3 core, 18 AWG for power injection
- Thread starter Jon_101
- Start date
I disagree. If your cable has three cores and you only need a positive and negative, doubling either should help. This is because voltage drop happens over distances. I generally suggest doubling the negative if you can't double both. If this cable is between the controller and first pixel or if the controller and injection point use the same power supply, the negative will carry slightly more current than the positive. This is because it is used as a reference for the data signal. In addition to this, it is generally more practical to fuse the positive compared to the negative. Fusing would be simpler if you only need to fuse a single wire.
Maybe I shouldn't have said that I disagree outright. I'm interested to know why Katekate says not to double the wires. The only reason that I can think of for not doubling the negative is that it creates a negative loop. This might cause flicker but I'm not sure whether the pixels need to be within the loop for this to be a problem. Regardless, the chances of causing flicker are so small that the benefit of doubling the wire should outweigh the risk.
battle79
Full time elf
If both wires are the same length and terminated together at both ends then no issues will be created. Your definitely correct in so far as it will give you a better reference for the data signal to use.
I actually didn't think of the reduced voltage drop in the negative providing a better reference but yes, I completely agree. My thinking was that because the negative is used as a reference, it completes the circuit for the small amount of current that flows through the data wire. The negative should therefore carry slightly more current and have a little bit more voltage drop than the positive.
On the topic of doubling wires, the wire that should never be doubled is the data wire.
On the topic of doubling wires, the wire that should never be doubled is the data wire.