Help with wiring of a WS2818b led strip

Hardware
#1

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So I’m trying to make sound reactive led using esp32 I’m running
3*5m WS2818B led strip each strip has 150 LEDs. I had some questions regarding my setup;

In terms of the diagram as linked is it correct like all the 5v and the ground wire connecting to the strip, is that how it’s meant to be?

  1. which pin to use to power up the esp32 controller
  2. which pins to use to supply power from esp32 to the mic (max9814)
  3. the parallel circuit for the 3 strips as shown in the picture, is it correct? Or do I need to add another connection or something…and well with my calculations no wire Should be carrying more than 10A of current so having a 20AWG throughout would it be sufficient?
#2

@Dave.10 this forum is for Particle products (particle.io) , not ESP32. You should try an ESP32 forum instead.

#3

Just as a controller independent note: with a strip of 2.5 m you can expected a max current (all LEDs full white) on the power traces of the strip of ~4.5A. I don’t think the strips will like that too much.
You will also see dimmer LEDs at the end of each strip compared to the respective starts.
You should feed each strip from both sides and also consider at least one feeding point in the middle.

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#4

Each LED will take 0.4W thus each strip of 5m with 150 LEDs will need 60W plus a bit - with 3 strips let’s say 200W 5V power supply - 40A - as stated by @ScruffR you may need to consider feeding power from both ends and sizing wires for current.

You will also need a buffer to allow the ESP32 (3V3 logic?) to drive the 5V logic of the WS2818B, there will need to be one for each strip (you can get these as quads SN74HCT125N).

#5

Huh? :flushed:
My last info was that a fully engaged NeoPixel would draw 60mA (coming from WS2812b - I haven’t looked up the WS2818b datasheet :man_facepalming:)
400mA would - of course - exacerbate the point.

#6

Sorry - 0.3W per pixel not 0.4W that’s from BTF-Lighting website for WS2812B strip. 0.3/5 = 0.06A each - so agree. I just had to design a ATMega328p to drive a LED strip with I2C comms to a Photon - takes a lot of load off the Photon and actually doesn’t need the buffer because it works at 5V so not that expensive. You certainly need a decent PSU just for the LED strip.