Setup with ECG P2 for six pixel strips

[marsh28]

I want to ease into pixels and only plan on using six strips next year to outline the six windows of my house.  To save money, I plan on using the ECG P2 controller.  My planned setup is as follows:

 

Computer -> Network Switch (b/c I'll also be running DMX) -> ECG P2 controller (powered by DC Power supply) to........

 

---> Port 1 -> 350 watt power supply -> 3 strips

 

----> Port 2 -> 350 watt power supply -> 3 strips.

 

What are people's thoughts on this setup.  Also, what type of power supply shoudl I use for the ECG P2 controller?  Thanks a bunch.

[Ron Boyd]

I'm running 800 pixels off of 1 of these

Depending on how much draw on the strips I would think you would only need 1 also.

 

For a more in depth answer, we need a bit more information, 5v or 12v pixels, how many pixels per meter, current draw, distance of wire to PS to pixel strips, etc, etc.

[marsh28]

the strips would be the 12 v 2811 at 10 pixels per meter (like the  LOR CCR).  The distance between the controller and the initial strip would be less than five feet.  The distance between strips would be less than 3 feet.

 

BTW, I think I'd need to use a power injection between strips.  Is this right?

[Ron Boyd]

Typically, power injection about every 50 pixels. I'm going to use 5V, 2811s and will inject every 50. As far as the 12V, I don't think there is as much power drop-off, but to be safe, go ahead and check the draw at the PS, first pixel and then the last.

IMHO, I would power inject every 50. Take a look at this and it will show how the power drops off as you go down the line. Other than that, the set-up looks right to me.

 

harrison0550 uses the J1Sys stuff. Send him a PM and I'm sure he can get you straightened out.

 

Hope I didn't confuse you.

[marsh28]

Typically, power injection about every 50 pixels. I'm going to use 5V, 2811s and will inject every 50. As far as the 12V, I don't think there is as much power drop-off, but to be safe, go ahead and check the draw at the PS, first pixel and then the last.

IMHO, I would power inject every 50. Take a look at this and it will show how the power drops off as you go down the line. Other than that, the set-up looks right to me.

 

harrison0550 uses the J1Sys stuff. Send him a PM and I'm sure he can get you straightened out.

 

Hope I didn't confuse you.

NOpe.  You make perfect sense.  Btw, what power supply do you use for the injections?  Would the 12V 150 watt  power supplies ray wu sells be sufficient?

[Ron Boyd]

This is what I'm using for my 12V pixels and Nodes

Ill actually inject from the same PS that powers the pixels from the board. The way im doing it on my Pixtree is, two outputs to E682, and then to pixel #1. Then the remaining output on the PS, goea to a barrier terminal strip which will power inject to pixel 100. Im also using another terminal strip as a graund block. PS 5v- to ground block-->pixel 100 5v- on each run of 100

Edited June 4, 2013 by Ron Boyd

[john fulkerson]

off of 1 350 watt power supply I run 8 strips and 550 dumb pixels on a ps1  e682 controller

and have no power problems at all

at 12 volts

[Frybread]

This #1. Then the remaining output on the PS, goea to a barrier terminal strip which will power inject to pixel 100. Im also using another terminal strip as a graund block. PS 5v- to ground block-->pixel 100 5v- on each run of 100

I plan on trying to do the samevthing but I do not understand the "barrier terminal strip" and another terminal strip as a ground block.

Do you have a picture?

[Ron Boyd]

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Cooper-Bussmann/TB300-04B/?qs=9GX7soZQXxEOJwyBTSSCvw%3D%3D&gclid=CNzey7a_t7gCFUOd4Aodr2sAmg

 

Power in to one screw, use wire jumpers to tie all on one side together the empty screws will all be powered then. If you use an eight terminal block, you'll have 8 power outlets for injection.

 

This drawing may shed a little more light

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2013 by Ron Boyd

[TonyD]

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Cooper-Bussmann/TB300-04B/?qs=9GX7soZQXxEOJwyBTSSCvw%3D%3D&gclid=CNzey7a_t7gCFUOd4Aodr2sAmg

 

Power in to one screw, use wire jumpers to tie all on one side together the empty screws will all be powered then. If you use an eight terminal block, you'll have 8 power outlets for injection.

 

This drawing may shed a little more light

 

Power injection.zip

 

I think I misunderstood how power injection worked in general. I thought you had to actually have the power supply nearer the next strip to avoid voltage loss in the wire itself. But it seems like you can have a more "central" power supply and have multiple runs to different points even if the length of the wire itself gets to be rather long?

[Ron Boyd]

I promise, there are more folks on here that know a ton more about this than I do, but here goes: This pertains to 5v WS 2811 pixels, because that's primarily what I'm using.

 

My Pixel tree will consist of 16 legs, 50 pixels per leg. I will only be running 360 channels of the 5th universe on the E682. So, instead of running 16 outputs with 50 pixels each and wasting 6 Universes and change, I will be using 8 outputs of 100 pixels.

 

Now in my research and question asking on the different forums, WS2811 pixels need power roughly about every 50. My E682 will have a single one of these;  http://www.diyledexpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20&products_id=162&zenid=400fb1adf8eefc3c22b8c4f7a9a9f8bc 

1 output on the PS supplying power to the first 8 outputs of the board, and then a second PS output supplying power to the other 8 outputs. The third output on the PS, will go to the Barrier Strip and then I will take each of the 5v+ and inject the power at pixel 100. In essence, powering the string of pixels at both ends.

 

My Power supply/E682 enclosure will be mounted on the pole for the pixel tree. In another enclosure I will have 2 Barrier strips, one for 5v+ and one for 5v-, with the negative leads going to the negative side of the pixel wires. Some folks have spoken of tying all of the Negatives together, but I haven't delved into that discussion. I figure if I'm going to use an enclosure for the positive terminal strip, I might as well put a negative one in there too. 

 

To your point of the power run for injection being long, the longer the run, the thicker the wire you'l need. Mine is 16 gauge if I remember correctly. Of course the actual wire on the pixels will also give you a power drop. 

 

This link will probably explain it way better than I can;  http://blog.holidaycoro.com/2013/05/a-demonstration-of-effects-of-power.html

 

I hope this helps,

Ron

[Ron Boyd]

David at Holiday Coro posted this a little while ago:

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/27083-120v-rgb-dumb-strips/?p=257585

 

Check it out, some really good info there.

[TonyD]

Ron, thanks for the reply.

Tony

[plasmadrive]

Typically, power injection about every 50 pixels. I'm going to use 5V, 2811s and will inject every 50. As far as the 12V, I don't think there is as much power drop-off, but to be safe, go ahead and check the draw at the PS, first pixel and then the last.

IMHO, I would power inject every 50. Take a look at this and it will show how the power drops off as you go down the line. Other than that, the set-up looks right to me.

 

harrison0550 uses the J1Sys stuff. Send him a PM and I'm sure he can get you straightened out.

 

Hope I didn't confuse you.

Did you mean 150 pixels or 50 pixels.    I use 5 meter strips and they have 30 pixels per meter.. I have had no need to inject power in anything shorter then that.. 

[Ron Boyd]

50. I don't use strips, I use individual lights. My understanding is Power injection every 50 pixels or 50 ICs.