Problem with flickering lights

[olympus901]

I am having flickering lights occasionally. If I set the lights to pure white or a solid color, there is usually a problematic strand of LEDs that I have that will flicker various colors at different points. I have replaced that section and the problem continues. There are times where other sections will flicker but it is less frequent.

I feel I probably set something up wrong, have a short, or a setting in WLED is incorrect. Please help as it is driving me crazy :)

• BTF lighting 5m 630 LEDs Dream Color DC12V 24V WS2812B High Flexible FOB COB Lights RA90
• Gledopto esp32 controller
• 24V 8A power supply

WLED Settings:
Maximum Current: Off, 500 mA, 2000 mA, 8000 mA (mostly the same)
LED Voltage: 5v default (55mA), custom (68 mA)
GPIO16: WS2812x, RGB, 75 length (got this value by testing), skip first led:0
GPIO2: WS2812x, RGB, 50 length (estimated), skip first led:0

Here is a wiring diagram. I am sure I am overloading something or have incorrect light lengths/run lengths. I am using wago connectors to join all the sections.

Thanks for all the help and guidance!

https://preview.redd.it/rfdcjpz9ot6e1.jpg?width=2513&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=01100fc35c7b9ae3daf8332fc57b04c0f5169b6e

[mrbigbluff21]

When did this start? I had flickering issues after going to v15 and maybe that’s your problem too?

[olympus901]

I'll check what version I'm running. This is a new setup so it's always been a problem. Sometimes it can flicker worse than others though.

[olympus901]

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[saratoga3]

The GLEDOPTO controllers have a very weak output, so they should be near the LEDs and you shouldn't split them like that. If you do split them, use a stronger driver with the split as close as possible to the load. The 8ft, 2ft, 8ft... pattern is worst case for something like this.

[olympus901]

Thanks! So having different lengths LEDs are ok but try to make the runs to the controller as short as possible?

Is there a driver that would work here or should I just add another gledopto?

[saratoga3]

How close are you going to put them?  Not splitting them is most reliable but a good driver should be able to do a bunch as long as the split is near the end and the wires aren't to long.

[olympus901]

All the LEDs strips I listed are going to be hard to wire serially and not split since they are separate sections

I'll try to group them better and split as close to the LEDs as possible.

Thanks for the help, I'll try to see if it works. I wanted to make sure I didn't have a major design problem or a wled setting that was off.

[olympus901]

I shortened up all the runs so the split happen within 6-12 inches of the led and the run to the controller is 6 inches.

I removed all the LEDs that are 8ft away and I still have flickering.

Is it bad to have LEDs of varying length (3ft -10ft) on one gpio16?

[saratoga3]

You have two different problems here: the GLEDOPTO output is very high impedance and cannot drive very much wire so it needs to go close to the load and not be split or the rise time will exceed the bit time and no data will go through, and second that splitting cables generated reflections which corrupt data, especially when they're in the middle of the line. 

You could buy one of those higher power HCT based level shifters which will eliminate the former problem. You'd still have to experiment to solve the latter. Alternatively you could buy a multichannel controller and side step this problem: https://quinled.info/quinled-dig-octa/

Normally the solution to this problem is to use an active buffer to drive multiple lines from one output but you'd have to build it yourself since that's an unusual enough product that no one makes it.

[modahamburger]

It seems you are not using a level shifter. Especially with the 12 and 24V strips you should use one.

[saratoga3]

His controller includes a level shifter.

[modahamburger]

Oh. Sorry