Agreed! I just recently started designing my own PCBs. I find that addictive as well. And oh yeah... mistakes will happen! I could fill a barrel with all the parts I've fried or otherwise destroyed over the years. But you are 100% correct... that is all part of the learning process. I think the fear of 'messing up' is what stops a lot of beginners from trying. But you accidently reverse the polarity on a component and you generate a little "magic smoke". OK... you destroyed a $3 part... but that is probably the cheapest schooling you are ever going get! Thanks for taking time to leave a comment.

Thanks.... I'm glad you find them helpful. My videos do tend to be a bit longer than most, but I like to include the "why" as well as the "how" so that someone who might be a little newer to these types of projects can understand how to take my build or project and possibly modify it for their own particular needs. Thanks for watching... and thanks for taking the time to comment!

Thanks Rodney! I appreciate it.

You are welcome. I'm glad you thought it was a helpful video. Thanks for posting a comment.

Thanks! I was hoping to maybe inspire some folks that have told me that other soldered versions seemed too complicated... or they simply didn't feel they could solder. My goal here was to show how simple it really could be... to at least try out the features of WLED and LED strips. Thanks for watching... and the kind comment!

You are most welcome! Hopefully you found something helpful for your own projects. Thanks for watching and taking the time to post a comment.

You are very welcome! Thank you so much for the kind words. I do try to include some of the "why" as opposed to just the "how" so maybe people can take an idea I show and adapt it to their own projects. Thanks for taking time to leave a comment. I do appreciate it!

Thanks Seth! While it's not what I'd build or recommend for a permanent installation, I've just had so many people say that they'd like to try this out, but felt it was too complicated or that they didn't have the ability to solder. So I wanted to make a true "beginner's build" that was simple and would allow folks to at least try out LED strips and WLED. As always, thanks for watching and I greatly appreciate your comment!

I'm glad you are going to give it a shot. I think you'll be surprised at how easy it really is... and how amazing the results will be. Of course, just let me know if you have any questions or run into problems along the way!

It took me all day, but the D4 was one pin off. Once I figured that out, it worked like a charm. Again, thank you so much for your videos.

You're welcome! I'm glad you found it easy to understand. I was trying to show folks that believed building a DIY LED controller really isn't difficult.. and didn't require a bunch of specialty tools or skills to make it work. Thanks for watching... and taking the time to leave a comment!

Those extra wires are there in case you need to do power injection. For longer runs of LEDs, resistance will cause the voltage to drop, eventually leading to the lights fading/changing colors. These extra wires are provided so you can "inject" 5V and GND from your power supply along the strip to boost the voltage back up. For shorter runs (say around 300 LEDs or less), you probably won't need power injection, so you can just ignore those extra wires. I'll actually be releasing a video next Saturday that talks about power injection, along with a lot of other common LED questions. But I'm sure you can also search for LED power injection and find lots of useful information. Thanks for watching... and your kind words!

Thanku so much for vedio i larning

Thanks! This was in response to a number of my other LED videos where I create a soldered version of the controller. Many people just starting out don't yet feel comfortable with soldering, so I thought I'd show a quick and easy way to at least try out building your own LED controller and to have a chance to play around a bit with the various WLED options before committing to building a more permanent version. Thanks for watching and taking a moment to leave a comment. I do appreciate it!

You are welcome. Glad you found the video helpful. Just be forewarned though... after you build your first controller, you'll be looking for a reason to build another one and someplace else you can put some LEDs! Thanks for watching and taking time to leave a comment. Good luck with your DIY LED journey and let me know if you have any questions along the way.

Thanks for the tip. I think what you are describing is a version of the "sacrificial pixel" method that I do talk about and cover in numerous other videos, both on the logic level shifter and various other LED videos. Depending upon someone's comfort level with soldering, how they opt to mount components, etc., the sacrificial pixel method can be easier or more difficult than using a bidirectional shifter that I show here. In fact, WLED even has an option to omit lighting up the first pixel is you are using the sacrificial pixel method so that you don't need to worry about trying to hide it or tuck it away... it will just be skipped and remain unlit for all colors and effects. And as I mentioned (and have received numerous comments about), you can often get away without a shifter at all if you keep the data lead short. My take and opinion is to always include some sort of level shifting on my controllers. Then I don't have to worry about a longer data lead or misbehaving LEDs due to poor signal voltage. But these are DIY projects and everyone is free to do it there way... including omitting a shifter altogether if desired. But I do appreciate you taking the time to post a comment and an alternate method. With nearly all projects that I do on my channel, there are multiple ways to get to the same end result. Thanks for watching!

@@ResinChemTech sorry its the first video of yours i have seen : ) And my comment was honestly directed to the viewers, i should have worded it better. It makes total sense to show the shifter in the video, which is the correct way of doing it. I just assumed some future viewer might find the sacrificial pixel trick useful after watching the right of way of doing it. P.s. Thanx i didnt know there was an option in WLED even hehe. I usually just use it normally or ignore it in the segment : ) Keep doing what you are doing.

Absolutely no apology needed! In fact, I love it when viewers may suggestions for alternative (and sometimes better) ways of tackling some projects. In fact, I've improved a couple of my own projects (e.g. sensors on my stair lights) based on suggestions from viewers. And I can always learn a new thing or two as well. I only mentioned the fact that I was aware of the sacrificial pixel method and have used it myself. This particular video came about from many other videos where I create a soldered version of the controller and heard that a lot of viewers were unable, unwilling or too intimidated to attempt soldering... but really wanted to try their own DIY LED strips. I tried to make this particular video as simple as possible for someone that might be starting out creating their very first controller. So, I just stuck with a pretty simple option for a level shifter... and didn't want to add to the complexity or confusion by introducing other options... like the sacrificial pixel, the SN74AHCT125 quad buffer gate shifter, etc. The hope is that if someone accomplishes this simple breadboard version, they might move on to more 'advanced' or soldered versions... where alternative shifting methods could be employed as well. But truly, I do appreciate the comment and the recommendation. Thanks!

That should work... but in addition to the "green" data line, you need to establish a common ground between the controller and the LEDs when they are powered by separate supplies (whether they are the same or different voltages). Otherwise, it is very likely that the LEDs are going to misbehave due to ground potential differences. You can run a ground from the controller to the LEDs along with the data line, or otherwise create a common ground elsewhere between the power supplies.

@@ResinChemTech Oh great tip, thank you for this! I didn't even think about it, I'll make sure they're connected by the same ground! The other thing I was thinking is if it's possible to use just the Govee Power Adapter as the power source for both and put in a resistor just before the ESP32 to drop the voltage down to 5v? Or would 36v going into the board be too much? I'm going to use an electrocookie as my board to mount the ESP32 onto. My idea is to have the 36v coming into the board and put jumpers to get the 36v to the other half of the elctrocookie and have it pass straight thru that side as 36v and the wires to my lights connect to that side of the board (using same ground). But on the side with the ESP32 add some circuitry to drop the voltage to 5v into the ESP32. This is my first attempt at this kind of electrical work so please ignore my ignorance if I'm way off base with this question/idea of mine and if what I'm thinking of isn't possible on a electrocookie board (or any board for that matter).

Funny isn’t it, I waste time on color when I use white often. I always go for the full amperage but I have a bit of OCD as my Electrical wiring tends to be done to code. Code is there for a reason and people can still cause fire burning up an unused DC line. So on a place like KZfaq with a video for beginners…I was so proud he didn’t mention the lack of concern so many show or say about not running white. I love my 275 + 90 LEDs on my garage and breezeway door and having them synchronize the effects is great but I use an HA automation for full white if my doorbell detects you in the driveway. I think we want these new people not to burn their houses down and come back to watch more. It is clear to me you can make decisions that are safe for you and your family. This is based on the cool stuff you show on your channel. Then your channel serves a different purpose and you have different goals. I make this comment because it is not your naïveté that concerns me but that of what I think is the target audience.

I agree that in most cases my LEDs, and probably most other people's, are primarily used for decorative lighting and will likely use colors and/or effects that result in significantly less amps than the theoretical maximum. But it does depend upon the particular project. My undercabinet lighting in the kitchen is routinely used on full bright white (for an extended time). And like you, my stair lights use a pattern and are only on for a few seconds at a time. But my wife does like to turn these lights on solid full bright white when vacuuming the stairs. So for me it isn't that I'd necessarily routinely use the LEDs at the maximum, but more about having the possibility to run them at full bright white without needing to worry about the power supply, even if I rarely do so. That's at least the approach I take... I want to have the availability for full power, even if I only need or use it on occasion. Thanks for the comment and feedback!

@@BELSERVICEMAN Fair points all.

@@ResinChemTech ​All excellent points.

Good point.. and thanks for the reminder. I almost always mention that pre-built controllers can be purchased in all my LED videos... but overlooked including that in this particular video. I appreciate you reminding folks that this is another option.

Good point and I initially tried to find controllers from the WLED wiki and what Amazon US offered was either over kill in power or not applicable to my use case. Have you had good success finding the built controllers?

@@BELSERVICEMAN Personally I have only used the QuinLED boards, the UNO and the Quad. He has came out with a simple plug and play option and also some more complicated boards you can stack depending on your needs, the latter are more in line with large to very large LED installations is my understanding. What I have seen is unless you have a very small amount of LEDs in your project a plug and play (DIY type) option probably is not going to do it for you.

@@Joseph-ko2kl Lots of respect for the Quindor Line and envious you have the use case. I don't have enough long LED runs yet to justify the cost AND they aren't available when I need one or could have used it.

Thanks! While I'd always recommend a soldered version for permanent installs, this is meant to for those folks that have wanted to try DIY LEDs, but can't... or don't want to... solder. Thanks for watching... and taking the time to comment.

You are welcome. WLED can use websockets, along with an HTTP and JSON API. You can see more about the available interfaces here: kno.wled.ge/interfaces/websocket/ While I have done a bit of custom stuff with LEDs and Arduino/C++ and FastLED... it's hard to beat the convenience and all the featuress baked into WLED. Good luck...let me know what you think if you try it.

@@ResinChemTech my mind is blown! Yes like you I know my way around an arduino and completely agree the convenience here is top notch! Just dig into the JSON api, and that’s exactly what I’m looking for! Fan - friggin - tastic! Thanks!

You can save any effect you want as a preset. Then under the LED settings, you can apply this saved preset as the default to run when the LED controller boots up or is powered on. I believe this is what you are asking. You can check out all the features and options of WLED on their official web site: kno.wled.ge/

I was only using 33 LEDs in my build (so around 2 amps max). As I mentioned, I wouldn't use the supplied connector for larger builds or for an extended length of time. I don't know the precise rating of the adapter, but you would think that if it was included with the power supply, it would be rated to handle the max current from the power supply. All I can say is that I have had a number burn out or fail, and internally I suspect the connections/traces are relatively thin. So personally I don't have confidence in them for higher current or for longer term/permanent use. The barrel connector that I briefly show, however, uses 18 gauge wire and is rated for up to 12A (at 5V). Anything higher than that is likely going to require a transformer style power supply and won't use these types of adapters anyway (although you can get some 15A power supplies in this 'brick style' power supply). And you can also get connectors with 16 gauge wire (although a different style) if you need higher current. But it is always a good idea to check all your components for their ratings vs. the maximum power you might pull. In all honestly, LED installs will generally draw significantly less than the max until you run on full bright white light... but you should always plan on the maximum for safety reasons.

Well, since you mentioned that the flickering only happens at higher brightness levels, it leads me to believe that it is a power injection issue and not a signal issue. When using two different power supplies (which I am assuming you are since you are running 24V LEDs and a 5V controller), it is important to create a common ground. But it sounds like you have already done that. You didn't mention how many LEDs you have, but I would try power injection first. If you don't have another convenient spot, inject 24V at the end of the strip as well as the power it is receiving at the end. If you don't see flickering at lower brightness, but only when the brightness is increased, then that is a voltage issue. If it was really a signal issue, you'd have the flickering issue regardless of brightness. That's my best guess anyway. I've pretty much only used 5V and 12V LEDs, so I don't have any personal direct experience with 24V COB LEDs.

The last color/effect, brightness, etc. will be retained if the LEDs are switched off, but not if power is completely removed from the controller. However, the controller allows you to set a preset that will automatically be loaded when power is applied to the controller. So, if you create a preset with the color(s) and pattern you want (e.g. chase) and set that as the 'boot default', then that is what will be loaded whenever power is applied to the controller and it boots up. Honestly, you can find a way to do just about anything you want in WLED in some manner or the other.

@@ResinChemTech Thank you so much for the quick reply; I greatly appreciate it. My guess is I'd keep the controller running and switch the LED strip on an off as needed. I assume I can wire a button into the microcontroller to do that (I have looked at your very helpful website). I'm totally comfortable soldering and have designed PCBs for my prop projects, so this should be very easy. I'm excited to play around with all this!

Yep... you can certainly add a button (or even two) to the controller. Each button can have a single press, double-press and long press... and each can have a different function for controlling the LEDs, including on/off, effect or color, brightness, etc. Good luck with you own project and don't hesitate to let me know if you run into any other questions.

@@ResinChemTech Another question as I plan out my project. Let's say I have a strip of 100 LEDs. Can I use WLED to make LEDs 1-80 do an animated chase pattern of some sort and have LEDs 81-100 glow solid green? Thanks again!

I found a tutorial that goes into segments, so it sounds like I can do what I've described pretty easily.

You are welcome. I'm glad you found the video helpful. As to your question, due to the current draw of the LEDs, if you try to power more than just a few LEDs (like more than 8 or 10) via the 5V pin on the ESP, the current draw will likely burn out the ESP... or you will have to run the LEDs at a very, very dim level to limit the current. You may want to watch my video on common LED questions ( kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fcCmaL2lz5zNZn0.html ). In the chapter on 'Wiring it Up', I start out talking about this exact thing... why you can't power the LED strip directly from the ESP. There may be other information in that video that you might find helpful, but I do address your exact question in that section of the video.

@@ResinChemTech Thank you very much bro

I don't personally have any experience with 24V, but have used 12V with a 5V controller. Most of my experience has been with WS2812b, WS2811 and SK6812. There are a few potential issues with flickering. Naturally an issue with the data signal is one. The other is due to ground potential differences. That is why if you do opt to use two different power supplies, you MUST create a common ground between the two. If you find it helpful, I have blog article with a bunch of different wiring diagrams... one of which is powering 12V LEDs and a 5V controller separately. This would be the same when using 24 V LEDs: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html There is also a remote possibility that the LEDs you are using are requiring timing that the regular I2C-compatible shifter can't handle. I've not personally experienced this, but other claim that they have. In that case you can try a shifter like the SN74ACHT125N shifter. If you want to know more about that, you can watch where I compared these two shifters here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bJeGisqK0tXRqmg.html And of course, voltage drop can cause the LEDs to misbehave. While it is true that 24V LEDs can support more LEDs before power injection is needed, if you've tried all other remedies, it is at least worthwhile to try injecting power along, or at the end of the strip, as a test and to just rule that out as a potential problem I hope that gives you a little more info and maybe points you in the right direction for finding and fixing the flickering issue.

@@ResinChemTech Wow! Thank you for the prompt response. This is truly amazing. I think you would really dig the project that I am working on. My apologies for not including more of the specifications in the original post of the COB style LEDs or the rest of the components. I wasn’t entire sure if people responded to comments on KZfaq. I have these really cool work pods that I purchased for my startup. They were formerly dressing rooms at Bloomingdale’s in Santa Monica before they went out of business. What caught my attention was that these dressing rooms are shaped like the thing that Jeff Goldblum goes into in the Fly. They were suspended from the ceiling suspended from the ceiling and would lower down with a winch. It took me 11 years from the first time I saw them and knew I wanted them as my work pods until the store went out of business and bought them from the liquidation company. What makes them cool is that the frame is made out of 6 evenly spaced concentric rings that have smaller diameters on the bottom and top, and get bigger towards the middle. The bottom and top rings have a circumference of about 15’ and they double in size to as the rings go towards the middle. The bottom and top ring have Velcro to attach the fabric that covers the pod, which will make it hard to run an LED strip, but maybe in time I will figure something out. My plan has always been to run LEDs around the rings and by using the chase effect the pods will look like big cork screws. I am trying to keep everything as simple ass possible, so I am using as much off of the shelf stuff as possible. I plan to put all of the electronics into an enclosure that is on the door to the pod because that is the best starting point. At the moment I am running everything off of a BTF-LIGHTING 24Volt 5Amp ( a.co/d/enK0nTP )power supply. For the LEDs I am using BTF-LIGHTING FCOB WS2811 IC RGB Chip Flexible High Density Uniform Light Chasing Color LED Strip DC24V 720LED/m ( a.co/d/h2NrX9p ). What is nice about these strips is that there are 100ICs per strip. So they do use the WS2811 IC RGB chip like you mentioned. Then I am planning on using one of many buck converters to bring the power down from 24V to 5V for the ESP32 Wroom board. From watching some of the KZfaq videos for people who have played with these COB style strips, I did not realize that I needed a logic level shifter. Some of the people suggested a 62ohm resistor from the data pin, but of course I only had 68ohm resistors. I went to the website for WLED where it suggested the LLS or the 62omh resistors, so figured I would wait to try until I had all of the pieces in hand. Really, right now with my test setup the slight flash is not terribly noticeable, but when you add length it does become an issue. I am trying to mitigate damaging any of the components, so I think moving to a standard power supply like LED style supplies that are used in 3D printers, and then I can have better options for grounding, amongst other advantages. I know the project is a little hard to explain, but based on all of the videos that I have seen online, you have the most specific direction that I have come across. Thank you for your input above.

Again, I'm not an expert on those particular strips, but you did say one thing that I felt was of note. If the issue gets worse when the strip gets longer (you add more LEDs), this almost always points to a voltage drop issue. If you are still bench testing, then you might try running a separate 24V line from your power supply and connecting it to one set of extra wires at the JST connectors... these are there for power injection. Try it at somewhere around half way down the total length of the strip and maybe again at the end of the strip. See if the flickering gets better. While it is true that you don't have to power inject as often with 24V as you do with 5V, you still have to do power injection at some point if the number of LEDs gets large enough. Let me know the results of trying power injection.

Yeah... it would be the same with the ESP32. Both the ESP8266 and the ESP32 output 3.3V on the GPIO pins. The debate has raged on in my video comments (and others) about the level shifter. I will say what I always say... the LEDs _may_ work fine down to 3.2-3.3V at the first pixel... but they also may not. Adding a shifter (or even a sacrificial pixel) to boost that data signal up to the expected 5V won't hurt anything... but can definitely help a lot in many cases, especially with longer data runs. I include one in every build... whether the wire length is 6 inches or 6 feet. It costs less than $1 and takes me an extra 5 minutes to solder into place. That being said, 10 m is a pretty long run. As long as you are using a large enough gauge wire so that the voltage doesn't drop too much, using the shifter will probably help. Alternatively... or if you are still having issues... you can install a booster in the middle of that long run to 're-boost' the signal back up to 5V. There are multiple products/ways to do this, but the Falcon F-Amp is one of the more popular: pixelcontroller.com/store/accessories/53-famp.html Good luck with your project. Let me know if just adding the level shifter solves your issue.

@ResinChemTech oh wow thanks another for your comment and extra enlightenment on the topic.. I agree with you certainly doesn't hurt using the level shifter .. I have decent thick wires and also injection too and a power supply big enough to run at full power if needed .. so all that I don't think causes any problem.. I am for sure gonna go with a level shifter... also I am thinking the different points of views which sometimes ppl may forget is of related to also the unique project too like how big or small the project is ... I have the chip very near the strip in start of the strip.. Still I wanna see if the level shifter will help me here and will then look at the boosting later if needed thanks alot again

Yes, each channel can be used for separate data lines. As far as best practices, it depends on whether you are using an ESP32 or ESP8266. The WLED web site has recommendations on the max number of data channels and the max number of LEDs on each channel, based on the controller type: kno.wled.ge/features/multi-strip/

Yes, you can use a separate power supply for the ESP and the LED strip. However, you must establish a common ground between the two or erratic results will occur with the LEDs. You can see an example in my standard wiring diagrams: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html (see the example where a 12V and 5V supply are used... this same wiring can be used for two 5V supplies as well). However, never connect the positives (+) of two different power supplies together (only the grounds), even if they are the same voltage. You need special 'balanced' power supplies to connect them together or bad things are likely to happen. But yes, you can use one power supply to power the controller (like via the USB on the ESP board) and a separate 5V (or 12V) power supply for the LEDs. Just assure you connect a ground wire from the controller to the LEDs... and that you are NOT connecting the +V wire from the controller to the LEDs.

I've used those barrel connectors on a bunch of my LED installs. It should be fine for 5V 10A. I might consider something different if I was using something like 30-40+ amps... but you aren't going to find that style of power supply at those power levels anyway. Basically, if the power supply has a barrel connector attached to it, the barrel connector I I showed will handle the same amount of power (or even a little more as it has larger gauge wires) than the built in barrel connector that is attached to the power supply. Once you get over 15A, then you have to buy the type of power supply that you connect the wires directly to the terminals on the supply... and a barrel connector would not be used at all. I hope that helps! Don't hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions.

@@ResinChemTech yup that helps. Thanks. I am about to do my first one and have opted for esp32 30 pins. The pins are not marked as you mentioned so have messaged the seller for a pin out config. I assume not easy to figure out since I see the 5v 3.3v and GND all over the place. Does it matter which GND to 5v or 3.3v you connect things. I mean to ask if it matters which GNd o use vs the 5v or 3.3v? Also how do I decide which pins to use for sound etc?

As far as the grounds... they are all common, so it doesn't matter which one(s) you use. Ditto for the 3.3V.. it doesn't matter which one you use. Most boards only have one Vin or 5V pin... but I suppose it is possible to have more than one. One thing you may also find is that most ESP32 boards are just slightly wider than the ESP8266... meaning they won't fit on a standard breadboard and leave a row of connections on each side... so you may have to adapt for that if your board is wider than the ESP9266. As far as sound, there are a number of pins that you can use on the ESP32. You may want to peek at this (it is the ESP32 version of the pin out I shared for the ESP8266 in the video description). I use this all the time for determining which pins to use: randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-pinout-reference-gpios/ You can use any of the ADC1 pins for an analog microphone connection. Don't use the ADC2 pins, as they will interfere with wifi. Whichever pin you use, you just have to tell WLED that you are using that pin in the sound settings. Finally, I have found that many ESP32 boards won't automatically enter flash mode when connected via USB. If you have issues flashing WLED, you may need to hold down the boot or flash button on the ESP board when connecting it... continuing to hold it down until the flash starts.. then releasing it. Not all boards work this way... but I've had a number that do require that I do this to get them to flash. Good luck and let me know if you have additional questions.

@@ResinChemTech thanks I'll order the barrel Connector. I had the other connector you had in the video. I will use that and limit the current to 2 amps for testing until it arrives. Will check out the pin outs link you sent.

Hmm I had asked the seller for a pin out layout and am completely blown away. The seller sent me a pinout layout but it does not correspond to what's printed on the back of the chip itself. I am scratching my head now. The chip has pin 1 5v and others marked but it does not correspond to the picture they sent me. For eg 5v is printed somewhere in the middle between other pins but the layout he sent me positions it at the end😮 Are these meant to be standard or does each manufacturer layout differ?

I suppose electrical tape can be used as long as you maintain proper electrical connections between components (and don't create any unintended ones). The amp calculation is the same regardless of the power source. But I can tell you that any sort of standard batteries not going to last very long when driving a strip of more than a few WS1812b pixels. First, you still need 5V regardless. You might get away with 3 AA batteries connected in series that can provide 4.5V. But even at a 3000 mAh rating for the AA batteries, if your installation is pulling 3A, the batteries will only last about an hour (or even less). If you want something that is battery operated, you may need to look at a different type of LED, like fairy or pixie lights. If you use a larger power bank, like those used to recharge a phone or tablet, these are already 5V and can give you multiple hours with the lower amp draw of the smaller pixels. If you are interested in a battery powered version, I did build an LED matrix t-shirt powered by a power bank: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ipiJeq9i0uCxe3U.html Now, you probably aren't looking to build a wearable like a t-shirt, but this video also contains information on how to use a power bank (along with links to the parts I used) to get multiple hours out of a larger display when using fairy lights.

Just to verify... you did use your phone to join the local WLED-AP hotspot, launch the config page (4.3.2.1) and enter in your wifi credentials and then restart the controller, correct? If the controller successfully joins your wifi, you should no longer see the WLED-AP SSID broadcasting. If you see a WLED-AP being broadcast, then the controller has not successfully joined your wifi. Double check both the SSID and password. Once it is successfully on your wifi, you should be able to launch a browser and go to whatever IP address was assigned by your router (e.g. 192.168.x.x). Let me know if you are still having issues, but the info here may also be of some help (see the section under WiFi setup): kno.wled.ge/basics/getting-started/

Well if done as shown here and as I cover in the video around 17:15 (please watch this section), the power for the LEDs is not running through the controller. So there is no limit on current as far as the controller is concerned, as the controller itself is only drawing a couple hundred milliamps at most. Where there are limits are on the size and length (and type) of wire you are using to connect the LEDs to the power supply... and of course the current limit of the power supply itself. The more current (and the longer the wiring run), the larger wire you need. There are numerous online calculators that can tell you the required gauge of wire based on the expected amps and your particular install. Any connectors should also be rated for the expected amp draw. But from the controller build itself, as long as you are not running the power for the LEDs through the controller board (or off the ESP 5V pin itself), this controller would work with an LED install of 1A, 10A, 50A or more. As I also mention in the video, if you try to run the power for the LEDs through the actual breadboard, I would recommend you don't exceed around 1A. To be honest, if looking at a larger more permanent install (and not just testing some LEDs), I would look at creating a soldered version of the controller anyway. But even then, there would be current limits on the pcb or whatever you are using. That's why I make the recommendation here (and in a lot of my other vidoes/blog articles on LEDs), that you run your power to the LEDs separately and in parallel to the controller. That way, the same controller will work regardless of the amp draw of the LEDs.

@@ResinChemTech thank you for the response. One last question, how do you wire up the logic level shifter if the 5v and 3.3v are on the same side of the ESP32? I have an ESPRESSIF ESP32-WROOM-32D that I am using to build a WLED controller, and this is the part that is stumping me.

If I understand what you are asking, you'd just have to run a wire directly from the 3.3V pin on the ESP32 to the 3.3V (LV) input pin on the shifter instead of using the breadboard power rail. Much like how the data signal wire is run directly from the pin to the shifter. It may or may not be helpful, but I have a set of standard wiring diagrams for these types of controllers. If you look at the version I use for the mini ElectroCookie, you see that it doesn't have power rails at all and the 5V and 3.3V from the ESP board are running directly to the HV and LV pins on the shifter: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html I hope that answers your question.

Are you saying that if you connect 5V to the 5V (or VIN) and ground to GND, the board does not power on? Will it power on if you connect it to USB? You may simply have a bad board or the onboard power regulator may have failed or be faulty. When powering the board via VIN/5V, either via the pins or USB with 5V, the voltage is stepped down by an onboard regulator to 3.3V, which actually powers the ESP chip itself. By connecting to 3.3V, you are powering the chip directly, but without any power regulation and even a small variance in that voltage can damage or destroy the ESP chip. However, if you say the board isn't powering on via the 5V connection, then the board is probably faulty. You might need try a different board.

You can check out the following blog article that I have that shows various wiring combinations for LED installs... including a couple of different options for using 12V LED strips with this 5V controller: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html

Thank you. I have now started to get interested in these things and I really enjoyed watching and listening to him. Thank you in advance for any help you can give. It's also my first time on a channel and everything is new to me, so sorry for any questions I might ask and thank you for your help. I'm from Portugal and sorry for my English, it was translated on Google. Greetings

Obrigado por assistir meus vídeos e espero que eles sejam úteis. Fico sempre feliz em responder perguntas!

WLED does have some limited support for non-addressable strips, but it does require additional circuitry that I do not cover in any of my videos or blog articles (which all deal with addressable strips). The official WLED web site does offer information, including a wiring diagram for how to use non-addressable LED strips such as the ones you currently have: kno.wled.ge/basics/compatible-led-strips/

Thank you very much

If you check the video description, you see a link that I have to a article with various wiring diagrams for a LED controller.... including one with an option to use a step down converter that can be used with 12V or 24V LEDs.

@@ResinChemTech I did not notice that. Thanks!

Generally, I don't and haven't had the need to. I did have one exception due to a very long run of the data line where it was in a 3-wire cable so it ran over that distance in parallel with the ground wire. In that case, I needed to add a 33Ω resistor on the data line. But none of my other installs have had any issues without a resistor on the data line. Of course every situation is different and a resistor may be needed in some cases. With that one exception, I just haven't had a need to add one and haven't seen any negative effects without it.

While the Vin/5V pin does output at 5V, all of the GPIO pins only output at 3.3V. While this is right at the lower level for a working data signal for the LED strip, the LEDs actually call for a 5V data signal. By boosting the data signal from the 3.3V from the GPIO pins to the 5V expected by the LEDs, you can have a much longer run of wire between the controller and the LEDs without worrying about voltage drop leading to a problem with the signal. That's why I always include one... whether I could technically skip it or not. This way, I know I have a signal that is the expected 5V and don't have to be concerned about the length of my data line.

@@ResinChemTech Makes sense, thanks.

As I stated in this video (and many, many times in other videos), you can sometimes get away without the shifter... until you can't. I simply opt to always include one to avoid any potential issues. And it really doesn't matter how many LEDs; it is a matter of voltage drop on the data line between the controller and the first LED. The further away the controller is from the start of the LED strip, the more likely that voltage drop will cause an issue. But as I always say, the choice to include a shifter is entirely yours. While I recommend it, you can often get away without one if you keep the run between the controller and the start of the LEDs relatively short. To see an example of what can happen if the data line voltage drops too low, I show the results on another video related to the need for a shifter: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h5-df8ylu96qY5c.html As far as 12V LEDs, nearly all types still expect a 5V data signal. So, while you will run +12V and GND to the +V/GND pins on the LEDs, the data signal is still expected to be 5V. The same is true with most 24V LEDs. So if you opt to include a shifter, the same shifter will work with 5V, 12V or even 24V LEDs.

@@ResinChemTech Thanks for your help!

@@ResinChemTech May I ask another question? Now that I wanted to order level shifters, I was reading the WLED kno.wled.ge pages about compability of hardware. There is a orange highlited "Warning (!): I2C shifters are generally too slow for addressable LEDs, so don't use them." The ones you are using are I2C shifters, right?! Do they work? Even with long strips with lots of LEDs? Is there a limitation? Why the warning?

I address that exact question (and provide my answer) in this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bJeGisqK0tXRqmg.html

If you look at those types of connectors sold independently on Amazon, they claim they can be used safely for up to 5A. Personally, I think that is pushing it and wouldn't push more than 2-3 A through one. They definitely are not rated for something like 50A. Yes, I feel it is irresponsible to include a component with the power supply that is not rated to safely handle the current of the power supply it comes with. Try connecting it and then after a few minutes of running higher current through it, you will feel it start to become warm... then hot. Eventually it will become hot enough to melt and possibly short out or start a fire. Do a quick Amazon search for 'barrel connector' and you'll find ones identical to the one include with the power supply. Most, if not all, say they are rated for a maximum of 5A. Like all projects, but especially those with high current, it is important to verify that all wiring and components used to carry power are properly rated for the expected current. Just because it is "in the box" doesn't mean it is rated for the maximum power that can be generated by the power supply.

@@ResinChemTech eek. That's scary. I was hoping to power a 5m strip of SK6812 (RGBW) with one of that exact 5v 10a (i meant 50w in my last post, oops lol) power supply you have in the video. Would you recommend going with something different?

Ah.. that makes a little more sense! A 50A power supply would be one of those larger, what I call 'transformer' style power supplies, and they generally don't come with the barrel adapter like you described. But they are definitely included with the smaller 'brick' style power supplies, that you can generally find up to around 15A. So 50W does make more sense than 50A... which would melt one of those connectors for sure! You can find barrel connector pigtails with 16 or even 14 gauge wire that can safely handle the higher current. It will somewhat depend on a number of factors... such as the expected total current draw from your LEDs, length of the wiring runs, etc. I do tend to be a bit on the over-cautious side. If you are running WLED, most colors and effects will pull significantly less current than the calculate maximum (which would occur when running on solid full bright white with all pixels lit). But I like to design for the maximum, even if I never hit it. If I have a higher current situation that I feel will exceed the barrel connector, I simply cut off the connector and solder larger gauge wire directly to a short section of wiring from the power supply itself. But as I said, I'm overly cautious. I always recommend that you do a bench test, run your LEDs on full brightness for a while, keeping an eye on all connectors, wiring, etc. If you note anything getting more than just slightly warm to the touch, then you need to reevaluate that connector or the size wiring you are using. It's better to test and monitor on the bench than after you install something and then have a component melt or fail.

@@ResinChemTech Thanks a lot for your quick responses! Going by your math (.06 * N-leds), the 10A supply may be a little short, but from what I've seen I can limit the amps in WLED, and if I find that limit.. too limiting I can always upgrade my power solutions. Thanks again!

No problem.. glad to help. Just remember that that 0.06 x LEDs is the calculated maximum for full bright white and not what you will likely normally run. But yes, in WLED, you can specify the size of your power supply in milliamps and if you enable the brightness limiter, it will keep the amps below the maximum. And I think you'll find the LEDs are plenty bright... even at 50% brightness... which will also use fewer amps. But as I said, I like to be over-cautious. Good luck with your project.

It boost the 3.3V output from the ESP GPIO pin to the 5V signal expected by the LED strip. If the voltage drops too low due to resistance in a longer wire run from the controller to the start of the LEDs, the LEDs can flicker, misbehave or even refuse to light up. I mention this briefly in the video, but also talk about it in detail along with showing what can happen if the voltage is too low in my video specifically about the logic level shifter ( kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h5-df8ylu96qY5c.html ). I also talk about it and its purpose in my video on common LED questions ( kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fcCmaL2lz5zNZn0.html ) which has a section specifically discussing the shifter. I recommend you check out one or both of those videos if you want to know more about why I recommend using a logic level shifter.

For 5V standard LEDs, you should estimate a maximum current draw of 0.06A per LED. So in your case, 300 x 0.06A = 18A max current. That would be the max for full bright white... other colors and effects will draw less. You may wish to watch this video where I cover the most common LED questions, including determining the size and type of power supply needed for your project: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fcCmaL2lz5zNZn0.html

I actually have two separate videos that specifically cover the logic level shifter, including why you should use it and what can potentially happen if you omit it: Logic Level Shifter - Do you really need it?: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h5-df8ylu96qY5c.html Are I2C Shifters Really Too Slow?: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bJeGisqK0tXRqmg.html The primary reason is that the ESP GPIO pins output a data signal at 3.3V and the LEDs expect a 5V data signal. While the LED strips will generally work with only a 3.3V data signal, if the voltage drops much below that (generally due to longer wire runs between the controller and start of the LEDs), then the LEDs will begin to flicker and give inconsistent effects due to a faulty/weak data signal. The first video list above shows an example of that and how a logic level shifter resolves the problem.

To flash the WLED software? It is simply a USB cable... a micro USB to USB A (or USB C if that's what your computer has). Nothing fancy, just connect the two via USB.

The ESP chips themselves operate on 3.3V. But most dev boards operate off of 5V and have an onboard regulator to step this voltage down to 3.3V for the chip (this is also why the GPIO pins output at 3.3V and the reason that the logic level shifter is used). If your board has a USB connection, then that means the board itself will handle 5V... as USB operates at 5V. But if what you have really only runs at 3.3V, then you can add a step down converter to drop the 5V to 3.3V... or purchase a different board that does run off of 5V.

@@ResinChemTech it has the vin and gnd next to each other but the leds dont work under that just under 3v3 pin

Well, I do tend to buy things in larger quantities because I use so many in my projects and I can get a better price that way. But you can often find some of the items in smaller quantities than I linked to. The links I provide are generally the actual items that I ordered and used... there are sometimes cheaper alternatives, but since I haven't personally tested them, I don't link to or personally recommend them. And there have been some instance in the past where something has been updated with a crazy price after I've linked to it. Someone shared that a link I had provided to a simple $3 breadboard was showing a cost of $342... and that's just wrong! The issue is that the items (and costs) on Amazon are constantly changing and it is simply impossible for me to go back and try to keep all my links across all my videos and blog article up to date. Occasionally a product I link to will become unavailable after I publish. They are current at the time I make the video or write the blog article. What I always recommend is that when you use one of my links to go to Amazon, check out the alternative items that Amazon generally shows for any item. If the price for the one I linked seems way out of range when compared to the alternatives, then simply select one of the alternatives instead. But in certain cases, an item is only available in a larger quantity that what you need. You may, for example, have to buy a pack of 100 LEDs when you only need 3 for your project. But that just means you have extras on hand for your next project! I do greatly appreciate your attempt to use my Amazon links... but as always, it never hurts to shop around a little for a better price or quantity that more matches your needs.

You could use 12V LEDs and power the system via the car battery, but you'd need to step down the voltage to 5V for the controller via a buck converter or other means. And of course there is the whole waterproofing thing. I also can't attest to the legality of having multi-colored flashing LEDs for your headlights! But it certainly possible to do it.

@@ResinChemTech It is quite illegal and opens one to 3rd party damage claims as well

Yes you can. See the WLED site for information on how to use multiple pins and strips: kno.wled.ge/features/multi-strip/

I actually already have a video that shows an example of using multiple output channels and WLED segments on a single ESP32 (and an ESP8266). You can see it here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p5eXm7GGs6qal58.html

@@ResinChemTech thank you.

Yes, WLED has support for that. I show adding an IR receiver in a number of my other LED videos as well as a pushbutton and microphone for sound reactivity. Although do note that the last time I checked, IR functionality was disabled in the sound-reactive version of WLED by default. If you are interested in a video where I add all three of these things to an ESP with WLED, you can check out this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/b6qhidOEyLWRqIU.html You can also find information about hooking up peripherals like IR receivers, buttons and relays on the official WLED web site: kno.wled.ge/

@@ResinChemTech thank you man. 🥰