Connecting several units of LED strip WS2812B

Thread Starter

oror

Joined Jun 16, 2021
2
Hi everyone, I want to connect an RGB LED strip around my house (WS2812B RGB 5050SMD 300leds ip67) which is an 80 meter LED strip.
I know that every 5 meters of this LED strip is 90w, the LED strip is 5v.
I can not understand how I connect the LED strip so that the whole 80 meters will work for me and not weaken as the distance passes.
I realized that there is a component called a rgb amplifier that I connect at each end of a 5m LED strip so that it amplifies me and the light does not weaken, but I could not figure out which one I connect to this type of LED strip because the informant is not from a wire 1.
If anyone can help me, or know what can be done I would love a response.
Thanks in advance.
 

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ElectricSpidey

Joined Dec 2, 2017
2,758
Every so many meters you need to feed in 5volts to the 5volt pins...but you must not intercept the serial pin.

You don't use a typical RGB amp because these strips are not typical RGB.

Do you understand how to drive these strips?
 

Sensacell

Joined Jun 19, 2012
3,432
You have two problems:

1) Power distribution is tricky with these LED strips- the resistance of the power bus on the strip causes voltage drops, you need to feed the strips at multiple places along the way.
If 5 meters is 90 watts, that's 18 Amps. your setup requires 228 Amps. Break the system into smaller zones powered by separate power units.

2) Data speed becomes a problem with that many LEDs, the refresh rate is going to be very slow with an 80-meter string, again, break it down into smaller zones.
 

Thread Starter

oror

Joined Jun 16, 2021
2
I want to connect the LED strips to the controller that will work, to execute commands on the LED with the help of the accountant.
The controller I use is Arduino.
Is there a way that it is possible to connect the LED strip to control that the entire LED strip will work together even though I split it?
I want to use this LED because it is possible to program each LED separately, to change its color.
Is there perhaps a way to take an RGBW LED and divide it into small sections of 30cm in length, controlling each section separately (which will apply a different color as needed) like controlling the WS2812B LED strip?
Thanks
 

kaindub

Joined Oct 28, 2019
125
From my experience with these addressable LEDs, it’s unlikely an Arduino will drive that many .
The Arduino sketches basically create a map in memory of the entire number of LEDs. I can’t remember the exact memory use, but each LED requires a number of bytes.
Unless your sketch is particularly small, and the Arduino memory is extremely large, you end up with the program and storage memory eventually overwriting.
 

Sensacell

Joined Jun 19, 2012
3,432
To make this work, you need multiple code engines that each output a bitstream that represents a smaller fraction of the overall array.
Each engine would drive one output IO pin, this pin would drive a smaller sub-array of LEDs.
The refresh rate can then be higher than a single IO pin could support.

This requires a more powerful computer to accomplish, the WS2812 needs a fast and precisely formatted data stream.

OR- buy a driver module designed for the purpose:

https://blog.tindie.com/2019/02/serial-8-channel-ws2812-driver/
 

Ian0

Joined Aug 7, 2020
9,667
Safety is the biggest concern here. A total of 228 Amps @ 5V is a recipe for a fire. The power supply track on LED tape makes an excellent heating element.
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
8,812
I am doing a similar project, with four strings of 10m each.

I am using WS2815, which are similar, but run on 12V and are still 90W per 5m, so, only 40% of the current. And I plan to feed power from both ends and possibly the middle. I plan to to use 8 controllers that are synchronized by IR codes from a master controller.


Bob
 
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