Power injection WITHOUT T connectors

Joined
Feb 19, 2019
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Reynella
Hi I was wondering if I could get this great communitys input on how to power inject between runs of pixels without using the t/y connectors (3way connector).

Would love to see pics on what people have done to get around this with out investing a heap of money on the t connects.

I was thinking of just doubling up on the far end with 2 pigtails
 

fasteddy

I have C.L.A.P
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Apr 26, 2010
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Albion Park NSW
The fact that you need to continue the data and ground between power injection then im not sure how you get away with not having a TWay unless you solder 2 plugs onto the injection point (one for ground and +V and the other for ground and data) but this may cost you more in the long run.
You can also just solder wires directly in but then you need to consider how you will store your lights
There are other cheap alternatives to using the Tways but these can compromise having a decent waterproof connection or being easy to remove and store.
In the end you need power injection for longer runs and the best way is using a Tways
If just injecting power from the end of a string/strip then you must ensure that you dont get additional voltage drop by adding in additional cable to make the end or that the lights in the middle do not suffer colour shift due to voltage drop

What i have done in the past when using long runs of strip was to inject power in the middle so so I could get 10 metres of strip (5 metres each way) and then i will connect another 5m strip on either end and inject power through the end. so for every 10 metres of strip I only need to add power once so then II can get away with 3 power injection points (including the initial supply power) fo a 25m run. But you must ensure the supply canle being used caneasily take the current of the 2 strips it is supplying. But the cost of additional cable size for less injection points may outweigh the cost of just using more Tways

Just remember that your power injection supply cable must be big enough to compensate for the current being used and the overall length you require or else you will still have voltage drop issues
 

djgra79

My name is Graham & I love flashing lights!
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Dec 27, 2011
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Some strips/strings supplied have pos and neg extra wires already soldered to the pos & neg wires of the 3wire cable, so essentially you have 1 plug whcih is pos, neg, data, and a 2nd plug which is pos, neg as a power injection line. I'm actually considering this for my roof outline and stars this year instead of buying the T-Type connectors (I currently use the 3-2-3 type)
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2019
Messages
30
Location
Reynella
Fast Eddy, perhaps I didn't explain my self very well, Djgra is on point of what I was thinking of doing, so at the end of the string I would have a pig tail with -/+/d and another pig tail with just -/+ (and Yes will be running from same power supply) so will not need to break the positive between runs.
 

AAH

I love blinky lights :)
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Dec 27, 2010
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Eaglehawk
Every join I have in my pixels I have a 2 pin pigtail soldered to it for power injection if needed. If I put the pixels up and I need power anywhere I just tap into the join.
All the joins have the 4 pin pigtail I use for the power and data and a 2 pin pigtail for power injection.
 

lithgowlights

Dedicated elf
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
1,023
No pics but that's what I do here. I add a female socket on the end of every item and if I need to do power injection at the far end I can plug in a custom lead from the spare power injection ports on the box. I don't have a T injection lead anywhere in my display at all
 

Roosta

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 8, 2015
Messages
202
2pin socket at the end along with the 3pin, but still have used plenty of t pieces.. they are good to get you out of trouble..

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