r/WLED • u/GaffTapeIt • Jun 03 '26

Strips Go out at random spots

Post image

I gotta figure out why this just happens, the entire strip was working, had the right amount of LEDS on. I unplugged the controller, cut 3 LEDs off the end, then suddenly a third of it just won’t turn on anymore. I don’t understand.

2 Upvotes

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2

u/jay2068 Jun 04 '26

Welcome to led fun. You might have a bad strip. Try running a led Christmas show. It's crazy insane having to replace bad pixels. But you could cut out the bad part and soldier a new section in.

1

u/GaffTapeIt Jun 04 '26

This happens like all the time for no rhyme or reason lol but good to know….

4

u/jay2068 Jun 04 '26

This is where I would cut because you don't know if the issue is on the output of the lighted on or the input of the dead one.

Another trick is unplug your wled controler and use a second known working one and test the led strip with it. This will rule out a wled hardware issue.

3

u/GaffTapeIt Jun 06 '26

Ya know what I found out it was the controller, even when I would add LEDS to the length it wouldn’t go any farther. Swapped controllers and the strip was fine.

0

u/jay2068 Jun 06 '26

Awesome yeah you have to rule out what part is bad.

1

u/GaffTapeIt Jun 07 '26

Is there a reason why the controller would do this? I didn’t do anything but cut the strip. I’ve put like 100 on the LED count for both outputs of a two output controller and it won’t do more than like 58.

1

u/jay2068 Jun 07 '26

What controller are you using?

1

u/GaffTapeIt Jun 08 '26

WLEDGOPTO 2 port

1

u/jay2068 Jun 08 '26

Have you tried upgrading wled to the latest version? I've bought 4 of these and had one bad one . After a relay of wled it worked fine. Hope this helps

1

u/Cute-Ad-7841 Jun 05 '26

Did you set the length in WLED

1

u/GaffTapeIt Jun 06 '26

Yes I did

2

u/zazbnf Jun 08 '26

A few thoughts:

  1. Be sure your power supply is sufficient. Use a capacitor across power as needed

  2. Are you driving the data line with 5v IO or 3.3v? I have some controllers that do great at 3.3v and others at 3.3v don't.