Build your own LED controller for under $6 with WLED 

Thanks for the feedback! Like you, I would occasionally get frustrated that some project videos were so short and missed so many details, it left me with a lot to figure out on my own. So, I do try to provide enough information that that someone should be able to adapt my project for their own needs. And now I always try to provide chapter links in the timeline and video description for those that really don't want to watch all the details. I appreciate the kind words and that you took the time to post a comment. Thanks again!

I echo David's comments, and thank you for taking the time to share with the world!

Thanks! I don't know how "calming" it was filming it, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. It does seem like the majority of the feedback I've received are those that favor the longer "how-to" videos. Or maybe it is just the people that like short videos don't hang around long enough to hear me ask the question! Thanks for watching!

Great! Let me know how it goes or if you have any questions.

You are very welcome and I'm glad you are enjoying them... despite their length! I do try to include the "why" as well as the "how" in my videos with the hope that someone can take the concepts and adapt them to their own needs. But this does tend to make for longer videos. Thanks for watching... and thanks for the comment and feedback.

You are more than welcome. I always try to balance the amount of detail vs. length of the video. But for me, if I'm trying to learn via a "how-to" video, I appreciate getting enough detail that I can attempt to recreate the project on my own... or adapt it for some other idea that I have. I usually also try to include a supplemental blog with most of my videos that have wiring diagrams, code or other additional information. If there is a related blog, you can always find that in the video description. Thanks for watching and taking time to post a comment!

Thanks! I know that's what I found when first starting out. Someone would do a complete project in a 6-10 minute video, but when I went to try to recreate it, I'd have to spend a ton of time researching to figure out all the missing details from the original video. That's why I decided to try to include not only all the "how" parts... but also the "why" in my videos so maybe someone just starting out would have what they needed to try to duplicate the project... or adapt it to their own needs. Most people only watch the first few minutes of my videos before bouncing off somewhere else, so recently I've tried to show the highlights and overview of the finished project in the first few minutes... and then get into the full step-by-step how-to after that for those that want to hang around and know more. That seems to result in a little better success. But I greatly appreciate your feedback. It does help me decide about the types of videos to make in the future.

Thanks! It's good to get this sort of feedback, as I always debate on how much detail to include. I like to provide enough detail that someone can adapt the project to their own needs without having to do a lot of other research. But this can make for longer videos. I generally hope I can find a middle ground for most of my videos. Thanks again for watching and taking time to comment!

It's amazing some of the cool stuff you can do with these low cost microcontrollers and components these days. It just takes a little practice and some basic learning and there are all sorts of possibilities. Be forewarned, however... it can be addictive! After you build your first couple of devices, you'll be looking for something else to build next! Thanks for watching... and taking the time to provide feedback. Feedback from my viewers really does help determine how I make future videos.

Thanks for the feedback. Honestly, this video is pretty old now and I've overhauled everything since this was filmed (including much better cameras, microphone and lighting), from just an 8' folding plastic table to a custom built desk/workbench that I build just for soldering and shooting my videos. If you look through my channel, you will find a couple of short videos where I talk about some of my favorite components and tools that I use for many of my projects. I don't know whether you might find those helpful or not. Thanks for watching... and thanks again for the feedback. I have continued to make longer videos that include the "why" as well as the "how", based on feedback from my viewers like you.

Thanks for the feedback. I've tried to continue to invest in things like better lighting, better cameras and microphones to make my more recent videos a little higher quality than some of these older ones, but I do continue to try to always include the "why" in my videos in addition to the "how"... even if that does make them a bit longer than most. Thanks for subscribing and welcome to the channel!

Thanks! I know I was a bit frustrated when I first started out because I would watch a video, try to build the project, and find that the video was missing a bunch of information... that I then had to try to track down elsewhere. I now try to take the approach of giving a high level overview for those that want the "quick hit" video, then go into details for those that want to stick around for the nitty gritty. I also try to provide the "why" was well as the "how", so that maybe viewers can take my ideas and adopt the for their own particular needs. I really appreciate the feedback. It's comments from viewers like you that keep me motivated to keep building new projects and making new videos.

Thanks for the kind words... and congrats on building your first LED controller! Be forewarned... it can be a bit addictive! Once you start down that path of DIY electronics and home automation, it can kind of grab a hold of you! Don't hesitate to reach back out if I can help out with your LED or home automation journey somewhere down the road.

Thanks for the feedback! My videos do tend to run a bit longer than other "normal" videos, but I try to include information on the "why" as well as the "what" so that folks might be able to take my ideas and adapt them for their own project needs. Thanks for watching and taking time to post a comment!

You are most welcome! I've done quite a bit with Arduino/C++ on the ESP boards, but really haven't done anything with Circuit Python. I've done a few other things with Python, but mostly just on the Pi and nothing on microcontrollers. Thanks for watching... and taking the time to leave a comment!

Thanks for the feedback. And just to let you know that I've followed the advice, the video I just released on adding peripherals, like buttons and remotes, to WLED controllers (like the one in this video) checks in at a whopping 43 minutes! But I do try to always include chapter links in the timeline so you can jump to segments that interest you. But thanks again for the comment... I do appreciate it and take feedback into consideration for future videos.

Thanks! Glad you found something helpful. And I greatly appreciate the subscription... it's what keeps me motivated to do more videos, just knowing that people are actually interested in what I have to share! Thanks again!

Great idea... I haven't tried that yet. I guess between Home Assistant, Google voice and the local button controls, I hadn't really considered a remote. But I'd like to try messing with an IR receiver... just to put it in my tool bag for potential other projects. Do you have a particular receiver you recommend that works well with the ESP8266?

Would love to learn how to integrate those cheap infrared controllers to control the WLED

Thanks for the feedback... it really is helpful to me to know what viewers want to see. Welcome to the world of custom LEDs! Be forewarned... it can be an addictive rabbit hole! Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!

Thanks for the feedback! I do appreciate it and it really does help me decide the types of videos to make in the future.

Thanks. I appreciate it. And I appreciate the feedback!

Thanks for the feedback! This particular project probably isn't the right one for controlling 1000's of LEDs... at least not without moving up to an ESP32 and using multiple pins for data output. According to the official WLED site in terms of numbers of LEDs ( kno.wled.ge/features/multi-strip/ ), you can get good performance of up to around 500 or so LEDs off of a single data pin. Using an ESP32 with multiple data pins, you can expect good performance up to around 4,000 LEDs.... and while very similar, that is a different build than the one I show here. I do have another video where I touch on this topic by comparing the ESP8266 to the ESP32 with WLED, if you want to see a little bit more as to what I'm talking about: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q1ghNUND6gk.html Regardless, thanks for watching and welcome to the channel!

Outstanding! But be forewarned... if this was your first LED project, it likely won't be your last! After I built my first one, it just kept going from there and now I have more than two dozen of those little controllers throughout my house with LEDs on all sorts of surfaces. Thanks for taking time to drop me a comment. I love hearing from my viewers that they successfully used one of my videos for their own projects. Congrats!

Thanks! I have used the ESP32 with WLED on a couple of occasions... primarily with the sound reactive version of WLED. In hindsight, I wish I would have covered the ESP32 as part of my sound reactive floor lamps. I also use an ESP32 in my mailbox notification video due to its deep sleep abilities. I've basically stuck with the D1 mini for most of my use cases both due to its low cost and the ability to fit it onto the smaller version of the prototype board. But I'd be happy to add using an ESP32 to the list of my upcoming videos. Thanks for watching!

​@@ResinChemTech I would love to see that with esp32 because nobody has a video like your's, greetings from Mexico!

Thanks... glad you found it helpful. I have a whole playlist covering different aspects of building and using LED strips that you may also find helpful as you start to plan and build future projects: ru-vid.com/group/PLqjDNeOVHOkf079FYwRLRoOHJwLijKkP3&si=BJVPCFadldgptwmo Thanks for watching and taking a few minutes to post a comment. I appreciate it!

Thanks! I know that many of my videos are pretty long... and by looking at the analytics, most people don't watch more than a few minutes. But I like to be able to provide enough details that someone can recreate my project. I also like to try to explain the "why" as well as the "how" so viewers can take the concepts and adapt them to their own projects. In my more recent videos, I try to show highlights of the final project for those "2 minute" viewers up front, then follow up with the more detailed step-by-step for those that want to hang around and see how it is actually done. But I greatly appreciate your feedback! Viewer comments really do drive the direction of my future videos.

Thanks for the feedback. In most of my how-to videos, I also link to a related blog article that sometimes contains additional details, like wiring diagrams or code snippets that folks can more easily refer to if they are going to build their own... or similar... project. I actually enjoy doing the full how-to's, but they do take a bit longer and generally don't get the same reception as the shorter "highlight" videos. But I'll definitely try to do more of the full how-to's in the future! Thanks again for taking time to comment.

Thanks for the feedback. I try to respond to all legitimate questions as quickly as I can and as my schedule allows. Just as an FYI, my blog also has a comment section for each article as well. Again, it's fine if you post here or in the blog article... I'm notified and answer questions in both places. Thanks again for watching and the comment.

@@ResinChemTech this might be a strange question. But I got the led lights u used today. They have the 5 wires. 3 are in the jst plug then 2 separate wires. What are the 2 separate wires for?

No strange questions! So, you have 3 wires (red, green and white) to the JST connector and then a separate red and white wire, correct? The extra red and white wire are supplied in case you need to do 5V power injection. You'll rarely use the one at the start of the strip (unless you are connecting multiple strips together), but might use the one at the end if you want to add power there. In all honesty, I find those extra wires kinda' annoying (again, unless you are connecting multiple strips together) as you don't need the start and it's rare that your project will end at exactly the end of the strip as well and they make the strip bulky and hard to fit nicely into the aluminum channel I typically use. I usually cut the extra wires off, or cut off the entire first pixel and solder on my own connector.

Congrats! I think I mention in a number of my videos about the option to use the sacrificial pixel in place of the logic level shifter. It works just as well (it basically does the exact same thing). I personally just find that I can make a more tidy controller on the board with the LLS as opposed to cutting and soldering the extra pixel. But a lot of people also state that neither are necessary. While this is true in some cases when the distance between the controller and the LED strip is short, I always prefer to err on the side of caution and include the shifter (or extra pixel) to boost my signal to the expected 5V. Thanks for watching!

Wow... thanks for the kind words and I'm glad you find the videos helpful. I actually have Philips Hue, but I had them well before I learned to build my own LED controllers... and before I was very deep into Home Assistant. If I had it to do over, I wouldn't spend the money on Hue... but they do work well and have been pretty reliable. Thanks for watching... and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or just want to share your projects.

Thanks! I appreciate the kind words and feedback. It really does help me in how I plan and present future videos.

Thanks for the feedback! I always know when someone has watched most of the video and responds to my question, since I asked about the format towards the end. I generally don't hear "it was too long", because those folks have already left the video long before I asked the question! I really appreciate the kind words and that you took the time to comment.

Thanks. It was new to all of us at some point! I always try to find the balance between a quick overview that leaves the viewer with a lot of incomplete information that they have to research vs. an overly long video that no one wants to watch! And thanks for noting the blog. I try to always include a related blog with any parts used, wiring diagrams, code snippets or more detail if needed so that you don't need to go back and try to 'freeze' the video to see those parts. Welcome to the channel! Don't hesitate to reach out if I can assist you in any of your own projects.

Thanks! I sometimes get concerned about the length of some of my videos, but most people who have commented say they prefer the longer, step-by-step how-to videos. It does take me some extra time, but I do like to try to provide a supplemental blog article with each video to provide things like wiring diagrams, code samples, etc. that I can't really make easily accessible via video. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!

I've probably watched this video 7 more times and ordered through your Amazon links. I think something interesting to see would be using the bullet style led's from your Christmas tree video for external lighting application. Maybe instruction for waterproofing a transformer. I think getting those set up for a Christmas display with your style instruction would be a big hit!

I've had numerous people try to encourage me to do the whole outdoor, synchronized-to-music Christmas light show. I just haven't been motivated to do so and there is already a house in the neighborhood that does that. I haven't done any outdoor LEDs yet. This Spring I may add lights to our screened in porch, in which case, I'll use those bullet LED's and have to create a weatherproof version and/or enclosures for the power supply and controller. I'll be sure to make a video out of that process. Thanks for watching (all seven times!), and a huge thanks for the support by using the Amazon links. Feel free to shoot me any questions you might run into along the way with your LED projects.

Thanks... I appreciate it! I really don't promote my RU-vid stuff on any other social media platforms... which I know would probably help. To be honest, I'm pleasantly surprised at the subs I do have! It wasn't something that I intentionally planned... it just kinda "happened" after I threw out a few early (and very poorly produced) videos. But thanks for watching... and I do really appreciate the kind words!

@@ResinChemTech I thought the same when I started my channel. Using the proper tags in the video can really help. Sometimes it helps to look at other popular videos from other RU-vidrs and see what tag words they are using. I use vid IQ freebie, just so I can see what they use for buzzwords and so forth for that. Good luck on your channel!

Thanks for the feedback. I continue to tweak things to try to make my videos better and more informative, and I do take the feedback into account. And thanks for subscribing! Let me know if you implement any of my projects... and of course if you have any questions along the way.

@@ResinChemTech I'm currently making this LED controller right now. I smoked the first on though, I had a 24vdc power supply instead of 5vdc. OOPS!

Thanks! I always try to find a balance between how-to details and a general overview. Usually, I'll see something that someone else has done and maybe find a way to adapt it for my own use. That was the case with the matrix display. My original parking assistant was just going to be red/yellow/green stoplight style. But I saw this matrix and wanted to learn how it worked. I also wanted to learn a little more about Python, so that's the route I took. I hope maybe my videos might inspire you to come up with your own ideas as well. Thanks for watching!

Agreed

Agreed

Thanks. I appreciate you watching and taking time to leave a comment!

You're welcome! I'm glad you found it helpful. You should be OK without a logic level shifter if you keep the controller close to the start of the strip... or you can always use the sacrificial pixel method. Good luck with the project.

Thanks... I'm glad you find them helpful! I'm never sure how much detail to cover vs. length of video, but I always appreciate the feedback. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment! I appreciate it.

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback... and the sub. It lets me know my channel is on the right track and the types of videos that people want to see. And in all honesty, it keeps me motivated to continue making videos. Thanks again for watching and taking time to comment!

@@ResinChemTech I finally got around to setting up my controller! I ended up frying the first one because I was following your underside board diagram for my wiring and had the HV and LV sides backwards. (I should have been paying more attention and noticed the 5v was on the wrong side of my board) because the board numbers should be reversed for the underside. I should have noticed that, but I missed it. At least I have three remaining from the ones I purchased and I learned that before I wired them all up and fried them all. haha. I can't wait to get these setup around the house. Thanks again for the videos, keep them coming!

@@IMEllison Don't feel bad... I've done the same thing (and worse). I guess that's why they sell those components in multi-packs! I just chalk it up to the learning process and hope that the component I fry is a $1 part and not a $50 one! Hang it there...

Thanks for the feedback! And yeah... back when I made this video and the "editorial comment", RU-vid had just changed their terms. Prior to this, ads were never shown on my videos. But rest assured, that as soon as I was eligible, I did take advantage of the opportunity to at least be paid a few pennies on those ads! And as I've continued to make more videos, both my equipment and editing techniques have gotten better... including the ability to zoom in for better views in some instances. I was a bit limited when first creating videos based both on the camera and my own abilities! Thanks so much for watching, the kind comments and the feedback. I do appreciate it!

Thanks! I really appreciate the comment... and the feedback.

Thanks! I try to make the kinds of videos that I wanted to watch when first starting out. Enough details that I could recreate a project, with at least a little explanation as to why something was being done, so that I could maybe learn a thing or two and adapt it to my own project. I really appreciate you taking time to comment!

Thanks! I actually have a playlist of projects and tutorials that I've published regarding LED lighting: ru-vid.com/group/PLqjDNeOVHOkf079FYwRLRoOHJwLijKkP3 You might take a look at that. And thanks for watching and taking time to comment!

@@ResinChemTech thanks a lot 🙏❤️

Thanks! I greatly appreciate the feedback and that you took the time to post a comment.

Yeah... last time I checked, the latest version of WLED has default support for up to two connected buttons. Each button can have three different functions... single press, double-press and long press. In addition, you can add an IR receiver and use an IR remote to do even more.

@@ResinChemTech can you use those cheap ones that come with every light set 😏. Actually I want to be able to use they lights with my DMX setup maybe even be able to run wled through lightkey as a phantom fixture.

I think if you can capture the IR codes, probably. I discuss and show connecting a remote to a WLED controller in my video on Hexagonal LED panels (aka Nano Leafs): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lNcsT5DZjAM.html and a bit more about it in my second live stream on using buttons and remotes with WLED. And more information on using a remote can be found on the official WLED web site ( kno.wled.ge/interfaces/infrared/ ).

You are welcome! And thanks for the feedback. It really does help me consider the type (and length of) my future videos.

Wow... thanks! I'm glad you found it helpful. I'm never sure how much detail to include, but I always try to include chapter links so folks can skip around if I'm covering something they already know. Thanks for watching... and I greatly appreciate the feedback. It's comments like this that keep me motivated to make more videos!

Thanks! I always debate how much detail to cover vs. the length of the video. But comments like yours let me know which direction to head for future projects. Thanks again for watching and taking time to provide feedback.

Thanks for the feedback. In my more recent videos, I'm trying to show a quick highlight overview of the finished project (for those that want a quick look) and then follow that with the full step-by-step process for those that want to hang around and see the complete project. Thanks for watching and taking time to provide your feedback. I does help determine how I make future videos.

Yeah... this is definitely one of my older videos, which is apparent by the poor video and audio quality... made before I invested in better equipment. I do talk about powering 12V and 24V LEDs along with this controller in a number of other videos, including this one on common LED questions: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GZv5Ztj6i6I.html I also have a blog article that really isn't a "how-to" but more of a list of common LED controller wiring diagrams and it also covers wiring and use of this controller with higher voltage LED strips: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html Don't know if you might find either one of those helpful.

I do have a 30 minute walkthrough video that highlights the other smart "stuff" in my home (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sHbZjLbX7uk.html). Of course, I'm always adding new stuff, so even though I did this video in December, there are probably at least a dozen or more new things. At some point, I'll try to do an update or "what's new in my home" video.

@@ResinChemTech awesome, can't wait to watch! Thanks

You are most welcome. I'm glad you found the video helpful... and glad you found your issue before I was able to respond. I'm guessing it was something in the config settings of WLED? Let me know if you have any other questions. While you can always buy a pre-built solution, there something satisfying (at least to me) of building your own for less money and with a lot more features.

Thanks for the idea. I've toyed with creating a short, but I have problems saying "anything" in less than 60 seconds... and I guess that's why my videos tend to be so long! I have a tendency to want to explain everything along the way but realize that most viewers just want to see the highlights or general idea behind a project. But shorts could be a good way to help promote my full videos. I've been expanding motion-activated lighting throughout my own home. But I do find that the wife still wants that physical switch to "override" the motion... much like I did with my garage lighting. So, I always need to be sure to keep that 'WAF' high and that can sometimes complicate the project a bit! Thanks again for the feedback. I may give shorts a try when I get a chance.

Thanks. It seems like most people (well, those that take the time to watch and post a comment) prefer the longer full how-to videos. But I now try to always include chapter links on the timeline and in the video description so that viewers can easily skip over the parts that they already know... or just don't want to watch! Thanks for watching... and taking time to provide feedback. It really does help and is appreciated!

@@ResinChemTech the hardest thing I’ve found is buying parts. Do you also have a video about fuses somewhere?

I do touch briefly on using fuses with LED projects in my last livestream (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Rwzrmjc5pf8.html - check at around the 30 minute mark), but it really is just kind of a high level view of why you might use them and how you can integrate them into a project. As far as parts, I'm guessing you are non-US based? I do try to provide links to all the parts I use in the video description, or in a linked blog article related to the video. They are generally, but not always, Amazon links. I do understand that some parts are harder to come by than others... or that shipping can be prohibitive. I'd be happy to help out if I can, but Amazon is generally the source for nearly all my parts.

@@ResinChemTech Just bought all the parts. For the 1000mf capacitor, where did you install that if I was looking at one of your breadboard diagrams? This video is immensely helpful. Only one I could find on internet that shows by step process. Thank you again!

Note that the 1000 uF capacitor is actually optional. It is meant to protect the board and LED strip from sudden surges, like when you plug in the power supply. But I commonly omit them and the controller will function normally without it. But if you want to install the capacitor, you should install it before the power feeds to the board and strip. If you are using a 'transformer style' power supply, you can actually it at the terminals of the power supply (just be sure to carefully observe the (+) and (-) legs on the capacitor. If you are using a brick style supply, then apply the capacitor at the point where you split the power supply to run the separate leads to the controller board and LED strip. Hope that helps. Good luck with your project!

Wow! Thanks so much for the great feedback. My videos do tend to be a bit long... but I like to explain both the 'why' as well as the 'what' so viewers might be better able to adapt my ideas to their own projects. I was a little frustrated when I first started out because many videos just showed the 'how'... and I could follow steps A, B and C and create the same exact project, but without really understanding how things worked. But I also hear you on the 'quick hits'... and my analytics bear that out... I lose about 2/3 of my viewers by 8-10 minutes in. So, I do try to include those chapter links to allow those folks to jump to the parts that might interest them (or to just see the final results). And I've tried to increase my "production values" as well... some of my earlier videos have pretty poor lighting, sound, editing, etc. I do have some videos that focus primarily on Home Assistant, ESPHome, etc.... in fact my most recent video was about using the new subviews in Home Assistant 2022.10. I've done others on recreating YAML automations with the UI editor, etc. As a general rule, they tend to get lower views than the project based videos... but I like both, and my personal favorites are the ones where I get to work on both the hardware and software side. Once again, I greatly appreciate the feedback. Keep it coming! And anywhere that you can share my content to reach a wider audience would be great too! I'm not so great on 'self-promotion', so unless RU-vid recommends it, then a lot of folks never see it!

@@ResinChemTech It was the SubView video that I first saw. Again, what I like was the detailed look at how to actually use it. Alot of channels now are just listing the New Features in HA, which is fine but what you really want is a deeper dive. Your walk through how to set it up, what happened with the list of views and particularly the multi level nesting was very good. ~Brian

Thanks! I appreciate it.

Also, side topic, if you do some more sound reactive stuff the esp32 version of the d1 mini will get you more effects.

You're welcome! As with most smart home tech and DIY electronics, there are a lot of ways to accomplish the same outcome. I usually just use the logic level shifter because I have a whole container of them (bought in bulk when on sale).. and I like to have a self-contained controller that can just plug into any existing light strip. I always have a few "pre-built" controllers laying around. I usually use these to test new versions of WLED before deploying to my other installs. Good luck on your projects. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!

I actually have used an ESP32 with sound-reactive WLED. In my floor lamp video, at the final version, in the background, I have an ESP32 with SR WLED installed in the entertainment center. Next I want to try the multi-strip control using a single controller, which is now available in the latest version of WLED. I may do a comparison of using an ESP8266 vs. ESP32 to see the performance differences.

@@ResinChemTech I would definitely be interested in a comparison. I have probably 50 d1 minis and maybe 6 32s in stock.

Thanks! Glad you found it helpful. And thanks for taking time to watch and posting a comment.

You could certainly do that! You could just replace the button with something like a magnetic reed switch. Just be aware of which GPIO pin you select for the reed switch if it is a normally-closed switch. If you used the same pin as I showed here with a normally-closed switch, the board would fail to boot up. I talk a bit more about using buttons with WLED and this controller in my livestream on using buttons and remotes with WLED ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Rwzrmjc5pf8.html ). The part about buttons starts around the 6-7 minute mark. As an alternative and to avoid the wires running from the door frame to the controller (and assuming you are using Home Assistant or some other automation platform), is to use something like a wireless/Zigbee door or window sensor on the cabinet door and have automation turn the LED lights on/off when the cabinet door opens or closes. This is just one other alternate way. Like most DIY projects, there are many ways to accomplish the same task! Good luck with your project. Don't hesitate to reach back out if you have questions or run into any problem!

I have used some socket headers in the past for the ESP board in other projects. But for these LED controllers, the goal was to keep the size as small as possible. And in all honesty, if the controller does fail (although I've yet to have that happen with more than two dozen installs), it would only take me about 20 minutes to build a new one. And once WLED is installed, all future updates can be done over-the-air via wifi... so no need to remove the controller from its installed location to connect it via USB to the computer to update the firmware. But you could certainly install headers if you want to be able to easily remove or replace the ESP board. I have done that on more complex projects that use custom Arduino code where I am making a lot of updates to the firmware. Thanks for watching... and taking time to leave a comment.

I haven't used APA102 strips before, but beginning with the current latest release of WLED (0.12.0), you can define whatever pins you want to use. When selecting APA102 as your LED type, it will display fields to define the pins you are using for CLK and DATA. But I *think* that the original defaults were GPIO0 (D3) and GPIO2 (D4). I would definitely test on a breadboard before making any final soldered connections. I'd check the data sheet for APA102, but I believe you can pass 5V signals on both the clock and data lines, so I'd probably shift both... but again, a breadboard test is recommended because I have not personally tried these strips so I'm unsure.

I mainly use APA102 with the D1 mini and the ESP32 mini, and they work great with one major gotcha: On the D1 mini, I use D3 and D4 for clock/data (doesn’t matter which is which), but in WLED they are numbered differently: D3=0 and D4=2

Also, I don’t usually up the logic to 5v, but I rarely go over 144LEDs (and sometimes even power up to a dozen APA 102s from the 5v pin shhhh)

You are most welcome! I try to make things easy to understand and try to include a little of the "why" along the way so that folks can consider ways to modify to alter a design to meet their particular project needs. Thanks for watching and taking time to drop me a comment!

Thanks! As far as operating the system without wifi, you have a couple of options. First, if the controller isn't joined to wifi, it will broadcast its own hotspot (WLED-AP I believe). You can connect to this hotspot with your phone then enter 4.3.2.1 in a browser. This will give you an option to go straight to the controls (skipping the wifi onboarding). You will then have full access to the settings, colors, effects, etc. and can control the LEDs with your phone in the car. The other option is to add one or two push buttons (the later versions of WLED, released after this video, adds an option for a second button). You can then define what you want those buttons to do... off/on, change colors or effects, start a playlist, etc. In this case, the control is completely local and you wouldn't need an external device at all (after you get all the configuration set up first). So those are at least two different options for controlling the LEDs when wifi is not present. Hope that helps. And thanks for the feedback on video length.

@@ResinChemTech thank you very much! I really appreciate you taking the time to respond not only to me but ask those who leave you a comment or question!

Thank you! I always debate about how much detail to cover in a video and how much to push out to a separate blog article. I really appreciate your feedback... it is very helpful as I plan my next videos.

Thanks! And thanks for watching and subscribing. I really do appreciate it! As for the rest... well, we won't talk about the Colts this year!

Thanks for the feedback! I does help me make decisions on future videos. As far at the push button, it depends on the particular project. For the pool table, for example, I mounted it under the lip of the table. For the kitchen cabinets, it's mounted just under a front corner, on my desk it's mounted on the side of one of the desk legs, etc.. Basically, I want the button to be easily accessible.. but also not plainly obvious or in view. So, it really depends on the project, but I rarely mount it on the controller box itself, because I generally try to hide the controller box somewhere completely out of sight. Let me know if you have any other questions or have any other suggestions. And thanks for watching!

Great! Let me know how it goes. Be warned... once you build that first one, many more are likely to follow! I think I'm up to around 21 or 22 WLED controllers now... and working on another one for my next video. Not sure how many more LED installs my wife is going to allow me to do after this one! I keep trying to talk her in to letting me put them under the bed with a load sensor so that they come on when you get out of bed in the middle of the night. She's not buying that one (yet)!

@@ResinChemTech lmao. I'm currently working on doing lights for a friends business and my better half immediately commented on why i haven't added one around her mirror 🤣🤣🤣 i have 6 more controllers to build for this project. Then her mirror. Im hoping to be able to start up a business doing this for others (if youre ok with it and people would like a controller made for them, im willing to build them for a reasonable price). But we will see on that. Still trying to sell mine on a 3d printer but she hasn't bit off on that. Finding somewhere to print your boxes is proving quite challenging. For now I'm on the fence about resorting to the pre-made ones you referred me to.

By all means, if you want to build and sell it's fine with me! I've had multiple requests asking me to "build one for me", but I just don't have the time to deal with shipping, returns and all the other related logistics. I normally point people at Quindor's site (quinled.info/pre-assembled-quinled-dig-uno/) if people want a pre-built option. But if you do starting building them for sale, let me know and I can point people your way as well!

The best bet is to look on Amazon or another site for something like "electronic project box". Here's an example: amzn.to/3FHLPKw but this one might not be the proper size depending on the actual controller and/or mounting that you use. You just need to measure and determine which side box will best fit your project. It is these types of boxes that I used prior to owning a 3D printer. These boxes are also pretty easy to drill holes in for passing the wiring in and out. But I've even used things like plastic soap boxes (like you might use for camping) that I got from the local dollar store. So there are a lot of options... you just need to find something that works for you. I hope that info helps! Good luck with your build and let me know if you have other questions.

Thanks for the feedback! It does help me decide how to make future project videos.

You are welcome! While most of my installs are to "prettify", I do have some practical installs as well. The wife loves the kitchen under cabinet lighting that I added (well.. when on solid white). I also added under cabinet lighting for my garage workbench and under the hutch of my desk in my office. The nice thing is that not only can they provide nice task lighting, all those WLED effects are there and available if needed or wanted to "prettify".

You're welcome! I hope you found it useful and I've been trying to do more full how-to videos. Thanks for watching!

Thanks... and thanks for the feedback. Are you referring to the helping hands station? If so, this is what I use: amzn.to/3HXA44x The alligator clips came with the protective coating. I like this station, but if I had a complaint, it seems that the small set screws that hold the alligator clips in place tend to work loose from time to time. No big deal, but I wanted to mention it. The stand that holds the soldering iron is this one: amzn.to/3Dyrh6p but it is currently shown as unavailable (I'm sure something very similar could be located). Finally, the soldering iron I'm using (and love... but unfortunately is also discontinued) is: amzn.to/3RlmXgt Thanks for watching. Let me know if you have any additional questions!

Not really! The only thing I would say is that I'd consider using an ESP32 if I have more than around 500 total LEDs or want to add a microphone and sound-reactivity (the sound reactive version no longer supports ESP8266, so an ESP32 is required for that option). When I made this, ESP32 boards were significantly more expensive than ESP8266. But that gap isn't as wide today. But do note that if you want to use an ESP32, you won't be able to get everything to fit on the ElectroCookie mini board I used here due to the slightly larger size of the ESP32 (even the ESP32 mini is just slightly too big to fit). This means moving up to a full size ElectroCookie board and an overall bigger size controller. If you are interested, I have a blog article with various wiring/diagram options for the LED controller with both ESP32 and ESP8266, including options for using 12V LED strips: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html Honestly, if I'm building a controller for a WLED install with less than 500 LEDs and I don't need sound-reactivity, I still build the controller exactly as shown in this video. Let me know if you have any other questions... and good luck with your first controller (trust me... after you build one, it probably won't be your last!).

@@ResinChemTech Do you use the SK6812 strips? are they controllable with WLED? How about the WS2812B

I have used WS2812b, SK6812 and 12V WS2811 LEDs. All these and more are controllable via WLED. I have used WS2812b more often than the other types. The official WLED web site lists all the compatible LED strips, along with other compatible hardware: kno.wled.ge/basics/compatible-hardware/

The ESP32 (and the latest versions of WLED) can use most pins... and you just specify the pin used in the WLED settings. However, the default data pin for the ESP32 and WLED is GPIO16. I also just recently published a blog article with various different wiring diagrams for this same LED controller... including using the ESP32 (although it is the ESP32 mini, the same wiring/pins would apply to the full size ESP32 boards): resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any additional questions.

Thanks! And thanks for the feedback on the length. I think I've found a happy medium by adding the chapter links to the longer videos that allows a viewer to skip to a particular section, but still shows the full step-by-step for someone that might be newer to the subject. For your project, are you looking to use the 'bullet pixels' like WS2811/Christmas tree, or the strip-style lights, like WS2812b? From your description of a Christmas village, it sounds like it might be more the of the bullet pixels? Either way, I'm not aware of either type that would natively have around 10" between pixels. Most of the WS2811 are about 4" apart (or less). For the WS2812b, the 'least dense' version is normally 30/m... which is a little less than 1" apart. So in either case, you'd probably be looking at a lot of cutting and splicing in extra wire... entirely doable, but a lot of soldering (doesn't sound like you're opposed to that though, based on your cube!). For the controller, the most recent version of WLED will pretty much do everything that you are asking. You can divide your display into separate segments that can have different effects. It has playlists (and will loop). And of course, the sound-reactive version adds the ability to react to music. So, theoretically, you could define a segment that remained solid (or a non-sound effect), while another segment was responding to music with a different effect. Let me know if you have any other questions. Yes... the whole build-your-own/WLED is a deep rabbit hole. I think I have just over 2 dozen WLED controllers running now. And the wife just rolls her eyes when I say something about adding LED lights to yet another thing in the house!

@@ResinChemTech Thanks for the suggestions, yes I am anticipating using the bullet type. I am actually thinking a good solution will be to buy three x 50 LED lengths, and then put tape (or paint) the lights between the ones I want! I will be trying to hide the wires so the extra lights might be hidden anyway. It is not too late to change my concept either, so maybe I can somehow use the extras to brighten things up! I will look into the latest controller; I am really encouraged by your comments on it. I also saw that the controllers are programmable too, using Visual Studio or perhaps the Arduino IDE. I can do that too, and if I'm having a lucky day it will compile and run.

Thanks! I'll certainly consider adding a basic soldering tips to my list of potential video ideas, but to be completely honest, I am by no means an expert (especially on things like surface mount components) and there are already a lot of great beginner soldering videos out there that are better than anything I'd likely make... they are how I learned! But I greatly appreciate the idea... I'm always on the hunt for video ideas and love user-suggested ones, so this will get added to that list for future ideas! Don't hesitate to recommend other ideas if you have them.

@@ResinChemTech yeah I just really get your style of presentation and things seem to make more sense! Currently trying to build a diy everything presence one multi sensor

Thanks for the ideas. Actually, I have used different variations depending upon the install. For the button, I often like to hide away both the controller and power supply so that they are out of sight. So I run the button to an accessible location instead of mounting in/to the control box. I also use the barrel connector... especially with larger installs/higher amps. I also use things like mesh sleeve to keep wiring neat where it is going to be exposed. I guess there are a lot of different ways to modify the project, but for me, it often depends on the particular install situation. Thanks again for the comment.

When using a larger power supply or a larger number of LEDs, you should connect the power in parallel... running from the power supply directly to the LEDs and then in parallel to the controller. I have both a video and blog article that covers this. In both cases, look for the sections on powering your LED project: Blog: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html Video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GZv5Ztj6i6I.html

I love you

Thank you... I try to make my videos as easy to understand and follow as I can, with the goal of showing how to do it yourself or to give you ideas on how you might adapt the idea for your own projects. This really is a pretty simple project to get your feet wet with DIY projects and custom, local firmware. Along those lines, I probably won't do anything with the controller in this video to add ethernet. If you are interested in something with an ethernet hat, you might take a look at the pre-built controller versions by Quindor over at Quinled. He offers multiple WLED controller options, including one with an ethernet connection: quinled.info/pre-assembled-quinled-dig-uno/ (If you go to either his store front, or Dr. Zzzs if in the US, you can see the options to add an ethernet hat). I simply don't have a need to do that as I don't have any ethernet connections available without making substantial wiring runs... and then having to try to hide that wiring.

You are most welcome. These are the helping hands I am using. I like them except for the thumb screws that hold the alligator clips in place will occasionally work loose. Other than that, I don't have any complaints: amzn.to/45ECwFj

Thanks! The two enclosure designs are for the ElectroCookie mini and full size boards... regardless of whether an ESP8266 or ESP32 are used. For the "full size" NodeMCU style, both the ESP8266 and ESP32 will comfortably fit on the full size ElectroCookie version. For the "mini" versions, the ESP32 mini just barely fits on the mini ElectroCookie board and its use will be dependent upon the use of other components and your wiring needs. Regardless, you can find the designs for both the mini and full size ElectroCookie boards here: www.thingiverse.com/thing:4969733

Thanks! Most of the time, I just use a little liquid no clean flux in a pen. Here's a link for where I get it: amzn.to/3Jb4QpL Hope that helps! I do also have a blog article (and a similar video) where I list all of my favorite and most commonly used items for my projects, including the above flux pen: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2022/04/my-favorite-items.html

Thanks for the feedback. For this particular project (or really any WLED project), no code writing is necessary.. Arduino or otherwise. Just load the WLED firmware from the website over USB and that's pretty much it! Now, there are a few exceptions... if you want to install user mods (there is a whole list of things available on the WLED Github page), or otherwise change WLED, then yes, you need to compile your own .bin file. But even then, it's really just compiling code from others and not actually writing your own. Then depending on what you are going to do with the device, like use it with Home Assistant automations, some YAML may be required... but even all be the most advanced stuff can be done with the Home Assistant UI automation editor, so no code writing is needed for most cases there either. But for the build I demo here (and all the different LED displays I show in the background), no code was written. Just load the WLED software and you are ready to go!

@@ResinChemTech Thank you for the reply Your information has been very helpful. I now have ideas lol. This now gives me the excuse to switch to the ESP platform.

Thanks! I guess you are referring to the logic level shifter? I do cover it in a little more detail in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Q9mLitVxF3c.html But it really is a pretty simple device. You just feed a low voltage (3.3V) and ground to the LV and GND pins on one side. You then feed a high voltage (5V) and ground to the HV and GND pins on the other side. You can then feed your 3.3V data signal into any of the LV1 - LV4 pins on one side, and then get the 5V shifted signal out to the corresponding HV1 - HV4 pin on the other side. That's really all there is to the simple little device. If you have more than one signal, you can use a second (or even a third and fourth) pin to shift those data signal lines as well. Thanks for watching. Don't hesitate to reach back out if you have any additional questions!