Shelly RGBW2 - some questions

[jimmyk89]

Hello everyone,

Let's start by saying I am complete novice when it comes to electricity and yes, I won't be wiring anything myself, I hired an electrician.

I would like to install some shelly devices for home automation and I am facing couple of challenges:
1: How many RGBW2 I need and can I connect multiple ones on 1 electrical line? The device supports 4 different channels(for led strips) with a DC Power Output 12V combined power 144W.

I have 22m of dimmable white light 12V LED strips for my living room with a total power of 176W(8W per m) that are wired to one electrical line and controlled by two separate switches(2 way switch). So I am not sure how to approach this situation.

On one hand I read that you need separate power supply for each 5m of 12V led stips (because after the 5m the light becomes less bright and you can see the difference), meaning that I will have to use 5 power supplies ? Does this mean I will have to use 5 RGBW2 , one for each power supply ?! And also can I connect those 5 dimmers to one electrical line that is then controlled by two separate switches??

Or as I see from the diagram - 4 channels of white light is supported - does this mean I can use 4 x 5m 12V led strips that connect to one stronger power supply (c. 200W) without risking losing brightness as the strip progresses (difference in max brightness as I described above). If this is an option - I would need 2 RGBW2 for the 22m of LED strips I have.

Now my other concern is can I bridge(connect) these separate RGBW2 to be on one electrical line. And is it possible to controll this line from two separate switches (2 way switch) ?

Please let me know.

 

[Seb Briggs]

Unfortunately the terminology you are using make it tricky to advise.

LED strips are usually driven by drivers (power supplies) that reduce the voltage from 230v to 12/24v) .

With two RGBW2 if using 4 sets of white LED strips you would wire them in parallel not serial. with a maximum of 45w per channel. You would then power the RGBW2's using a single 200W driver. Just use longer connecting wires into each strip of the LED

I wouldnt use the light switches wired directly into the RGBW2 but instead use the shelly i3 which basically makes a light switch act as a scene controller

 

[jimmyk89]

Unfortunately the terminology you are using make it tricky to advise.

LED strips are usually driven by drivers (power supplies) that reduce the voltage from 230v to 12/24v) .

With two RGBW2 if using 4 sets of white LED strips you would wire them in parallel not serial. with a maximum of 45w per channel. You would then power the RGBW2's using a single 200W driver. Just use longer connecting wires into each strip of the LED

I wouldnt use the light switches wired directly into the RGBW2 but instead use the shelly i3 which basically makes a light switch act as a scene controller

Thanks a lot!

Sorry for my terminology, I am trying my best basically, but as I said - I am a complete novice.

Great suggestion about the shelly i3. The only thing I don't like about it is that if there's no wifi - you can't really use the switch. Thus I will follow your advice and get this device, but in addition I would like to still wire the RGBW2s to wall switches. I think there is a way that I omit some of the LED strips(3-4m) to avoid using 2 RGBW2s and use only one device instead. I read in your answers from other simillar threads that you suggest using the 3-way centre off button switch for such devices. Sorry for the dumb question - but how is it possible if you only have 1 signal(1 wire) that goes to your switch(I am looking at the 4xwhite led lights diagram)?

Thanks again!

 

[Seb Briggs]

Thanks a lot!

Sorry for my terminology, I am trying my best basically, but as I said - I am a complete novice.

Great suggestion about the shelly i3. The only thing I don't like about it is that if there's no wifi - you can't really use the switch. Thus I will follow your advice and get this device, but in addition I would like to still wire the RGBW2s to wall switches. I think there is a way that I omit some of the LED strips(3-4m) to avoid using 2 RGBW2s and use only one device instead. I read in your answers from other simillar threads that you suggest using the 3-way centre off button switch for such devices. Sorry for the dumb question - but how is it possible if you only have 1 signal(1 wire) that goes to your switch(I am looking at the 4xwhite led lights diagram)?

Thanks again!

I wouldn’t use the 2 way centre off retractive switch with a rgbw2 as you rightly point out the rgbw2 doesn’t have 2 switch inputs .

A 1 way retractive switch would be better . One quick press for on , one quick press for off . Hold to dim