Customer:
I have a question about an LED RGB strip 3528 connected in a series approximately 16 m long. It’s connected to an IR controller box (max output current 6A) and powered by a 12V 8A supply.
The strip is installed along the ceiling and connected at corners with connectors. Each section of the strip between corners lights normally, but when everything is connected together, problems occur.
The first approximately 2.5 m lights normally, but beyond that it gets progressively dimmer. The last approximately 3.5 m barely lights at all.
I’m wondering if one of these components is underpowered?
Original message (Croatian)
imam jedno pitanje za Vas.
Led RGB traka 3528 spojena u nizu cca 16 m. Priključena je na IR controler box (izlazana struja max. 6A), te na napajanje 12v 8A.
Traka je postavljena po plafonu sobe i u kutevima je spojena sa conektorima. Svaki dio trake (od kuta do kuta sobe) uredno svijetli, ali kad se spoji sve skupa nastaju problemi.
Prvih cca 2,5 m svijetli normalno, a dalje sve slabije. Zadnjih cca 3,5 m jedva da svijetli.
Zanima me dali je koji od navedenih komponenti preslab?
P.S. sve je kupljeno na ebay-u i nema veze sa e-radionicom, ali kako ste mi u prošlosti pomogli sa savjetima shetih se Vas opet.
Originally submitted via email support on 29 October 2017. Migrated to the forum for community visibility.
Soldered Support:
This happens because of the resistance of the LED strip itself, which is too high and causes voltage drop, and with it the intensity of the light decreases.
You need an “amplifier” (repeater/booster) that you insert at the point where the light starts to dim. We may have one available if you’re interested.
Original message (Croatian)
to Vam se događa zbog otpora same LED trake koji je prevelik te pada napon, a s time i intezitet svjetla.
Trebate “pojačalo” kojega biste ubacili na mjesto na kojemu počinje slabiji intezitet svjetlosti. Možda čak i mi imamo koje, pa ako Vam je zanimljivo, mogu provjeriti.
Customer:
I received your answer and now I’m wondering if this amplifier needs its own power supply? And what power would that supply need to be? The existing supply is 12V 8A.
Original message (Croatian)
primo sam Vaš odgovor, pa me sad još zanima dali to pojačalo treba imati svoj izvor napajanja? I kolika bi trebala biti snaga tog napajanja? postoječe napajanja je 12V 8A.
Soldered Support:
You need to calculate whether there is sufficient current in the circuit (you probably already calculated it and found there is), and then you can use the same power supply.
You didn’t specify whether you have a strip with 30 or 60 LEDs per meter. I’ll assume 60, then the power is 20W, so you need 1.66A per meter. For 16m you need a 25A supply. If you want to be safe, 30A is recommended.
If you have a quality supply, you can use a lower current; I believe 15A would already light sufficiently brightly.
In any case, you will need at least one more power supply.
Original message (Croatian)
treba izračunati postoji li dovoljna struja u krugu(vjerojatno ste računali pa onda i postoji) te se onda može koristiti isto napajanje.
Niste napisali imate li traku s 30 ili s 60 LEDica u metru. Pretpostavit ću 60, onda je snaga 20W, dakle 1.66A Vam je potrebno po metru. Za 16m trebate napajanje od 25A. Ako želite ići na sigurno, preporučljivo je 30A.
Ako imate kvalitetno napajanje, možete dati manju struju, vjerujem da bi na 15A već svjetlilo dovoljno jako.
U svakom slučaju, trebat ćete barem još jedno napajanje.
Customer:
I used an LED strip with chip dimensions 3528, with 60 chips per meter, and the description states it uses an operating current of 0.35-0.4 A, that is, 4.8 W per meter (your strip 20 W; 1.66 A/m?).
By that calculation, 16 m of strip is 76.8 W, and the supply is 12 V / 8 A = 96 W.
So either I’m making a math error or I made a mistake when soldering and that’s what caused the problems described above.
Original message (Croatian)
koristio sam led traku dinemzije čipa 3528, sa 60 čipova po metru, te je u opisu navedeno da koristi radnu struju 0,35-0,4 A, tj. 4,8 W po metru (Vaša traka 20 W; 1,66 A/m ?).
Po tome 16 m trake ima 76,8 W, a napajanje ima 12 V / 8 A = 96 W.
E sad, ili griješim u matematici ili sam pogriješio kod lemljenja pa su nastali gore navedeni problemi.
Soldered Support:
Regardless of the power, voltage drops because of the strip’s resistance.
Everything I said still applies: you don’t need a new supply, but you do need an amplifier.
Original message (Croatian)
Bez obzira na snagu, samo preračunajte sa svojom, napon pada zbog otpora trake.
Sve isto vrijedi, ne trebate novo napajanje, ali trebate pojačalo.