Connecting Multiple Power Supplies togeather

[Kaite]

Hi All,
could someone please confirm which of the 2 methods I have outlined in my sketch attached,
is the correct wiring method for multiple Power Supply units.
Apologies for the primitive electrical diagram.

 

[Johnnyboy]

Both will give an identical result. Whatever you find easier to wire up.

The main concern with wiring up multiple power supplies is in the low voltage side is connected to controllers and each other. Your drawing isn't clear how this is connected, that will change recommendations for wiring on the low voltage side.

Typically you want to have the negative's connected on the low voltage side on all PSU's. Give some more details of PSU's and controllers you will be using.

 

[Kaite]

Hi Johnnyboy,
thanks for your response.
Note - My electrical knowledge is very limited
I use an Advatek Pixlite 16 controller.
I use a 350 watt PSU to power up the controller.
The 240 volt power shown in the original 2 methods is a separate power supply and does not connect to the controller

 

[Skymaster]

From the 230V AC side, all both methods are valid and will give the same result. You just need to make sure not to overload the incoming power - but with the PSU wattages you have mentioned you will be fine.

What Johnnyboy is talking about is the DC side of the power supplies.
The negatives dont need to be connected at the PSUs- BUT what _is_ important is that when you bring the data from your Advatek, you need to wire both a data and negative line.
For LEDs powered from the 350W PSU connected to the controller - then all three conncetions can come direct form the controller and no other connections are required - the top diagram below.

For strings powered separately from the controller, the second diagram is relevant.

Postive - From PSU
Data - From Controller
Negative - From PSU AND from Controller.


This is because the data signal needs a reference from the controller - and that's the negative line.

I would recommend _against_ connecting them at the power supplies - because of potential voltage rise on the ground line between the LEDs and the power supply causing data corruption issues; it's better to bring the data and ground directly to the LED strip

 

[Kaite]

Thanks Skymaster,
I will follow your advice.

 

[JimmyW]

From the 230V AC side, all both methods are valid and will give the same result. You just need to make sure not to overload the incoming power - but with the PSU wattages you have mentioned you will be fine.

What Johnnyboy is talking about is the DC side of the power supplies.
The negatives dont need to be connected at the PSUs- BUT what _is_ important is that when you bring the data from your Advatek, you need to wire both a data and negative line.
For LEDs powered from the 350W PSU connected to the controller - then all three conncetions can come direct form the controller and no other connections are required - the top diagram below.

For strings powered separately from the controller, the second diagram is relevant.

Postive - From PSU
Data - From Controller
Negative - From PSU AND from Controller.
View attachment 31259

This is because the data signal needs a reference from the controller - and that's the negative line.

I would recommend _against_ connecting them at the power supplies - because of potential voltage rise on the ground line between the LEDs and the power supply causing data corruption issues; it's better to bring the data and ground directly to the LED strip

Question if I may. What is powering the controller in the lower diagram in your pic?

 

[Skymaster]

Question if I may. What is powering the controller in the lower diagram in your pic?

It's ultimately irrelevant. That's why the ground needs to be connected, to give the voltage reference.

It could be a different power supply, or the same PSU but a different fused output for example. A good use case is if you need a different voltage or higher current for your LEDs.