Today, there are a great many options for the light decoration of the premises of apartments and private houses. Only a little imagination is needed. And the dull gray room will be transformed so much that it will be difficult to recognize it. However, many of the lighting fixtures require additional equipment during installation. One of the most popular options of this kind is the LED strip, the controllers for which we will consider today. It is especially important to understand what such devices are for and what they can be.
What is a controller and what is it for?
Do not confuse such a device with a power supply for an LED strip - they perform completely different functions. It is known that the LED strip will not work without a stabilizing transformer, however, if it is single-color, it does not need a controller. To dim the glow, a simple dimmer is sufficient. But the tape, which has the ability to glow in different colors (RGB), is a completely different matter. So what is RGB? These three letters indicate the primary colors of which all the others are composed:
- R - red (red).
- G - green (green).
- In - blue (blue).
It is the RGB controller for the LED strip that is responsible for switching and “mixing” these colors in the process. From the video below, you can roughly understand how it works.
Separation of devices by control method
Such additional equipment is most often equipped with an infrared remote control. But more expensive models are able to receive signals through Wi-Fi. Such controllers for LED strip can be controlled remotely from your smartphone or tablet, from anywhere in the world. It is quite convenient to use as a passive protection of the home. While on vacation, a person in the evenings briefly turns on the light in the apartment, thereby creating a sense of presence.
But such devices are rarely bought because of the high cost. As for the controllers for LED strip controlled by remote control, their price is acceptable, which means that everyone can choose the right model, regardless of financial capabilities. If you don’t want to spend money on such equipment at all, you can make a simple device with your own hands.
How to make a controller for the LED strip yourself
To do this, you need an old Chinese garland, which is not a problem to find. At the entrance, she has a small box - this is the controller that is needed. Having disassembled the case, you can see 3 output contacts - it is they that are soldered to the terminals of the tape. If you use a power supply from an old computer as a power supply, the cost drops to zero. The only minus of the do-it-yourself controller of the LED strip is in the absence of a remote control, however, in the absence of costs, its operation in conjunction with a three-key switch is quite justified.
The advantages of any LED strip are that any additional equipment necessary for its normal operation can be done independently. This fact, along with the simplicity of its installation, makes LED strip so popular.
Is it worth it to make the controller yourself
If you look, from a practical point of view, then there is no special meaning in such actions. The simplest devices have a fairly low cost, the time spent can be more expensive. But if you want to learn, try something new, then you can work out. Of the advantages of such work is the experience gained and the satisfaction that the DIY equipment works no worse than the controller for a factory-made LED strip.
Many hams, starting with such trifles, subsequently “fall in love” with this matter and begin to assemble more powerful devices on 2, 3 or 4 channels, equipped with remote controls and other control systems.
Separation of devices by the number of channels
LED strip controller layouts may vary. The cheapest models have only one channel, which means that we are not talking about any zoning of the room. In fact, this is an analogue of the self-made device described by us. More expensive models expand the capabilities of the home master. Using two or three-channel controllers, you can simultaneously dim the lighting in one part of the room and increase its intensity in the other. This is achieved by dividing the room into separate zones when, for example, it is necessary for the father to read the newspaper and the mother to put the child in bed.
If such lighting is planned, when choosing the number of channels of the LED strip control controller, pay attention to the area of the room. It makes no sense to purchase expensive equipment with three exits if the room is very small. Zoning in this case will be simply impossible. Although, as an option, one of the channels can be put on the bottom lighting of furniture. This solution looks very aesthetically pleasing and beautiful.
To summarize the above
A simple LED strip is beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, but an RGB strip with a controller and remote control opens up completely different, more advanced possibilities in interior design. In large rooms, this can be zoning, helping to visually divide the room. For small areas, you can use such a move as the lower illumination of furniture - in this case, in the twilight, it seems that the cabinets or chairs soar above the floor without touching it. The main thing is to have enough imagination to use the full potential inherent in the RGB LED strip with a controller.