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Problem with WS2811 square pixels


Paul R

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I received some WS2811 square pixel strings and have not been able to get them to work with my E682. I have been working with them in my spare time for a few weeks trying to diagnose the problem, which I figured was probably pilot error due to this being my first year with pixels.

 

After working with continuity testers, multimeters and such trying to determine if I have power in the right places I noticed something. On the back of the pixels stamped into the control IC chip is an arrow, which I assume is intended to indicate wiring direction. Does the arrow indicate the direction the current should be flowing...i.e. the head of the arrow should point away from the controller board?

 

If so, my pixels are wired backwards.

 

Thanks,

Paul

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The arrow indicates data flow direction (data in   ->  data out )  must be wired in this order.   

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Then mine are wired backwards. They came pre-wired with pigtails and I have not been able to get them to work. I now know why. the arrows all point towards the control board.

 

Thanks!

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Yep arrows point away from the control board but in your case sounds like they point away.

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Emailed vendor and he has confirmed that they were wired backwards. The vendor is going to work with me to resolve. Evidently 2 other customers reported the same problem shortly after I did (...wondering if they saw this post)

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I've got the same WS2811 pixels I'm going to use this year. Reading all the documentation before I ordered them, it was clear the data flow goes from the input to the output of each little board inside of the pixels. I don't know how you bought your strings or how they were configured for you in whatever fixture you might have bought, but just re-wire the other end to your controller output so that the data wire is going into the input of the string and the arrow points to the next pixel. The two power wires are also critical that you get those connected on the correct sides of the pixel...one wire will say "GND" on the board itself...which is the ground or negative power wire. The opposite side will be the positive power.

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Simple solution might be to remove and resoder the pig tails. 

If you look at the module itself you should see "neg" (for negative power connection),

+ 12V (or +5V) (Posative power)

"DI" on one side (this is where the data enters the module, from the controller),

"DO" on the other side (this is where the data flows to the next module).    the arrows should have pointed from DI  side to DO side.

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They're all labelled differently. You will see some form of neg or gnd or - along with a + or +V and a data or D or DI. You can figure out what's what but the arrow is very important as these are definitely one way devices.

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I should clarify. Only the data line is unidirectional. You can power the string from either end.

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I could rewire them myself, but there are 2 issues

 

1) Each string came prewired with pigtails and also the board came with pigtails prewired. It was advertised as "Plug-n-play". I would prefer to avoid having to cut and resolder myself as that would invalidate any corrosion warranty provided by the vendor (or any other warranty for that matter).

 

and most important:

 

2) I plugged and powered up a few of the strings already. When I discovered them not working, I tried plugging in several of the strings to see if I just had 1 or 2 bad strings. I am betting that the last pixel on each string (the closest to the E682) may be damaged now due to receiving data pushed in through the out port. I thought of rewiring one correctly to see if it burned out the pixel, but at this point I feel I should just wait to see what the vendor is going to do and not risk the possibility of being denied replacement if I mess with them further.

 

-Paul

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If it was just the data line wired backwards, it might survive without issue but the power lines reversed, it might very well not survive. So yes, if its a warranty matter, then let them replace them all for you.

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Come again?

Sorry Max was in a little hurry. With his wiring being reversed the arrows will be point toward his controller. Power can be supplied any place on the string but data can only flow one direction. I would wait and see what the vendor does but they can still be used the way they are. Hook all of them up and switch end. Mark cables so I know which way data flows. Heck even with arrows I still hook them up backwards. LOL

 

Jeff

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