5V or 12V smart pixels in Mega Tree

[beckntrav]

Planning to build a new mega tree this year using smart pixels and pixcon16 controllers. I do not have the lights or power supplies yet. My plan is to use 60 strands up to 25' long.

 

1. Should I use 5V or 12V lights?

2.  Each pixcon16 channel has a max load of 4 amps. As long as I get the correct power supply, am I correct in saying I can use more 12V lights per channel than 5V?

300 led @ .7w per led = 21 \ 5volt  = 4.2a

300 led @ .7w per led = 21 \ 12volt  = 1.75a

 

 

 

[jerrymac]

12 volt are higher consumption and less efficiency but will suffer less from voltage drop.   At 25' for each string you will have to inject power to both ends of the string with 5 volt and may need to with 12 volt depends on a lot of things. since power supplies are inexpensive I would use 12 volt for pixels (5 volt for strips).

[beckntrav]

Makes sense.

Thank you

[k6ccc]

Each has their advantages and disadvantages.  One think to keep in mind.  The vast majority of 5V nodes (either strips or strings of one variety or another) are a single RGB LED that is controlled independently, whereas the majority of 12 nodes are are three LEDs in series that are controlled together.  In the case of strips, you get three adjacent LEDs that light up the same.  In the case of nodes, it might be three adjacent nodes, or for modules, it is usually three RGB LEDs in a single module.  There are 12V single nodes, but they do waste a lot of power.  What you use depends on what are are trying to accomplish.  I am using both 5V and 12V devices in my yard in different situations.  I would point you to my website where there are photos of everything that I have in service, but right now my web server is flat on it's backsides with it's feet pointed to the sky (so to speak).

 

[George Simmons]

I like the idea of 12V because I'm not wild about injecting power.  The way I use strips and nodes, I don't need to inject power anywhere with 12V.  For me, that keeps things just a little simpler.

If you're going to use a mix of the two, you need to keep EXTREMELY accurate records of what you have used where.  Powering 12V RGB with 5 volts isn't going to do much more than frustrate you.  Powering 5V RGB with 12 volts will almost always mean the sudden death of those pixels/nodes.

[k6ccc]

27 minutes ago, George Simmons said:

I like the idea of 12V because I'm not wild about injecting power.  The way I use strips and nodes, I don't need to inject power anywhere with 12V.  For me, that keeps things just a little simpler.

If you're going to use a mix of the two, you need to keep EXTREMELY accurate records of what you have used where.  Powering 12V RGB with 5 volts isn't going to do much more than frustrate you.  Powering 5V RGB with 12 volts will almost always mean the sudden death of those pixels/nodes.

+ about 1,000 what George said in the second paragraph!

Ironically, I'm having to inject power on 12V stuff, but not on 5V.

My pixel tree and star are 5V (because I needed individual LED control) as are the GECE bulbs (don't have a choice with those).  All of the year round landscape strips (both smart and dumb) are 12V.  When I add the Coro Candy Canes for Christmas this year, they will be 12V, but a bunch more GECE bulbs are 5V.  I have the power supplies REALLY REALLY REALLY well marked.  Up until next Christmas it a no brainer since the only PS added at Christmas is the pixel tree and star and the cable arrangement makes that really hard to miss.  With a little rebuild of the tree this year, the power supply will be mounted on the tree, so it would be impossible to mix up!

 

 

[jerrymac]

Can NOT caution enough about marking strings and triple checking every time you connect, if you have a both 5 and 12 volt pixels.   I mark mine with Red or Green Electrical tape at both ends.  

Even with this safe guard unfortunately I applied 12 volts to a 5 volt strip (even worse twice after fixing the dead pixels the first time  to the same strip).

Magic smoke in  GOOD  !  Magic smoke out BAD !!!

[BMurray]

I use 12v for my pixels and strips (dumb and smart). I know there are benefits of 5v but it just makes.my life easier workout having to worry about different voltages and power supplies.