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How many dumb rgb strips


kj11856

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Can anyone tell me how many dumb rgb strips can the cmb 24 handle in one rgb bank on the controller. Using the light o Rama power supply. 5m (16.4) each. Typical 

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5050 strips typically require 1.2 Amps per Meter - at 12v.

60 Amps max will let you have 50 meters of strips.  So in your case - 10 strips.

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So if I had 4 strips end to end on one bank would overload it. I need to connect 5 bank sets of 4 strips end to end. 3 banks on one side of controller and 2 on the other side. 

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The board has 24 channels - each channel can handle 4 amps.  Strips are RGB (3 channels) so each channel for the 5 meter strip would draw 2 amps (providing 6 amps total to the 5 meter strip).  You would max out each bank of RGB strips by connecting a max of 2 Five meter strips to an output - so you cannot connect 3 or 4 strips together - only 2.

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As far as the CMB24D is concerned, there are two limits to be concerned with.  First is the current per channel, and the second is the current limit be side of the board.  Each channel can handle 4 amps unless heat sinks are added to the MOSFETs, in which case a channel can handle 8 amps.  The board as noted can handle 30 amps per side for a total of 60 amps.

As for the power requirements of the strips, check the specs for the strips you are using, or better yet, hook them up to power and measure it with a amp meter.  The 1.2 amps per meter figure given above is about right for 60 LED per meter strips, but that's not what you are using.  The 30 pixel per meter strips you are using are likely about half that - but you need to measure it to be sure.  Each color will have a slightly different power requirement as well, so you are best off to measure the current for each color separately.  Note that because of voltage drop, the three colors individually will be a little more than all three together.

One more thing.  Most LED strips are designed to be able carry the current for that strip only.  The PC board traces are not all that large, and if you attempt to run multiple strips end to end, the voltage drop to the end will likely be excessive (resulting in reduced brightness or color changes), and in extreme cases, you could burn out the traces on the first board because it's trying to carry far more current than it is capable of doing.  If you are going to have multiple strips powered from the same channels, run your wiring from the controller such that each strip is carrying only the power for itself.  For example if you have two strips that will be end to end, run one cable from the controller to the locations between the two strips and connect to both strips (feeding power to the middle of the two strips rather than one end of the two).

 

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Also keep in mind that the power supply from LOR that comes with the CMB24D is only a 200w PS. It is really meant to go with the LOR strips when you purchase the CMB24D, LOR dumb strips and power supply as a package. LORs dumb rgb strips only pull 20 watts for a 5m strip wheres most aftermarket strips will pull 36w. If you are not using the LOR strips you won't even be able to put one strip per output and fill the board without overdrawing the ps.

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