Hi there,
So I am essentially creating a long string of RGB LED's using Adafruit's NEO Pixel strip (I am cutting them at each intersection and rewiring to extend the length between each) with a total of 111 LEDs. My plan was obviously to power the LEDs (wired up to the arduino) with an external 5v/10A power source as I believed the Arduino would not be able to provide enough current.
I have been testing periodically and its been fine, however at 25 LEDs in I added a switch to the power source, flicked it on and off a couple times and now the LEDs wont turn on - not sure what has happened. I removed the power from the LEDs and plugged it directly into the Arduino just to see what would happen, and all 25 LEDs are working fine.
I assumed the Arduino would only be able to power a few LEDs? Is powering through the Arduino a viable solution or is it just something that maybe works right now but is not best practice/wont work when the LEDs get to 111 in number?
Thanks
I don't want to answer that without a schematic. You should know that the arduino onboard regulator maxes out at about 800mA.
You said the leds are fine but you didn't mention if you tested the power source. You talk about the power source and the arduino but from your post it is really not clear what was powering the leds when they went out.
Thanks for replying...if what I am saying is vague/not making much sense it is probably because I am pretty much a rookie at this so not actually sure how to successfully explain things...ill try and clarify.
So the beginning of the strip has two wires for power, two for ground and one for data - my initial set up had one power, one ground connected to the external 5v/10a power source (along with a capacitor in there) with the other ground, power and data wires going from the strip to the the arduino. Now, when I try this set up the LEDs and the Arduino do not seem to be receiving power.
When I remove the power source from the LEDs (where the capactior is in the picture) and plug it into my arduino they work but from what you have told me about regulator i do not think this would be a good idea when all the LEDs are wired up.
I have attached a couple photos too. Hope that helped.
Are you saying you connected the +5V power to the arduino +5V poeer pin?
In the first set up, I had the 5V power wired to the LEDs via a DC power adapter jack to terminal block, with a wire from the LEDs to the 5V pin on the arduino.
In the second set up, I unplugged the 5v from the jack and plugged it straight into the arduino power input (the larger input next to the USB input), with a wire from the 5v power pin to the LEDs.
Again my apologies is what I am describing is not clear. Hope this helped and thanks for sticking with me!
The minimum voltage for the round ext. dc power jack is 7V. Is that where you connected the 5V /10A power supply the second time?
What is the status of the 5V /10A PS?
You said the leds & arduino are still working so what is not workig?
Yes, the second time I plugged the 5V power source into the power jack on the arduino, when I did this, the arduino was powered and the LEDs lit up.
The first time I plugged the 5V power source into a dc jack to terminal block with the ground and power wires from the LEDs wired into this accordingly (with data, power and ground also from leds into the arduino digital pin 6, 5v pin and ground respectively) - this initially worked, then stopped working - so something here is not working as normal - could the jack/terminal block have broken (does that even happen)?
You still have not stated that the 5V ,/10A Power dupply is damaged and no longer working but all you have said suggests this. Is there
some reason why yiu won't just say you blew out your PS?
Is this correct? Did you test it with a meter?
The 5V/10A power source is working fine, I have not tested it with a meter as I do not have one however when I plug it directly into the power source jack on the arduino itself (the jack to the right of the USB input) the arduino receives power and the LEDs light up.
If I was working with this many LEDs I would just power them this way however I will have 111 LEDs at the end so this is not feasible as the arduino regulator cannot handle this.
You shouldn't plug 5V into the arduino ext pwr jack. The alllowAble input voltage range for that ja k is 7 to 12V dc.
What is the total current needed to power all 111 leds?
Thanks for letting me know - I never planned to plug the 5V into the Arduino like that, I just tried that out when the first set-up stopped working.
Each LED can pull 60ma so with 111 LEDs 6,660ma
Your 10A power supply should be fine. you need to remove the switch or find out why your setup stopped working.
You can connect your 5V supply to the +5V pin of the arduino.
