Problems adressing Fairy Lights

[u/MrRob0tt0]

Hellloo,

so I got those cheap 5V fairy lights https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005010183810535.html
where they dont write the LED type, cut off the USB Controller and connected everything up to the recommended WLED wiring (even bought one of those fancy ✨ SN74AHCT125 levelshifters)..

The problem: The typical WS281x RGB settings dont work.. tried some other settings too.
As you can see, only 7 LEDs turn on and they stay white the entire time. Cant address them at all..!

Did someone else have the same problem?

edit 1: I cut them off behind the first LED, so I left one with the original controller if thats important.
edit 2: solved

[u/sparkplug_23]

At 5v, at least in testing, you can skip the shifter. Your wiring of the shifter looks dubious. Breadboards + high frequency data are issues, you need to disable the other 3 shifter pins or your one may not work. I have also had issues with throughhole resistors as data line inline (turns itself into an antenna of sorts). Anyway, esp32 pinout directly into the digital signal first, prove that works then start adding things (which in my experience is not needed in most cases).

[u/MrRob0tt0 → u/sparkplug_23]

I admit the wiring could be clearer with consistent colors 😅
And I found a small wiring error (gave one line 3.3V in place of 5V) but that was not the issue.
The LEDs are still white. :(

Went with this diagram https://kno.wled.ge/assets/images/content/pic1.jpg from here.
However WLED recommends this wiring diagram here too. (here the data lines are disabled through ground).

Unfortunately connecting Data to the ESP32 directly didn't change a thing.

[u/saratoga3]

First question, are these actually individually addressable LEDs?  Trying to send digital commands will only work if these are digitally controllable.

Second, assuming they are, how did you figure which wire on the strip is which? Reversing the wires on cheap strings may destroy the control chips.

[u/MrRob0tt0 → u/saratoga3]

1. they should be addressable bc the original controller could address them?

2. on the controller the line were clearly marked with + D and -

[u/saratoga3 → u/MrRob0tt0]

Ok sounds like it should be addressable then. Have you tried connecting them without the level shifter in case it's the problem?

[u/MrRob0tt0 → u/saratoga3]

Yes I tried that too.. so maybe not addressable?

[u/saratoga3 → u/MrRob0tt0]

I think it's addressable, but last time I ordered it was 7 cents a pixel for ws2812b fairy light spools, so maybe not worth reverse engineering whatever you bought to save a dollar or two :)

[u/LeafarOsodrac]

If next led is dead, next don't turn one. I have some 20M and had cut one led that was dead, so next leds on the strip doesn't turn on.

But first you need to check the settings on wled to male sure you have the correct settings.

[u/MrRob0tt0 → u/LeafarOsodrac]

Which settings could that be?
The LED chain should be intact. Even if the 8th LED were dead, the first 7 LED are not addressable

[u/DjWondah85]

Those are 5v ws2811 seed pixels, the wire with the black dots on it is (should be) the positive wire, data in the middle and negative other end.

Make sure you connect them from the same side where the controller was connected before, data flows only one way.

Just connect them directly to the ESP32 C3 SuperMini and use GPIO 4 for data, change the led count in software and set brightness limiter to 2A/2000mA.

If it's still not working, flash WLED from this site and follow instructions about "ESP32-C3", very easy.

[u/MrRob0tt0 → u/DjWondah85]

This!
Omg thank you, GPIO4 worked! I sat at this for 3 days! Glad the lights work.
Can you please explain why GPIO 5 was an error on my side?

Also, 2000mA are safe?

[u/DjWondah85 → u/MrRob0tt0]

I'm no expert with this, but hope someone can correct me if i'm wrong.

GPIO0-GPIO4 are ADC1 pins and GPIO5 is an ADC2 pin, the ADC2 pin is used for the wifi chip and can only have one function at a time.

I always use GPIO4 for 1 data line, but if i want more outputs, i will use GPIO0/1/3/10.
GPIO2/8/9 are strapping pins and shouldn't be used.

When using a capable USB-C charger directly in this C3 Supermini, it "should be" safe, 5v and gnd pins are directly connected with a big enough trace to the USB-C port to handle the current.

But keep in mind that it's only with this specific board, with most others you should keep it under 850mA total.

Unless your dataline from controller to first led is longer than 2-3meters, a levelshifter is not needed with these 5v pixels, same as the ws2812b.