Please help me understand RGB smart strips 30/10 or 60/20

[TheSignGuy]

I have my reasons, I know the issues but they are a better option for a project I might be working on.

If they both have technically 50 pixels per string per 2.5m why is one better then the other. Or should I ask why you would use one over the other and please give a best case scenario if you don't mind. LOL

I have 8 strips of what I believe are 30/10 (1 chip per 3 - R,G,B pixels) but each strip is 158" long 13ft 2 in. I'm trying to figure out what I did wrong because not all of the pixels worked in a sequence last year 2020. They were good when testing and I was on S4 so the config could have been messed up....

 

 

[Jimehc]

30LED's / 10 Pixels Per Meter ( 5 Meters would be 150 LED's / 50 Pixels )

60 LED's / 20 Pixels per Meter ( 5 Meters would be 300 LED's / 100 Pixels )

At 2.5 Meters only the 60/20 would have 50 Pixels - the 30/10 would have 25 Pixels

[TheDucks]

And for our purposes 1 chip is 3 channels not 9 (I am guessing you counted LEDS)

[TheSignGuy]

The strips I have are 120 LED's (40 chips X 3 LED's = 1 pixel (right)) what would that still make them 30/10?

[TheDucks]

4 minutes ago, TheSignGuy said:

The strips I have are 120 LED's (40 chips X 3 LED's = 1 pixel (right)) what would that still make them 30/10?

I am going to reverse myself on what you show. you have a 14 pin chip instead of 8 pins.

Note each LED has 3 current limit resistors. That makes me think these ARE 9 channels

[TheSignGuy]

So that is how I sequenced them, I assumed after some testing ( I can't remember ) that each light was a pixel and 3 channels each. I'll have to do more testing when I bring the controllers back in.

 

Does that make these strips not so normal???

 

Because the strips I have are twice as long then the normal 2.5m strips they would work better. But I'm also trying to figure out the total wattage of these strips, and I'm lost.. I might just have to test until I pop a fuse... LOL

 

Thanks for the reply's!

 

[k6ccc]

26 minutes ago, TheSignGuy said:

Because the strips I have are twice as long then the normal 2.5m strips

"Normal" strips ARE 5 meters - not 2.5 meters.

 

[TheDucks]

53 minutes ago, TheSignGuy said:

Because the strips I have are twice as long then the normal 2.5m strips they would work better. But I'm also trying to figure out the total wattage of these strips, and I'm lost.. I might just have to test until I pop a fuse... LOL

 

Thanks for the reply's!

 

That is what Ammeters are for. 🙂 If you are lucky to have a DC clamp type, just clamp it over the + from the PSU (lights OFF) and note the reading.

then turn 1 string at 100% Single color at a time, note the reading. add the 3 readings (saves fuses)

If you have an old school (inline) type, lift the + going to the string and connect the (10A) inputs between + and the string

[k6ccc]

6 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

If you have an old school (inline) type, lift the + going to the string and connect the (10A) inputs between + and the string

Much easier way.  Pull the fuse for that string out of the controller.  Connect the amp meter (in Amps mode if a multi-meter) across the terminals where the fuse would have been.  Measure current as above.

BTW, especially for DC, I trust an in-line meter over a clamp on when given a choice.

 

[Jimehc]

In your case with your Ribbon as pictured.. You have 120 LED's and they are sequenced as 40 Pixels (Three LED's Per Pixel )

[TheDucks]

@k6ccc I keep forgetting 😐 the fuse. I have a bunch of Gen 1 Pixie4's that only had a Board fuse.