How to Connect ESP32 to 4 wire Adafruit Indust 1138 Digital RGB LED ?

Using Arduino LEDs and Multiplexing
1

I am connecting the 4 wires of a LED strip to an ESP32 (using microPython neopixel library)

This is the LED strip

This is the Connections Instructions

LED Strip red - to ESP32 5 v
LED Strip white - to ESP32 GND

How do the black and white Connected wires (see picture) connect to a GPIO pin?

Also, how do I identify the “input” end of your NeoPixel strip? Can I cut the strip - because I only need about 10 LEDS.

This is a picture of the ESP32 and LED strip : Imgur: The magic of the Internet

2

  • Show us a closeup image where the wires are soldered to the strip.

  • Guessing, white(next to the black) would go to Arduino/ESP, black(next to the white) to Arduino/ESP GND.
    red to +5v external power supply, separate black to the 5v power supply negative.

  • For a 3V3 - ESP32, you should run the GPIO output thru a 3v to 5v level translator then to the strip.

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3

The Adafruit instructions for connecting the wires are excellent; I couldn't improve on that diagram.
Yes you can cut the strip, usually there are markings, but I bet google has the answer. The end with the wires is the input.

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LarryD, here is a picture of the the led strip. Imgur: The magic of the Internet

5
  • It appears the two black wires are common, what’s said in post #2 stands.
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LarryD, Am I understanding this? The 4 wires of the LED strip:
1.connected White : to ESP GND
2.Connected black : to ESP 5V
3.Loose red : is this ESP GPIO or unused?
4.Loose black : is this ESP GPIO or unused?

Since I connect to 5v , I don't need a 3v to 5v level translator right?

7

That's what Adafruit calls "NeoPixels" and it only needs 3 wires (power, ground, data). So I'll agree with the guess that both black wires are connected together as ground. If you've got a multimeter, check that.

The strip itself should be marked with Vcc (power), Ground, and data and maybe you can see how the wire colors are connected.

There should also be arrows showing direction of "data flow". Connect the microcontroller to the back-end of the arrow. That's where data comes-in. It comes out of the other end if you're connecting another strip.

You may need one (for the data, not the power). If it doesn't work that could be the reason. The data is supposed to be 5V.

Make sure the microPython library is compatible with the ESP32. (I have no idea.)

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  • When you use a ESP32 output to control the LED strip, use a 3v to 5v converter.
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