4w rgbw neopixel hookup note

EL Wire/Tape/Panels, LEDs, pixels and strips, LCDs and TFTs, etc products from Adafruit

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semegraph
 
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Joined: Mon May 11, 2015 9:21 am

4w rgbw neopixel hookup note

Post by semegraph »

Please add a note to the product details page here https://www.adafruit.com/product/5163

The cables on these are VERY similar to the standard neopixel cables, but the ground and 5v lines are reversed and the "in" and "out" cables are swapped.

For someone who does a lot of work with standard neopixels, it's easy to accidentally hook them up with the voltage reversed. The pixels themselves do a good job of protecting from reversed polarity (ask me how I know) but it might kill a voltage regulator.

Then when one realizes the problem and reverses the ground and hot lines, the pixel still doesn't seem to work, because that old neopixel test board they use with all the other neopixel products is trying to send the data into the "out" pin on the 4W boards.

A well-placed note on the product page would have saved me a bit of frustration. Thanks!

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adafruit2
 
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Re: 4w rgbw neopixel hookup note

Post by adafruit2 »

ok added
Note that the pinout and cable polarity does not necessarily match other NeoPixel strips, check the wire names/color and direction before use.

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