WS2801 with black wires, how to connect them (clock, data, power, ground)?

kmccamman

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Hello everyone,

I am working on a small project which will use a standard SPI RGB controller that generates several patterns and effects in a location that won't have access to a DMX signal. I plan to use WS2801 mini pixels and I have some that I ordered from Serasonal Entertainment. It is important to note that I am not using the controller from them, only the pixels. My question is what is the order of wiring coming out of the pixels? The wires on the pixels I have are all black. Is there a convention for these (such as Power, Data, Clock, Ground from left to right facing the side with the chip)? Has anyone figured out how to correctly wire the pixels with black wires? The SPI unit powers up and the LED flashes with different speeds when the speed button is depressed so I am assuming it is functioning properly. Below are links to what I have.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B4YYUUC/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.seasonalentertainmentllc.com/store/en/intelligent-pixels/154-rainbow-mini-pixels.html


Best regards,

Kelly
 

DeeJai

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Kelly, even with pixels that have coloured wires, you cant assume that they are right.. You will nee to look at the insertion point into the pixel and on the pcb it should have abbreviations to what wire is connected to what. From there you will just have to trace the wire to the end where you want to add into your controller.

normally, the +ve will be on one side of the pcb and the -ve will be on the other, as for the DA and Clk, this could be any orientation really.
 

kmccamman

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Thanks for the fast response! I was having a hard time reading the writing on these pixels. I did take apart one of the rainbow pixel controllers from Seasonal Entertainment and could read that board, then I traced the wires back. I hooked up one of the pixels to test my stand alone controller and it worked! For future reference the wire order used for the pixels from S.E. are ground, data, clock, power with the pixel chip facing you and the LED oriented up.

Kelly
 

DeeJai

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well done Kelly,

Just remember tho, if purchasing from different vendors, it is possible to have a different wire order. Best to always do a test first (like you have) for each batch you get. Same goes for any cable or plugs you buy too.
 

kane

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Matt said:
Just remember tho, if purchasing from different vendors, it is possible to have a different wire order. Best to always do a test first (like you have) for each batch you get. Same goes for any cable or plugs you buy too.

And also worth mentioning that from the same supplier (especially the chinese ones) wire colours can change between different orders, and sometimes the PCB markings aren't even correct..

I had a whole batch of strip lighting that not only had the CLK and DAT around the wrong way, the pre-connected waterproof connectors were on the wrong way (they had used connected the female to the "in" and male to the "out") Made it very difficult to get it working with two separate things wrong!
 

DeeJai

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Kane said:
Matt said:
Just remember tho, if purchasing from different vendors, it is possible to have a different wire order. Best to always do a test first (like you have) for each batch you get. Same goes for any cable or plugs you buy too.

And also worth mentioning that from the same supplier (especially the chinese ones) wire colours can change between different orders, and sometimes the PCB markings aren't even correct..

I had a whole batch of strip lighting that not only had the CLK and DAT around the wrong way, the pre-connected waterproof connectors were on the wrong way (they had used connected the female to the "in" and male to the "out") Made it very difficult to get it working with two separate things wrong!


yeah i too have had weird markings on the PCN, backwards DA and CLK are not really an issue because you dont blow things up if you connect them backwards, but, when they stuff up the PWR and GND, then we have issues.. lol


Also, Kane, why arnt you putting the plugs on yourself???? slackness.. :p
 

kane

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Matt said:
Also, Kane, why arnt you putting the plugs on yourself? ??? slackness.. :p
Yep, I'm definitely lazy sometimes.. I actually got 36 strips of 1.5m length - and for the sake of the $60-70 or something it cost me (including the supply of the connectors), it was a no brainer to get 72 of them supplied, soldered and sealed... Would have taken be hours! (doing my bit for the chinese economy)
 
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