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Gledopto controller + strip light advice

  • 16-08-2022 1:11pm
    #1
    RonnieL
    Registered Users Posts: 769 ✭✭✭


    I'm looking to do some hue compatible light strips in my house on a budget. Does anyone have experience with these gledopto controllers? Reviews seem positive online.

    https://www.gledopto.eu/5in1-zigbee-controller-mini-thin-gledopto-eng

    I've got multiple places I want to use them, including around a ceiling which will mean running about 15 metres of strip. Does anyone know how to figure out how long a strip this particular controller can power? I want to pair it/them with RGBCCT strips so we can do different whites and colours. Hopefully this question makes sense!



Comments

  • #2
    KeithTS
    Registered Users Posts: 743 ✭✭✭KeithTS


    The LED strips should have a Watts per meter rating, the driver you linked can power up to 144W.

    You shouldn't run it at full power though really, I usually max them out at around 80% so if you have 15meters, allowing for 5W/m will give a total of 75W used.

    That's loads of headroom, you could go up to 8W/m for a total draw of 120W and be fine but I wouldn't go much above that if it were me.



  • #3
    RonnieL
    Registered Users Posts: 769 ✭✭✭RonnieL


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119480622#Comment_119480622

    Thanks for the detailed response Keith.

    One other thing I'm wondering about. For supplying power to controllers such as the one I linked, what would an electrician need? I know they can be powered by an adapter you plug in, but I got the impression he'd be wiring controllers back to a switch somewhere.



  • #4
    KeithTS
    Registered Users Posts: 743 ✭✭✭KeithTS


    Sorry for the delay.

    The driver you linked seems to have a DC input so you plug an adapter into a socket and there is a remote to switch colours and knock it on/off.

    It all depends on what you want though. Personally, I prefer to use drivers that get connected directly to the mains and get burried into the walls behind switches. These then have dimmer switches on the walls so you can turn them on/off and set the brightness. For that, you'll want an electrician.



  • #5
    RonnieL
    Registered Users Posts: 769 ✭✭✭RonnieL


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119523437#Comment_119523437

    Thanks again for the reply. The reason I'm interested in this at the moment is we're building an extension, so there is an electrician involved. He doesn't seem familiar with hue, so I was just doing some research on what I'd need to get what I want. So, it seems we'll need a driver that the electrician will wire in, and that would connect to a controller like the one I linked?

    I'd really appreciate if someone could share some links to drivers, and compatible controllers/led strips. I know I'm pushing it!



  • #6
    KeithTS
    Registered Users Posts: 743 ✭✭✭KeithTS


    It's not so straight forward to just link some thing because it depends on a lot of factors.

    The way I wired my house was to use these:

    https://xpresselectrical.ie/product/pos-100w-cv-triac-dimmable-led-driver/

    https://xpresselectrical.ie/product/xe-pro-24v-4-5w-m-cob-led-strip-roll-ip67-2700k-5-meters/

    The driver is 100W, the LED strip is COB, this is a more continuous strip rather than seeing individual bright spots. They also use relatively low power at 4.5W/m. With the 100W driver, I can run 15meters easily. These drivers and LEDs are only one colour. If you want RGB or wireless control, you need different drivers, I don't know much about that as I don't use them. Having different colours sounds great but I found in the past I only ever used warm white so I didn't bother with it.

    The way I wired these was to runs live and neutral from my switchboard into the driver. The driver is placed internally in the wall behind a dimmer switch, the dimmer switch controls the brightness of the driver so I can dim the lights. Then I ran cabling from the low voltage side of the driver to the place where I want the LED strips. I ran high voltage cables internally in the walls so I have flexibility later on if I ever wanted to use different types of lights in these locations but you can run low voltage cabling if you wanted no problem.

    I embedded the LED strips in channels with diffusers like the one below. The LEDs have an adhesive backing so they just press down into the channel and the diffuser gives a nice even glow. These work really well underneath cabinets and selves but I also use them for up-lights on exposed rafters and things like that too which is very neat.

    https://www.factorled.com/en/aluminum-profiles-led/2134-aluminum-profile-2-meters-8435612915978.html#/348-purchase-more-and-pay-less-units



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