- 5V RGBW LED strip with SK6812 / RGBW2814 4-channel built-in IC
- 12V or 24V RGBW LED strip with external IC TM1814
- Individually addressable LED as one pixel
- Red, Green, Blue and White colors from one LED
- Strong color consistency, high light transmittance, lower consumption and higher brightness
- RGB can be off when White color is on
- Transmission distance is 5 meters between any 2 pixels
Description:
5v, 12v, 24v RGBW LED strip means there is one more White color besides Red, Green and Blue.
The IC SK6812, TM1814, and WS2814 are 4 channel chips for addressable LED.
Each LED pixel is individually addressable.
The outstanding features of SDIP RGBW strip is the color consistency performance, meantime the light transmittance is improved sharply, the power consumption is lower when display the same brightness, and when use the same power consumption, the brightness is much higher than usual LED strips.
Another feature of this RGBW LED strip is that RGB colors can be off when White color is on.
This ensures the color consistency of white.
PWM controller can adjust 256 gray levels, totally can output 16,777,216 colors.
Thanks to the vast amount of our project experiences, SDIP know very well what could be the potential quality issues and installation problems, we adopt the dedicated production and quality check tactics to reduce potential problem at factory.
Besides the physical strips, SDIP still provide the one-stop services of Site audit, Layout design, Lighting effect and programming based on LedEdit or Madrix software platforms, Product development and implementation, Installation and debugging, we have the field engineer teams to visit your sites for assistance.
Specifications:
Model: SDIP-5V-RGBW-60LED-6812
Voltage: | DC5V | LED Lifespan: | 50,000hrs |
Current: | 0.06A/LED | PCB Width: | 10mm |
Max Power: | 9w/m | FPCB Thickness: | 3A copper |
IC Type: | Built-in | PCB: | Double-sided Flexible PCB |
IC: | 6812 | FPCB Color: | White/Black |
IC Quantity: | 60 IC/meter | Channel Order: | RGBW |
LED Type: | SMD5050 | Gray Scale: | 256 |
LED Quantity: | 30 LEDs/meter | IP rate: | IP20/IP65/IP67/IP68 |
LED Color: | RGB | Working Temp: | -40°~ 70° |
LED Interval: | 16.6mm | Roll length: | 5m/Roll |
Cut Size: | 1LED | Package: | Anti-static Aluminum Foil Bag |
Model: SDIP-12V-RGBW-60LED-1814
Voltage: | DC12V | LED Lifespan: | 50,000hrs |
Current: | 0.016A/LED | PCB Width: | 10mm |
Max Power: | 12w/m | FPCB Thickness: | 3A copper |
IC Type: | Built-in | PCB: | Double-sided Flexible PCB |
IC: | TM1814 | FPCB Color: | White/Black |
IC Quantity: | 20 IC/meter | Channel Order: | RGBW |
LED Type: | SMD5050 | Gray Scale: | 256 |
LED Quantity: | 60 LEDs/meter | IP rate: | IP20/IP65/IP67/IP68 |
LED Color: | RGBW | Working Temp: | -40°~ 70° |
LED Interval: | 16.6mm | Roll length: | 5m/Roll |
Cut Size: | 3LED | Package: | Anti-static Aluminum Foil Bag |
Model: SDIP-24V-RGBW-60LED-1814
Voltage: | DC24V | LED Lifespan: | 50,000hrs |
Current: | 0.016A/LED | PCB Width: | 10mm |
Max Power: | 12w/m | FPCB Thickness: | 3A copper |
IC Type: | Built-in | PCB: | Double-sided Flexible PCB |
IC: | TM1814 | FPCB Color: | White/Black |
IC Quantity: | 10 IC/meter | Channel Order: | RGBW |
LED Type: | SMD5050 | Gray Scale: | 256 |
LED Quantity: | 60 LEDs/meter | IP rate: | IP20/IP65/IP67/IP68 |
LED Color: | RGBW | Working Temp: | -40°~ 70° |
LED Interval: | 16.6mm | Roll length: | 5m/Roll |
Cut Size: | 6LED | Package: | Anti-static Aluminum Foil Bag |
Model: SDIP-F5V-60LED-W-RGBW2814
Voltage: | DC5V | LED Lifespan: | 50,000hrs |
Current: | 0.06A/LED | PCB Width: | 10mm |
Max Power: | 9w/m | FPCB Thickness: | 3A copper |
IC Type: | Built-in | PCB: | Double-sided Flexible PCB |
IC: | RGBW2814 | FPCB Color: | White/Black |
IC Quantity: | 60 IC/meter | Channel Order: | RGBW |
LED Type: | SMD5050 | Gray Scale: | 256 |
LED Quantity: | 60 LEDs/meter | IP rate: | IP20/IP65/IP67/IP68 |
LED Color: | RGB | Working Temp: | -40°~ 70° |
LED Interval: | 16.6mm | Roll length: | 5m/Roll |
Cut Size: | 1LED | Package: | Anti-static Aluminum Foil Bag |
Applications:
Videos:
RGBW LED Strip – The Ultimate FAQ Guide
RGBW LED strips are an improved version of the existing RGB LED strips.
These advanced strips include 4-channel individually addressable LEDs.
In addition to the standard red, blue, and green LED chips, it includes a white LED chip to produce a pure white tone.
Available in 5V, 12V, 24V models, RGBW LED strips are more expensive than the RGB strips.
RGBW LED strip lights have gained popularity as they offer greater control to users and can be used for a wide range of advanced lighting projects.
If you’re looking for an RGBW LED strip manufacturer then a simple online search would pop up hundreds of names.
However, you must always choose the reliable and reputed companies to source the best RGBW LED strip lights.
Table of Contents:
1. What Is RGBW LED Strip?
2. How Does RGBW LED Strip Work?
3. Why Would You Want An Extra White Chip On RGBW Light Strip?
4. What is the Difference Between RGB Light Strip And RGBW Light Strip?
5. Which Is Better RGB Strip or RGBW Strip?
6. What Are Addressable RGBW LED Strip Headers?
7. What’s The Difference Between RGBW And Addressable RGBW LED Strip?
8. What Is Better 12V or 24V RGBW LED Strip Lights?
9. How Do You Connect RGBW Light Strips?
10. Does RGB LED Strip Have White?
11. How Do You Connect RGBW LED Strip Lights Without Soldering?
12. How Do You Connect RGBW LED Strip Lights To Connectors?
13. How To Connect a RGBW Light Strip To A 4-Zone Remote?
14. How Do You Wire RGBW Light Strips To A Switch?
15. How Many RGBW LED Lights Can You Put On One Switch?
16. Are All LED Lights RGBW?
17. Can I Use RGBW LED Strip In A Green House?
18. How Do RGBW LED Strip Lights Connect To Power?
19. Can You Cut RGBW LED Strips And They Still Work?
20. Why Only One Strip Of My RGBW LED Strip Light Is Working?
21. How Do I Connect A 5-Pin RGBW LED Strip To A 4-Pin RGB Header?
22. What Is Individually Addressable RGBW LED Strip?
23. How Do You Control Individually Addressable RGBW LED Strips?
24. How To Control RGBW Strips With Adafruit?
25. How To Control RGBW Strips With Raspberry Pi?
26. How Are The Controllers Different In RGBW LED Strips?
27. Can I Use RGBW LED Strip Without Controller?
28. Is RGBW LED Strip More Difficult To Install?
29. How Do I Connect RGBW LED Strip To My Phone?
30. What Happens If Your RGBW LED Lights Won’t Turn On?
31. What Cable Is Used For RGBW LED Strips?
32. Is 1mm Cable OK For Lighting With RGBW LED Strips?
33. Can You Power RGBW LED Strip With Battery?
34. Can A 9V Battery Power 12V RGBW LED Strip?
35. How To Combat Voltage Drop On a 24V Addressable RGBW LED Strip?
36. How Many Amps Do I Need For RGBW LED Strip?
37. How Many RGBW LED Strip Per Power Supply?
38. How To Wire 32 Channel DMX Decoder, Power Supply, and RGBW LED Strip?
39. How Do I Choose An RGBW Strip Driver?
40. What Size Driver Do I Need For RGBW LED Strip Lights?
41. Where To Find Best Quality 24V RGBW LED Strips?
42. Why Do RGBW LED Lights Burn Out?
43. Can RGBW Light Strips Catch Fire?
44. Can You Connect Different Brands Of RGBW LED Light Strips?
1. What Is RGBW LED Strip?
RGBW LED strip comprises of four-channel individually addressable LEDs with red, green, blue, and white chip.
The RGBW LED strip can feature different ICs like SK6812, TM1814, or WS2814, depending on the model and manufacturing company.
Depending on the IC and wiring it uses, the RGBW light strip can be 5v, 12v, and 24v – you need to refer to the manual provided by the RGBW LED strip manufacturer.
This LED strip is expensive but offers much more control and versatility in terms of lighting controls.
Using the RGBW LED strip lights, you can create an interesting mix of colors as the white channels offer options like Natural, Cool, and Warm.
4in1 RGBW LED Strip
2. How Does RGBW LED Strip Work?
Each RGBW light strip has 4 LEDs inside, red, green, blue, and white.
All the individually addressable LEDs are dimmable and every colored LED can produce all hues associated with a color.
Each LED is capable of producing 256 shades of a color, which can help us create millions of color combinations.
Creating the color combinations is possible through the use of IC controllers that play with each LED’s brightness.
For instance, if you need yellow color, you’ll have to turn up the red and green LEDs while dimming the blue LED.
How RGBW LED strip works
3. Why Would You Want An Extra White Chip On RGBW Light Strip?
Even though all RGB LEDs are capable of producing white color but they fail to produce a pure white tone.
This problem has been solved by RGBW LED strip lights that can produce a purer white tone while allowing users the option of creating a cool or warm tone by the white chip.
The extra white chip gives you the scope to create color blends using the RGB chips to produce a wide range of new shades.
4. What is the Difference Between RGB Light Strip And RGBW Light Strip?
The RGB light strips use the standard 3-in-1 LED chip that includes blue, red, and green chips.
These LED strips can produce a wide spectrum of colors by blending the three basic colors and when set at full brightness, they can also create a white tone, even though less pure.
On the contrary, an RGBW light strip uses a 4-in-1 LED chip comprising of blue, red, green, and white chips.
The pure white tone produced by the white chip can be controlled to turn warmer or cooler depending on the requirements.
5. Which Is Better RGB Strip or RGBW Strip?
RGBW LED strip is way more flexible compared to their RGB LED counterpart.
RGB LED strips are a crude version of the RGBW strips because the white tone is never up to the mark.
However, this doesn’t imply that RGB LEDs are less superior in their functionality.
RGB LED strip lights come with an expensive price tag but the flexibility it offers in terms of color mixing along with a purer white tone justifies the higher price.
If your lighting project doesn’t demand a pure white tone then you can always opt for an RGB strip, which is cost-effective.
On the other hand, if you’re going to use the LED light strips for task lighting then RGBW is a wiser choice.
6. What Are Addressable RGBW LED Strip Headers?
RGBW strip headers are used to connect the strips and other accessories with your PC or microcontrollers.
The addressable LEDs, controlled with the help of an integrated IC, offer greater flexibility while choosing lighting options.
You get to experience a variety of lighting effects, including a single LED emitting multiple colors and various color changes on a single strip.
These can be synchronized with the other LED strips connected to the RGBW LED strip header.
7. What’s The Difference Between RGBW And Addressable RGBW LED Strip?
RGBW led strip manufacturers offer both the standard RGBW strips as well as the addressable RGBW LED strips.
However, the difference between addressable and non-addressable RGBW strip is not multi-color or the single color in every strip.
In addressable RGBW LED strips, each LED on a strip can be individually addressed i.e. you can change the color of each LED using a controller like Raspberry Pi or Arduino.
On the other hand, in non-addressable RGBW LED strips, you cannot change the color of a single LED in isolation as the entire strip changes color.
8. What Is Better 12V or 24V RGBW LED Strip Lights?
While purchasing an RGBW light strip, you must always consider multiple factors like length, voltage, and intensity.
Even though the choice between 12V or 24V RGBW light strip depends on the type of your lighting project, 24V RGBW LED light strips have a definite advantage over the 12V strips.
The 24V RGBW LED strips have a longer run than the 12V LED strips because higher voltage always carries greater power.
However, some other factors that determine the run includes LED type, current draw, and the number of LEDs.
Thus, if you’re trying to create a bigger and complex lighting project using multiple strips, it is better to choose a 24V RGBW LED strip lights.
12V RGBW LED strip
24V RGBW LED Strip
9. How Do You Connect RGBW Light Strips?
To connect an RGBW LED light strip, you will need a power supply, LED controller (Raspberry Pi/ Arduino), remote control, and RGBW light strip.
You will need some basic tools like a power supply, cutting scissor, two AAA batteries for the remote, Screwdriver, wire cutter, tape to fix the LED strip, and some screws.
Depending on the length of the strip, and the model of the RGBW LED strip, and the controller type, you’ll need to choose an appropriate power supply.
You need to cut the RGBW strip with scissors as per your requirement and using a wire gauge calculator, choose an appropriate wire to connect with the controller.
Connect the power supply to the input terminal on your controller and one end of the strip with the output terminal.
You need to use wire connectors for connecting the strip to the controller.
This is a simple but one of the easiest ways of connecting and powering up the RGBW LED strip.
For further details, you can check the following video:
10. Does RGB LED Strip Have White?
RGB LED lights can produce white light when output from all the three LEDs are blended to produce a white tone.
Thus, technically RGB LED strips don’t have a dedicated white LED, and neither do they produce a pure white tone.
On the other hand, if you use the RGBW LED strips, you can get a purer white tone since these strips contain a dedicated white LED.
11. How Do You Connect RGBW LED Strip Lights Without Soldering?
It’s possible to connect RGBW LED strips without soldering by using LED strip connectors.
You will need a tape-to-starter lead connector to connect at one end of the strip.
However, if you intend to connect two RGBW strips without soldering then you will need a tape-to-tape connector.
You can refer to the following video for a better understanding of the technique and equipment involved:
12. How Do You Connect RGBW LED Strip Lights To Connectors?
Connecting RGBW light strips is easier when you use appropriate connectors that ensure a secure connection and prevent flickers.
Poor connections can lead to several problems in your lighting project flickering, lights going off, and the LEDs not switching on at all.
However, connection issues can be fixed easily by using 5-pin connectors that help you to:
- Connect two RGBW light strips from end-to-end to increase the length of the strip
- Run the gap between two RGBW strips
- Connect the power leads to the RGBW strips
- Establish connections between RGBW LED strips around the corner
The 5-pin RGBW connector has a common positive line and connection for each of the Red, Green, Blue, and White color LEDs.
Two versions of the 5-pin RGBW LED strip connector exist:
Strip-to-Strip: Used for connecting strip end-to-end for creating longer run
Strip-to-Wire: Used for connecting one end of the strip and run the wires out to a power source or another strip
RGBW Strip connectors
13. How To Connect an RGBW Light Strip To A 4-Zone Remote?
A 4-Zone remote control is often used to achieve professional-grade control over RGBW LED light strips.
The 4-Zone Remote control provides you the option of freely selecting as well as adjusting the colors to a vibrant and richer blend of colors.
You can switch to a color of your choice touching the wheel and change the intensity by using the intensity button.
Connecting RGBW light strip is easier and you will need some basic equipment like:
- 5V/12V/24V Power Adapter
- RGBW LED light strip
- RGBW strip connector
- RGBW controller
- RGBW 4-Zone remote control
You need to connect the adapter to the power supply and using a wire connector, connect the RGBW controller with one end of the LED strip.
Now connect the adapter to the controller and once the setup is completed, you can start using the 4-Zone remote controller to create hues of your choice.
4 Zone Remote Control
14. How Do You Wire RGBW Light Strips To A Switch?
Wiring an RGBW light strip to a switch is easy as all you need is a steady power supply, a switch or power adapter, RGBW switch connector.
You can simply connect the power supply to the switch, which converts the AC power supply to the desired DC voltage as per your strip’s requirement.
For instance, if you have a 24V RGBW LED light strip, you’ll have to connect a 24V power adapter to achieve the desired voltage to light up the strip.
Now using a connector, the strip is wired to the power adapter.
15. How Many RGBW LED Lights Can You Put On One Switch?
A standard roll of 16.4ft RGBW LED light strip comprises 300 LEDs, so technically you can directly connect this with one switch.
Even though there’s no limit to the number of RGBW LED light strips, it’s always recommended to limit it to only a couple of strips.
However, when you intend to connect multiple RGBW light strips, you must add a power wire.
A very thin wire is used for wiring the LED strips, so as we go further down the strip, the LEDs start to get dimmer because of the obvious voltage drop.
Thus, it implies that you don’t have an adequate power supply and you’ve ended up connecting more strips than your current power supply can sustain.
If you intend to connect multiple RGBW LED light strips using a single switch, you need to get a higher wattage or amperage.
You will also need additional wires for the connection.
You must always use higher amperage than your project requires so that your LEDs don’t start dimming or flickering.
You must never wire the RGBW strip lights in series.
16. Are All LED Lights RGBW?
No, not all LED strips are RGBW.
RGBW LED light strips have dedicated LEDs for creating white light, which is much purer than the ones produced by the strips belonging to the RGB LED family.
17. Can I Use RGBW LED Strip In A Green House?
Addressable RGBW LED strip lights can be used in a greenhouse because these strips are capable of producing a pure tone of white light, which is ideal for plant growth.
However, you need sufficient output to meet the lighting needs of a greenhouse, which again depends on the size of the greenhouse and the plants being used.
RGBW LED Strip Lights in a Greenhouse
18. How Do RGBW LED Strip Lights Connect To Power?
You will need a power adapter for converting the input AC voltage to desired DC voltage, which depends on the type of RGBW LED strip lights you’re using.
Variants of RGBW strips available in the market include 5V, 12V, and 24V – you can choose a LED strip based on your lighting project.
Choosing low voltage power input would lead to low brightness and higher power voltage might result in the burning of the LEDs.
Now, you need to again check the capacity of the power supply and ensure that it’s sufficient for the length of the LED strip in use.
You can calculate this by checking the specification sheet provided by the RGBW LED strip manufacturer.
Once, you’ve finalized the power requirements, you need to go ahead with checking the connector and plug compatibility.
Connection types of power adapters and RGBW LED strip lights are often different and this might confuse.
Thus, you’ve to check the connection type and use appropriate connectors and wires to connect the adapter to the strip lights.
Types of power connections for RGBW LED Strip Lights
19. Can You Cut RGBW LED Strips And They Still Work?
Yes, an RGBW LED strip will work even after you cut them into smaller strips.
However, you need to cut along the cutting points appearing at regular intervals along the strip in form of dotted or straight lines.
The circuits are closed at these dotted points and you can safely cut along these without damaging the strips.
There’re copper soldering pads at the end of each black dotted cutting line, which acts as the joining point for the rest of the circuit.
20. Why Only One Strip Of My RGBW LED Strip Light Is Working?
There can be multiple reasons why one strip of your RGBW LED strip is working and the rest simply fails to light up.
It often happens that one LED from a particular section stops working and you simply need to replace it.
The damage is often caused by static electricity, unnecessary twisting and bending of the RGBW LED strip.
Damages to the RGBW strip can be caused during transit or dry solder joints as well.
You need to investigate, detect, and repair the strip to work.
Here’s a video that guides you to investigate and detect damaged sections of an RGBW light strip:
21. How Do I Connect A 5-Pin RGBW LED Strip To A 4-Pin RGB Header?
You need to use the extension strip cable with the RGBW LED strip and simply plug it into the header or controller.
At the other end, you will have to plug the 4-pin female into the extension strip, which leaves a single pin unattached.
However, you have to ensure that TT is +12V.
Connecting 5 Pin RGBW to a 4 Pin Header
22. What Is Individually Addressable RGBW LED Strip?
Individually addressable RGBW LED strip comprises digital LEDs along with an integrated driver, which helps us control the color and brightness of each LED.
Thus, each LED can be controlled to produce a different color and brightness.
Individually addressable RGBW LED strips let us create a unique and complex blend of lighting effects.
23. How Do You Control Individually Addressable RGBW LED Strips?
Individually addressable RGBW LED strips can be controlled using various controllers or microcontrollers like Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Adafruit, etc.
RGBW LED strip comprises of four-channel individually addressable LEDs with red, green, blue, and white chip.
The RGBW LED strip features a variety of ICs like SK6812, TM1814, or WS2814, depending on the model and manufacturing company.
Depending on the IC and wiring it uses, the RGBW light strip, you can use a compatible controller to change the intensity of Red, Green, Blue, and White LEDs to simulate colors of your choice.
A great feature of these individually LED strips is that you can use only a single pin on the microcontroller to control all the LEDs on the strip.
24. How To Control RGBW Strips With Adafruit?
You need to start by connecting the Adafruit microcontroller with the USB port on your computer.
You can use a 5V/12V/24V power supply depending on the type of RGBW strip you’re using for the lighting project.
You need to check for the “input” end on your LED strip, which is also often labeled as DI or DIN.
You might even encounter an arrow mark that shows the direction of the data flow.
You can set up the data input from any of the pins on the Adafruit.
Next, you need to connect the input voltage on the LED strip to the pad marked as BAT or VBAT, connect the GND pin your strip to the GND pad on the Adafruit board.
You should also connect the DIN to the pin DIN on the Flora board.
You might have to change the example code for modifying the pin number.
The order of the five pins might vary from one strip to another depending on the batches and strip densities.
It’s always important to check the labels on your strip or refer to the manual provided by the RGBW LED strip manufacturer.
25. How To Control RGBW Strips With Raspberry Pi?
You will need the following to control RGBW strips with Raspberry Pi:
Raspberry Pi4
Power supply for the Pi
LED strip power supply – 5V/12V/24V
Mosfet Transistor – 4 pieces
Wiring – You will need 5 wires to connect to the ground and LEDs
A stripper or wire cutter
You will need 4 MOSFETs – one for each color and you need to connect them to the following GPIO pins:
Color | GPIO Pins |
Red | 24 |
Green | 25 |
Blue | 20 |
White | 18 |
Yellow | Power |
Black | GND |
Check out the below diagram to complete the connection.
Raspberry Pi 4 connection with Breadboard and 4 MOSFETs
26. How Are The Controllers Different In RGBW LED Strips?
RGBW LED strips use 4 channel controllers to control the Red, Green, Blue, and White LEDs.
This is different from the 3 channel RGB controllers used for controlling Red, Green, and Blue LEDs.
27. Can I Use RGBW LED Strip Without Controller?
All major RGBW LED strip lights suppliers sell strips that can be used without controllers.
However, the only difference is that without a controller, you won’t be able to create a blend of hues as the respective LEDs will produce respective colors.
For instance, the Red LED on the strip will produce Red color, Blue will produce Blue, Green will produce Green, and White produce White.
28. Is RGBW LED Strip More Difficult To Install?
It is extremely easy to install RGBW LED strips as the connection and wiring are similar to that of an RGB LED strip.
Thus, it’s not at all difficult to install an RGBW light strip.
Here’s a helpful video to guide you through the installation process:
29. How Do I Connect RGBW LED Strip To My Phone?
You can easily connect the RGBW LED strip to your phone by converting it into a Wi-Fi-enabled strip.
Once you do this, the RGBW strip can connect to the Wi-Fi and you can easily adjust the lighting effects through mobile apps.
You can even use popular voice assistant mobile apps like Google Home or Alexa for controlling the lights.
Wi-Fi controllers for RGBW light strips are extremely powerful and are used for controlling the strip lights for various indoor and outdoor lighting projects.
30. What Happens If Your RGBW LED Lights Won’t Turn On?
There’re multiple reasons behind an RGBW LED strip not turning on.
Some of the common reason and solutions are as follows:
Reason: You forgot to turn on the lights or the wires are not plugged into the power source; dead batteries; loose connections; too much insulation
Solution: Replace with new batteries or a better power source. Strip the insulation at least ½ inches at both the ends
31. What Cable Is Used For RGBW LED Strips?
You must use appropriate cables for connecting the RGBW strips.
Two-core 5-color cables of at least 1.5mm thickness will help you to install the strips at least 15m from the transformer for better lighting consistency.
32. Is 1mm Cable OK For Lighting With RGBW LED Strips?
No 1mm cable can’t power your RGBW LED strip; instead, you must use a wire of at least 1.55 for the lead starters.
33. Can You Power RGBW LED Strip With Battery?
Yes, you can always power up your RGBW strips with a battery.
Just choose a battery of appropriate voltage to power up your RGBW LED strip lights available in 5V/12V/24V.
34. Can A 9V Battery Power 12V RGBW LED Strip?
No, you cannot power a 12V RGBW LED strip with a 9V battery as the voltage range for a 12V strip is between 10 and 14 volts.
If you offer anything less than 10V, the RGBW strips won’t light up.
The forward voltage requirement for the LEDs is at least 3.6V so when you add the voltage drop across the strip, 9V will fall short.
35. How To Combat Voltage Drop On a 24V Addressable RGBW LED Strip?
You can do a few things to combat voltage drop on a 24V addressable RGBW LED strip.
Voltage drop depends on factors like power consumption and brand.
However, the good news is that 24V RGBW LED strips lose voltage slower compared to the 5V and 12V strips.
24V RGBW strips are ideal for lighting projects that need a longer run, usually more than 40 ft.
For preventing voltage drop, you can divide the longer strips into shorter ones and connect the additional parallel power supply wire for each new RGBW strip.
You can repeat this process, run the additional wire from your power unit, and attach it whenever you detect a power drop.
36. How Many Amps Do I Need For RGBW LED Strip?
Going with 20mA per pixel, 80 mA is the maximum for an RGBW LED strip.
Thus, if you’ve a 5-meter strip with 60 LEDs and wattage of 19 w/m, you will require a power supply of 24V 3.95A. But usually we add 20% redundancy, that means 3.95*1.2 = 4.75A.
37. How Many RGBW LED Strip Per Power Supply?
As you keep connecting multiple RGBW LED strips, the resistance also increases, which would lead to a voltage drop.
As a thumb rule, it’s often recommended not to connect more than “Three” 5m strips.
If you intend to connect more strips, you will need to add extra wire and additional power supply.
38. How To Wire 32 Channel DMX Decoder, Power Supply, and RGBW LED Strip?
You will need the following for connecting a wire 32 channel DMX Decoder, power supply, and RGBW LED strip:
RGBW LED Strips, DMX512 Decoder, 12v 30a DC Universal regulated switching power supply, Wire Cutter, Wire Stripper, and Flat Head Screwdriver.
It’s a very simple and straightforward connection, which is entirely dependent on your installation size.
You must begin by determining the DMX addresses for the set of DMX Decoders.
Professionals start with the first decoder/driver and provide it the lowest address of the system, like 1.
For the RGBW strip lights, you need to assign the next decoder address from 5-8, since 1-4 is already taken up by the first decoder.
Configuring multiple decoders can be done in three different ways: daisy chain, using a DMX splitter, using a DMX Wireless Transmitter and receiver.
After completing the wiring, you can start by providing a very low voltage power to the decoders while running on the DMX controller.
DMX Controller Connection with RGBW LED strip and Power
39. How Do I Choose An RGBW Strip Driver?
You must choose an appropriate RGBW strip driver based on the length and power requirements.
There is a variety of drivers available in the market; however, it’s better to go with the ones recommended by your RGBW LED strip manufacturer.
40. What Size Driver Do I Need For RGBW LED Strip Lights?
The length of your RGBW LED strip and its power consumption needs to determine the driver size (in watts).
As a rule of thumb, it’s always recommended to use a driver that delivers 20% more than the strip’s requirement so that it lasts longer.
41. Where To Find Best Quality 24V RGBW LED Strips?
RGBW LED strip lights suppliers galore and they sell a variety of brands offered by several RGBW LED strip manufacturers.
However, the catch lies in finding the 24V RGBW LED strips that suit your lighting needs.
Best quality material is available with all the major RGBW LED strip manufacturers in the world but the Chinese companies like SDIP Light are considered as market leaders.
42. Why Do RGBW LED Lights Burn Out?
Some of the common reasons for RGBW LED lights burning out include bad contact, recessed lighting, using incompatible dimmer switch, and high voltage.
Other reasons for the burnout include manufacturing defects or overheating caused by wrong fixtures.
43. Can RGBW Light Strips Catch Fire?
RGBW light strips usually don’t catch fire but certain manufacturing defects or overheating caused by wrong fixtures can lead to fire.
You must check each wire ends for loose connections as that can lead to short circuits resulting in fire.
You should install your RGBW strips in places with better air circulation so that heat emitted from the strips doesn’t lead to fire.
If you’re unsure about the connections or wiring, you must get it checked by qualified technicians or engineers.
It’s also a good practice to check the specifications before starting with the installation as that would make it easier for you to choose the power and other components.
Lastly, it’s equally important to buy from reputed RGBW LED strip lights suppliers like SDPI Lights.
44. Can You Connect Different Brands Of RGBW LED Light Strips?
Technically, there’s no harm in connecting multiple RGBW LED light strips.
However, when you try to connect different brands, problems can arise due to certain differences in specifications.
Thus, most users try to stick with a single brand for their lighting projects since it’s always a good practice to avoid unnecessary complications.