Is middle power injection required for 4m 12v led strip?

Using Arduino LEDs and Multiplexing
1

Hi,

I have bought a WS2815 (4m, 12v, 60led/m) led strip.
I would like to know if extra power injection in required for a 4m strip or only power connection at the beginning is enough?

I know that 12v led strip does not have much voltage drop in 4m but in one of the forums I have read that passing whole current through the first LEDs may burn them. The exact comment is: *"*Make sure the LED strip has an "extra" 12V power supply every 2 meters. This is because the voltage drops over the strip and the current at the start can get quite high (and maybe the start of your LED strip burns out!)."

I would like to know if this comment is correct or it is just an extra safety precaution?

Thanks.
Eliesi

2

I would inject power at both ends and the middle at the very least.

3

I have read that passing whole current through the first LEDs may burn them.

The current does not pass through the leds, any of them (well, obviously the current needed by each led flows through it, but not the current for any other leds). It passes along the copper tracks on the backing strip. But those are pretty thin, to keep the strip flexible, so they have a much higher resistance than a good quality copper cable. The more current flowing through any section, the more the voltage drop, which can affect the colour, although it's much less of a problem with 12V strips compared to 5V.

4

PaulRB:
... It passes along the copper tracks on the backing strip. But those are pretty thin, to keep the strip flexible, so they have a much higher resistance than a good quality copper cable. ...

Thanks for the comment.
I want to know, according to your experience, in a 4m led strip, the heat generated due to the passing the whole current through the thin copper tracks with relative high resistance, may cause problem and melt the strip or not?
Thanks

5

may cause problem and melt the strip or not?

Cause a problem probably yes, melt no.

6

@eliesi

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7

eliesi:
Thanks for the comment.
I want to know, according to your experience, in a 4m led strip, the heat generated due to the passing the whole current through the thin copper tracks with relative high resistance, may cause problem and melt the strip or not?
Thanks

I can't comment for anyone else but for myself it's not something that I would find out because I know well that the copper tracks are not thick enough. I would start with wire at the appropriate place. Worst case you damage some LED strip and learn something.