Christmas LED Strip question....newbie

[ps2cho]

I have two 5M 60LED/M strips 5V, a 60amp 5v PSU and NodeMCU. This is all new to me but have some questions to get it finalized.

1) Whats the best choice to waterproof the PSU and controller? any certain boxes?

2) I need to inject power at the end of each 5M strip. What gauge wiring should I use to run parallel with the strip to inject power? Can I use just one wire, then T it off at the beginning & end of the 2nd strip or do I have to run multiple wires? (no real easy option to use a 2nd power supply)

3) How far away from the power supply can the first LED strip be?

** not an electrician sorry! Thanks for any help!

 

[walta]

Will you please post a link to the LEDs you want to use?

60 amps will run a lot of LEDs about 500 or so.

5 volts is an odd choice of voltage it is on the low side. Lower voltage means higher currents to get the same wattage forcing you to use heavier wires. 60amps = 6 gage wire.

Walta

 

[BreeStephany]

If you are using the power supply outside, your power supply or enclosure which houses it MUST be rated for the outdoor environment. Minimum Nema 3R rated enclosure. As Walta said, I would highly suggest you listing links to the products you would like to use to allow people to have a better understanding of the products and their ratings before we can give suggestions on how to best use them.

Just my two cents.

 

[AntonLargiader]

5 volts is an odd choice of voltage it is on the low side.

LOTs of LED products are 5V. Nearly all of the neopixel-type products are, because they're intended to be driven by small controllers like Arduinos.

 

[kaymccampbell]

NEMA 3 or 3R box for your hardware. You need to size it to fit your PSU and arduino, with at least an inch all the way round, when the devices are bolted to the back plane. If your PSU needs air, it has a fan, then you'll need to drill some holes in the bottom and put a screen over them.

You need multiple power injection wires. Each set making a homerun back to the PSU, or a much larger feeder. I'd use 16ga wire, at a minimum, to run the power injection. If you're running neopixels, then you'll want power at each end, and from the middle. They are hungry little guys.

I run double sets of 300 neopixels at 30', up to full power, and I'm using 12 gauge wire to get there, then 16 gauge for the injection. I'm also running sets of 300 neopixels at 2' from the PSU, with 5 injection points inches from each other. Then I run 14 gauge main feeder, and 18 gauge injection leads.

Make absolutely sure that your PSU is way over built for your use. Even Meanwell supplies want to be at least 50% higher rated than your load. Other horrors need 100% higher rating than the load. This is especially important if you're stuffing them in a weatherproof box.