Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

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dkwhitmer
 
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Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by dkwhitmer »

I have experienced a high failure rate (+25%) of LED segments (area between cut marks) in an installation providing under-step indirect lighting for five outside patio steps. We are using analog RGB LED Weatherproof Flexi-Strip 30 LED (PID 285), controlled by a RF Touch Wheel Controller for Analog RGB LEDs (PID 678). All products were purchased from adafruit. Twelve volt DC power (measured at 12.43 VDC) is provided to the two controllers by a set of parallel wired 12 VDC, 5 amp power supplies. One controller serves two steps consisting of 12 and 13 segments wired in parallel. The second controller serves three steps consisting of 31, 24 and 18 segments wired in parallel.

The LED Flexi-strip is attached to the under-side of the leading edge of each step with the adhesive strip on the back side of the flexi-strip, augmented by silicon caulking applied to the strip at about 12 inch intervals. The LED Strips are not subject to flexing, direct sunlight, temperature extremes, or rain/moisture. Normal operation is ON at dusk and OFF at sunrise. Color has been either white or yellow set at the lowest intensity level. All LED strips were verified as fully operational before and after installation.

All LEDs operated normally for about the first month when I noticed a couple segments were not emitting any Red light. The number of failures increased to the point that after less than three months I have turned the system off due to the large number of LED failures. Currently 25 of the 98 segments produce no light. My inventory of the individual colors shows 81 of the 98 segments produce no Red light, 41 of the 98 segments produce no Green light, and 37 of the 98 segments produce no Blue light. Failures appear randomly along the strips with no preference to an end or adjacent segments, etc.

Something is clearly wrong with the application, installation, or the product, and I would appreciate any insights or suggestions for corrective action.

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adafruit_support_rick
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

Not sure. I have no experience with these strips. I'm asking around here for ideas...

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adafruit2
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by adafruit2 »

do you have any clear photos of the strips that are damaged? that could help us see what the issue is

dkwhitmer
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by dkwhitmer »

Attached pictures taken with a mirror looking up under the step
Attachments
LEDphoto 2.JPG
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LEDphoto 1.JPG
LEDphoto 1.JPG (344.71 KiB) Viewed 1646 times

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adafruit2
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by adafruit2 »

looks like water seeped in and damaged them!

dkwhitmer
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by dkwhitmer »

I’m reluctant to accept the moisture intrusion theory since I live in Southern Arizona and we have received a total of 0.03 inches of rain (as measured by my home weather station) since the LED Strips were first installed mid-February 2014. There is no other source of moisture near these lights. I will remove an entire section of 12 segments from one step to permit a closer inspection.

dkwhitmer
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by dkwhitmer »

I removed a 12-segment light strip from under a patio step to obtain better photos. This strip has a high number of total segment and individual color (especially RED) failures. I can’t visually detect any anomalies around the LED pods or the resistors.
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photo 1.JPG
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adafruit_support_rick
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

What kind of ambient temperatures would these have been exposed to since you installed them? Anything extreme?

dkwhitmer
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by dkwhitmer »

I would estimate they were exposed to daily temperature swings that ranged between 45 and 75 degrees F.

dkwhitmer
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by dkwhitmer »

I used a Fluke Multimeter and pin probes to evaluate the continuity and operation of the resistors and LEDs in a 13-segment strip removed from a patio step. This strip is representative of the light failures seen in all five steps. Results are as follows:
- There is continuity between the factory-wired pigtail and the circuit pads on the far end of the 13-segment strip. The Blue and Green wire connections are reversed (did not match pad B and G markings on the far end of the strip).
- All resistors tested good and within a couple ohms of the stated values.
- I could not find any problems with the connectivity between components.
- I used the Multimeter diode test function to evaluate individual diodes in each of the three "diode pods" within a segment along the entire strip. One or more dead LEDs were present in most pods throughout the entire 13-segment strip. The R diodes had the greatest number of failures. I found no correlation between the location a dead LED and the position of the diode pod within the segment.
- Any dead diode renders the entire color dead within the segment.

I used a RGB Controller to test the two remaining 5-meter rolls and found one roll has 11 Red, 1 Blue, and 1 Green dead segments. The second roll has 3 Red dead segments. This is the first time either of those two rolls has been tested.

It is my conclusion that all five of the 5-meter LED rolls we purchased contain defective and low quality (200-300 hour life span) LEDs.

We have invested considerable time and money to integrate LED Strip lighting in this patio project so I would welcome high-quality replacements or recommendations for alternative lighting devices that will work in our application.

adafruit
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by adafruit »

this is the first and only time we've heard of this, if it's within 30 days please email [email protected] and you can return them for a refund.

thanks,
adafruit support

gauber
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by gauber »

I too have experienced excessive failures of certain segments of the analog RGB 30 strips. In fact, I just ordered several additional meters to swap out the bad segments.

These strips run under cabinets in a climate controlled home. My issue is after swapping out the first 1 meter piece, the remaining 3 segments light up a different color. These are connected using low voltage 4 conductor alarm wire to bridge the gaps between segments under the cabinets.

Interesting if a light blue is selected on the RGB RF controller remote all 4 segments burn light blue. If red is selected only the first segment burns red and the remaining 3 are off.

What have I done wrong?

Also, why are these strips failing prematurely?

Thanks so much for any help

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adafruit_support_rick
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

Seems like you must have a poor connection on the red control line from the first strip to the next. Are these soldered connections?

dkwhitmer
 
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Re: Excess Failures of Analog RGB Flexi-Strips

Post by dkwhitmer »

As already suggested by the adafruit support crew I would check the electrical continuity of the R circuit connection between the first and second cabinet segments. Each of the four wires (+12v,R, G, B) must have a continuous connection from the output of the Controller to the corresponding +12v, R, G, B solder pads at the far end of your string of lights. If the continuity is good the next thing would be R diode failures in each segment. That many R failures seem unlikely.

You didn’t say anything about the Green colors. If Green doesn’t light that might also be a circuit continuity problem.

The failure of one or more R, G or B diodes will produce color changes along a string of these LEDs. For example, White requires light from all three diode colors. If some segments are white, and others another color, then one or more of the R, G, or B diodes has failed in the off-colored segment. If one segment is Red and the next segment is Green or Blue that would suggest connections between segment are reversed. Using the Controller to turn on one color at a time will identify missing colors or cross-wired connections.

Hope this helps

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