# First project: 5x3 matrix with 3w leds **URL:** \ **Category:** Show and Tell\ **Created:** [May 30, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971 "2023-05-30T22:08:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![areohbe](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/areohbe/32/2877_2.png) [@areohbe](https://forum.electromage.com/u/areohbe)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/1 "2023-05-30T22:08:47Z")
After refining some of the construction details (I have to build 5 of these šŸ¤Ŗ), I was able to finally hook up some power & make sure everything was working. Each cell is 160mm and uses one [3w neopixel](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4544). Happy to share more build details if folks are interested. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/g49dcOE465Q/maxresdefault.jpg "Pixelblaze matrix") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g49dcOE465Q) ---
**Author:** ![jeff](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/jeff/32/3473_2.png) [@jeff](https://forum.electromage.com/u/jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 7:17pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/2 "2023-05-31T19:17:13Z")
Love it! Can we see how you wired things up inside? Iā€™m always interested in the tricks people use for that! ---
**Author:** ![hex337](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/hex337/32/2547_2.png) [@hex337](https://forum.electromage.com/u/hex337)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 9:05pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/3 "2023-05-31T21:05:29Z")
Love this! I would also be interested in seeing the internals, love to learn how others figure out wiring and such. ---
**Author:** ![ZacharyRD](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/zacharyrd/32/124_2.png) [@ZacharyRD](https://forum.electromage.com/u/ZacharyRD)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2023, 4:22pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/4 "2023-06-01T16:22:24Z")
Iā€™d love to see more build details ā€“ especially how you did the diffusion and how you powered this beast! ---
**Author:** ![areohbe](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/areohbe/32/2877_2.png) [@areohbe](https://forum.electromage.com/u/areohbe)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2023, 12:03am UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/5 "2023-06-06T00:03:27Z")
The LEDs are mounted to brackets I 3d printed. The brackets are countersunk in a 6mm sheet of MDF with a hole for the bulb. ![grid](https://forum.electromage.com/uploads/default/original/2X/f/faae031cd13c96ce24ec5851bd769b58e76a23f7.jpeg) ![bracket](https://forum.electromage.com/uploads/default/original/2X/9/9e35b01d1387f7a6869af090c8be86c9e330ee24.jpeg) ![bracket w/ led](https://forum.electromage.com/uploads/default/original/2X/c/c0431ddd5571d1f72a0d44c66a3e5339e705e0b4.jpeg) Hereā€™s a really ā€“ poorly ā€“ exploded view of the assembly. Iā€™ll take more pics of the next build before I close it up. ![assembly](https://forum.electromage.com/uploads/default/original/2X/0/0fa644e11e1b3193236b7b1904d98a4958ec416f.jpeg) @ZacharyRD I havenā€™t decided on the final power supply/hookups. I was just using a 4A wall wart to test. If anyone has ideas/suggestions for a power supply they like, Iā€™m all ears! ---
**Author:** ![timster](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/timster/32/1587_2.png) [@timster](https://forum.electromage.com/u/timster)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 1:40am UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/6 "2023-06-07T01:40:24Z")
I dont know your specific design goals or needs but I would probably just bolt a 12-24DC to 5V step down on the back of the assembly. thatā€™ll protect your hard work from accidental over voltages, and you can use more commonly found 12V supplies or sources (such as batteries or lipo packs) to power the display. example: [Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Voltage-Converter-Regulator-Electronics/dp/B07Q5W7NLN) ---
**Author:** ![jeff](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/jeff/32/3473_2.png) [@jeff](https://forum.electromage.com/u/jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/7 "2023-06-07T18:01:08Z")
Wow (edit: @areohbe, not @ZacharyRD) this is really awesome! I love your 3D printed mounts. From the specs it looks like you would be well covered with 36W (~7A) of 5V power. Timsterā€™s suggestion is solid, especially if youā€™d like the flexibility to run it mobile off a 12V battery like a 3S LiPo, car battery/accessory port, etc. While the listing reads ā€œas high as 96%ā€, Iā€™ve seen 85-90% efficiency from most of these marine-style DC-DC converters. That means youā€™d be looking for \>42W (\>3.5 A) of 12V. Thatā€™s fine for most batteries. The [MeanWell LPV-60-12](https://www.amazon.com/LPV-60-12-Sealed-12-volt-Supply-Driver/dp/B00DED2YLI) is a nice, $19 sealed 12V supply thatā€™d work well when you want to plug into a wall instead. If you always want to run it directly off the wall, a couple 5V options to consider: - The similar MeanWell enclosed/waterproof is the [$19 LPV-35-5](https://www.amazon.com/LPV-35-5-Mean-Well-Power-Supply/dp/B005T6QCXE) - youā€™ll need to solder your own wall plug. - If you want an included barrel jack and wall plug for convenience, I like the [$21 Alitove](https://www.amazon.com/ALITOVE-Converter-100-240V-Transformer-5-5x2-5mm/dp/B0852HL336?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1). Note that technically barrel connectors are typically rated for 5A max, and though Iā€™ve pushed them higher, I wouldnā€™t do it for prolonged setups while not paying close attention to it. If youā€™re not running prolonged all-white, I doubt youā€™ll see more than 4.8A draw on 5V on average. ---
**Author:** ![ZacharyRD](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/zacharyrd/32/124_2.png) [@ZacharyRD](https://forum.electromage.com/u/ZacharyRD)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/8 "2023-06-07T18:18:19Z")
To be clear, @jeff ā€“ this is @areohbe 's project not mine! I just asked them for more insights into how it was built. But I agree, the mounting is really cool. ---
**Author:** ![areohbe](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/areohbe/32/2877_2.png) [@areohbe](https://forum.electromage.com/u/areohbe)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 9:10pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/9 "2023-06-07T21:10:15Z")
Thank you @timster & @jeff ! 12v makes perfect sense. I already have a bunch of buck converters lying aroundā€¦somewhere. Not sure how I overlooked that. Got lost in a 5v rabbit hole. šŸ™ƒ ---
**Author:** ![timster](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/timster/32/1587_2.png) [@timster](https://forum.electromage.com/u/timster)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2023, 9:31pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/10 "2023-06-07T21:31:41Z")
using a 12-24VDC step down, 18V tool packs are another way to power your projects. i often use dewalt tool batteries with a 3D printed connector to temporarily power the LEDs while doing development and assemblyā€¦ just gotta watch out for over-draining the batteries since they donā€™t have LVC ---
**Author:** ![areohbe](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/areohbe/32/2877_2.png) [@areohbe](https://forum.electromage.com/u/areohbe)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:18am UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/11 "2023-09-06T06:18:04Z")
Finally finished up all 4 boxes. Sorry ab the aspect ratio. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AI-Qh_13ueg/maxresdefault.jpg "pb") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI-Qh_13ueg) ---
**Author:** ![areohbe](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/areohbe/32/2877_2.png) [@areohbe](https://forum.electromage.com/u/areohbe)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2023, 6:33pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/first-project-5x3-matrix-with-3w-leds/2971/12 "2023-09-24T18:33:03Z")
I hope friends took better videos šŸ˜” but I had to wrap up this thread with massive shout out to @wizard. Iā€™ve been building software my entire career and I could not be more pleased and impressed with pixelblaze. The vertical integration of hardware and software is so damn impressive for a one man shop. Not to mention, the stupid reasonable pricing. šŸ‘ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ypqtLnRu04o/maxresdefault.jpg "Pb") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypqtLnRu04o)