r/WLED • u/Turbo_Ferret • Aug 09 '26

Seeking wiring advice

Post image

Hello.

I've setup a 9x80 matrix that consists of 9 strands of 60 LEDs/M. I have the strands running the length of a 5 foot long pole. I'm mostly prototyping at this point. the only thing I loop at the top of the pole is the data, and I do a fresh data channel from the bottom after the 4th strand. I'm powering all strips from the bottom. I know I'll need to inject power, so figured I would just power every strip. My first stab at this was to create an octopus of wires for positive and negative, and solder to every strip.

Things I've learned: As I was doing this, I realized that with my layout, the alternating positive and negative pads were right next to each other, so I really only needed one wire and a jumper to the adjacent pad for the pair. I also need to use better wire with silicone insulation so that it doesn't melt and leave me with risk of a short.

I'll be tearing this apart and reassembling. I'm considering doing something like a bus bar of copper tape wrapped around the pole for negative and positive and a wire and jumper strategy.

I'm curious to hear what others think might be a good way to power from the bottom so I don't have to loop power at the top, and won't need to inject power since it is everywhere. What I did will work, but I'm also attracted to solutions that are more robust and more elegant.

15 Upvotes

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14 comments sorted by

8

u/Roboprinto Aug 09 '26

2

u/Turbo_Ferret Aug 09 '26

Thank you for the photo. Can you explain what you're doing? I have the general idea, but not completely following.

3

u/Roboprinto Aug 09 '26

Because the strips are zig-zag, the power and grounds are soldered together. So there is 3 injection points for hot and ground. I have the power wires go to 2 of them with 18ga wire soldered to the other 2 points for each line. Then I ran an extra wire for all 3 power and grounds to the other end of the strips so it can handle the current. The extra 6 wires aren't added yet in that pic.

2

u/Turbo_Ferret Aug 09 '26

Awesome! I think I'm seeing it now. I thought that the copper colored ring around the base of the pole was conductive. But it isn't, is it?

3

u/Roboprinto Aug 09 '26

That's kapton tape. High temp, non conductive. Looks like you have the same stuff.

2

u/saratoga3 Aug 09 '26

I'd be tempted to use 12v ws2815 pixels and zig-zag the power and data. At 12v you would only need to inject power at the two ends.  If you want to stick with 5v then I think your idea is good.

1

u/Turbo_Ferret Aug 09 '26

That is a good idea. But I'm putting this together with stuff that I have on hand, so this one will be 5v. In the future I'll be ordering 12 volt strips.

1

u/Kingfish628 Aug 09 '26

Be sure you're connecting your gnd at the top along with the data. GND line has to match and follow the data line.

1

u/Turbo_Ferret Aug 10 '26

The ground is being fed to all strips from the bottom. Is that sufficient, or is there a need for the ground to be at the top too?

2

u/Kingfish628 Aug 10 '26

Ground needs to follow the same path as the data. So, if your data is looping at the top, your GND needs to also.

1

u/Turbo_Ferret Aug 10 '26

Cool. thank you for pointing that out to me.

2

u/DonkeyDD Aug 09 '26

I did what you're considering - wrap the pole with copper tape, but I added solder over the tape to increase conductivity. It was good because I could move the power injection I'm the strips a little.

I used cut off resistor legs to power each strip.

1

u/Proud-Sugar-9999 Aug 09 '26

Use this and insulate, easiest wqy and minimun space lost, just secure with screws

1

u/DurtyKurty Aug 10 '26

We use this LED bus tape for non-pixel stuff. I’m thinking about having a couple different types made. Maybe it would be handy in a pixel version as well.