RGB LED Speaker Rings and CupHolder Rings DIY

[isellacuras]

Did you attach leads to both ends of each speaker ring strip? Wiring the strips in series makes the furthest one away dimmer then the closest one. Just an FYI.

So I'm clear here, I would only need to run in parallel if running multiple 15m strips, correct? Meaning two complete strips run in parallel off of one controller. If I start at the furthest back cup holder and run from one cup holder to the next, without using any splitters. My understanding is that the strips are run in series/parallel to keep impedance constant. Introducing splitters is where it takes me out of my comfort mode which is why I was planning on not using them originally. I wouldn't think a few short runs of wire in between sections would create much, if any, increase in load or change in impedance. I may very well be wrong.

[Robert95z]

ok we are talking about something different I'm talking about daisy chaining in parallel. how is it even possible to run a four conductor RGB LED in series?

The RGB Led strips are essentially wired in series already. You can cut the strips, use wire to get to the next speaker/cup, wire that led, cut and repeat.

[Robert95z]

They also sell amplifiers you can use inbetween the series to boost the voltage

[MLA]

Interesting I didn't know that. I soldered the 4pin connectors on each end of the LEDs so I can remove the speaker if needed.

ok we are talking about something different I'm talking about daisy chaining in parallel. how is it even possible to run a four conductor RGB LED in series?

If I am envisioning correctly what Robert95Z did, then he has indeed run all the strips in series.

I understand what you mean by daisy-chaining. Using a single run of cable run around the boat for all the LED to hook to, as opposed to home running each to the controller. This is the way to do it. BUT how you actually wire each LED strip to that daisy chain, makes a difference. In parallel, you just take the B+ constant, the R the G and B pigtails that attached to the strip and wire them to the daisy chain. This gives each strip full voltage and current. To series, you daisy chain would enter one end of the strip and exit the other end and move on to the next strip. This just adds in the resistance of all those resisters and LED tot he circuit, this reducing the available voltage and current.

Edited February 5, 2015 by MLA

[MLA]

They also sell amplifiers you can use inbetween the series to boost the voltage

Bingo! thats what im driving at. Thats exactly why they have those amplifiers, because the lights are wired in series.

[MLA]

So I'm clear here, I would only need to run in parallel if running multiple 15m strips, correct? Meaning two complete strips run in parallel off of one controller. If I start at the furthest back cup holder and run from one cup holder to the next, without using any splitters. My understanding is that the strips are run in series/parallel to keep impedance constant. Introducing splitters is where it takes me out of my comfort mode which is why I was planning on not using them originally. I wouldn't think a few short runs of wire in between sections would create much, if any, increase in load or change in impedance. I may very well be wrong.

Those splitters are just a clean fancy way of wiring multiple strips, that are close to each other, in parallel. Its connecting 4 B+, 4 R's, 4 B's and the 4 G's all together to your supply.

[shawndoggy]

If I am envisioning correctly what Robert95Z did, then he has indeed run all the strips in series.

I understand what you mean by daisy-chaining. Using a single run of cable run around the boat for all the LED to hook to, as opposed to home running each to the controller. This is the way to do it. BUT how you actually wire each LED strip to that daisy chain, makes a difference. In parallel, you just take the B+ constant, the R the G and B pigtails that attached to the strip and wire them to the daisy chain. This gives each strip full voltage and current. To series, you daisy chain would enter one end of the strip and exit the other end and move on to the next strip. This just adds in the resistance of all those resisters and LED tot he circuit, this reducing the available voltage and current.

huh. OK. I'd never thought of wiring it like that anyhow. But thinking it through, why would that cause a different result than say just lighting up the whole 5m strip at once? Isn't that all he's saying he's doing is taking that 5M strip and then cutting it and splicing it back together? I guess I always envision "series" to mean going positive to negative to positive to negative, and doing it his way aren't you just picking up the positive at the other end of the strip? Or is the issue just that using the strip as a passthrough essentially bottlenecks the voltage that you can get to the next strip to whatever can actually pass through the first?

[Robert95z]

Shawndoggy, that's what I'm saying. I'm lighting the LEDs how they came from the factory. Its no different than lighting one whole 5m strip at once. I considered doing it parallel, but I've used these LEDs before and I've always wired them like this with no issues. It does sound like parallel is the way to go if you plan on using more than the original 5m strip.

[shawndoggy]

Shawndoggy, that's what I'm saying. I'm lighting the LEDs how they came from the factory. Its no different than lighting one whole 5m strip at once. I considered doing it parallel, but I've used these LEDs before and I've always wired them like this with no issues. It does sound like parallel is the way to go if you plan on using more than the original 5m strip.

LOL, I will say that your way sounds like more work (two connections per strip vs one) which is probably why I never even considered it!

[Robert95z]

I tend to more work on most of my projects. That's how I roll lol

[justgary]

Don't wire a longer string of them together than the manufacturer recommends. The problem is not voltage drop, it is current rise. The first strip will overheat if you string too many together.

LED strips are a bunch of single LEDs wired in parallel. Stringing more strips does not drop the voltage, but does increase the current. The end of last strip has the same voltage (except for resistance loss in the strip) as the head of the first strip.

Adding an amplifier between strips will not do anything useful, but will increase current because of loss. Don't do it.

As long as you are under the maximum length specified by the manufacturer, daisy chaining them is the way to go. If you need more length, start a new string at the power supply.

[Dare2goBare]

^^^+1 exactly! Electrical Devices connected in parallel, overall Resistance drops, Current increases and in Series connected

Devices Resistance increases therefore Current Decreases.

Now saying this remember, the Led strip has LEDs in Parallel and adding another Strip in series adds more Leds in Parallel.

Clear as mud? Lol....just as Justgary mentions.

[seth9180]

I think pictures would help clearing things up. Such as how everyone is "daisy chaining" the leds together.

[justgary]

If you look at some you will easily see how to daisy chain them. You literally plug the next string into the end of the first. I don't have any with me right now or I would show you a picture of both ends of a string. You can look them up and see pictures.

[Robert95z]

Well now im even more confused! lol

[justgary]

Sorry if the image is rotated, Bill didn't want to cooperate.

[Robert95z]

Daisy chain is just connecting the strips together? Well that doesnt make sense either lol... Thats just making the strip longer... i thought daisy chain was to bring the very end piece and connect it to the very beginning.. making a loop... I dont freakin know! LOL

[Robert95z]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmwVUa6YC

I think this is a good explainiation on how I wired mine.. I basically call it "Series" because your just connecting RGB to RGB and + to +

Hes talking about voltage drop which makes the light dimmer, and you can add an amplifier after the 5M to boost the Voltage back up... again.. IDK! lol

Edited February 6, 2015 by Robert95z

[justgary]

Daisy chain is just connecting the strips together? Well that doesnt make sense either lol... Thats just making the strip longer... i thought daisy chain was to bring the very end piece and connect it to the very beginning.. making a loop... I dont freakin know! LOL

That would be a daisy loop....

[MLA]

Daisy chain is just connecting the strips together? Well that doesnt make sense either lol... Thats just making the strip longer... i thought daisy chain was to bring the very end piece and connect it to the very beginning.. making a loop... I dont freakin know! LOL

It also requires 2 connections for each strip or assembly. Thats more work if you are soldering your leads on and parts if you are using connectors. I do not suggest fallowing the above diagram. Each section needs to be treated as its own light assembly.

[Robert95z]

Yeah thats what I did was wire 2 leads on each speaker... I plan on adding more LEDs to my REV10s...So could I just tap into one of the runs making it parallel to goto my REV10s? any cons to that?

Edited February 7, 2015 by Robert95z

[Robert95z]

Here is mine. The Port side bow speaker is the very last LED in the run, its not noticeably dimmer. The Port speaker by the cup holder is the start of the run

It definitely needs more. I may end up doing the cups, or at the very least hanging some LEDs up above the cup holders.

What i did notice today - When connected to the WiFi controller my Rhapsody doesn't like it and will pause the song after a few seconds. This will probably make me switch to a conventional remote based controller

Edited February 7, 2015 by Robert95z

[blk93jeepzj]

Looks great so far!! I agree that you will want more LEDs to get more light, but looking good.

[Bill_AirJunky]

To you guys mounting these lights on your tower speakers, be sure to install a switch so you can turn them on/off when it's legal to do so. We've been pulled over on Shasta for having them. And since they were in a single circuit with the other interior lights, we had a problem turning them off & having the other lights on. Check your local laws, but usually your not allowed to have any colored lights, especially red or blue.

That said, the cops are rarely ever on my local lake so it's not usually a problem. But nights like the 4th of July, or if you go to larger lakes it could be a problem.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Bill_AirJunky

[ctvandy23]

Rob, did you ever get the towers done? Did they look ok or did you go to WS? Any final pictures?