16 replies to this topic

[popcorndog]

Issue: Tried running the OctoWS2811 basic test on my LED setup and I get nothing, even after adjusting the LED type and frequency.  The basic test LED count was set to 308.  

 

Power supply connections (3) are each reading 4.94 volts at the power supply. The beginning, middle, and ends of the LED strips are reading 4.93 to 4.94 volts when USB cable is disconnected and connected.  I did not find any loose wires or shorts. 

 

The CAT 6 cable orange and white/orange are connected to the backglass lights.  Blue and white/blue were used for the playfield and undercabinet lights.  Solid color wires connected to the data strip connection and white/color wires connected to ground strip connection.  

 

I can get the teensy to run Teensy blink test successfully.  A few of the LEDs light up when the USB cable is disconnected.

 

I have tried to isolate the issue by using a small strip of LEDs, a different 5v power supply and connecting the teensy to a laptop as a separate test.

For the small test setup, I have connected the LED strip from the far end to the power supply and read 5.2v at the point nearest the power supply and at the opposite end of the strip. The LED strip has 33 RGB LEDs, which I used to set the LED count in the OctoWS2811 basic test. I have the LED strip type set to WS2811_RGB and frequency set to WS2811_800Hz. I uploaded the program to the Teensy and I get nothing. I then tried each of the LED types: WS2811_RBG, WS2811_GRB, & WS2811_GBR. All resulted in nothing happening on the LED strip. I also tried each type with the frequency set to WS2811_400Hz. Still nothing.  Double checked the voltage, everything remained 5.2v when running the basic test.

I noticed a point in the documentation that states the ground of the power supply should be as close as possible to the signal input. So I connected a second wire to the ground of the power supply and held it in contact to the strip ground at the signal end, then ran each of the types and frequencies again. All I got was nothing. 

 

Is it possible the OctoWS2811 is bad?  Has anyone used the BTF WS2812B LED strips in their setup?  If you have, what did you set the LED type to?

 

Wiring Diagram:


Hardware:

Teensy 3.2

OctoWS2811 Adaptor for Teensy 3.2

BTF-LIGHTING AC100-240V to DC5V60A Max300W Suit DC5V1A~DC5V60A Switching Power Supply Device Transformer Power Adapter Converter Jack for WS2812B WS2811 WS2813 SK6812 etc LED Strip/String/LED Matrix

Under Cabinet Lights:
BTF-LIGHTING WS2812B RGB 5050SMD Individual Addressable 16.4FT 60Pixels/m 300Pixels Flexible Black PCB Full Color LED Pixel Strip Dream Color IP30 Non-Waterproof Making LED Screen LED Wall Only DC5V [Using 108 LEDs]

Backglass Lights:
BTF-LIGHTING WS2812B RGB 5050SMD Individual Addressable 16.4FT 60Pixels/m 300Pixels Flexible White PCB Full Color LED Pixel Strip Dream Color IP30 Non-Waterproof Making LED Screen LED Wall Only DC5V [Using 222 LEDs]

Playfield Lights:
BTF-LIGHTING WS2812B RGB 5050SMD Individual Addressable 3.3FT 144(2X72) Pixels/m Flexible Black PCB Full Color LED Pixel Strip Dream Color IP30 Non-Waterproof Making LED Screen, LED Wall Only DC5V [Using 200 LEDs]

Amazon Basics RJ45 Cat-6 Ethernet Patch Internet Cable [Cut in half with portion stripped for use with OctoWS2811]

Connecting USB port to Windows 11 computer.

Software:
Windows 11
Arduino 1.8.16
Teensyduino v1.55

[Mike DA Spike]

I'm definitely not a person that knows a lot about it (I think Outhere is the guy who knows the most about it)

I'm not using the BTF lightning strips, but bought the LED strips from ALI A couple of years ago.
But Don't think I have that many on 2 channels.

The Octo board has 2 Ethernet connections, and both can host 4 channels.
Did you try another channel ?
Or try to split up long lines to some smaller and uses multiple channels ?
My channel with the most leds is my LED matrix (384 leds) and just powered from the begin led (not in between)

<TeensyStripController>
<Name>TeensyStripController</Name>
<NumberOfLedsStrip1>384</NumberOfLedsStrip1>
<NumberOfLedsStrip2>0</NumberOfLedsStrip2>
<NumberOfLedsStrip3>0</NumberOfLedsStrip3>
<NumberOfLedsStrip4>0</NumberOfLedsStrip4>
<NumberOfLedsStrip5>144</NumberOfLedsStrip5>
<NumberOfLedsStrip6>144</NumberOfLedsStrip6>
<NumberOfLedsStrip7>214</NumberOfLedsStrip7>
<NumberOfLedsStrip8>0</NumberOfLedsStrip8>
<ComPortName>COM3</ComPortName>
</TeensyStripController>

I only have a LED matrix (384 LED'S), 2 LED strips next to my playfiled (144 leds each), and undercab leds (214 LEDS)
I mostly used dofLinx to test my LEDS. If you configure it correctly , it will test the leds during start of the program. 
This showed me, if all the LEDs where working 
 

[popcorndog]

Well, ordered a new OctoWS2811 board.  Should be coming later this week or early next week.  I will post when I test it out.

[popcorndog]

Received the new OctoWS2811 board and resolved the issue with the basic test not working.  At least now I know my lights can work properly, at least when connected to a separate laptop.  Although that has not resolved my issues completely.

 

The issue is that I am getting a short any time I plug the computer USB to the teensy controller.  When plugging in the teensy, the 5v power supply buzzes and the power output drops down to ~1.2 volts.

 

When the teensy is connected to the pinball computer without connecting to the LEDs, the teensy operates perfectly and no short detected.  When the teensy is connected to a laptop while connected to the LEDs, the teensy operates perfectly and no short detected.  I am able to run the basic light test successfully and all lights are working, cycling through the different color wipes.  When the teensy is not powered, the 5v power supply is stable putting out 4.98 volts.  

 

So I am able to power the teensy controller using another computer successfully.  It only happens with the computer which drives the pinball machine.

 

On another forum, it was suggested I check for a ground loop circuit going on.  The computer which drives the pinball table (not the laptop) and the 5v power supply are plugged into the same surge protector, so I believe they share the same ground with all devices in the pinball table.  In fact, all power supplies are plugged into the same power strip.  That said, it appears that I still have a ground loop.

 

Connected to the power strip are the following:

ALP pinball table transformer

12 v power supply, large using a 3 prong plug connected to neutral, hot, and ground

12 v power supply, small using a 3 prong plug connected to neutral, hot, and ground

5 v power supply using a 3 prong plug connected to neutral, hot, and ground

2x audio amplifiers for SSF each using a non-polarized 2 prong plug

network hub using a non-polarized 2 prong plug

USB hub using a non-polarized 2 prong plug

 

The computer is connected to the USB port of the ALP table, a USB port for the hub, and a "Sainsmart" board.

 

I was able to test a couple things.  I disconnected all other USB devices from the computer other than the teensy with LEDs connected, I still shorted.

 

I turned one of the audio amplifiers and network hub plugs to change the position of the prongs in the power strip, still shorted.  I will have to open up the pinball table to rearrange the other two 2-prong power cables, so unable to test those quickly.

 

Does the teensy OctoWS2811 need to be grounded to the power supply?

[popcorndog]

Update, unplugged all non-polarized plugs and tested the teensy connected to the LEDs, still shorted.

Edited by popcorndog, 31 December 2021 - 02:04 PM.

[popcorndog]

Another test.

 

I unplugged the 5v transformer and the computer from the power strip.  I hooked both up to an extension cord that you can connect up to three plugs into.  Hence, eliminated the all other pinball devices from the common ground and isolated the power transformer and the teensy to one ground.  The pinball table was turned off, so no other devices received power.  Only the computer and the 5v transformer were powered.  Attempted to connect the USB cable and the 5v transformer started to short out.

 

Clearly not a ground loop, but something with the teensy connection and this computer.  Any ideas on how to resolve this?

[mjr]

At a guess, you might simply be overloading your power supply with the LEDs.  Have you done a calculation of the wattage required?

"Ground loop" sounds like a red herring to me, by the way.

[popcorndog]

I did, it is a 500 watt power supply with a total of 506 leds.  The leds powered just fine when I use a laptop to connect the Teensy.  Only shorts with the my new computer that I purchased for the pinball table.

[mjr]

One thing I might try is to test it on the computer where it's failing, but with most of the LEDs removed, leaving just a token number attached (20, say).  Just to rule in/out the overload theory.  If it works with just a few LEDs but doesn't work with lots of LEDs, the overload explanation seems likely; try adding more LEDs back a little a time to see how many it takes to get it to break.  If it fails even with a very small number of LEDs attached, that would probably rule out a simple power supply overload.

[popcorndog]

Apologies, 300 volts.  Tested with only 20 leds, same issue.  Also, the lights ran perfectly when connected to a laptop.  I only see the power drop when connected to my pinball computer.

[popcorndog]

Tried to cut the vin apart from usb on the Teensy and then powered the OctoWS2811 by the 5v transformer.  Teensy was correctly not powering when connected to usb only.  The Teensy was powering correctly when only connected to the Transformer.  I then tried to connect the USB and the transformer began buzzing with the voltage drop.

[LynnInDenver]

Are you using the same USB cable when testing with the laptop vs the vpin computer, or a different USB cable? It seems really strange that the vpin is causing it to overvoltage and the laptop is not.

[popcorndog]

Yes, the same USB cable.  If I disconnect the cat 6 cable from the Teensy, I can operate the Teensy without issue from the pinball computer.  So the issue is the combination of the pinball computer and the 5v transformer.  It will begin to short as soon as the outer metal ground of the usb comes close to contacting the outer metal input of the Teensy.  I measure around 40 volts which quickly dropped to 0 when they touch.  I also see a spark.  The current measured 0.5 amps in a similar test with my multimeter connecting the two metal housings.

[Suikazz]

Your voltages are WAAAAAY off!
Teensy and addressable leds operate at 5v, no more, no less.

You could run a test strip of maybe 10-20leds even without external power and the octows board

I wonder how your whole equipment even survived that long…

Don’t get me wrong, but please read the tutorials (major Frenchys or similar) again before you seriously hurt yourself.

[popcorndog]

Had an interesting idea to test if there is an issue with the transformer. I connected another small transformer to the Teensy and about 20 led lights, then connected the Teensy via usb to the pinball computer. Everything operated correctly.

Usually buy meanwell power supplies, so I ordered one. Will be interesting to see if I have any issues with the meanwell.

[popcorndog]

No offense back, but Major Frenchys tutorial has nothing to do with a power voltage issue.  I am well aware that the leds can’t operate at over 5v and the measurement was not on the leds, but at the usb to Teensy connection.  If you read the posts from the start, the power supply puts out a stable 4.98 volts until trying to connect Teensy via usb to the computer.

Edited by popcorndog, 05 January 2022 - 02:28 AM.

[popcorndog]

New power supply installed, issue resolved.  USB cable connected and Teensy functioning.  Now on to some configuration!