5050 Dumb RGB LED Strips & REN48LSD

[Drweird13]

I purchased two rolls of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/120789020268...84.m1497.l2649

5M Flash RGB LED Strip 5050 SMD 300 Light Waterproof

• Working input Voltage:12VDC
• Working power:≤36W/5M
• Working Current:≤3A/5M

I would like to cut the strips up and make two talking faces. I've been lurking on the site for some time now, and have ran across multiple ways of doing this. The top two answers seem to be using DCSSR's or a Ren48LSD. I would prefer to use a Ren48LSD as it will be cheaper.

The Ren48LSD claims it can handle 400mA per channel. What if all 48 channels were switched on at the same time, with 400mA worth of lights hooked to each channel? Could that board really handle 19.2 amps (400mA x 48 channels)?

Thanks

[tjetzer]

There's a few things to be concerned about.

First, your options are not "DCSSRs or a Ren48LSD." No matter what you need a controller, in your case a Ren48LSD. The DCSSR are needed if the current draw on a given channel is greater than 400ma.

The Ren48LSD can handle 400ma per channel. If all 48 channels are on and draing 400ma you will pull 19.2amps.

The strips you have purchased are going to be very very bright and not laterally flexible. For faces I highly recommend 3528 strips as they aren't blinding bright and are much more laterally flexible.

I would also highly recommend testing the current draw of your strips as the specs shown are more typical of 30 LED/m strips. If you follow the listed specifications you run a very great risk of burning out the Ren48LSD.

I purchased two rolls of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/120789020268...84.m1497.l2649


I would like to cut the strips up and make two talking faces. I've been lurking on the site for some time now, and have ran across multiple ways of doing this. The two top answers seem to be using DCSSR's or a Ren48LSD. I would prefer to use a Ren48LSD as it will be cheaper.

The Ren48LSD claims it can handle 400mA per channel. What if all 48 channels were switched on at the same time, with 400mA worth of lights hooked to each channel? Could that board really handle 19.2 amps (400mA x 48 channels)?

Thanks

[dlovely]

Brian will chime in a second (If he has not already posted as I type this), but yes you are correct it can handle 400mA/channel * 48 channels. The strips are generally 3 channel where the LSD is grouped in 4 channels (RGB+W) so you may think about using a breakout board or doing some custom wiring to get back that extra channel on each RJ45 jack. As a side note, we have the LSD in stock ready to ship.

[Drweird13]

Thanks for the info. Forgot to mention I have a Ren64XC.

So it sounds like I should be able to hook all 10 meters up to a Ren48LSD, as long as I don't draw more than 400mA on a single channel. I guess I'm just shocked that the board can handle 19.2 amps total.

I'll probably end up buying some 3528 LED Strips as you suggest, I didn't think about lateral flexibility.

Again, thanks for the info.

[kingofkya]

Also as far a a breakout board goes I put theses together a while back. to do just that
http://doityourselfchristmas.com/for...-RJ45-Breakout

[jklingert]

I guess I'm just shocked that the board can handle 19.2 amps total.

Just a side note, there are two separate power feeds on the 48LSD, so the power load is distributed across them.

The one that amazes me is the E68x pixel controller boards, they are designed for 40+A loads! It also has dual power feeds and recommend using 12ga wire for hook up to your power supply

[budude]

Yes - the board was designed to support 24x400mA (9.6A) on each side. The traces are 2oz copper and wide enough to support it. I've been running my SuperStrips (albeit at 360mA/channel) for several years now.

[ukewarrior]

Can you tell me how you plan to do circles and curves with these strips?

[tjetzer]

This was done using 3528 strips. The only cuts in the strips were for the different elements. No cuts were made to go in circles or corners. There is some bunching up of the strips where they are bent, but nothing you'll see from 10' away at night.


Attachment 13638

[Drweird13]

My end goal is to create something similar to the faces in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zjXr6Qnpcw

It looks like I'll need some 3528 strips (thanks for the example tjetzer).