My art car (LilyPod) is using 5 separate pixelblaze expansion boards, each of which drives 8 WS2812 strings. I inject 5v power separately from the data for each of these strings through M/F 3-pin semi-weatherproof LED connectors. Each of the LED strings has about 200 LEDS, so each set of 8 can have up to 1600 LEDs. In theory this can max out at 300 watts, but I only run patterns so thus far each of these distributions seems to peak at about 150 watts.
Currently I need to assemble/disassemble all of this for transport every time, which means I have ~ 40 separate M/F connectors to reconnect. Currently all 5 of these expanders and 40 connectors are in a single distribution box- basically creating this mini-octopus of connections.
I would like to design a self-contained distribution box so I can plug 5V and data into one side (from a Pixelblaze), then have each of the eight individual strings plug into surface mounted connectors on the other side. Within the box would just be the expansion board, a terminal distribution block, and the wiring to the surface mount jacks.
I am considering RJ45 jacks for the surface mount connectors, though I would prefer to stick with the 3-pin connectors I already have.
I have used the pro expander in the past -(until it got wet in 2023 and died), but I am not sure it can carry sufficient power for my scenario.
It feels like this option would be valuable in other scenarios: A modular 1-8 expansion interface with a modestly weatherproof plugs. Is anybody either doing this, or willing to consult or design such 3d-printed box?
I’d be willing to consult. Fair warning I’m not the cheap option.
I think what you’re looking for is really best considered power distribution as much as an enclosure for an output expander.
I know your average draw is much less, but generally you want to design a PDU for the worst case scenario. For example, when your LEDs go all-white due to a data disconnection, and they pull max current because of that one install where you forgot about how you fixed a glitch issue a month ago by running more power injection! For that reason, I like to design for 60mA per 5V pixel. That puts you at 12A per channel output, and here you’re going to find a hard time using most surface mount components for power. The few CAT5 power and data distribution connections I’ve seen tend to be going for PoE, where you get your power via 24-54V and lower amperage per conductor, with a local buck converter to the LED voltage. Or, they just use Cat5 as the data distribution connection and do power separately (XT-60 is a popular choice).
If you were designing it yourself and were ultra confident you’d never pulling more than 150W total (which is a mental state I once enjoyed before gaining more experience), and certain your patterns will equally distribute that power based on the pattern design, and you never make typos when live-coding PB, you’d be right in the range for 4A per channel. This scenario probably even gets away with not needing any power injection on the far side of the LED run. You are back in a range where you could conceivably deliver 4A per channel over surface mount CAT55 22 AWG components.
You mentioned “modestly weatherproof”, so consider the over-molded “Ray Wu style” / “Paul Zhang” / “xConnect” leads, or you get fancy with the 8mm-16mm LLT 3 or 4 pin connectors that a few of us have really come to appreciate.
Either way, most of us have an experience where we eventually decide to always fuse the channels appropriately.
A 3D printable enclosure can be pretty great and is straightforward unless the scale is very big or very small. I think you’d be in the sweet spot.