ws8211 string what's the best?

[rhconcepts]

So looking at the 12v 8211 strings, I'm sure you all want the ones listed as 18ga. But the 18ga strings are 4" apart making the overall length much longer than a 20ga set. The 20ga sets are 3"s apart making it less wire.
So has anyone done a voltage drop test on both sets?

[RandyS]

You can get any spacing or wire color you want from Ray Wu.

[Gilrock]

Yeah but if its the same number of pixels you got all that current going through a smaller wire.  That extra resistance from a few inches is not much.  You will have to power inject 20ga a lot earlier than 18ga strings.

[rhconcepts]

Yeah but if its the same number of pixels you got all that current going through a smaller wire.  That extra resistance from a few inches is not much.  You will have to power inject 20ga a lot earlier than 18ga strings.

With a 4" space that's 49" more wire. Seems like alot to me. I sure would love to see a bench test done. Wish I had a set of 18ga 

[Gilrock]

Ok I just went to an online voltage drop calculator:

12v, 2.5amps, 16.6 ft, 18 ga = 0.53 volts

12v, 2.5amps, 12.5 ft, 20 ga = 0.63 volts

Now that's running near full brightness.  If you run 50% brightness you'll barely notice a difference and it will cut the voltage drops in half.

[jnealand]

Be careful with ordering 3" spacing.  the pixels are not 3" apart.  3" is the length of the wire used between the solder points.  Many folks have learned the hard way that many coro props do not work with 3" spaced pixels.

[RandyS]

Be careful with ordering 3" spacing.  the pixels are not 3" apart.  3" is the length of the wire used between the solder points.  Many folks have learned the hard way that many coro props do not work with 3" spaced pixels.

It depends where you get your pixels from.  I have ordered from Ray Wu, asked for 3" spacing from node to node and that is exactly what I got.  I have also ordered 1-1/2" and 2" and he got them right also....

[jnealand]

That was a custom order and not an order from stock.  Most folks, esp, newbs do not know that which is also why I posted the warning.