Problems with 12v WS2812b RGB Strip

[Arch_Nuke]

I'm having a bitch of a time getting a new spool of WS2812b 12v RGB LEDs to work with my Asus ROG Strix B450 mobo. My steps thus far, which have yet to result in the strip lighting up at all:

 

     1. Connected entire reel to Asus RGB cable, curious if it would light up. Ensured the orientation was (hopefully) correct, aligning arrow on Asus cable with red/12v wire on strip; connected Asus cable to mobo RGB header--no light.

     2. Assuming the strip was too long to be powered by the header, I cut off a section approx. 48 cm.in length. Connected the string to both headers, and tried a calibration with the Aura sync software. Selected both combinations of headers in the program and mobo headers--no light.

     3. I'd like to use a multimeter to test the strip in case it shipped faulty or I accidentally fried it, but aside from checking continuity of the 12v and ground rails, along with some probing of the LED pins themselves, I don't really know how to see if the strip is still functional.

     4. For the hell of it, connected the short LED strip to a 12v Makita battery via the 12v and ground pins--no light.    

 

     I recently updated the BIOS to the most recent version (3003), have the newest version of Aura Sync, and can control the native lights on the board without issue.

     

    LED strip: https://www.ebay.com/itm/5M-BTF2815-RGB-LED-Strip-WS2812B-WS2813-1809-IC-Double-Signal-12V-Addressable/223699638617?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=522417293111&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

     Why are the wires switched around on the strip? Do I need to match them to the color orientation on the mobo header? I tried doing that with some wire extentions, but still nothing.

 

     Please help!

 

    

[Constantin]

Your Mobo must have RGB headers, plug them on them, you should be fine

[Arch_Nuke]

7 hours ago, Constantin said:

Your Mobo must have RGB headers, plug them on them, you should be fine

It does, and I have, many times. Have tried for two days, jiggling this, using Aura sync to configure that, no lights.

[Arch_Nuke]

2 hours ago, James Evens said:

These aren't ws2812b.

What are they? If not 2812b's, how will knowing what they are help my situation?

[W-L]

11 hours ago, Arch_Nuke said:

-SNIP-

Those are not compatible as mentioned they are not WS2812B (3 pin ARGB - 5V) but are WS2815 (4pin ARGB - 12V) both are addressable LED types but use a different power and control protocols. 

 

 

[thrasher_565]

your argb header on the mb is only 5v and that strip is 12v so you need to get 12v from your psu. also your argb mb header only has 1 dada so you will need to pic 1 and see what one works. should be din (dada in)

 

it will probably easier to just buy another strip that is argb 5v

[Constantin]

The 5v RGB header control individually each led, as for the 12v control all the led together.

the 5v is 3pin, the 12v is 4 pin

[thrasher_565]

2 minutes ago, Constantin said:

The 5v RGB header control individually each led, as for the 12v control all the led together.

the 5v is 3pin, the 12v is 4 pin

no he has a argb 12v 4pin strip...

[Constantin]

3 minutes ago, thrasher_565 said:

no he has a argb 12v 4pin strip...

Then he must get a 12v RGB strip 

[Arch_Nuke]

10 hours ago, Constantin said:

Then he must get a 12v RGB strip 

That's what I have. The picture I posted shows the 12v rail on the right side of the strip.

[Arch_Nuke]

There are two of these headers on my board, an image of which I should have included for ease of troubleshooting.

[Constantin]

On the led strip there is an arrow that goes to the 12V as you can see in the picture.

[thrasher_565]

1 hour ago, Arch_Nuke said:

There are two of these headers on my board, an image of which I should have included for ease of troubleshooting.

that strip is garbage. go buy a rgb 12v strip. it will have 12v r g b on the strip. you may have broke that header

[W-L]

1 hour ago, James Evens said:

No. Dumb RGB strips don't have a IC. You have some sort of 4 wire addressable. 

@W-L why do you think they are worldsemi? they usually don't need the resistor on the data line.

One looks to be a capacitor and the one to the 12V line is a resistor, it's a slightly different control protocol for this type it looks to be a double signal line. 

 

1 hour ago, Arch_Nuke said:

There are two of these headers on my board, an image of which I should have included for ease of troubleshooting.

Unfortunately you are going to need to return this set as it won't work since it uses a different control protocol and voltage to the standard  WS2812B which are 5V and 3 pin addressable LED's.

 

What you need are Analog or or as James have said dumb RGB LED strips what don't allow for individual LED control. 

[Arch_Nuke]

1 hour ago, W-L said:

One looks to be a capacitor and the one to the 12V line is a resistor, it's a slightly different control protocol for this type it looks to be a double signal line. 

 

Unfortunately you are going to need to return this set as it won't work since it uses a different control protocol and voltage to the standard  WS2812B which are 5V and 3 pin addressable LED's.

 

What you need are Analog or or as James have said dumb RGB LED strips what don't allow for individual LED control. 

That's what I feared, but I've already initiated the return. In lieu of these and since I'm new to the DIY RGB game, what version strip would I need? Am I really unable to use addressable lights?

[Arch_Nuke]

1 hour ago, thrasher_565 said:

that strip is garbage. go buy a rgb 12v strip. it will have 12v r g b on the strip. you may have broke that header

Which one? There is an addressable variety of the one I need, right? I really don't want to be limited to just dumb RGB.

[W-L]

30 minutes ago, Arch_Nuke said:

That's what I feared, but I've already initiated the return. In lieu of these and since I'm new to the DIY RGB game, what version strip would I need? Am I really unable to use addressable lights?

Not unless you can get a controller for this kind of LED strip, currently the standard for ARGB is the 5V 3 pin type. 

 

What you need is just regular analog kind such as this if you want to DIY it, note that your header has a maximum supported length and you do not want to exceed that capacity. 

https://www.amazon.com/5050-LED-Strip-Waterproof-SUPERNIGHT/dp/B00COE78EQ/

[Arch_Nuke]

On 1/15/2020 at 12:20 PM, W-L said:

Not unless you can get a controller for this kind of LED strip, currently the standard for ARGB is the 5V 3 pin type. 

 

What you need is just regular analog kind such as this if you want to DIY it, note that your header has a maximum supported length and you do not want to exceed that capacity. 

https://www.amazon.com/5050-LED-Strip-Waterproof-SUPERNIGHT/dp/B00COE78EQ/

Sweet, thank you for the advice and the suggestion. The eBay seller has offered to help me with the spool I still have, but I'm expecting to return it anyway.