Pinout for Thermaltake Pacific RGB

[Metalshark]

I would like to integrate the Thermaltake Pacific RGB fittings in with other lighting. Does anyone have the pinouts for the the fittings? Are they normal 12v RGB LEDs, WSxxxx, APAxxx, etc ones?

[W-L]

5 hours ago, Metalshark said:

I would like to integrate the Thermaltake Pacific RGB fittings in with other lighting. Does anyone have the pinouts for the the fittings? Are they normal 12v RGB LEDs, WSxxxx, APAxxx, etc ones?

Your best option would be to probe the pins of controller it comes with as that will provide an idea of what the voltages are and if it uses a control protocol or just standard analog RGB control.

[Metalshark]

15 hours ago, W-L said:

Your best option would be to probe the pins of controller it comes with as that will provide an idea of what the voltages are and if it uses a control protocol or just standard analog RGB control.

Multi-meter time it is then. Thank you, was just hoping someone else had done the hard work ;-)

[Metalshark]

@W-L got round to testing this and finding out the wiring required.

 

TL;DR they are 5V RGB LEDs and use the standard 4 wires.

 

Below are some photos of testing, including driving a 12V strip using the controller (taking the +12V from a molex).

 

In the final project I'll be using some repeaters so that the Lian Li LED50RGB-2 drives the supplied 12v strips, some Phanteks Halos frames and the Thermaltake Pacific RGB fittings. 

 

[Metalshark]

[Metalshark]

[W-L]

6 hours ago, Metalshark said:

@W-L got round to testing this and finding out the wiring required.

 

TL;DR they are 5V RGB LEDs and use the standard 4 wires.

 

Below are some photos of testing, including driving a 12V strip using the controller (taking the +12V from a molex).

 

In the final project I'll be using some repeaters so that the Lian Li LED50RGB-2 drives the supplied 12v strips, some Phanteks Halos frames and the Thermaltake Pacific RGB fittings. 

Oh interesting so it functions without any issue if you provide a +12V separate from the controller. 

[Metalshark]

2 hours ago, W-L said:

Oh interesting so it functions without any issue if you provide a +12V separate from the controller. 

Also works the other way around, supplying +5v separate from a 12v controller to drive the Pacific rgb fittings.

[W-L]

1 hour ago, Metalshark said:

Also works the other way around, supplying +5v separate from a 12v controller to drive the Pacific rgb fittings.

Just make sure your not backfeeding power or more importantly drawing too much current from the controller unit itself since it is still passing the current of all those LED's on the strip through the controller.

[Metalshark]

5 hours ago, W-L said:

Just make sure your not backfeeding power or more importantly drawing too much current from the controller unit itself since it is still passing the current of all those LED's on the strip through the controller.

Thanks. Hence the use of repeaters in the final build (they have diodes in to prevent backfeeding current and allow me to power strips independent of the controller). The gauge of wire that fits the connectors is thin enough to demand closer attention alone.

 

Measuring the current, 6 fittings is the same as a 1m strip of 12v 5050 LEDs. So on motherboards with two headers you can run 12, or if you have a Sound BlasterX you can run 24.

 

Am still confused why Thermaltake promote them as 256 colour. They dim and mix colours just like the strips do. Think it’s more a restriction of their controller than anything else (hence bypassing it).

 

For anyone reading this in future, remember that having a pure red, green or blue colour gives you a 1/3 of the ground return compared to a white colour and therefore you should play it safe.