Help with RGBW controller

[epcdomingos 0]

Hi guys!

I'm facing some problems with my HC Lite + RGBW controller setup.

I'm using  RGB strip (not RGBW), and the controller is configured in RGB mode.

The strip has 10.8W/m and it's length is approximately 14m. Since each strip has 5m, I had to connect approximately 3 strips.

 

The power suply has the following specs: 150W 12V 12.5A

I'm not using physical switches -  everything is controlled using the iOS app or the desktop platform.

 

#1 Issue - Green and Blue colors are swapped

After wiring everything as it should be, when I choose pure green, the strip gives pure blue. On the other hand, when I chose pure blue, the strip gives pure green. If I choose pure red, it behaves as expected and gives pure red.

 

I've double checked the wiring and everything was ok. The R, G and B wires of the strip were correctly connected to the R, G and B ports of the controller, respectively. 

To fix that I connected the G wire of the strip to the B port of the controller, and connected the B wire of the strip to the G port of the controller. After this change it start to work as expected,(Blue when I choose blue, and Green when I choose green) but I would like to know why this is happening, because something has to be wrong...

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#2 Issue - Can´t get pure White 

When I choose pure white (255,255,255), I get a pale blue (not white!)

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To get something similar to white I have to use 255,52,23 wish is a red tone, and doesn't make any sense...

 

#3 Issue - The color is not the same on the entire strip

Unfortunately for some colors - specially greens and blues - the color is not stable for the entire length.

Near the controller the color is very intense. However, at the end of the strip the color tone is very different.

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Your help will be very welcome 

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Thanks in advance!

 

Cheers!

 

 

  

 

 

[Soft 17]

Hi,

#2 Issue - Can´t get pure White

This is common, especially on cost effective LED strips, the reason is that the different colors have different luminosity@100% power, and some of them will

"overglow" the others.

 

 #3 Issue - The color is not the same on the entire strip

Normally you will need a "power infuser" in the start of each strip, if not you will see what you see. In LED its not the same as bulbs, you cannot that max output and assume all will be the same. You can think of it as parallel vs serial, bulbs operate as parallel, i.e 100W x 10 will result in 10 bulbs @ 10W.

In LED its working like serially, first strip takes 25W, then its only 75W left for the next 9 strips, and so on.

Hope this makes sense

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Power infuser:

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Kim

[epcdomingos 0]

Hi Kim,

Thanks for your answer.

So, regarding #2, do you think that replacing the actual RGB strip with an RGBW strip solves the problem?

 

Regarding #3, using my current power supply (150W 12V 12.5A) and, for example, 14 m of this rgbw strip (

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), could you point some link(s) or specs for the correct power infuser(s)?

Since I will have 3 linked strips, I have to order 2 power infusers, right?

 

Thanks a lot!

 

Cheers

[Soft 17]

Hi again

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I'm by fare NOT an expert on this things, so I might be wrong in some of my thoughts, just as a heads up!

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so #2, it all depends on what you want to use it for, IF it is for living room, and for general lightning, I would not use a RGB(W) strip.

I would use something like this:

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This gives you a closer to WAF (wife acceptances factor) color on things

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It is really difficult to get real warm white color on LED, this one you control with two of the channels on the rgbw controller, I ended up with 255 on the warm side, and 64 on the cold side.

If you live alone, and want colors in you life (party lights) then a RGBW strip is what you want.

 

 

#3 you can use any power infuser, i have this:

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Just because it is easier to connect, and cheap

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You will also want to have more power than you need, if you run on max output, you will burn you power premature to mtbf.

 

I have this:

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All of my kit is 24V, due to many strips

[epcdomingos 0]

Hi Kim,

Thanks again for your help.

It's for the living room 

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What is the spec that makes that RGB strip more suitable for this purpose?

 

... this one you control with two of the channels on the rgbw controller, I ended up with 255 on the warm side, and 64 on the cold side.

 

How are you connecting the controller to the strip?

 

Cheers

[Soft 17]

It is only Warm white, and neutral white, no colors.

It uses two of the channels on the rgbw dimmer, so you can control two different strips from one controller.

The color representation in the gui will be wrong, but the functionality is there.

Warm white is actually not that warm, but somehow resembles halogen spot light.

The neutral is really white!

[Soft 17]

I bought allot off cables and connectors from here :

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The rgbw sits on the 12/24V side of the power

it uses two of the four channels, so you can control two different led strips from one controller.

The gui in Fibaro will be wrong colors, but I dont care.

 

The strip is only white, warm and neutral white, if I need colors I will have a second strip to do that.

Mine is for general lightning, like this :-

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