What do I need to start using RGB strips?

[bhasse]

What is the amp rating of the strips mentioned above from ebay? Trying to figure out what I need for power supplies.

[TJ Hvasta]

MP, yer jus' too nice =)

Tom, it's here:

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/22166-tip-how-to-mount-rgb-strips-ccrs-or-ropelight-to-roof-line/#entry211041

[Kyzona]

Help, this is my first year and I thought I had done all my homework, however, WOW, there is a lot to learn your first year. I have got a LOR residential 16 channel controller and ordered 10 non-addressable, 5050 RGB IP65 (waterproof) 5meter 12 VDC strips that TJ recommended from China. They came in in 6 days. However now I need someone to recommend a Power supply to make the RGB lights work. Also, how many power supplies will I need? And is there a secret as to where you place them in relation to the controller, and how to waterproof?

Thanks so much for any assistance.

[JBullard]

Your LOR residential controller will not work to controll the 12 volt DC strips

You need the LOR DC controller or a 12 volt DMX controller

For the power supply you need to calculate the current your srips will draw and then select accordingly

[Santas Helper]

Your LOR residential controller will not work to controll the 12 volt DC strips

Unless you use wall-warts. Been there, done that.

[TJ Hvasta]

Wallwarts will work when we .. (rats, cant make it with all W words.. )

A single RGB strip will draw abt 1amp @ 12vdc @ white (all three RGB leds on). If you light a single color LED, Red, Green or Blue that'll draw around a third of an amp. You can use a wallwart that can provide 2-3amps, a PC power supply, should provide 15-20a, they're cheap, require a bit of hacking to get the leads out to be able to use, or go with the supplys Kevin (CreativeLightDisplays) is selling... he has 15a-30a low profile DC supplys that will fit inside an enclosure / controller case.

Edited September 12, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[edvas69]

A single RGB strip will draw abt 1amp @ 12vdc @ white (all three RGB leds on). If you light a single color LED, Red, Green or Blue that'll draw around a third of an amp.

Im not sure what strip you are referring to but the standard 5 metre 30 LED per metre strip is rated at 3 amps when white with 1 amp per colour. Now the measured current will actually be lower than this due to voltage drop along the strip.

[edvas69]

Unless you use wall-warts. Been there, done that.

If using walwarts then you wont be able to do things like shimmer and twinkle effects or very fast on/off switching, as well you wont be able to dim so you will be stuck to just using the 7 main colours with RGB strip. Best way is to use a DC controller

[Santas Helper]

If using walwarts then you wont be able to do things like shimmer and twinkle effects or very fast on/off switching, as well you wont be able to dim so you will be stuck to just using the 7 main colours with RGB strip. Best way is to use a DC controller

Good grief, here we go again.

I've been able to do all the LOR effects with walwarts. Shimmer, twinkle, fade, everything.

I don't know why people say this when I've been doing it for 5+ years with NO problems.

Obviously DC controllers will work, but the OP does not have DC controllers and wants to put his residential controllers to work with LEDs.

[RaceMedic]

http://www.aliexpres...holesalers.html

i use these power supplies and these run the dc board with 5 strips connected with no problem

Getting into the RGB strips also and this question in particular is about enclosures.

The power supplies have a fan in them ... is there an issue with them being put into a water tight

enclosure as far as enough air for the fan to cool properly ?!

Dave

[MtDew4me]

CLD Kevin (fka Cracker) had heat dissapation issues last year with his show. He used the CG1500 enclosures and recommends that you leave the doors open when in use. Others have used metal enclosures, mounted the PS against the enclosure and reported not heat issues. I'm using an LOR CMD, a 30A PS in a CG1500 enclosure. In testing my sequences in my basement (ie: cool), I haven't had any heat issue but I may not be driving things as hard a Kevin did.

Edited September 12, 2012 by MtDew4me

[edvas69]

Good grief, here we go again.

I've been able to do all the LOR effects with walwarts. Shimmer, twinkle, fade, everything.

I don't know why people say this when I've been doing it for 5+ years with NO problems.

Obviously DC controllers will work, but the OP does not have DC controllers and wants to put his residential controllers to work with LEDs.

Im not sure what walwarts you are using, but generally this is the case and has been with the ones i have played around with in the past. A wallwart is not designed for fast switching and dimming, it is designed to have a constant supply when operating. So it may work for you but its definetly not good practice and results will vary depending on many factors. So that may be why people keep saying this as results may vary greatly depending on what is used.

Im actually interested to know if the walwarts you use are low voltage AC or DC output

Edited September 12, 2012 by edvas69

[TJ Hvasta]

wait, are you thinking of plugging a wallwart into an AC controller? Bad juju.. have it power the DC board, thats it.

[TJ Hvasta]

Im not sure what strip you are referring to but the standard 5 metre 30 LED per metre strip is rated at 3 amps when white with 1 amp per colour. Now the measured current will actually be lower than this due to voltage drop along the strip.

Left off "per meter"..

my 5050 specs:

Led Strip

Color: RGB

LED Type: 5050 PLCC-6 SMT SMD LED (IP65 Waterproof)

LED Quantity: 150 leds/5 Meter or 30 leds/Meter

Size: L500cm (5M) x W1.4cm x T0.3cm

Package: 1 X 5 Meters / Reel

View angle:120°

Working Input Voltage: 12VDC

Working Current/meter: 1.2A

Output power: 36W /5 Meter

Working Tempreture:-20° to 50°

Drive Mode:Contant Voltage

[edvas69]

Left off "per meter"..

my 5050 specs:

Led Strip

Color: RGB

LED Type: 5050 PLCC-6 SMT SMD LED (IP65 Waterproof)

LED Quantity: 150 leds/5 Meter or 30 leds/Meter

Size: L500cm (5M) x W1.4cm x T0.3cm

Package: 1 X 5 Meters / Reel

View angle:120°

Working Input Voltage: 12VDC

Working Current/meter: 1.2A

Output power: 36W /5 Meter

Working Tempreture:-20° to 50°

Drive Mode:Contant Voltage

That makes a lot more sense, but generally the 5050 LEDs draw 20mA per colour per LED and if each section is made up of 3 x 5050 LEDs then the calculated current rating should be

50 section to a 5 metre strip

50 x 0.02amps = 1 amp per colour

So based on the calculated load and the normal specs for the 5050 LED then either the strip you have is over driving the LEDs due to the resistor value used or the 5050 LEDs used have a different forward current rating compared to most 5050 LEDS used, or it just may be a rating with a safety factor added. Either way the total measured current will always be below that of the calculated current due to voltage drop on a dumb strip or string.

[Santas Helper]

wait, are you thinking of plugging a wallwart into an AC controller? Bad juju.. have it power the DC board, thats it.

Been doin it for over 5 years. And yes, they power DC boards pretty good too.

No special wallwarts as presumed earlier in this thread. I buy them at thrift stores for a buck or so each.

Bad juju? nah, not in over 5 years. Just in some folks mind-set from other's false logic.

[edvas69]

Been doin it for over 5 years. And yes, they power DC boards pretty good too.

No special wallwarts as presumed earlier in this thread. I buy them at thrift stores for a buck or so each.

Bad juju? nah, not in over 5 years. Just in some folks mind-set from other's false logic.

Can you provide details on what you are using and how its connected and is it AC or DC low voltage output power supplies, transformer or electronic type, as not all power supplies are the same. So you may have had great success in 5 years but further info on what is being used and how may help make the picture a lot clearer for us all and possibly clear up any confusion.

[Santas Helper]

Can you provide details on what you are using and how its connected and is it AC or DC low voltage output power supplies, transformer or electronic type, as not all power supplies are the same. So you may have had great success in 5 years but further info on what is being used and how may help make the picture a lot clearer for us all and possibly clear up any confusion.

Yes, I can.

It's DC 12v output since this is the subject at hand. And it's a wallwart (transformer) transforming AC to DC. And not to be a smart a$$, you hook up the wallwart the same way you would hook up an RGB strand/string to a DC controller. Pos to pos, neg to neg.

It's not rocket science.

Again, I'm not being a smart a$$ but that's it. Plain and simple. Many people don't want to think it can work because they have been told differently.

And all I am doing is providing an option to the OP that has RGB/LED and residential controllers, which I have been there, done that. It can and has been done.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Santas Helper

[edvas69]

Yes, I can.

It's DC 12v output since this is the subject at hand. And it's a wallwart (transformer) transforming AC to DC. And not to be a smart a$$, you hook up the wallwart the same way you would hook up an RGB strand/string to a DC controller. Pos to pos, neg to neg.

It's not rocket science.

Again, I'm not being a smart a$$ but that's it. Plain and simple. Many people don't want to think it can work because they have been told differently.

And all I am doing is providing an option to the OP that has RGB/LED and residential controllers, which I have been there, done that. It can and has been done.

I know your not being a smart arse and I appreciate the reply so people can become more educated with their options,

So I presume the walwart you are using has a solid transformer inside and most probably a bridge rectifier inside to convert the low voltage AC signal to DC. These should work with dimming and fast switching but its definetly not good practice as this creates additional heat within the transformer that can result in failure and possible fire, these transformer type walwarts for DC use are becoming more rare with the cheap switch mode walwarts being used mostly these days. The electronic switch mode walwarts will not dim and will not like very fast switching and will most probably fail if used in this manner.

So you are correct that you can do it this way and you have proven it works, but its not good practice and wont work if using a switch mode walwart which most people these days will end up getting.

[Steven]

So I presume the walwart you are using has a solid transformer inside and most probably a bridge rectifier inside to convert the low voltage AC signal to DC.

Most likely the transformers in these wall warts are cheap, meaning they are inefficient, which means they have a high series resistance, which acts as a "snubber", limiting the voltage spikes that normally happen when an inductive load is dimmed.

So if you want cheap, go to garage sales and buy a bunch of cheap 12v wall warts.