Could someone please have a look at the attached diagram and pick it to pieces.

One of the things to consider is the "what happens if something goes wrong?"
If you have a controller that is supplying a single 5m strip on each of it's outputs and the strip only pulls 3 Amps then the controller card and fuse can handle it.
If you have many nodes which uses multiple PI points and you loose one or more of these PIs then the total load will be placed on the controller, albeit for a brief time until the controller fuse blows. The worse case would be if you lost a neg to the PI then ALL of the "return" current would go thru the controller neg connection which is not fused, most likely damaging the card.
For this reason, I only take the data from my controllers. I do not connect the controller +ve or -ve outputs. My common -ve point is seperate from the controller.
It's probably overkill, and if nothing goes wrong then it doesn't mater. But my point of view is that it doesn't add that much more to the build and it creates a more robust installation with better fault tolerance.
(as for whether the power output on cards is obsolete I'd probably agree, but i would suggest that the additional cost of providing them is minimal and it gives the card more "features"
cheers
Fing

So thank you very much to everyone's comments, they have really helped, so glad this site exists.


I have taken on board all the different points and have re-drawn the plans. I am sure there will be something else but even to this stage I have learnt so much more about the extra channels/universes and fuses.


Thanks Again, please feel free to point out anymore issues, I will have the 100% solution soon I hope....lol

The attached wiring is for the first set of three trees, yet to decide if I will need the second power injection as they total 15m.

I have done some soldering and was wondering if these were correct prior to continuing.


I have 2 x two core pigtails that will inject power and 1 x three core pigtail that will run data, gnd and +ve into the first tree and the other two trees connected via a T-Pigtail with the two core power injection.


Please let me know.


Regards,


wce06

I have used the above setup and connected three spiral trees worked really well with an injection of power in between tree 2 and 3.


With cables and connection can i make it more effecient?


And is there a distance that people generally inject power at iusing the 2811 5m strips?


Regards


wce06