Connecting white tape to rgb controller. RGB LEDs: how they work, internals, how to connect, RGB LED and Arduino. What you need to connect RGB tape

An RGB strip that generates red, green and blue in a luminaire is a dynamic lighting system in which three primary colors create more than 16 million shades. The light that is visible to the human eye is called a spectrum. It has blue at one end and red at the other. The rest that we are able to see are in between. Outside these limits are short wavelengths of ultraviolet, X-ray and infrared radiation and radio waves that are not visible to humans.

The principle of operation of the LED strip

Led-tape consists of a self-adhesive strip and a substrate, on which LEDs are installed at regular intervals, they begin to glow after power is applied. LED lighting is a great addition to any home or office design.

Advantages of RGB tape: their connection is inexpensive, easy to install, can instantly change people's mood and appearance rooms. Various brightness levels and color types make LED strips versatile and the applications endless.

Installation locations:

Kitchen and bathroom.
Wall panels and skirting boards.
Ceiling mounted as wall lights.
In cabinets, showcases and bar counters.
Around doorways, windows and stairs.
Under the roof of the spotlights.
In gardens, paths and signs.
Lighting for Christmas or other special occasions.
On the back of TVs and speakers.

Choosing a model for mounting

Test the LED strip by temporary installation, turn it on to view the luminous flux, pattern and angle, before finally fixing it. Integral stripes are made in such a way as to match the quality color and pattern. Led must be installed by a qualified electrician.

RGB tape has the following characteristics:

Illumination. For local lighting, a soft glow of color will suffice; for lighting a large project, a tape with maximum light output is needed.
Flexible or rigid construction. Any rounded layer will require flexible tape, while a stiff one will be useful for straight surfaces.
The color that some strips give off is different from true white LED. If you need to use it for mass lighting, it is recommended to use a model with true white capabilities.
The final lighting effect of RGB tape, connection will depend on a number of factors: ice size, number of units per meter, tape angle and position, color texture, reflectivity of surfaces and distance from the observer.

Main areas of application

RGB tapes for connectivity are the industry standard for industrial and residential lighting, but they have recently become more popular in smart homes and enable people to precisely control the quality and quantity of light.

Application area technology:

IR remotes and controllers: Apply light to communicate between the remote and the controller.
Radio control (RF) is used to control remote objects using various radio signals.
DMX Digital Multiplex (DMX) controllers are a great way to control multiple light sources at the same time.
RGB Dimmer creates custom colors on the strip using a slider or dial.

Key Features of RGB Tape

The low voltage integral LED strips are rated for 12V constant. They are supplied in 5 meter drums. The strip can be cut in several ways, but only in special places of the cut. It is connected using the appropriate driver, the total power must be below 90% of its rated power.

Led can be dimmed with an appropriate driver and compatible dimmer switch. The LED strips are installed on a clean and dry surface. The light flux is adjusted by changing the size, quantity and color of the Led on the strip. The use of built-in strips indoors or outdoors, in dry or wet rooms, is identified by the IP strip number, for example, standard (IP33) or silicone coating (IP67).

IP33 - not waterproof. Used for dry and dustproof areas such as showcases, bedrooms and living rooms.
IP67 - waterproof. This tape is protected by silicone gel against temporary immersion in water between 0.15 and 1 m. Ideal for indoor and outdoor use. Typical interiors in a bathroom or kitchen, under cabinets, next to showers, sinks or other areas of temporary water splash. Typical outdoor use on walkways or walls for decorative purposes.

In addition to the IP67 self-adhesive tape, they are supplied with fastening clips. IP67 should not be permanently submerged in water. They have an operating temperature range from -25 to + 60 degrees Celsius.

The ribbons are available in three versions:

30 LEDs / m - kitchen tables, furniture.
60 LEDs / m - staircase lighting, entrance doors.
120 LEDs / m - high ceilings, outdoor lighting, signage.

The size of the Led will affect the luminous flux and the pattern. Integral LED strips are available in two sizes:

35:28 - 3.5 mm X 2.8 mm LED. The thin beam is ideal for home or ambient lighting with close proximity to bystanders.
50:50 - 5.0 mm X 5.0 mm LED - 40% more bright light than 35:28.

Luminaires with higher lumen output are suitable for commercial or domestic use over long distances, such as ceilings and outdoor area lighting.

An RGB strip color strip can have the following:

Warm white is a traditional yellow light ideal for living rooms, bedrooms and hallways.
Cool white - a combination with blue, ideal for kitchens and bathrooms.
Red, green or blue are stunning bold colors to add more impact to the space and make playrooms, clubs, bars and restaurants more immersive.
RGB and RGBW are red, green and blue LEDs that can be mixed with a remote control to produce a wide range of colors.

Power supply selection

LED torch RGB uses 12 volts and 2.2 watts at 30cm. So if you want to install 4m color changing LED strips, you need a 28.6W PSU to handle it.

Calculation: 28.6 watts / 12 volts = 2.38 amps.

A source with a maximum load should be used that is 20% higher than the working load. The above example will require a 4 amp power supply.

Below are the elements of the lighting scheme:

RGB indicator changing the color of the LED strip at the desired length.
Remote control RGB LED.
RGB LED connectors.
Power LED indicator.
In addition, the circuit must have a power supply for the led strip.
Amplifiers are used when the length of the light strip exceeds the maximum single run.
Coaxial proximity DC connector.

They facilitate the installation of belts. While soldering creates the most stable connection for LEDs, no solder connectors provide a fast and strong connection. At correct installation they do not have to be free and must provide reliable contact. They are designed in such a way that they can be easily connected to any kind of lighting design. Before choosing, you first need to determine which tape will be used, as well as know its width, usually 8 mm or 10 mm.

Installation guide led strip:

Cut it off along the mark line.
Remove the plastic lock from the connector.
Insert the strip into the soldered connector, making sure the wider sides are facing up and the ends are completely touching the metal joint.
Insert the plastic lock back into the locked position, making sure the mounting tray is securely closed.
When performing, you need to double check the markings (+) and (-) to make sure which color wire corresponds to each of them.
For long term use, use any bonding material so that the connector does not come loose.
Make sure to turn off the power when installing the driver. After the connections have been double checked, turn on the power and the remote control to compose the color.

RGB luminaire controller

Depending on the complexity of the LED strip's built-in RGB controller, the luminaire can produce over 16 million color variations where the same light can change instantly depending on the action being performed.

The most common controllers are:

The WS2812 is a programmable DC controller hidden under the RGB kit from the 5050. It does not use a standard communication protocol to control the LEDs, adopting a single pass interface along with power and ground so that LEDs can be combined together, theoretically indefinitely. The WS2812 takes 24 bits of color information data for the green, red, and blue LEDs and then passes the rest of the data line to the next WS2812 in the strip. Indirectly, this means that the LED database will be buffered in memory and then sent to the strip. Overall, the WS2812b RGB Ribbon Connector is a reliable and popular LED controller solely because it is so easy to operate, especially when using Adafruit's NeoPixel library.
The SK6812 hit the LED strip market in 2016, almost like a direct clone of the WS6812. It has some minor improvements between the two chips, however, the "improvement" time is not enough to make the chips incompatible with each other, that it is possible to connect the SK6812 to the WS2812b without any real problems. The most significant difference between the two chips is the increase in refresh rates.
The APA102C is an all-round enhancement to the WS2812b RGB LED strip controller. The LED data stream is processed using a standard SPI interface for bandwidth control. The best part about using SPI is that it has the ability to apply a completely timing independent LED strip that was hampered by the WS2812b. The module is powered by 12V, which is also used to power the LED strip. RGB models are billed as 144W, RGBW at 192W.

Keypad IR remote control for light control

The design light is controlled by an IR receiver module and a code to independently control the LED strip using an easily accessible key transmitter. Along with the 24-key RGB tape remote, there are 44-key remotes on the market that make it easy to add IR controls for any future project. Description of 24-remote controller for 3528 5050 LED strips:

RGB DC 12V.
Connection mode: common anode (+).
Input voltage: 12V.
Output voltage: 12V.
Maximum load current: 2A each color.
Remote controller size: 85mm x 52mm x 6mm.

It is available for 5050/3528 RGB SMD Strip Light Battery 3V Remote Controller: 1xCR2025.

Indicator lights malfunctions

The user should be aware of the root causes of an inoperative luminaire. Very often, after installing the circuit, the tape does not light up. The color of the wire when connecting Led does not always matter. Red / black can represent (+) or (-) depending on which side of the LED strip the connector is connected to. Another common problem is that a solderless connector can be installed the other way around. The power supply must be connected in strict accordance with (+) and (-) and correctly selected in voltage, since 12-volt LED strips with a 24-volt power supply will not work.

The most common crashes:

Wiring is wrong or polarity is reversed, you need to check it with a multimeter.
Loose wires. A very common mistake is the lack of a reliable connection in the connector.
Wire flashing is another common wiring mistake. When working with, you need to make sure that there are no bare wires at the end of the module string, and they do not touch each other.
Voltage drop is a problem with the LED setup when the LED setup is connected in series and not in parallel.

The ability to change the luminous flux of Led is made possible by a lighting system where the combination of red, blue and green can have a different hue depending on the angle of the wavelength of the spectrum. This capability makes it useful in multi-color light applications used for various occasions and in the entertainment industry.

Unlike monochrome LED strips, connecting RGB LED strips is a little more complicated. The difficulty lies in the need to connect four pins instead of two and install a special RGB controller. Of course, you can do without a controller by connecting the RGB channels to the power supply through switches, but then the opportunity to obtain all available color shades will be missed.

An RGB controller is an electronic device that allows you to control the luminous intensity and colors of a multi-color LED device.

The simplest connection diagram for a 12 volt RGB LED strip, designed for a length of up to 5 meters, is presented below. In addition to the RGB LED strip itself, you will need two more devices to connect: a power supply unit (PSU) and an RGB controller. The power of each must be at least 30% higher than the power consumption of the LED strip.

For example, a five-meter bobbin LED RGB SMD 5050-12V-60 will take 72 watts from the network during operation. Therefore, the power supply and controller must be rated for approximately 100 watts.

The terminals located on the functional blocks have a standard designation, and the wire insulation is painted in the corresponding colors. Therefore, the task with the connection is reduced to performing operations with a screwdriver in accordance with the conventions:

L - mains phase 220 V;
N - zero of the 220 V network;
PE - grounding contact;

V, -V - positive and negative terminals from the 12V constant voltage power supply. Input terminals of the RGB controller have a similar designation. It also has 4 output contacts for powering the tape:

B (blue) - for the blue wire;
G (green) - for the green wire;
R (red) - for the red wire;
+ V - yellow wire.

3 wires from a 220 volt network are connected to the input of the power supply: phase (L), zero (N) and ground contact (PE). The output from the power supply unit is connected to the input terminals of the controller, the output of which, in turn, is connected to the LED strip. All conclusions in the circuit must be connected strictly according to the designations on the contacts.

If during installation works accidentally mix up the leads, the LEDs will light up, but will not match the color coding on the remote control.

To connect an RGB LED strip with a length of 5 to 10 meters, you should adhere to the scheme shown in the figure below.
RGB LED strip is divided into two sections with independent power supply. This forced measure is caused by the fact that the second segment cannot serve as a continuation of the first one due to electrical losses in the printed conductors. As a result, at the end of the five-meter section, the supply voltage will be slightly lower than at the beginning, which is reflected in the brightness of the LEDs. In practice, the second option is not much more complicated than the first, since both segments are connected in parallel. The number of parallel sections is limited by the power of the RGB controller and the power adapter.

Most controllers are designed to connect loads up to 200 watts, that is, they are capable of working with an RGB LED strip approximately 10 meters long. The use of a high power controller is not always reasonable due to its high price. Therefore, if it is necessary to connect a lighting structure for more than 10 meters, signal amplifiers are usually used.

An RGB signal amplifier is needed to maintain the same brightness of the glow of all segments, while maintaining synchronization in color control.

The signal amplifier can be connected from the same power supply (in this case, a device with a high output power is required) as the color controller. But the more common and practical way is to use an additional power adapter.

Important! The signal amplifier should be connected to the R, G, B and + V pins of the opposite connected ends of the RGB LED strip.

To obtain a high-quality white color, it is not enough to combine the glow from the green, red and blue LEDs. The only way out is to embed an additional crystal with a white glow in the RGB LED chip or install an additional white LED on the strip. LED strips based on such light-emitting diodes have an additional fourth contact White and are designated as RGBW or RGB + White. The advantage of such products is the additional ability to emit pure white light or more subtle color tones. The RGBW LED strip connection diagram is carried out similarly to the above diagrams, the only difference is in connecting the additional White contact.

Connecting rgb tape correctly is not as difficult as it seems. To do this, you need to know: wiring diagrams, subtleties, which components should be present in the wiring diagram. We will tell about all this and much more in this article.

Installation tools

To connect an LED strip with your own hands, you must first prepare tools and materials:

Scissors.
Soldering iron.
Rosin.
Solder.
Heat-shrink tubing.
Crimp for ferrules.
Connectors.
Power tool for fastening rgb tape.
Insulating tape.
An aluminum profile with a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, which will serve as the basis for fastening the LED strip.

Connection accessories

The electrical diagram for connecting a multicolor tape must include the following structural elements:

power unit;
controller;
rgb amplifier.

To make it clear the purpose of each of the above devices, as well as how to choose them correctly, we will describe them in more detail separately.

Power Supply

The operating voltage for LED strips can only have two options: 12V and 24V!

In order to choose the right power supply for rgb tape, it is worth paying attention to the following important parameters when choosing:

voltage, issued by the unit, must correspond to the power supply of the led strip;
power the power supply must correspond to the energy consumed by the tape;
moisture resistance the appliance must be suitable for the installation site.

An incorrectly selected power supply unit overheats and very often fails!

The following models of power supplies exist on the market today :

A small unit in a sealed aluminum case, as a rule, has excellent moisture resistant characteristics, but its price is quite high.
Compact unit in a sealed plastic case.
The open-type unit in a perforated casing has the largest dimensions of all models, and also requires additional protection against moisture ingress. Among the advantages, one can note its power, thanks to which you can connect the entire LED strip.
The power supply unit has a relatively low power and does not require additional installation. For several LED strips, it is necessary to install separate units of this type.

The choice of a power supply unit in terms of power should be carried out as follows:

The instructions for the tape indicate the power per 1 running meter;
We multiply this indicator by the total length of the entire multicolor ribbon;
To the result obtained, it is necessary to add another 30%, which will be a power reserve.
After the above calculations, we will have an indicator of the power of the power supply, which is necessary to connect the LED strip.

Controller

It is a key structural element of the rgb tape connection scheme and performs the following functions:

Remote switching on of the led strip.
Adjustment of the brightness of the LEDs.
Choice of any glow color.
Controlling the speed of changing and transfusing flowers.
Mixing primary colors to create new shades.
Launches the color changer program.

The appearance of the controllers is shown in the photo.

RGB controllers are selected according to the following criteria:

Compatible with the selected LED strip.
Desired control method.

Depending on the specified criteria, controllers are divided into types:

Wi-Fi controllers using a tablet or mobile phone.
RGB tape controllers with infrared remote control.
Controllers without a remote control are mainly used when there is no need to frequently change the settings of the LED strip.

To choose the right controller, it is worth taking into account the following important parameters:

Controller rated power calculated by the formula:

M k = L * M l * K m, where:

M to - the required power of the controller;

D l - the total length of the Led strip, measured in meters;

M l is the power of the tape, which is measured in W / m;

K m is the power factor of the device.

Controller supply voltage should match the LED strip.

As for rgb amplifiers, they are used to connect an LED device over 5 meters long. We will talk about the features of connecting rgb amplifiers below.

Popular connection schemes

Having analyzed many options for connecting rgb tapes, we have identified a number of the most popular schemes. To implement any of the wiring diagrams in practice, you will need knowledge of.

Standard connection diagram

The installation procedure for the circuit consists in the following sequential steps:

The controller is connected to the low-voltage connectors of the power supply.
Typically, the “+” connectors are connected with a red wire, and “-” with a black wire.
An LED strip with 4 outputs is connected to the controller: three of them are for controlling red, green and blue colors, and the fourth wire is for the general power supply of the device.

Option for connecting two LED strips

The features of this connection option are in the following important points:

To connect, you need two power supplies and an rgb amplifier.
The circuit is simple, however, during installation, you need to carefully monitor that the wires are connected according to the color coding.
The connection option is also acceptable for a 10 meter long led strip .

When connecting several LED strips, you should not make the mistake shown in the photo:

This is due to the fact that a low power voltage will reach the LEDs located at the far end, as a result, the multicolor tape will glow unevenly.

In other words, if the circuit provides for the connection of several LED strips, then they should only be connected in parallel.

Connecting an rgb tape 20 meters long

This connection uses two power supplies. However, if the power of one unit is enough, then all the elements can be connected according to the following scheme: controller-amplifier-power supply.

What else can you connect to

Excellent characteristics of LED devices make it possible to connect them to the following types of equipment:

TV (LEDs enhance the perception effect when watching TV programs);
Music center (rgb tapes allows you to create color effects when playing music);
Automobile. LED strip is an indispensable element of car lighting tuning.
A computer.

A few words about how to connect an LED strip to a computer. The computer's power supply can be used as an uninterruptible power supply. To connect, you should use the molex 4-pin connector. It is enough to solder the rgb tape wires to the connector and connect it to the corresponding output of the power supply.

We talked in as much detail as possible about the main criteria and nuances of connecting and using rgb tapes. We hope that the information presented in the article will become interesting and informative material for you.

Video

And for more confidence in the material presented, you can watch a video from YouTube. This video shows quite well how to perform correct connection LED strips.

LED strips have long been used for spot lighting and as primary lighting. But in addition to monochrome (one-color) different colors, there are controllable RGB (Blue, Green, Red) ribbons that can change their color. One of the manufacturers of such devices is Apeyron.

RGB technology

The scheme itself and the operation of the multicolor stripe have a number of features.

Differences from conventional tape

As usual, RGB tape is a printed circuit board in the form of a narrow strip, along which conductive strips are applied. Unlike the standard one, there are not 2 such stripes on the RGB tape, but 4 or 5 - common and one for each color.

On the board using the SMM method (Surface Mounted Mevice) resistors and LEDs are installed, which vary depending on the type of tape:

Monochrome. They can be of any size and required color.
RGB. It uses SMD 5050 LEDs. This diode consists of three LEDs in one package. In monochrome tape they are the same color, in multicolor tape they are different (red, green and blue). This combination allows you to change the color of the device or make it white. The black color provides no light.
RGBW. In addition to colored diodes, white ones are installed in the tape. This gives you additional control over the brightness and color of the light.

In addition to devices in which all LEDs of the same color are controlled simultaneously, there are devices with chip diodes. They contain a microcircuit that allows you to control each LED separately. This makes it possible to implement effects such as "running lights" or "star rain".

Example RGB tape board

Benefits and applications

The advantage of such LED devices is the ability to change the color of the lighting, both manually and according to a predetermined program, as well as the organization of various lighting effects - overflows of color, flicker, or, when the controller is connected to a computer or a music center, light and music.

Such devices are used in a wide variety of places:

in the backlighting of shop windows;
advertising inscriptions;
creating a romantic setting in the room;
lighting of the corridor or bedroom - blue light turns on at night, and bright white light in the evening or upon a signal from a motion sensor;
lighting of aquariums.

In addition to these options, many others are possible. The use of such devices is limited only by the designer's imagination.

Multi-colored ribbons give room for design possibilities

Ribbon selection

One of the questions that needs to be answered when organizing LED lighting is which strip to use.

Illumination degree

First of all, you need to decide in what capacity the LED backlight will be used:

Decorative lighting. The functionality of the controller is of prime importance.
Zone lighting. This is additional lighting in the room. Its power is only a part of what is needed for the entire room.
Workplace lighting. It is difficult to find out the required power, as it is usually used in conjunction with the main lighting. Determined by selection method or using online calculators.
The main lighting of the entire room. The power is determined by the area of the room and its purpose - in the bedroom it is taken 2 W / m2, in the kitchen or nursery - 3 W / m2, and in the brightest room - 3.5–4.

When drawing up the project, the loss of light in the diffuser or in the ceiling plinth is taken into account. They reach 50%. The option of two-zone and multi-zone illumination is possible.

An example of using zone lighting. Such a tape will not provide illumination of the entire room, but it can illuminate the desired part.

LED type

In a multicolor strip with LEDs, SMD5050 crystals 5 * 5 mm in size are installed, consisting of three diodes and having 6 pins. In a one-color tape, they are the same color, and in an RGB strip, they are different (red, green, blue). A roll of such a tape is 5 meters long and 144 watts.

In addition to conventional diodes, there are chip ones, WS2812B and WS2812S. Outwardly, they are similar to ordinary ones, but inside they contain a PWM controller that allows you to control each LED separately. They implement various effects such as "running lights" or "star rain". From such devices, you can mount an LED screen. The disadvantage is the high cost and the need for a special controller.

Density of diodes

The brightness and price of an LED strip depends not only on the size and type of diodes. The density of the crystals is of no less importance. In RGB tape, it is 30-60 pcs / m. For greater brightness, two, three or four rows are used with a density of 120, 180, 240 pcs / m, respectively.

Ribbon color

The RGB strip color is controlled by the brightness of different color LEDs. If the diodes turn on completely, then the tape emits white light. Decreasing the brightness of one or two colors changes the overall color of the ribbon. This is done using a controller.

The controller allows you to adjust the brightness and color of the tape

LED strip RGB + WhiteRGBW is a two-row led-lenta, in which one row is made of colored LEDs, and the other is made of white LEDs. This makes it possible to obtain pastel colors, as well as increased brightness under normal lighting conditions.

IP degree of protection

By the level of protection against external conditions devices are divided from unprotected (ip20, ip33) to partially protected (ip42, ip44) and sealed (ip67, ip68).

RGB strip power supply

The most common voltage for these devices is 12-24V. There are devices powered by 110 and even 220V, but they are not widely used.

Choosing a power supply (driver) for a strip

The power supply unit for LED strips is selected according to the total power of the devices that will be connected to it. For example, if 5 meters of 14.4 W / m and 3 meters of 7.2 W / m are connected, then the total load is 14.4 * 5 + 7.2 * 3 = 93.6 W. Given a 20% margin (93.6 + 0.2x93.6 = 112,32) , the power of the unit must be at least 112.32 W.

Expert opinion

Alexey Bartosh

Ask an expert

Important! When connecting LED devices with long cables, in order to avoid voltage drops, wires of a larger cross section are used. Therefore, it is advisable to take several drivers instead of one and install them near the connection point.

Like strips, power supplies are manufactured dc12-24v as well as 110v.

How to control RGB strip light

A dimmer is needed to control the brightness of a single color bar, but a controller is needed to take full advantage of the multicolor devices. Otherwise, you will have to adjust each color separately, and the lighting effects will be unavailable.

RGB Ribbon Controller Kit

Choosing a controller for RGB tape

The selection of a control device depends on three factors:

Power. It is calculated in the same way as the required power supply unit - by the total number of connected devices. Sometimes, as when choosing a power supply unit, it is advisable to purchase not one powerful RGB controller, but a lower power and an RGB repeater.
Desired feature set. There are a lot of types of control devices, but, for example, a device with a large number of lighting effects is not needed to illuminate a product in a showcase or an aquarium, and a timer or light music is desirable for additional lighting of the room.
Remote control. Just like when choosing features, sometimes it's necessary, and in other situations it's wasted money.

When selecting, these points are taken into account so as not to purchase a too expensive device, and at the same time its capabilities were quite sufficient.

Controller types

There are different types of controllers for controlling RGB LED strips: from the simplest, push-button, to those equipped with microprocessors and Wi-Fi.

Conventional devices can only select a specific color and provide uncomplicated lighting effects. Used to illuminate shop windows and other places.

More sophisticated models can be programmed to change color and timer effects. They can have a socket for flash memory and react to light in the room and outdoors. There are also bluetooth controllers with a corresponding remote control.

The most sophisticated devices can be connected to the smart home system.

Most bands have a remote control. It happens:

on buttons;
infrared;
on radio signals;
Bluetooth control;
Wi-Fi control.

The latter two can replace the iPhone or mobile phone with Android.

You can manage the ribbon using your smartphone

In addition to conventional controllers, there are home-made devices based on the Arduino microprocessor board. Such homemade products control simple or chip-based LEDs, create light or color-musical effects. Motion or light sensors are also connected to the Arduino-controller.

RGB controller modes

There are two types of LEDs in strips:

simple, which are controlled by changing the supply voltage simultaneously along the entire length;
chip-based, with digital control of the colors of each diode separately.

Accordingly, the controllers operate in two modes - analog and digital. it different types devices and they are not interchangeable.

Connection methods

There are two options for connecting RGB tape:

soldering;
connectors.

Solder connection

In order to solder the cable to the LED strip, you must:

Wire cross-section up to 0.5 mm2. The thicker one may tear off the pads.
Soldering iron up to 25 watts. A powerful soldering iron will overheat the soldering area, and the pad will peel off from the base.
Solder and neutral flux.
Shrink tubing 30 mm long.

Expert opinion

Alexey Bartosh

Specialist in repair, maintenance of electrical equipment and industrial electronics.

Ask an expert

Attention! Active flux cannot be used. It will destroy the wire or contact strips, and also lead to a short circuit, after which the tape will have to be repaired.

RGB LED Strip Connectors

The modern way of connecting is connectors. These are small plastic devices inside which there are contact pads for attaching to the tape. Their number should correspond to the number of conductive strips 2, 4 or 5.

These devices are available for different options connections:

with leads, for power supply;
connecting, designed to connect two sections of the strip;
angular, for connection at an angle;
T-shaped or cruciform.

And many others. Using the connectors, you can repair the device yourself.

Connecting to an RGB controller longer than its rated wattage

When driving LEDs with a power exceeding the parameters of the controller, or when connecting devices located at a great distance, an RGB repeater is used.

The signal to it comes from the controller through thin cables, and the device controls the glow of the adjacent segments of the tape.

Video review of the kit with the remote control

📋 Take the test and test your knowledge

Hello, dear readers and guests of the "Notes of an Electrician" website.

In today's article I will share with you detailed information about the installation and wiring diagram of a multi-color LED RGB strip, as well as about the choice of a power supply (driver) and controller for it.

In general, it is necessary to install the LED strip in the tensioner two-level ceiling, in order to beautifully highlight and emphasize the niche above the sleeping place.

It was difficult to decide on the color, and it was difficult to choose the right color right away. What if he gets bored later ?! And changing it will already be problematic.

Therefore, among the LED strips, the choice was made in favor of the RGB LED strip. If you don't know, this is a multicolor strip with RGB LEDs.

An RGB LED consists of three crystals: Red, Green, and Blue.

By controlling the brightness of each crystal separately, almost the entire spectrum of colors and shades can be obtained. Although yellow, even purple, even blue - absolutely any color, however, it all depends on the functionality of the selected controller for controlling RGB tape.

Also, using the controller, you can change not only the color, but also change the brightness of the ribbon glow. Depending on the controller, various modes and programs for managing the tape may already be built into it. But we will talk about this a little lower in the text using the example of an already specifically selected controller.

Classification and selection of LED strip

Before moving on to the choice of LED strip, I will make a small overview of their classification as a whole.

Currently, the most common strips with LEDs SMD 3528 and SMD 5050.

SMD stands for Surface Mounted Device. As you can see, SMD LEDs are soldered to the surface of the tape.

LEDs SMD 3528 and SMD 5050 differ in parameters and dimensions.

Now I will not go into details, this is a topic for a separate article. I will only say that SMD 3528 LEDs have side dimensions 3.5 (mm) by 2.8 (mm), and SMD 5050, respectively, 5.0 (mm) by 5.0 (mm).

SMD 3528 LEDs are single-chip, while SMD 5050 has three crystals. In this regard, the difference in their luminous flux is about 3 times. Naturally, the luminous flux of the SMD 5050 is greater and these LEDs shine much brighter, although at the same time their power consumption is 3 times more.

Also, the tapes differ in the number of LEDs per meter. Most often, there are tapes with 30, 60, 120 and 240 LEDs per meter. Naturally, the more LEDs in each meter, the brighter the tape will burn, but accordingly, the cost of such a tape will be somewhat more expensive.

For decorative lighting of ceilings or walls, SMD 5050 tape with 60 light-emitting diodes (LED) per meter is quite suitable. For decorating furniture, you can take a tape that is less bright. Although it's all up to your taste and color.

In general, for illuminating the niche, I chose a multicolor RGB LED strip with SMD 5050 LEDs with an amount of 60 pieces per meter (article number F-5050-24RGB60). I think this is the best option.

Installing RGB LED strip on the ceiling

Technical characteristics of LED strip RGB 5050 60 LED (article F-5050-24RGB60):

power 14 (W / m)
voltage DC 24 (V)
degree of protection IP33 (read about)
number of LEDs 60 (pcs / m)
RGB color (multicolor)

The tape is wound on plastic spools (spools), just like magnetic tapes from a tape recorder used to be.

To illuminate a niche, you need 8 meters of tape. But it is sold in coils of only 5 (m), so I had to purchase two of these coils.

RGB LED strip, like other single-color strips, consists of small short sections. Each piece of tape, 6 LEDs long (other tapes have a different number of LEDs per segment), is a completely finished product, i.e. if the supply voltage is applied to the contact pads of such a piece of tape, then the LEDs of this segment will light up.

To obtain ready-made strips 5 (m) long, these small pieces are connected together at the factory.

And exactly the opposite, if we do not need a tape 5 (m) long, then we can shorten it. You can cut the tape only along the lines marked with the scissors.

Near the cutting lines there are contact pads for connecting wires.

If you cut off along the line, then you will simply ruin the tape, thereby cutting its working paths.

The total length of the two coils is 10 (m) and the niche perimeter is only 8 (m). Therefore, I cut one meter from each 5-meter tape.

The tape is flexible enough, so it can be fixed on surfaces of any shape without any problems. In my example, the LED strip must be fixed to the stretch ceiling profile along the perimeter of the berth.

But I decided to attach the tape not to the surface of the wall and the box, but for this I used a plastic cable channel of the smallest size 10x15 (mm).

First, I attached a cable channel around the perimeter of the niche, turning it 180 ° so that the luminous flux was not lost. By the way, the cable duct is flexible enough and fits without any problems on bends and bends.

And then I glued the LED strip to the cable channel.

On the reverse side of the tape, double-sided tape is applied, with the help of which it is easily and quickly glued.

The photo below shows the end of the first piece of a 4m tape and where it was cut.

After cutting the first tape, I backed off a short distance (about 10 mm) and glued the second piece of 4-meter tape.

As a result, it turned out that along the perimeter of the niche two independent tapes, each 4 (m) long, were glued, and their supply wires were brought out in one place.

RGB SMD 5050 LED consists of three crystals of different colors, which means that each crystal must be supplied with its own power. That is why a multi-color RGB strip can be easily distinguished from a single-color LED strip by the presence of 4 pins: pins for supplying crystals (red, green and blue) and one common pin (black). A single-color tape has only 2 pins.

Attention! When installing the LED strip, I noticed one nuance.

In some places on the reverse side of the tape, there are bare areas of the contact pads.

If you have self-tapping screws and other conductive parts on the way of installing the tape, then these areas must be insulated, for example, with electrical tape.

Choosing a power supply (driver) for RGB tape

Many of the citizens make a gross mistake, plugging the LED strip directly into the 220 (V) network. Naturally, in this case, the LEDs immediately burn out. It is absolutely impossible to do this!

An LED strip, even one-color, even multi-colored, should be connected only through a power supply (driver), the output voltage of which should correspond to the voltage of the LED strip. Usually it is 12 (V) or 24 (V).

The single color tape connects directly to the power supply. But to connect a multi-color RGB tape, another controller is connected between the power supply and the tape, with the help of which the colors and brightness of the LEDs are controlled.

By the way, RGB tape can be connected without a controller, i.e. directly to the power supply, while connecting pins R, G and B. However, in this case, it will always be lit in one color and its main function of color effects will be lost. But this is already an exception to the rule.

A source with a rectified stabilized output voltage is required to power the RGB strip. In our example, the output voltage should be 24 (V), because the purchased tapes have a supply voltage of 24 (V).

The power of the power supply unit should be selected taking into account the power of the connected LED strips.

The power of the tape is usually indicated per one meter of its length, and in our example, one meter of RGB tape consumes 14 (W). We need to connect 8 meters of tape, which means the total power consumption will be about 112 (W).

Attention! If for some reason you did not find the data on the power of the RGB LED strip, then you can calculate it yourself.

How to do it?! First of all, you need to determine the type of LEDs installed on the tape. A little higher, I told you that the most common LEDs are SMD 3528 and SMD 5050, but there may be others. You need to measure the side of the LED case. Suppose one side is 5 (mm) long and the other is also 5 (mm). So we have SMD 5050 LED in front of us. Next, you need to determine the number of LEDs per one meter segment. Let's say you have 60 pieces.

There are many resources on the Internet that indicate specifications different types of LEDs. So, find the SMD 5050 LED on the reference table and see its current consumption. The consumed current of one crystal is 20 (mA) or 0.02 (A). But remember, at the beginning of the article I told you that the SMD 5050 LED consists of three crystals, and if you clarify for our example, then of three colored crystals. As a result, it turns out that the LED consumes 3 times more current, i.e. 0.06 (A). We have already determined that we have 60 LEDs per meter of tape, which means that the current consumption of one meter of tape is 3.6 (A).

But here is one caveat! Every 6 LEDs on tape segments are connected in series, which means that the current consumption will be 6 times less, i.e. 0.6 (A). Let's test ourselves by multiplying the current value obtained by the supply voltage 24 (V). It turns out that one meter of tape consumes 14.4 (W), as stated by the manufacturer.

Now, knowing the consumed current of one meter of tape, we determine the current and power for 8 (m) tape. The current will be 4.8 (A), the power is 115 (W).

It’s so easy and not forced, you can determine the power of the LED strip without even knowing its technical characteristics.

To connect an LED RGB strip with a length of 8 (m), a power supply unit with an output constant rectified voltage of 24 (V) and an output current of at least 4.8 (A) is required. The power supply must have a certain power (current) margin, about 20-30%.

As a result, I chose the HTS-200M-24 power supply unit with a power of 200 (W) and an output voltage of 24 (V). Its cost at the time of this writing was about 1,700 rubles.

Here is its appearance.

Technical characteristics of HTS-200M-24:

input voltage АС 176-264 (V)
output voltage DC 24 (V)
output maximum current 8.3 (A)
output power 200 (W)
current consumption from the network 2.5 (A)
cold start inrush current 60 (A)
output ripple amplitude 200 (mV)
instability of output voltage 1%
Efficiency 83%
overall dimensions 199х110х50 (mm)

The HTS-200M-24 power supply has a high stability of the output voltage, it has a built-in EMI filter, built-in overload and short circuit protection.

The PSU has a perforated metal shroud for better cooling and ventilation.

The body of the unit during operation should not heat up above + 70 ° С. If the temperature is higher, then it is necessary to reduce the load and provide better ventilation.

For better natural ventilation, it is necessary to provide a free space around the power supply of at least 20 (cm). If it is not possible to install a unit according to such requirements, then it is necessary to provide for forced ventilation for it. Naturally, the power supply does not need to be installed near heating devices and hot surfaces. If you have two power supplies (for example, a circuit with RGB amplifiers), then do not place the blocks close to each other.

The power supply in my example will be located directly under the ceiling. I placed it on a plastic base. I did not cover it with anything, so as not to overheat. Although it does not need to get too warm, tk. the power of the unit is overestimated in relation to the load by almost 2 times. Maybe somehow I will check during operation the heating of the unit using a thermal imager.

Unfortunately, I was never able to come up with an inspection hole for access to the power supply and controller, so in case of failure I will have to remove stretch ceiling... Fortunately, I placed them in the corner and removing the ceiling will not be particularly problematic.

Choosing a controller for RGB tape

A controller is needed to drive a multi-color RGB tape.

First of all, it is selected according to the power of the connected RGB tapes and the value of the output voltage. Well, then it's everyone's business - it's the choice of its functionality (modes, programs and other features).

From the calculation of the power supply, we know that the total power of the tapes is 115 (W), the supply voltage of the tapes is 24 (V) and the maximum current is about 4.8 (A). This means that the controller for RGB tape must comply with all these parameters, and even have some margin.

But there is one caveat here! The current consumption for each channel of the tape (R, G and B) will be 3 times less, i.e. the output current of the controller channel must be at least 1.6 (A).

The RGB controller LN-RF6B-Sens-2 is quite suitable for our conditions. Quite a reasonable price (at the time of this writing, about 1400 rubles) and fairly wide functionality.

Here is its appearance.

Technical characteristics of the LN-RF6B-Sens-2 controller:

controller supply voltage DC 12/24 (V)

3 control channels (R, G, B)
maximum output current of each channel 8 (A)
total load power 288/576 (W)
output connection type - with a common anode
degree of protection of the case IP20
operating temperature -10 ° С to + 50 ° С
overall dimensions 83x79x33 (mm)

The LN-RF6B-Sens-2 controller is designed to control multi-color RGB LED strips with a supply voltage of 12 (V) and 24 (V) that support PWM control.

The controller includes a radio frequency (RF) touch-sensitive remote control (RCU). The remote control is quite convenient and relatively compact: 114x56x23 (mm).

The remote control is powered by three "little finger" batteries (AAA).

I installed the controller in the same corner of the room next to the power supply.

I fixed it in the same way on a plastic base.

I installed the controller exactly in this place with the intention that I did not have to then increase the length of the leads of the LED strips.

Ceiling mounted power supply and controller.

Connection diagram for RGB LED strip

The supply voltage 220 (V) from the switch (any switch can be used, even one-button switch) is connected to the corresponding terminals L (phase) and N (zero) of the power supply. Connect the PE conductor of the supply cable to the terminal marked "ground".

The load is connected to the output terminals + V and -V.

Please note that the output terminals are divided into 3 groups. This is convenient if you connect several loads at the same time. It is not necessary to connect 2 or 3 conductors to one terminal, each load can be connected to separate terminals.

From the output terminals of the power supply with a VVGng cable with a cross section of 2.5 sq. Mm (it is possible with separate wires), the controller is connected to the input terminals (Input) as follows:

(+ V) - (DC +)
(-V) - (DC-)

Attention! Observe the polarity when connecting the wires, otherwise the controller may be damaged.

When connecting the wires to the terminals of the power supply and the controller, I twisted the rings on the veins. This will be much more reliable than a plug-in contact under the screw terminal. Moreover, access to the connection points is limited by the stretch ceiling canvas.

3. Connecting RGB LED strip

At each end of the RGB tape, 4 multi-colored wires are already soldered for connection.

True, sometimes there are tapes where the wires have to be soldered on their own. The main thing here is not to overheat the LEDs, so only solder with a low-power soldering iron.

Two RGB strips are connected to the output terminals of the controller as follows:

(V +) - (black common tape lead)
(R / CH1) - (red output)
(G / CH2) - (green output)
(B / CH3) - (blue lead)

If you accidentally confuse outputs R, G and B, then nothing terrible will happen, just when you control you will have color mismatches. For example, click on red, and blue will light up.

There is a strict rule when connecting the tape! It is allowed to connect a tape with a length of no more than 5 (m) to the controller, you can shorten the tape - nothing bad will happen here, but you cannot lengthen it.

The fact is that each current-carrying track of the tape is designed for a certain maximum current, which is calculated with a tape length of 5 (m). If the tape is spliced, and, for example, another 3 meters are connected to 5 meters, then the current in the circuit will increase and the tracks will eventually burn out. Also, the second connected piece of tape can burn much weaker due to a voltage drop.

In general, remember! If you need to connect an RGB tape longer than 5 (m), then both tapes are connected to the controller terminals, or the second piece of tape must be connected through an RGB amplifier.

But the second option is more complicated and more costly, because requires the purchase of not only an RGB controller, but also an RGB amplifier. And you also need two power supplies, both for the controller and for the amplifier. By the way, controllers and power supplies in this case are selected according to the power of each tape, and not in total, as in the first option.

RGB controller modes

After connecting, we will check the operability of the tape and the operating modes of the controller.

Press the power button on the remote control and the tape lights up in red (mode number 1).

This controller has a total of 18 ready-made modes (see passport). Switching between modes is carried out by the corresponding buttons on the remote control.

Here is mode # 2, where the ribbon is blue.

For example, in mode # 12, 7 colors alternate smoothly.

In addition to the ready-made modes, it is possible to turn on the tape for any color you need. This is done using the touch ring on the control panel.

Want to turn on green - please, want purple - no problem too, etc.

Also, using the remote control, you can adjust the brightness in static modes and change the speed in dynamic modes.

And this is how the LED backlight looks after stretching the ceiling. Photo with an extraneous light source.

Several photos of the glow of the RGB LED strip in complete darkness.

All of the above can be seen in the video. Also, there you can more clearly see the various modes of the controller.

P.S. Thank you all for your attention. That is where I conclude my article about installing and connecting RGB tape, choosing a power supply and a controller for it. If you have any questions - ask.