Led Strip Lights

[ladyjayne]

I've required some 2ft led RGB strip lights of fleabay which are going into an install.

The strips themselves are quite straight forward rgb in a low profile metal housing and powered by a DMX driver via a low voltage 4 core cable.

the strips are hardwired but have 4 pole speakon m/f connectors to link them together. Because it's a low voltage system I would have no problem

with leaving the speakon connectors in place but they just look too bulky. I could replace the power in/out cables on the strips and hard wire all of them together

but the setup they are going to be used in is subject to change from time to time. Question is this, would there be any real problems I should forsee if I replaced them with either

4- or 5 pole XLR plugs/sockets? Or does anyone have a better suggestion?

[david.elsbury]

XLR4 Probably better than XLR5, less likely to destroy a desk or dimmer that way.

[ladyjayne]

XLR4 Probably better than XLR5, less likely to destroy a desk or dimmer that way.

The DMX connectors for the entire rig are xlr3, xlr4 is used for pyro and as of yet there is nothing present with xlr5.

[dmxlights]

I use a 4 pin plug and socket like what would be on the front of a CB for connecting my home made floods togeather and to the controler

 

these is the 2 I used from CPC as there were the cheapest to buy them from.

 

AV15048 is the strate

AV15051 is the chase mount connector

 

you can get them in Maplin

 

If you what to have a look at them in use on my floods have a look here http://www.mcgcs.net/flood/

[musht]

The circular metal connectors, used as mic connevtors on CB radios , suffer from one major pain, no inline pair :-(

 

Liking micro Mate-N-Lok for install, small, reliable, crimp with cheap Molex crimpers:

 

http://uk.mouser.com/MobileCatalog.aspx?page=1426

[dmxlights]

The circular metal connectors, used as mic connevtors on CB radios , suffer from one major pain, no inline pair :-(

 

 

I am sorry to say the if its a inline male scocket you are talking about there is and I have used them and they can be got from cpc order code AV15054

[musht]

Thankyou! Have something else that uses these natively and extending cables was going to require rewire, not now :-)

 

One thing would add with them is a wrap of tape round the body helps stop the tiny grubscrew going AWOL.

 

CPC`s website never been easiest to negotiate and miss the all on one page families of connectors, hence earlier link to Mouser`s virtual cat, last time looked up those metal connectors no one seemed to do inline mates, bit like speakon...

[mrboo]

You be better just using Cat 5 or ETHERCON cat 5 cable and sockets like most people use as it very low cost.

 

http://cpc.farnell.c...thru/dp/AV11171

[musht]

If you are going to use CAT5, would suggest using the pairs together, only have CSA of 0.5mm^2 on each conductor.

 

Advantage of larger connectors, XLR4 , Mic multipole, Mate-N-Lok is ability to take larger diameter cable.

 

Voltage drop can make its presence seen by mixed colours altering further down the line, i.e. yellow goes green as the red suffers from V drop.

[Guest nick4]

You be better just using Cat 5 or ETHERCON cat 5 cable and sockets like most people use as it very low cost.

 

http://cpc.farnell.c...thru/dp/AV11171

 

Yeah that's what I would do too.