wled.deby LED-Emotion DE

Guide

WS2812B with WLED

The classic for fine effects: every LED individually controllable, at the cost of 5 V and high current.

Short answer
WS2812B are 5 V LEDs with a built-in chip; every LED is one pixel. In WLED: LED type WS281x, colour order usually GRB, length = number of LEDs. At 60 LEDs/m and 16.5 W/m, full white draws 3.3 A per metre, about 55 mA per LED. So inject extra power after a few metres.
Step 1

Wiring

Three wires: +5 V, GND and data to DIN. The arrows on the strip point away from the controller. PSU, controller and strip need a common GND.

Step 2

Current and PSU

Calculation: 16.5 W/m ÷ 5 V = 3.3 A/m. 5 m at full white: 82.5 W, 16.5 A; with 20 % headroom a PSU from 99 W, commonly 100 W. Split large 5 V installations into sections with their own PSUs.

Step 3

Injecting power

At 5 V the voltage drops quickly; the end turns reddish. Per the shop: heavy copper (5050-60-WS2812B-V5) up to 5 m from one end, Digital Vision 60 LEDs/m up to 2.5 m. Beyond that, connect plus and minus additionally at the end or at intervals.

Step 4

Data line

The ESP32 sends at 3.3 V, while WS2812B at 5 V actually expect more. Short runs usually work; many controllers have a built-in level shifter (datasheet). For more than about 1 m of data line run GND alongside; for longer runs use a signal booster or move the controller closer.

Step 5

WLED settings

Config → LED Preferences: type WS281x, colour order GRB (test: red must be red), length = number of LEDs, current per LED 55 mA (matches 16.5 W/m), max current = PSU rated current.

Step 6

Frame rate

Each pixel takes about 30 µs of data time. 300 LEDs on one output allow up to about 100 frames per second, 1,000 LEDs only about 33. Spread long installations across several outputs.

Safety
Disconnect the PSU from mains before working on cables. Work on the 230 V side only by a qualified electrician.

Sources: WS2812B strip datasheet values (led-emotion.de) · WLED docs: Getting started

Related

Power supply calculator →

Power from the datasheet, measure the length, add 20 % headroom. The calculator does the rest.

Multiple LED strips →

Three ways, depending on distance, pixel count and desired frame rate.

Reddish, yellowish or dimmer towards the end →

Troubleshooting: 3 checks

For business
Questions about your setup? LED-Emotion advice: +49 5132 8305530, Mon–Fri 9 am–4 pm CET, or request support.