Power injection issue

[Borgo]

Hi all,

I have an issue that I'm hoping someone can help me with. I'm running my first show ever using a Falcon F16v5 via xLights. All my props at 100 LEDs or less are working fine. I've now tried to attach a prop that's 150 LEDs which needed power injection (runs along the gutter). I snipped the positive wire at the halfway mark and attached my alternate power supply at the end (both positive & negative). However, only the first LED is lighting up (blue). I've checked the port with another prop (100 LEDs) and its working fine. Any suggestions?

 

[merryoncherry]

What kind of LEDs?
When you say the first led is lighting up you mean the first first, or the first one after the break?
The end meaning far end?

 

[Borgo]

What kind of LEDs?
When you say the first led is lighting up you mean the first first, or the first one after the break?
The end meaning far end?

WS2811s
First led from the falcon is lighting up blue. The far end of the string is connected to the power supply.

Would introducing a null pixel in the string be any help at all?

 

[uncledan]

I'm guessing a bad first pixel. First place I would start anyways. From what I read don't see you doing anything wrong. Sounds to me like getting power to first pixel but no data or bad pixel. Not sure if 5v or 12v but no reason to inject most 12v with 150 pixels, just lower the intensity. Was it working without power injection? Just flickering, not white etc?

 

[burnt]

for 150 leds ill keep on same psu just run thicker wire to the end from the psu

 

[merryoncherry]

Lots more questions. Let's start with the end connected to the Falcon. Is the Falcon powering it? Is it a factory xConnect or Ray Wu, or is it one you put on the string? Does putting another string on that port work, or does putting this string on another known working port work? (Just thinking along the lines of what uncledan said, try to isolate it to either the Falcon port or the light string.)

 

[burnt]

what voltage is the pixels

 

[Borgo]

I'm guessing a bad first pixel. First place I would start anyways. From what I read don't see you doing anything wrong. Sounds to me like getting power to first pixel but no data or bad pixel. Not sure if 5v or 12v but no reason to inject most 12v with 150 pixels, just lower the intensity. Was it working without power injection? Just flickering, not white etc?

Running 5V at 30% brightness but last batch of 50 don't light at all. Swapped strings around with no luck. Added a null pixel at pixel 1 without any luck. Just measured voltage at pixel 50 and it reads 4.9V
I'm out of ideas

 

[Borgo]

Lots more questions. Let's start with the end connected to the Falcon. Is the Falcon powering it? Is it a factory xConnect or Ray Wu, or is it one you put on the string? Does putting another string on that port work, or does putting this string on another known working port work? (Just thinking along the lines of what uncledan said, try to isolate it to either the Falcon port or the light string.)

Falcon is powering the strings via xconnect pigtails. The port lights up every other prop.
Putting this string on any other port results in the same blue light issue

 

[uncledan]

Bad first pixel as I stated previously is my guess

 

[Croydon Lights]

Did you make the string and if so could they be backwards

 

[burnt]

how far is the 1st pixel from the falcon

 

[Borgo]

Falcon is powering the strings via xconnect pigtails. The port lights up every other prop.
Putting this string on any other port results in the same blue light issue

I've swapped out the first string of 50 and it's working perfectly. Obviously a dead pixel somewhere

 

[uncledan]

Glad you got it working. I've said the first pixel is most likely dead twice

 

[Borgo]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Such a helpful community!