I get a problem every time I connect the ESP32 card with Espixelstick4 with a string of WS211

[kobra59]

Hi,
I get a problem every time I connect the ESP32 card with Espixelstick4 with a string of WS211.
I connect the power supply + / - 5V to the string leds.
I connect the power supply of the ESP32 board to a power bank for mobile phones.
The P2 pin of the ESP32 at the command of the led strip.
Some LEDs start flashing randomly.
When I connect the negative in common between the card and the LED strip everything turns off.
Has it happened to anyone?
Does anyone have any solution?
Thank you K59

 

[Skymaster]

So the flashing makes sense with the negatives not connected. Voltage is a potential difference between two points. In this case, the data pin, and ground. By removing the negative, there's no reference for the data signal, and the LEDs dont know how to interpret them, and you get the flickering.

Connecting the negatives together provides that reference, and the LEDs switch off - most likely due to the fact that the ESP is not outputting data. This sounds somewhat expected.

 

[Skymaster]

A side question - why use a power bank for the ESP, and a 5V PSU for the lights - why not power the ESP from the same PSU?

 

[thewanderingpine]

a first test might be to try and drop the PS - and run 5 lights off the ESP/power-bank
Agree with spymaster though - it would typically make sense to run both from the power supply.