punter1 Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I was looking at RGB led strips and I found this cheap RGB mini amplifier ($1-2) which can handle up to 4 Amps per channel (12Amp total). My thought is to use 5 of these amplifiers connected to LEDwiz outputs to drive 2 RGB lightbars(playfield, backbox) and undercabinet LED strips. The LEDwiz RGB related outputs are only an input signal to the amplifier, so that should be well below 500 mA. Meanwhile, the mini ampliflier can provide up to 4 AMPs for each color (with a 12V 12amp power supply of course. I am looking for feedback that this approach makes sense or my logic is flawed Here are the RGB amplifiers: http://www.ebay.com/itm/5PC-A-lot-Mini-LED-Amplifier-strip-for-rgb-strip-lights-DC12V-12A-RGB-4pin-Signa-/290997817222?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43c0d24f86 Here is the wiring diagram for 1 RGB LED in each of the Lightbars and 1 LED RGB strip wired in parallel. Multiply this by 5 for the entire setup. Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikekim Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Wouldn't you be better off using zebs booster boards, as they are better at handling higher loads than direct connection to the ledwiz? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punter1 Posted November 8, 2013 Author Share Posted November 8, 2013 Zeb's booster boards has its uses, I still might invest in one for the other pincab toys. For the LEDs though, this $7 solution should work. The LEDs are connected to the amplifiers not directly to ledwiz, so you can run up to 4 Amps per output. The setup above is under 2 Amps per channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russdx Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Definitely a cheap way of doing it and should work fine lol Those little amplifiers look quite cool, I wonder whats inside them lol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebulon Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 There'd be a constant current driver, a couple of caps and a resistor or two per channel. I looked at implementing a similar circuit on the boards but the parts cost and real estate made it less than feasible... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punter1 Posted November 16, 2013 Author Share Posted November 16, 2013 I received the mini RGB amplifiers and tested one with a 5m 5050 RGB led light strip and it is working great. I will add the RGB led stars to the configuration but I have some soldering to do before I can test that Test results using a multimeter: Current draw of the 5m LED strip was 1 Amp per color channel (3 Amps total). This current is provided by the mini RGB amp Current draw on the LEDwiz is only 100 microAmps per color channel (300 uAmps total). That's .1 milliamps per channel, way below the 500 millamps limit of the LEDwiz port I tested with two 22 LED truck strobes. 2 strobes in parallel running of of one LEDwiz channel drew 360 mAmps from the RGB amp. Current draw on the LEDwiz was again only .1 milliAmps. I ordered a gear motor, I am curious to see if the LED amp can be used for this application also. Here is some pics of the mini RGB amp (TI LM324 - Single Supply Quad Operational Amplifier circuit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russdx Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Thats cool Add some diodes when running the motor to stop the back spikes from blowing your Amplifier up. http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/LM324-D.PDF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punter1 Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 Starting wiring up RGB leds this weekend. After soldering 10 RGB leds, 30 resistors, RGB strips and the related connectors, I must have done over 200 solder joints. Let's just say I am comfortable with soldering now. The new light show made it all worth it. I used 5 of the mini RGB amps to drive the backbox, playfield and under cab strips (Outer left, left, center, right, outer right flashers) I used another mini RGB amp to power a long undercab RGB strip for the constant table underlighting I have one more RGB amp which I will try driving the gear motor when it arrives I installed the LEDwiz in the Backbox for easy access. Here are the connectors and wiring I used http://www.ebay.com/itm/20PCS-led-strip-4pin-Wire-Male-female-RGB-connector-Wire-Cable-/221311238731?pt=US_Lighting_Parts_and_Accessories&hash=item33872d824b http://www.ebay.com/itm/4Pin-10M-33ft-Wire-Extension-22AWG-Cable-Cord-for-3528-5050-SMD-RGB-LED-Strip-/141100347184?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Night_Lights_Fairy_Lights&hash=item20da3c6f30 http://www.ebay.com/itm/5Pcs-4-Pin-Splitter-1-to-3-Connector-Femal-Cable-for-LED-RGB-Strip-Light-/200984637101?pt=US_Lighting_Parts_and_Accessories&hash=item2ecb9e2ead If you don't like the mini RGB connectors, you could also look at using the larger RGB amps with the standard wire connections http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-12V-12A-Mini-LED-RGB-Signal-Amplifier-for-SMD-3528-5050-LED-Strip-Light-New-/281124068439?pt=US_Lighting_Parts_and_Accessories&hash=item41744cdc57 Issues with the RGB stars I ordered - http://www.ebay.com/itm/321225009393?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 - The red and blue connections are not marked correctly. Red was B- and Blue was R-. I had only wired one up before finding this out. I have seen other post mentioning this also - I had one RGB star where the green LED was not working, I ordered a replacement and some spares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les73gtx Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I Have ordered my mini amplifiers and just waiting for them to show up in the mail. How did this setup work for you overall? I will only be using one string of 5050 LEDs divided into 3 different channels of RGB on the LedWiz. I just cut them at the length I needed for my under and back of cab lighting so I have a Front, top channel and a right side channel and a left side channel. Thank you for the wiring diagram also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipshag Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 I actually installed RGB LED Strip lightning on the underside and backbox backside on an old Bingo Cabinet after seeing how easy it would be to wire up with LED Amplifiers in this thread. This is 5 strips which I use for really nice effects in 5-flasher mode. The wiring was easy and I drive them on a 12V amp. Only trouble I had was making a nice solder on the LED strip connections. They are small and a pro-tip is to tin the pads on the connections beforehand. So I would recommend something like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/181273749661?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 for the strips which you then wire together with the LED amps in the backbox using, I don't know, a quick-release terminal block? This would also probably mean that the wires will be more robust and easier to bend into a nice wiring path under the cab. I haven't tried wiring motors or stroboscope with LED amps since neither my strobes or motors don't pull enough juice to need it and therefor it doesn't justify the extra wiring in my world. Les73gtx: I'm not sure how you mean you would do the wiring because you say "I will only be using one string" and then go on to say "divided into 3 different channels[...] top channel and a right side channel and a left side channel". The normal thing here would be to cut the LED strip and have 3 different strips wired up separatly with LED amps for each one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les73gtx Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 Yes that is correct I cut the strip into many different sections and then wired them together how I wanted them arranged for my undercab and backbox lighting. I have 3 different LED amps running the 3 sections I created. I am still working on wiring it up as the holidays have me doing a lot of other things but I hope to have it finished today. I will see if I can get a video made and uploaded. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipshag Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 Do show how you solved it. If you need tips or help I'm sure I can take a few pictures and upload them within the next few days. Merry christmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les73gtx Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Things never seem to go as planned in this house ... lol. I hqve not had time to put the cabinet back together yet. I have finished the wiring of the LED strips and I am working on my shaker / gear motor combo box right now. I hope to have some progress in the next few days. I think the LEDs came out very nice and work the way I want them to in my testing. I am using a small 12v battery from a lawn mower to test the strings and my wiring ability. Pictures will be soon I hope. Happy New Year Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les73gtx Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Well time really flies when your having fun ...or busy. So here is a link to my led light strips and my shaker and gear motor setup ... also some videos showing them in action ... the big video doesn't get going till like the 3 minute mark. My wife was playing and doing a good job. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ndqlmby4j4ioq38/ctjSyt0ZPt Enjoy Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipshag Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Well time really flies when your having fun ...or busy. So here is a link to my led light strips and my shaker and gear motor setup ... also some videos showing them in action ... the big video doesn't get going till like the 3 minute mark. My wife was playing and doing a good job.https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ndqlmby4j4ioq38/ctjSyt0ZPt Enjoy Just saw them, it's great! Here's another example of RGB strips as flashers, captured last night: http://www.youtube.com/embed/OCaWXgFOk50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt79 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I am planing to do the similar project as well. In terms of connecting it up, I assume its just a question of wiring the input of the amplifier to the 3 RGB ports on the LedWiz and then the strip into the amplifier (I got from one http://www.lightingnext.com/mini-rgb-amplifier.html )? Also am I correct in assuming that the LEDs on the strip each have resistors already in so I don't need to worry about this either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampirolatino2 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I am planing to do the similar project as well. In terms of connecting it up, I assume its just a question of wiring the input of the amplifier to the 3 RGB ports on the LedWiz and then the strip into the amplifier (I got from one http://www.lightingnext.com/mini-rgb-amplifier.html )? Also am I correct in assuming that the LEDs on the strip each have resistors already in so I don't need to worry about this either? Yes, the strips have their own resistors. It's just "plug and play" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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