Is the three connector chart on the wiki correct?

[scharbon]

If you look at the wiki page for the three conductor connector from Ray, it looks like the chart is wrong with respect to the Flex strips and the current connectors.
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Current connectors shows that YELLOW/GREEN is 12V; BLUE is Ground; and BROWN is DATA.  This is what I used to fasten the connector to the SSC itself.  Then if you look at the flex strip color line up it states that you should make the BROWN wire the Ground and the BLUE wire the Data.  But if you do that, when you connect the two ends together, you end up crossing data and ground with each other. 

I would have thought that whatever color wire is "Data" on my controller, I want to have it being the same color linked to the "Data" wire of the flex strip.   

Am I reading the chart incorrectly?

Steve

[Steve Gase]

Just tonight I used the pigtails again, and can confirm that the yellow/green was 12v+, the blue was ground, and the brown was data.
I did find a new problem -- the square nodes in the batch that I purchased last year compared to the batch I purchased 2 years ago have changed with the color assignments.
 
So, always look at the nodes to gather any clues you can -- and always reconfirm with each new batch.

[scharbon]

Steve,
Thanks for the response and confirmation that I am reading it correctly, but your answer doesn't quite address the issue if I am reading the chart correctly. 

As I read the chart it tells me that I need to connect the male end of the connectors one way and the female ends differently.  The end result is that I am crossing ground and data when I connect the two ends of the 3 prong connector together if I am trying to drive flex strips.

I would think that BROWN would go to Data on both the SSC and the Flex Strip, BlUE would go to Ground on both the SSC and Flex Strip, and YELLOW would go to +/IN on the SSC and Flex strip. The end result would be as if I had just connected the Flex Strip directly to the SSC.  The chart doesn't exactly make that clear.  It offers two different mappings for the components.

Am I missing something?

[zwiller]

I would think that BROWN would go to Data on both the SSC and the Flex Strip, BlUE would go to Ground on both the SSC and Flex Strip, and YELLOW would go to +/IN on the SSC and Flex strip.

Sounds right to me.  I have a hard time understanding the chart...  With the large variance of stuff from Ray I would try and educate myself as to correct wiring (as you did).  My stuff is all over the place.

Also, do not be surprised that channel color order during programming is off.  That varies too...

[Steve Gase]

The end goal is to have the pins inside the 3-core connectors to have a common, shared implementation -- regardless of the color of wires that are used in the pigtails, or the type of chips and pixels that connect via the conductors.  With a common definition for these pins, you can swap ANY SSC with any kind of string, and using any color system that Ray throws at us -- and it should all work.


I can take some new pictures to illustrate that point when I'm home tonight.


Since the SSC is constant , and the solder points never change despite V1, V2, V2, and V4 implementations -- you only need to match up the color for the pigtail that you are using at the time for the female connector.


However, with differing light types -- and changing wiring that the manufacture sometimes throws at us, it is necessary to choose the right pigtail to node wiring... it is here where "adjustments" are made to bring it all into conformance.


If you have old male and old female pigtails and connect them together -- there is no cross-over.   the red wire on one side will come out as red on the other.


If you have new male and new female pigtails and connect them -- again, no cross over.  The yellow/green on one site will come out as yellow-green on the other.


If you mix old and new pigtails, the red on one end will come out as yellow-green on the other.

[Steve Gase]

I should add... you are free to use a different scheme than the one listed in the wiki -- but IF you combine your equipment with equipment from another source then you would likely cause problems for the lights, the hub, and/or SSC. 


If all of the members of the forum use the SAME scheme, then we'll end up with compatibility -- and if you purchase an SSC or string from someone else, you won't need to rework the connections.

[scharbon]

I think I am getting it.  I think now the chart is designed to help you  map old and new connectors together if you ended up mixing and matching connectors. 

I read it as a guide for connecting the SSCs to the lights using the connectors (like an abbreviated assembly manual for new builds) and that it was wrong.

It makes more sense now. I guess I should have read the text above the table a little closer.  Thanks

Steve

[tbone321]

I fully agree with what you are saying but unfortunately, it's a little late in the game.  Many people already have these strings and I'm sure that they didn't all wire them the same way.  You might want to put out a pole and see how people are wiring their connectors as well as the number of strings wired and the greatest number wins.  The pinout most widely used can be placed in the WIKI for all that want to follow the "standard" to use.  If people later decide to sell some strings that are "nonstandard" they can either remove the connector or simply label the string as nonstandard and leave it to the purchaser to either correct or set up their SSC to work with the existing wiring.

[Steve Gase]

I fully agree with what you are saying but unfortunately, it's a little late in the game.  Many people already have these strings and I'm sure that they didn't all wire them the same way.  You might want to put out a pole and see how people are wiring their connectors as well as the number of strings wired and the greatest number wins.  The pinout most widely used can be placed in the WIKI for all that want to follow the "standard" to use.  If people later decide to sell some strings that are "nonstandard" they can either remove the connector or simply label the string as nonstandard and leave it to the purchaser to either correct or set up their SSC to work with the existing wiring.

Sure...  people may go in a different direction, its water over the dam, etc.


I've had this wiring scheme posted in the wiki since You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login so I hope it's gotten some traction -- in the absence of another scheme posted for the community this one should have the greatest adoption -- especially since it was built on the original 3-conductor color scheme and matched to the wire colors in the commonly-used smart pixels.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

[tbone321]

Actually, I didn't know that even existed until you posted the link.  I would suggest that you move away from the colors and instead use a drawing and the pin locations.  The drawings would show the connector key (for reference) and the three pins with indicators showing what each pin is being used for.  I would hope that everyone who is building this equipment has a multimeter or at least a continuity tester.  With either one you can identify which wire is connected to what pin and the color changes between versions becomes meaningless.  The reason for pictures of both sides is to make people aware that while the center pin remains the same, the pin use on the two sides reverses when looking at both sides from the front.  Then the only issue is to identify what wire is for what on the strings themselves.  Perhaps a closeup pic in the WIKI of each node type showing the mounting point of each wire and its use would help to clear up those issues as well.

[DanHouston]

I would suggest that you move away from the colors and instead use a drawing and the pin locations. 

As I was reading this thread I was thinking the same thing....labeling the pins seems like a better idea rather than wire colors that could constantly change.

[Steve Gase]

I would suggest that you move away from the colors and instead use a drawing and the pin locations. 

As I was reading this thread I was thinking the same thing....labeling the pins seems like a better idea rather than wire colors that could constantly change.

I will do that for the 3-conductor smart strings.

 
I will also post my personal scheme for 4-pin dumb RGB, and...


another 4-pin scheme for powered-pixelnet.  (the input side of a SSC that replaces the cat5 pigtail AND is waterproof)

I realize that a unique connector (like 5-pin) for one of the applications would be better, but I had plenty 4-pin connectors at the time -- no 5-pin, and each scheme needed 4-conductors.

[Steve Gase]

I've updated the wiki pages:


You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login


And...


You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login


Hopefully the pictures will make this topic a little more clear.

[n1ist]

The first picture on the 3-conductor page is wrong.  Plugging the two connectors into each other will swap data and ground.  The corresponding picture on the 4-conductor page is correct.

/mike

[Steve Gase]

The first picture on the 3-conductor page is wrong.  Plugging the two connectors into each other will swap data and ground.  The corresponding picture on the 4-conductor page is correct.

/mike

Thanks!  I originally created the picture wrong, then fixed it -- but uploaded the wrong pic. 
 
Fixed.