Pixie16 - Must every channel have the same number of pixels?

[KYHI]

My first introduction to LOR was through through their store...

But for me, based upon this conversation - A custom  Built Pixie16 Controller is the way to go

[KYHI]

Seem (To Me) that the PI requirement is do to the undersized power supply provided in the package deal

Which (to me) means I can get an extra 256 Feet of Ribbon per controller by going custom

Edited December 17, 2020 by KYHI

[KYHI]

Thanks Dibble, I already have that manual - not that I understood it all when first read... Your insight Helped a lot...

[dibblejr]

1 hour ago, KYHI said:

Thanks Dibble, I already have that manual - not that I understood it all when first read... Your insight Helped a lot...

If building your own I suggest adding an external data port. Its one extra hole in the enclosure. The ones i use can be had at HC for around $7. It adds piece of mind that is anything trips on a cable that the internal port will not be damaged.

I have been adding them to my controllers and ones I build for members since HC began selling them.

I have a lot of deer here and learned my lesson the hard way but at least I had a reflow station to reposition the damaged port and get it back in place. That pixie has worked since beta 2017 without fail.

Glad I could be of assistnance.

Happy Lighting

JR 

[k6ccc]

3 hours ago, KYHI said:

Seem (To Me) that the PI requirement is do to the undersized power supply provided in the package deal

Power supply (or lack thereof) is frequently NOT the issue that requires power injection.  Pixel strings and strips simply don't have large enough wire to carry the current for long strings - and it's not practical nor reasonable to do so.  On my Pixel tree (100 pixels per string running at 5 volts), I am feeding power injection at the end of each string.  The PI is coming from the same power supply as what is feeding the controller end of each string.  Without the PI, the voltage is low enough at the end of the strings, that they simply won't function.  Prior to getting the PI hooked up, the solution was to drop the level on those strings in the pixel controller to 30%.  Even at that, with the strings at full white, I could see a little bit of herringbone pattern in the pixels near the end of the strings.

 

[KYHI]

1 hour ago, k6ccc said:

The PI is coming from the same power supply as what is feeding the controller end of each string

That is the same as with running low voltage landscape lighting - run a power loop

[k6ccc]

36 minutes ago, KYHI said:

That is the same as with running low voltage landscape lighting - run a power loop

Very similar concept.

 

[KYHI]

Been doing a little research in regards to LED wattage, power supplies and power injection

The 12v 5050 RGB LED's are listed at .3w / LED

The Round & Square are (1) LED / Pixel

The C9 Bulbs are (2) LED's / Pixel

The Ribbons are (3) LED's / Pixel

(1) 50 Pixel 12v Ribbon is 45w

(1) 50 Pixel 12v C9 String is 30w

(1) 50 Pixel 12v Round/Square String is 15w

The 12v Pixie Controllers are Max Rated @ 4A 48w / Output Port

12 Volt Power Injection is recommended every 300 LED's due to voltage drop

150 Pixel Control Channels / Pixie Port - seems to the Normal Design for Hardware and Software

I can now figure the correct Power Supply needs for my Pixie Setup

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by KYHI

[k6ccc]

3 hours ago, KYHI said:

The 12v Pixie Controllers are Max Rated @ 4A 48w / Output Port

That is about the only one of those listed that you can count on.  BTW, the Pixie does not care (within it's limits) what the voltage is - the only part of that that matters is the current.

There are so many variations on the rest that you need to look up (or better - measure) the pixels that you will actually be using.  I have no doubt that you find listed specs matching what you listed, but that does not mean that all similar pixels are the same as the ones you looked up.  String length also frequently depends on the wire used in the pixels - some are FAR better than other.

There are in very general terms, higher power LEDs and lower power LEDs.  In WS2811 pixels, the more common higher power ones draw between 55 and 60 milliAmp when at full white.  The lower power LEDs are around half that.  The current is the same for 5V vs 12V pixels, so the power draw is 2.4 times larger with 12V pixels.  Now to really confuse the issue.  For the most part, on 5V pixels, there is one RGB LED per 2811 chip.  On 12 volt pixels it gets more complex.   With 12V pixel strings, in MOST (not all) cases, there is also one RGB LED per 2811 chip.  With 12 volt ribbons, it is VERY common to have three RGB LEDs in series with one control chip.  Here is an example of that (if your browser does not display the photo, click the link below):

http://www.newburghlights.org/photos/Planter_strip_backfeed.jpg

 

[k6ccc]

3 hours ago, KYHI said:

12 Volt Power Injection is recommended every 300 LED's due to voltage drop

Rough rule of thumb is 100 pixels for 12 volts and 50 pixels for 5 volts.  It VARIES A LOT.  The photo in my previous post is 94 pixels (282 RGB LEDs) at 12V, and about 3 feet of 16 AWG wire between the pixel controller and the first pixel.  I absolutely had to power inject.  At full white, the voltage without PI at the end of the string was about eight volts and it looked terrible. In fact, the photo is the end of the string where I am injecting power.

My pixel tree runs at 5 volts and with 100 pixels per string, and no PI, I had to run the controller set down to 30% to keep from having visible issues at the end of the strings.

 

[KYHI]

Yeah, If you are pushing 500 watts on a 720 watt draw - there will be a voltage Issues down the line...

[KYHI]

Using your example of 282 LED's that is 84.5 watts - 7.05 Amps - so Yes if using a Pixie Controller Port - you need power injection...

Edited December 19, 2020 by KYHI

[k6ccc]

It was not a Pixie controller, but power from the controller was not the issue.  Voltage drop in the wiring of the ribbons themselves were the issue.  There was so much resistance in the ribbons that it would not draw enough power from the controller.  I was getting about 5 volts of drop in 30 feet of ribbon with the ribbon in full white.

 

[rmturner54]

I dont have any pixels yet, but I do have plenty of DMX items that require PI in 1 spot in my display. Yes you have to be mindful of the wire size in any situation as far as current is concerned. Power injection has to do more with voltage or lack of voltage(meaning the voltage drop from 1 end to the other).  If you have 12v at the front and 7v at the end, most likely what ever you are trying to light up will suffer.