Newbie Woes

[msherratt]

Ok I am the first to admit I am a complete newbie when it comes to light displays but after months of reading and hours of constructing and soldering I must say I am disappointed if not shattered upon the big switch on tonight. My display is in utter chaos.

Some background info on my display to help those who might have some suggestions to resurrect my display.

I have basically outlined my house with led 30/10 strip (ie walls, roof and windows) I also have 9 small spiral trees made also with led strip. I have two stars with 8mm nodes.
To run the show I am using 5 x pixlite 16 (MKII) each with its own Meanwell 320 psu. For the longer runs I am injecting power (sometimes mid-run other times at the end of the strip). The pixlites are connected directly to my computer through a switch and each have their own static IP that the computer is registering as checked through the advatek assistant.

So here is my disaster:
I do the big switch on and I get a lot of the elements with pixel 1 of the strip lit up green. All but one of the spiral trees is doing this with one of them with the complete strip lit up as orange. Most of the house outline is not showing. One of the windows is showing some hybrid aqua blue to lilac lit up as100%. One of the stars is flashing white and the other is blue.

I put the pixlites in test mode and I do get a lot more pixels scrolling through the red/green/blue but some elements are pure white while others only part of the trip is lit.

I have included some pictures to try and show what I am describing.

I am feeling I might have some power issues for the strip that is not lit but I think my problems are far worse than that.

Any suggestions?

 

[keithsw1111]

Deep breaths. It is never as bad as it seems. Secret is to take it one step at a time. Pick one element and work on it. Start with the controller test function. Can you get it to work rgbw. If that works then your lights are good. Now you need to check that your controller is receiving data and sending to the lights. Sacnview I think it's name is can help here. Then you want to get the test mode in your sequencer working and then finally a simple sequence. If you solve it in that way it will all come together.

 

[keithsw1111]

If you want I could find some time tomorrow to help you out.

 

[msherratt]

Deep breaths. It is never as bad as it seems. Secret is to take it one step at a time. Pick one element and work on it. Start with the controller test function. Can you get it to work rgbw. If that works then your lights are good. Now you need to check that your controller is receiving data and sending to the lights. Sacnview I think it's name is can help here. Then you want to get the test mode in your sequencer working and then finally a simple sequence. If you solve it in that way it will all come together.

Thanks Keith. I have taken so many deep breaths that I am hyperventilating haha. I put the controller in test function and what I get is shown in the pics. Very random I know hence my frustration.


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[keithsw1111]

Hard to help you this way. I will be in chat in an hour or so or catch me there some time tomorrow

 

[msherratt]

If you want I could find some time tomorrow to help you out.

Thanks. I will be online trying to sort it out. I do appreciate any help that you can throw my way.


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[i13]

Hmm...

Completely guessing here but do you understand about how the negative line is used as a reference for the data?

The positive line in each run of pixels must always be cut between each power supply too.

This thread covers the correct wiring of pixels https://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,9307.0.html

 

[msherratt]

Hmm...

Completely guessing here but do you understand about how the negative line is used as a reference for the data?

The positive line in each run of pixels must always be cut between each power supply too.

This thread covers the correct wiring of pixels https://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,9307.0.html

Thanks i13. I am having issues opening that forum post link. I thought I followed the suggested wiring from the manual. Not sure about negative line being used as a reference for the data and cutting the positive etc. I will try ur link in the morning when I am not on my phone and can use my laptop



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[i13]

That might be why. The negative needs to be common along all pixels on the same controller output. You need to cut the positive line in the pixels half way between each power supply.

Some small changes to your wiring might fix all of your problems.

The link might work if you access ACL without using Tapatalk on your phone.

 

[msherratt]

Can anyone have a look at these two diagrams and see if they are a suitable way of power injection

 

[Kitman]

The only change that most people would suggest would be to run the positive from the power supply to the start of the strip rather than powering from the controller, just have the negative and data from the controller to the start and have the positive run from the fuse block to the start and the power injection points that you have in the picture.


For the second image with the single 5m roll you shouldn't need to power inject at the end but again remove the positive from the controller and run it straight to the start of the strip.


From a power side it looks fine so maybe you have a different issue.

 

[msherratt]

Thank you for your help....I have had a lot of suggestions today with regards to powering options (I thought I had it nailed according to the manual...how wrong could I be) It will take me a week of re wiring and soldering. ughhh.

I do wonder whether power is my only issue. cf... I put some spiral trees onto a pixlite...nine trees in all. each tree has about 3.2m of 30/10 led pixel strip, After turning on the controller every tree's pixel 1 is lit constant green...then when I put the controller onto test mode I still have the same issue and I am not sure the test is showing correct...picture to show the issue.Any suggestions what could be causing this?

 

[livetoride]

Random idea here but do you have your Data line connected wrong or back to front or in the wrong port in the plug by any chance?

 

[msherratt]

Random idea here but do you have your Data line connected wrong or back to front or in the wrong port in the plug by any chance?

I have wondered that myself but I am using the blue cable in the pigtails and have connected them through to the data point in the controller.



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[msherratt]

Random idea here but do you have your Data line connected wrong or back to front or in the wrong port in the plug by any chance?

I have wondered that myself but I am using the blue cable in the pigtails and have connected them through to the data point in the controller.



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You have got me thinking Daniel. I am going back to the pixlite manual and making sure that I have the wires plugged into the correct slot on the controller


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