How to Connect Pixel LED Strings Togather

Every pixel LED string comes with a stranded amount of pixel LEDs . Most of the time it's limited to about fifty pixel LEDs . However you can connect pixel LED strings together in order to increase the amount of pixel LEDs . If you connect two of them together you have a equivalent of  pixel LED string with one hundred pixel LEDs .The amount of pixel LED Strings that can be connected together is only limited to the amount of pixel LEDs supported by the controller. Here is how to connect different type of pixel LED strings or strips together .

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Connecting WS2811 pixel LED Strings Together

WS2811 is a three wire pixel LED String with single data line . This pixel LED String uses NRZ (Non Return Zero ) communication protocol .This pixel LED strings comes in a water proof housing. But, It's not a good idea to use it outdoor under severe weather conditions. Stranded WS2811 pixel LED Strings comes with fifty pixel LEDs per string . However , You can increase this number by connecting pixel LED strings together. 

SM3P Male & Female

Each end of WS2811 pixel LED strings have SM3P connectors one is male and the other is female .

The Male SM3P connector connected to the First pixel LED of the pixel LED string and the female SM3P connected to the last pixel LED of the string. 

 

 

 

First & Last Pixel LED

If you look at these Pixel LED strings . It's almost looks like they all connect in parallel . But , This is not true . Only the power supply wires are connected in parallel . The data line in this case it connected in series . The Input data wire connects to the data in pin of the IC and the output data wire connects to the data out of the same IC . The common stranded is the SM3P female connector connected to the first pixel LED of the string and the SM3P male connector connected to the last pixel of the pixel LED string .

Arrow inside WS2811

But , To know it to certainly , You have to look inside the ws2811 pixel LED housing of pixel LEDs at the end of the string . Where , You can see an arrow pointed towards the next LED or to a SM3P connector . If the arrow is pointed towards the next LED in the string , In that case that is the first pixel LED of that string . If the arrow is pointed towards the SM3P connector , In that case that is the last pixel LED of the String

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Connecting WS2811 pixel LED Strings

Connecting pixel LED Strings

When connecting pixel LED strings together the last pixel LED of the previous pixel LED String should be connected to the first pixel LED of the next pixel LED string . To do so , Connect the Male SM3P connector of previous pixel LED string to the  Female SM3P connector of the next pixel LED string. That's it . It's that simple . But , One more thing left to do.

 

 

 

Supplying The Power

WS2811 Power Input Wires

Although , The power to these pixel LED strings provided VIA SM3P connector the amount of current it can carry is limited due to it's small gauge of the wire . This will cause the voltage to drop as more and more pixel LED strings connected in the layout . That is why we have Power input wires for each pixel LED string .You can input power through these power input wires for each pixel LED string by parallel connecting these wires to the power supply  . But , You must use wires that can carry enough current for all the pixel LEDs in the pixel LED layout .

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