Quick way to hook up and test strings/pixels

I bought a couple of the 5V controllers from AliExpress myself a couple years ago to test pixels as I was getting samples of different ones from China to look into them.
These little controllers work really well for testing to me. I did cut the connector off the end and installed three alligator clips instead since the strings I was testing had no connectors on them but it is easy enough to use the mating connector for the string and connect the alligator clips to it if necessary.
I could have 4 strings running at a time off one 5V power supply that I had wired up to the controller and to an AC plug which I would just unplug when changing strings around.


Pretty cheap and easy way to test.
 
Im not a big fan of hot swapping Pixels because as I13 suggested, you can damage the 1st pixel in some circumstances and I have witnessed this myself with the 12v 2811 chip in the past
 
Fasteddy said:
Im not a big fan of hot swapping Pixels because as I13 suggested, you can damage the 1st pixel in some circumstances and I have witnessed this myself with the 12v 2811 chip in the past
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Check out "parasistic powering".. If you are going to hot-plug it..


GND, then Power, then Any logic connections..
 
Tonyf1949 said:
Sorry to sound dumb but what do you mean by hot swapping.
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No such thing as a dumb question here, we learn by asking questions

Hot swapping means connecting and disconnecting the lights from the controller while the power is turned on
 
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