Ray Wu pigtails and data flow in general - general rule of thumb for M-F direction

janastas

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Nov 30, 2020
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Hi All,

I know this is a really dumb quetsion but I'm going to ask it anyway.

When connecting pigtails to my pixel strings is there any standard as to whether you should connect the male or female pigtails in a particular direction?

I know that the data flow for pixel strings is the wires coming into the IC side is the data coming in and the side of the chip without the IC is data out.

Is the general rule of thumb for M/F pigtails that the M should be the data in side and the F should be the data out side?

The reason I'm asking is that I'm making my first attempt at power injection using the Ray Wu splitters and I would say I wired the pigtails the wrong way around based on the data and power direction that the splitters are meant to be.

I've attached photos of my pigtails but also the data direction of the pigtails according to Ray Wu's item description.

I'm guessing this wouldn't be an issue if I didn't have to do power injection but now is that I want to include splitters.



 

OzAz

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Yes Female supplies power, Male plugs into it. Just like all the 240V AC outlets and devices you have. Theory is, it's safer that way.
 

janastas

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Yes Female supplies power, Male plugs into it. Just like all the 240V AC outlets and devices you have. Theory is, it's safer that way.

Ha! Talk about a rookie mistake from me.... but yes that makes perfect sense. Noted and now put on my peg board so I don't forget it.
 

TerryK

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I am inclined to think that the 2 pin connector based on the diagram should be a male. If the V+ was carried through then it becomes more ambiguous but because the power injection cable from the supply would have more energy behind it still keep it male on the Tee. I'm a bit curious what other ACL members may think about this.
 

janastas

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I am inclined to think that the 2 pin connector based on the diagram should be a male. If the V+ was carried through then it becomes more ambiguous but because the power injection cable from the supply would have more energy behind it still keep it male on the Tee. I'm a bit curious what other ACL members may think about this.

Looks like it's female on the physical splitter for power into the tee.

 

i13

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Pixel strings generally have a male connector at the end where data enters and a female connector where it exits. There's a grey area in the convention that OzAz stated when you're injecting power. The pictured T-splitter can power in both directions so you'd only be following the male/female convention with respect to data.

Explaining this further, the connectors carry a combination of data and power. It's fine to supply data at one end of the pixel string and power at the other end. Data is directional but power isn't. The T-Splitter assumes that you'll ignore the convention for power because power goes from the 3-pin male connector of the splitter to the 3-pin female connector at the end of the string (against the convention). Data is going in the other direction and following the convention.

Summing this up, you'll have to decide what to do when power is going in one direction and data is going the other direction.
 
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stevelee

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I am inclined to think that the 2 pin connector based on the diagram should be a male. If the V+ was carried through then it becomes more ambiguous but because the power injection cable from the supply would have more energy behind it still keep it male on the Tee. I'm a bit curious what other ACL members may think about this.
Being an electrician, if the V+ was carried through I would think the 2pin should be a female so there aren’t live pins if it’s not being used.

Then I think if it’s not being used and just plugged in, why do I still have it there ?
 
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TerryK

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If V+ was carried through then the Tee's 2 pin V+ would have voltage on it via the upstream (diagram left side) V+ and quite possibly the downstream side. So thinking this the Tee's 2 pin should be female. But, the 2 pin is intended as power injection and as odds are it routes directly from a supply The cable from the supply would have a greater arc flash potential (probability potential, not voltage potential) and thus the Tee's 2 pin should be a male. A 2 pin female would (or should) be on the power supply injection cable.

Not to make light of your question but if the 2 pin is not being used, why have a Tee there at all? Further, based on the diagram, The line arrows (to me at least) indicate data/string direction so the Tee is a power injection source for the next string segment. And as such Tee male and power supply female. It becomes ambiguous if that is the last segment and the segment has power injection at the very end. If not the last string segment then another Tee and power injection so again the Tee's 2 pin probably should be male.

At normal pixel voltages this male/female debate is minor. For the US, if the voltage was greater than 50 Volt then the cable from the supply would be female and the 2 pin a male. However, as the male could or would be 'live', the connectors would be required to be finger-safe.
 

janastas

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Thanks all,

Rewired everything the right way and looks a lot better now and can power inject using the tees further up the post.

Now I've encountered my next issues which is light flickering so will create another post for that one.
 
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