I simply twisted the wires together at the splice point and covered with electrical tape. At the splice point there is about 10 of wire added. I can't find my multimeter to check for voltage drop, however there is no decrease in brightness of lights past the splice point so it doesn't seem the voltage has dropped. Once I make sure everything is working I will solder the splices.
And what do you think that did? It just changed that whenever you used the word VOLTS in the code the pre-compiler replaced it with the value 5 before compilation took place.
It did nothing else. It did not change the voltage of anything.
That is never going to work. Get a soldering iron and do a proper job.
Not the best, though may just work for now.
10 what ? 10 meters ? Well that explains everything. If you use 20AWG 3 strand wire the voltagedrop will be the cause, if you use thicker wire, the data cable will have to much capacitance.
First remove the cable from in between and see if that fixes it.
also change
to WS2812B. Those are the leds you are actually using. They do vary ever so slightly in protocol, though if the first leds work, this is not the issue.
Now if the in-between wire is the cause (which i suspect) Try changing the 5v & GND wires for something more heavy duty like thick speaker cable, and keep the data cable 20AWG more even better 22 or 28 AWG. 10 meters will anyway be a stretch to cover and you should be injecting (add extra cables for 5v & GND) power after every 50 leds at least anyway.
Thanks, the spliced wire is approximately 10 inches. I went ahead and soldered the wire at the splice points. Same result. All lights illuminate when powered however, no lights flicker after the splice.
I changed the changed WS211 to WS211B but got the following error when compiling: Compilation error: 'WS2811B' was not declared in this scope
I have powered the full sting on before splicing and everything worked perfectly. So, i'm thinking that the code is probably fine as is. I will have to get difference gauge wire as I don't have any on hand.
Aren't you see the difference?
I just changed to WS2812B. No change in performance. The packaging for the lights i'm using states WS2811 not WS2812B.
One interesting thing is when I first powered on all nine of the lights before the splice operate properly but, only the last five of the nine lights after the splice illuminate; however, they don't blink as they should. Then, if i unplug and wait for the electricity to dissipate from the capacitor and then turn back on immediately after the last five illuminate once again and once again don't blink as they should. But, if i wait for several seconds after turning off to turn back on the nothing turns on after the splice.
Note: before i made the splice i checked the lights and everything worked perfectly.
Then you must have broken something.
You had stated something different previously.
So altogether you have 18 lights you want to use. A sufficient PSU for what you need. If you have enough lights, how about you try with 18 different ones. First without a splice, then with a splice. You may have broken an output or an input. Less likely with 5 v to break an input than an output (short from Vcc to Din doesn't break it, but on Dout it does for short to either Vcc to GND)
Agreed.
I think he was only changing the definition of the type of LED he was using in the Library not the actual lights.
@cytobez We would love to see a photograph of these breaks so we can check where exactly they are.
Please note that you messing about pulling the power and reconnecting it tells you nothing, and playing about like this is likely to damage something.
Okay so I finally figured out why the lights would not twinkle at any point in the string where i cut the wire and spliced back together. It was very simple. Apparently, the data wire only works properly in one direction. If that direction is changed the lights will turn on but will not twinkle or change color.
Apparently!
That is why there are arrows on the strip.
I thought OP was using these: https://www.amazon.com/ALITOVE-Individually-Addressable-Advertising-Waterproof/dp/B01NCAG8KV#immersive-view_1716295716352
The hints about the data wire being unidirectional are quite subtle. I wouldn't have guessed based on the product information that there's apparently a series diode in the data line. Whatever arrows there are, I don't see them. Pretty amazing OP figured out the problem.
This is NOT a strip. It is a string. There is no arrow designation on the string or information in the product description pertaining to the flow of data.
Yes, it is. I didn't see it on the product page on Amazon, however. They might have put it a little more prominently there.
You have got to be kidding me ! Somehow i assumed you had some idea of what you were doing, but clearly i was mistaken.
There isn't !! The controller (in our case an Arduino) sends a data signal on the data line. This signal is send to the first chip, which reads the information that is meant for it (the first 24 bits) and forwards the rest via it;s output pin to the next chip, and so on and so forth. If the data signal coming from the controller is interrupted for the minimum time of the frame reset time (50us for latest WS2811, 300us for a WS2812Band older WS2811) the first chip will start to accept new data(and so will all the other chips of course. This is the way the addressing works.
Connecting 2 outputs together may have damaged them although i suspect there are some current limiting resistors on the outputs in this case.
Strings and strips usually come with a couple 3 pin connectors on them, and those are clear male / female type which prevent inverted connectrions.
To all:
what is the difference between string and strip regarding to leds?
Nothing, but string is mostly used for christmas tree style of lights
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