Backyard Lighting with ESP8266 and WS2811 LEDs

[sketchy_rgb]

Hi guys,
I've been messing around with RGB strips on and off for a while, never really doing anything "helpful" with them... now, I've got a new patio up in the backyard and I want to add my strips around the patio for some extra added lighting, and to put all of my strips to good use for a change!

I think I have a good/workable plan on achieving this...but I managed to scare myself out of trying, so I came here for some help from smarter people!

I've put together a drawing of the setup (attached), to illustrate what I want to do, much easier to understand than text.
Basically I want to use an old PC Power Supply... (I get the feeling you guys don't really like these for RGB strips on here!!) but it's the simplest and cheapest way since I've already got it. hahah!

My Components:

6x WS2811 12V Strips
These are 3 LEDs per controller ( 'Semi-Smart'?? )
NodeMCU : ESP8266 - For WiFi and Controlling the LEDs
ATX Power Supply


Thanks for any help guys, hopefully I haven't forgotten anything!

-- UPDATE --
Updated the drawing setup attached, to include GND wires to injection points, and Fuses on all 12V lines.

 

[MikeKrebs]

Looks good. You got this!

 

[sketchy_rgb]

Would it be advisable to run GND wires along with the power injection points?
I'm thinking to use around an 18 - 16 gauge wire, that should be fine for the max 15.7A correct?

Also fuses, I didnt think about this, but should I be adding a fuse on every 12V line?

Thanks MikeKrebs.

 

[Notenoughlights]

I would run your ground directly to the LED strips rather than through the MCU.

As for the MCU, I would suggest you use an ESP32 (or one of the pre-built esp32 controllers that are designed for driving led strings/strips as they have built in hardware for bringing the data voltage to the correct level) if you are going to use WLED to run this, as there have been mentions of WLED dropping support for esp8266 style controllers in upcoming updates due to the memory size limitations of the 8266.

 

[sketchy_rgb]

Hi Notenoughlights,
I don't understand your comment of running the GND directly to the LED strips, rather than through the MCU? ...The MCU "needs" the ground, needs a common ground to work correctly no?
Or did I misunderstand your comment?

Unfortunately I only have a few 8266 boards laying around, as I've bought them a long time ago... now I'm just putting them to use. If WLED does indeed drop support at some point, it wont make much of a difference as this is just for simple lighting in the backyard, I probably wont even update the WLED version I have installed.

 

[Notenoughlights]

You will still need to ground the MCU yes, but it's most likely a better idea to give it it's own feed from the power supply rather than running the led power through the unit itself.

 

[sketchy_rgb]

Sorry mate, I don't get what you mean... in my diagram the MCU and the LEDs share the same ground wire, as this is how it should be, it's the only way it works, as far as I know.

If I'm understanding you correctly, you mean for me to run a GDN from the PSU to the MCU, then a different GND from the PSU to the LEDs??

Sorry if I'm being dense here!

 

[Notenoughlights]

Sorry mate, I don't get what you mean... in my diagram the MCU and the LEDs share the same ground wire, as this is how it should be, it's the only way it works, as far as I know.

If I'm understanding you correctly, you mean for me to run a GDN from the PSU to the MCU, then a different GND from the PSU to the LEDs??

Sorry if I'm being dense here!

Yeah I do see what you mean, I'm just so adjusted to diagrams where people run all their power through the MCU and saw the connection and assumed you were going to run from multiple ground pins etc, the traces on the pcb's for the MCU's aren't rated for a lot of current, which is why I said you would need to also run a ground directly to the LED's in order to provide a path for the higher currents.

 

[sketchy_rgb]

The way I understand it is the MCU needs to have the same ground wire as the LEDS, so running another ground from the PSU to the injection points (not going through the MCU) will cause the LEDS to not work correctly.
although not writing this out, I don't think thats the case, like you mentioned, the traces on the PCB are not designed for this sort of current...

I suppose it should still work since all the Ground wires are common from the power supply, right?
So running a separate Ground with every 12V injection is the safest way to go?

Should I put an inline fuse on every 12V wire? or is that overly paranoid?

 

[Notenoughlights]

The way I understand it is the MCU needs to have the same ground wire as the LEDS, so running another ground from the PSU to the injection points (not going through the MCU) will cause the LEDS to not work correctly.
although not writing this out, I don't think thats the case, like you mentioned, the traces on the PCB are not designed for this sort of current...

I suppose it should still work since all the Ground wires are common from the power supply, right?
So running a separate Ground with every 12V injection is the safest way to go?

Should I put an inline fuse on every 12V wire? or is that overly paranoid?

Running the MCU and lights from the same power supply will work fine regardless of how you run the wires (preferably not using the MCU as a path for the current through one of its ground pins to another ground pin and then back to the power supply) , as the power supply ground terminals (if there are multiple) are connected together on the PCB (in 99% of cases)

Yes you should fuse every wire coming from the PSU going to injection points, they are there to protect your wiring and property should there be a short circuit or an overload that could cause the wire to heat up or melt.

 

[sketchy_rgb]

Thanks for your advice Notenoughlights,
Based on this, I've updated the drawing setup in the first post, is this what you meant? Did I understand you correctly?

 

[Notenoughlights]

Thanks for your advice Notenoughlights,
Based on this, I've updated the drawing setup in the first post, is this what you meant? Did I understand you correctly?

That looks good.

 

[sketchy_rgb]

Thanks for you help mate! Really appreciate it!

One last question/query... I read some post on here about using ATX power supplies, and how it's not really advisable because they don't like fluctuating draws, or something along those lines.
In your opinion, is this something I should be conscious about? is there something advisable to do when using ATX power supplies for long LED runs?

 

[Notenoughlights]

Thanks for you help mate! Really appreciate it!

One last question/query... I read some post on here about using ATX power supplies, and how it's not really advisable because they don't like fluctuating draws, or something along those lines.
In your opinion, is this something I should be conscious about? is there something advisable to do when using ATX power supplies for long LED runs?

I don't see why they wouldn't like fluctuations. It's not as if the power draw in a computer is a constant level either. Just make sure the power rails aren't overloaded, some ATX power supplies can have multiple +12/+5v rails, double check that first.

 

[sketchy_rgb]

yeah that was my initial thought too, I just wanted to get your opinion on it, just in case.

Ideally i'd be using 2 separate rails to be extra safe. Each PCI cable is good for 150W or so. I think my LEDs goto a maximum of around ~180W from memory. But I dont plan on maxing them out.

Thanks for all your help mate! Appreciate it!