led/m or 144 led/m. I think if you use a diffuser you could use any of them for your application:

Buck Converter:

ESP8266:

That should do it. I used WLED as the application to put on the ESP8266. It is simple to install and has a ton of effects out of the gate. WLED can also accept input for chirstmas light sequences and for ledfx for music sync.

I hope this helps.

119

The Mi-Light has a new great range of Zigbee controllers. They are really tiny with better screw terminals and an easy installation process. They work with MiBoxer Smart app as well as with Tuya Smart app or Smart Life app.

120

Nice! The big question, however, is - are they still using LimitlessLED protocol? That’s what’s important for the folks around here :slight_smile: