F8-Distro board question (power injection)

Thebruhhh

New elf
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Sep 29, 2020
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I recently got into this world and have no intent on turning around! Believe it or not making 2 LED clouds for our kids with nodemcu’s turned me on to this hobby. Plus I’ve always wanted to do this...

I’ve been reading days and need some input.

I have a lot of WS2812B led 5m (30 lights per meter) 150 RBG addressable BTF-lighting brand arriving in October and plan to attach them to aluminum channels along the gutter/roof lines.

One person posted something similar to what I wanted to do, but he added a F8-Distro board. I currently don’t plan to do a Falcon F16V3 due to my project, but I know I’ll be adding props after this year.

attached is the drawing this user on YouTube said he was doing.

My question is how exactly does the F8-distro work with power injection?

I have all of the other parts except the F8. My plan was to run power injection to 4 different zones from the PSU.
 

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marmalade

cats & pixels
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Dec 1, 2015
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284
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newcastle
personally I'd keep each D1 and it's level shifter near the end of the strips (encase them in pvc pipe with endcaps). Of course these would have to be in range of your wifi AP or router.

Then simply run power to them and the strip (22awg probably won't work with that sort of length, too much vdrop).

You can substitute the distro with 2 busbars or terminal blocks and some inline fuses if necessary.

I've done similar for our roof using esp's (see our youtube clips) and have run a thick power cable from the psu enclosure on the ground to the roof and branched out from that using 4mm2. Others put the psu in a waterproof enclosure and put it on the roof or under the eaves though.
 

Jorge Bolivar

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Hi, Welcome to the club @Thebruhhh!

The F8-distro boards are just power distribution(hence distro) blocks/boards that help you to minimize the connection om your PSU and accomplish power connections isolation from the controllers in an elegant way, that's why is the way to go for power injection.

In more simple words; the F8-distro dived a single power (+ and -) input from your PSU into 8 power outputs.

You can use the F8-distro to power the NodeMCU's and/ to power inject too. Your pic has 4 Node MCU's, then you can use one port per NodeMCU and one port for the power injection for one strip. Is a matter of preference and layout.

The attached picture lack of wiring details, Be sure you power the logic leveler shifter from the NodeMCU that controls the pixel strip.
 

Thebruhhh

New elf
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Sep 29, 2020
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Thank you both for the input. Would you recommend trying to get these tied in with a Falcon F16? Or my specific application might need what I already have listed?

I know there’s multiple ways to do a job. Just wanting to figure it out the best way for future proofing.

Looking forward to the responses and appreciate your all’s quick responses. I have about 3 more weeks to school myself before all the hardware arrives :)
 

Jorge Bolivar

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Thank you both for the input.
Happy to help!

Would you recommend trying to get these tied in with a Falcon F16? Or my specific application might need what I already have listed?
After all the issues I do have with the NodeMCU, WLED, and xLights last year I do purchase an F48 controller. It really simplifies the set up 80%. If that is all you will have on your show, give a shot to what you already order and learn a bit more always thinking that type of setup is temporary.

I know there’s multiple ways to do a job. Just wanting to figure it out the best way for future proofing.
Future-proofing; the F16 you have in mind

Looking forward to the responses and appreciate your all’s quick responses. I have about 3 more weeks to school myself before all the hardware arrives :)
 

Thebruhhh

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Sep 29, 2020
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Thanks Jorge. I was also looking at the F48 as well versus the F16. I think for me I’ll do as you suggested (learn with what I have already ordered) and upgrade my game next year.

For me sometimes the best way to learn is make a mistake and learn much more from it.

edit: I’ll be adding probably next year outlines of the windows, garage, door, props in yard, tree in yard, etc. :)
 

Jorge Bolivar

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Thanks Jorge.
Glad todo so!
I was also looking at the F48 as well versus the F16. I think for me I’ll do as you suggested (learn with what I have already ordered) and upgrade my game next year.

I fall in love with the F48 potential. Do your homework and see what’s suit best your application. Falcon is a solid product.

For me sometimes the best way to learn is make a mistake and learn much more from it.

we all are like that, spark and smoke driven!

edit: I’ll be adding probably next year outlines of the windows, garage, door, props in yard, tree in yard, etc. :)

That’s the attitude!!!
 
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