Jump to content
Light-O-Rama Forums

Pixcon16 Dual Power Supplies


derekb

Recommended Posts

I am going to use two power supplies to power my Pixcon16's. 1 for each bank of 8. Do I need to have the grounds of both of the power supplies connected for a common ground? Or can I connect one bank to one power supply and the other to the second power supply and I am good to go? If I should have both power supplies grounds connected what is the best method for doing this? Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do attach the grounds (- term) to their respective bank.  I believe they are inter-connected on the board,, but you don't want odd (criss-cross) current flows on that connection

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally I use a jumper between the 2 grounds on each ps. As shown in my photo. for the grounds on my pixie16's. Then as TheDucks states each bank gets its own connections.

The jumper of the grounds was suggested by an old timer here and how his company sells their controllers. I cant remember but it is on youtube as well.

IMG_7511_zpsfdlzf2wv.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys! I think I have it setup like the photo. Just to confirm what I am seeing. I have the + & - coming in from the outlet going to 1 power supply, then that + & - form the power supply going to one bank and the grounds jumpered, then doing the same for the other power supply and bank. Neither of the power supplies are directly connected to each other in any way, correct? I appreciate it.

Edited by derekb
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, derekb said:

Thanks guys! I think I have it setup like the photo. Just to confirm what I am seeing. I have the + & - coming in from the outlet going to 1 power supply, then that + & - form the power supply going to one bank and the grounds jumpered, then doing the same for the other power supply and bank. Neither of the power supplies are directly connected to each other in any way, correct? I appreciate it.

Correct. The negatives are jumped on the individual ps, both independent to its own bank. Mine has been running a test pattern since Feb 15 without issues. I am yet to see or hear the fan however with only 4 strands of lights its probably not much of a load.

JR

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I run a pixcon16 with two power supplies for a 24x50 matrix, for Halloween. I elected not to connect the grounds into a common ground due to power supplies and my not having a schematic too them. They are each rated for IP67 I think for outdoors as long as hanging downward and each is 12V/400Watts. They worked perfectly last year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello all,

 

I am also building a controller  today with two power supplies.And the V- of both power supplies come together on the pixie16. ( blue wires )

both rated 5V 30 A max. Because of the possible current I took two wires of 2,5 mm2 from the power supply to the pixie16, so total 5 mm2, for the low voltage side.    2,5 mm2 is about the same as AWG13.

 As 5 mm2 can load as much as 50 amp ( absolute maximum), this should be sufficient for each bank. Both power supplies have on the 230 Volt side a fuseholder with a fuse rated 6,3A for whenever a power supply would die.

The wiring of the 230V is 1,5 mm2, about the same as awg 15. Because the current on the 230Volt is lower that 1 amp it is more than enough. 150 Watt max on 230Volt is about 0,66 amp.

The holes for the outputs yet have to be drilled and are expected to be drilled near the lor connector, the same goes for the waterproof connectors for the lor network. That will be  a total of 6 holes. 4 holes with pigtails and two rj45 waterproof connectors.

 

Have a nice weekend

Dick

The Netherlands

pixie16-2x5v30A-1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, Trickyd said:

Hello all,

 

I am also building a controller  today with two power supplies.And the V- of both power supplies come together on the pixie16. ( blue wires )

both rated 5V 30 A max. Because of the possible current I took two wires of 2,5 mm2 from the power supply to the pixie16, so total 5 mm2, for the low voltage side.    2,5 mm2 is about the same as AWG13.

 As 5 mm2 can load as much as 50 amp ( absolute maximum), this should be sufficient for each bank. Both power supplies have on the 230 Volt side a fuseholder with a fuse rated 6,3A for whenever a power supply would die.

The wiring of the 230V is 1,5 mm2, about the same as awg 15. Because the current on the 230Volt is lower that 1 amp it is more than enough. 150 Watt max on 230Volt is about 0,66 amp.

The holes for the outputs yet have to be drilled and are expected to be drilled near the lor connector, the same goes for the waterproof connectors for the lor network. That will be  a total of 6 holes. 4 holes with pigtails and two rj45 waterproof connectors.

 

Have a nice weekend

Dick

The Netherlands

VERY Nice packaging. I

also like you doubled up on the low voltage leads to approximate 10 AWG capacity. 

Nice thing about 230V mains, is the wire gets smaller for the same power level.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • The topic was locked
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...