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Building my RGB features. What wires?


Klayfish

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I need to get on the stick and get my RGB features built, so that I can actually use them this year.  All I'm trying to build is one arch and two starbursts.  I have all the hardware...SanDevice, PSU, nodes, etc...now I just need to build it.  I've gotten a lot of help from Ron (thanks!!!) on how to set it up.  But before I get there, I'm still at step one.  Mounting the hardware into the box and wiring it.  I don't have any wires but plan to run to Home Depot.  What gauge wires do you use?  I'm using 5V RGB, so I'll need to inject power.  Can I use the same gauge wires for that? 

 

RGB is completely new to me, I've never used it before, so I'm learning as I go.  I move VERY slowly on doing this stuff, due to lack of time.  Heck, I've been working on the sequencing in SS since late 2013 and just now have 7 songs finished.

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18 gauge minimum, IMO. 16 gauge if you can make it work. Make certain it stranded. For some reason the multiple strands carry current further without drop. I don't know the reasoning for it, but Doug, Jeff and Andy tested it last year at the mini. Multiple strands were far more superior than a few larger strands.

Edited by Ron Boyd
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Thanks Ron.  So the 18 gauge will work for both connecting the SanDevice to PSU, as well as power injection?

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Thanks Ron.  So the 18 gauge will work for both connecting the SanDevice to PSU, as well as power injection?

When doing my power injection,

I've been using my leftover spt1 from making power cords, has worked well for me

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Most SPT-1 and SPT 2 is 18 gauge stranded wire, which is the reason I mentioned it. It's usually the most readily available and it's most likely, the least expensive.

 

I use a lot of this wire too, for injection as well as, controller to pixel string.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR3.TRC2.A0.H0.X4+conductor+speaker+wire.TRS0&_nkw=4+conductor+speaker+wire&_sacat=0

 

It works also and you can inject 2 spots, from 1 wire. When buying this wire though, I go up to the 16 gauge. If you're using 3 wire pixels, just snip off the extra conductor.

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Thanks Ron.  So the 18 gauge will work for both connecting the SanDevice to PSU, as well as power injection?

Personally between a 350W PS and SanDevice I use (2) 16AWG...for each input. If using dual 350W PS, then I use 12AWG for each. I use a 30A inline fuse between them as well.

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Technically if you have a 30 amp card, two banks of 15, then you should be using two runs of 14 awg wire.

 

Max amps per awg:

 

18 awg - 7 amps

16 awg - 10 amps

14 awg - 15 amps

12 awg - 20 amps

10 awg - 30 amps

 8 awg - 40 amps

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  • 3 weeks later...

OK, what am I doing wrong?  :huh:  This is all totally new to me, so I'm sure it's something elementary for you guys.  I'm working on wiring the PSU to my E682.  I'm using 16 gauge stranded wire.  I got spade connectors and got the wires connected to the PSU properly (I think).  But how do I get the other end connected to the PSU?  I stripped a little of the end and inserted it into the block in the E682.  But when I turn the flathead screw and tighten it down, as soon as I wiggle the wires, I'm able to pull them right back out.  What's the trick to securing them?

 

Also, one more ridiculous question...getting power to the PSU.  Do you use a homemade cord with SPT?

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On the screw down terminals on the controller make sure to untighten before putting the wire in.  I don't know the technical term but the way it works is there is a bar that drops when you loosen and then rises that pinches the wire when it's tightened.  When getting power to the power supply I've used old plugs I've cut off other things before throwing them away.  You can make your own, just make sure that it has the ground as well. (3 Wires)

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18 gauge minimum, IMO. 16 gauge if you can make it work. Make certain it stranded. For some reason the multiple strands carry current further without drop. I don't know the reasoning for it, but Doug, Jeff and Andy tested it last year at the mini. Multiple strands were far more superior than a few larger strands.

Maybe the skin effect. Though that is usually more predominate with higher frequencies.

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Now that you know it works klayfish , watch how many times it still happens!!!

Boy you said a mouth full there. LOL  Been there to many times and sometimes several times. But in my defense I have to say that I cant always see the opening. And it helps to twist the wires so that it gets a better grip. Oh and I have seen it where the screw head rises but the gate does not lower. Fix is to give a little push on the screw head to make sure the guts are in the right place.

  • Like 1
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Got that wire set up done.  Before I try to plug this thing in, I want to be 100% sure I have it right. Do you guys use a 3 prong extension cord to connect it to the PSU or do you use the standard polarized two blade?  If using a two blade, can you confirm for me which blade is connected to which spot on the PSU?

Edited by Klayfish
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Three prong, black is Line (L), white is Neutral (N), and green or copper is Ground (multiple straight lines that get smaller). All three will be side by side.

Edited by Mr. P
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  • 2 weeks later...

OK, next step.  I got it wired up and the LEDs are light as the manual says it should.  Now it says to plug a string in.  But how??  I have both strips and nodes, each 5V.  The black connector at the end of them doesn't fit into the green blocks on top of the E682.  I see that each end of the strip has a different connector, and that they're meant to plug into each other, so you can have multiple strings.  But for connecting the first string to the E682, do I just cut off the connector?  Which end?

Edited by Klayfish
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If your using smart pixels look very close on the pixels for an arrow the arrow should point away from controller on dumb pixels cut either end.

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Yes, they're smart pixels, but the end that would have the arrows pointing away from the controller is the smaller end.  It doesn't seem to fit into the green block on the 1-1 of the E682.  I cut the end off and wired it into the block.  Red into  V+, green into data and white into ground.  The very first RGB in the strip is now lit greenish color.  But according to the E682 manual, it should be doing a test chase.  On the E682, the three yellow LEDs are lit.  The red LED above it is lit and the green one at the top is flashing green quickly.

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Double checked on the pixels, and I've got it correct.  It's a 3 wire pixel.  The end I have connected had a connector with all three wires on it, but there were also one extra red and white wire coming out.  Do I need to connect those into the block too?  Is it possible the test pattern wasn't enabled on the board (how would I check)?  I don't have it connected to my computer at all, but if I read the E682 manual correctly, I don't need to in order to just run the test pattern.

Edited by Klayfish
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