Large RGBW LED project problems SK6812 (Similar WS2812B)

Projects General Guidance
1

I'm working on a large LED project for a friend.

I have 1030 RGBW SK6812 (Similar WS2812B) Individually Addressable ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N49DSC1 )

I'm running an ESP32 ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q576VWZ )

I have an 5V 80 Amp Mean Well power supply to run them, injecting power in several places.

I get 569 of the modules to light and there is some problems with I think data corruption or data timing as some of the leds are showing wrong color or brightness.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

This is my test code

#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>
#ifdef __AVR__
 #include <avr/power.h> // Required for 16 MHz Adafruit Trinket
#endif

#define LED_PIN     5

#define LED_COUNT  1030

// NeoPixel brightness, 0 (min) to 255 (max)
#define BRIGHTNESS 1

// Declare our NeoPixel strip object:
Adafruit_NeoPixel strip(LED_COUNT, LED_PIN, NEO_GRBW + NEO_KHZ800);

int bright_num = BRIGHTNESS;
int bright_change_pin = 23;
volatile int bright_change = 0;
volatile int change = 0;


void setup() {
  strip.begin();           // INITIALIZE NeoPixel strip object (REQUIRED)
  strip.show();            // Turn OFF all pixels ASAP
  strip.setBrightness(bright_num); // Set BRIGHTNESS
  pinMode(bright_change_pin,INPUT_PULLUP);// set pin for push button bright_change_pin
  attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(bright_change_pin), blink, CHANGE);
  set();
  bright_change = 0;
  change = 0;
}

void loop() {
  
  if(change == 1){
    delay(500);
    
    if(bright_change == 1){
       if(bright_num < 250){
          bright_num = bright_num + 50;
       }else{
         bright_num = 50;
       }
      if(bright_num == 250){
       bright_num = 254;
      }
      strip.setBrightness(bright_num); // Set BRIGHTNESS to about 1/5 (max = 255)
      strip.show();                          //  Update strip to match
      bright_change = 0;
    }
    change = 0;
  }
}

void set() {
  int red_1 = 0;
  int green_1 = 0;
  int blue_1 = 0;
  int white_1 = 255;

  strip.fill(strip.Color(red_1, green_1, blue_1, white_1));
  strip.setBrightness(bright_num); // Set BRIGHTNESS to about 1/5 (max = 255)
  strip.show();    
}

void blink() {
  if(change == 0)
  {
    bright_change = 1;
    change = 1;
  }
}
2

Can you set it up as two 515 groups for data using 2 output pins? Send out one, then send out the other.

3

I don't know how to put data out for LEDs on 2 different pins like that. Any suggestions?

4

Not 100% sure, but something like this I think:

#define LED_PIN 5
// copy this line for the new pin with a different name:
#define LED_PIN1 6

// cut this in half
#define LED_COUNT 1030 -> 515

// NeoPixel brightness, 0 (min) to 255 (max)
#define BRIGHTNESS 1

// Declare our NeoPixel strip object:
Adafruit_NeoPixel strip(LED_COUNT, LED_PIN, NEO_GRBW + NEO_KHZ800);
// add a new strip with the new name:
Adafruit_NeoPixel strip1(LED_COUNT, LED_PIN1, NEO_GRBW + NEO_KHZ800);

Now anyplace where you call strip.something, copy that section and add strip1.something.

5

Getting the board ready for a second data stream helped me find a spot between 2 LEDs that was bad (data from one not going to data of other) It was stopping the data at that spot causing it to stop at 569, it now lights all of the LEDS, still need to get the miscoloring fixed, I found a fix that only partially works.

I think i'll also see if a level shiftier works, unless someone has any better solutions.

portDISABLE_INTERRUPTS();   
    strip.show();
portENABLE_INTERRUPTS();