DIY Smart LED Light Strips: How I Built My Own (Low Cost) ZigBee Lightstrips

[@josevela2943]

Great job. Was looking forward to seeing your kitchen with lights installed. Thank you for the video, it was helpful as im starting to get into hone lighting and im gonna in your footsteps.

[@joelemire4508]

Thank you for the useful video. I was lost when it came to buying the controller, but now I know to snag the CCT model and make sure it only has the 5 inlets. I'm still trying to figure out the strips I want for my office/gaming/art room, but this is a start to my shopping list and know-how. Again thanks for the informative video and keep sharing your DIY projects, because there are plenty of us out here digging for as much information as possible.

[@SmartHomePoint]

No problem, glad you found it useful! Yes the controller can be confusing. The gist seems to be RGBW for 5 pin strips and RGB-CCT for 6 pin strips - but as you seen, I originally bought the wrong one. Yep I'll plan on doing more videos like this soon - I love DIY and usually have a list of projects I want to do each year!

[@Dunne08]

Do you need anything else beside the Hue app to control the Zigbee controller? You don’t need a gateway or something

[@SmartHomePoint]

Yes you'll need the Hue Bridge in this case (or any other ZigBee hub, but then you might need a different app to control it).

[@PandaPowerable]

Hi, thanks for this info, it's exactly what I'm looking for as I use Home Assistant and Zigbee and want to start setting up striplighting!

[@SmartHomePoint]

Hi, no worries, glad it helped you out 🙂 Good luck with your HA and ZigBee lighting project 👍

[@jacqueszakko4765]

Hi thank you for the video My electrician wired my new renovation kitchen with three wires only can I use LED strip use the three wire and skip the fourth wire

[@SmartHomePoint]

Hi, no worries 🙂 Uhm good question. I doubt that it would work - certainly, a basic RGB strip needs 4 wires usually (for R, G, B and then the neutral/control type wire). Maybe check out a white only strip, incase this is 3 pin instead?

[@theattorney6072]

Hello, what awg thickness should one get for extending the light strip. I Saw 22 awg, 20 awg and 18 awg. Thank you

[@SmartHomePoint]

Hello, ooo good question. Uhm, I think it depends on your lightstrips. I can't fully remember, but I either checked what awg my current strips had - or I just didn't worry about awg at all. In general though, going for the same or higher awh thickness would seem to make sense

[@liamcoffey9092]

Hi there Tristan, really appreciate your video, it clear up a lot of queries I had about trying to put in a system like this of my own. My only remaining concern is about how the GLEDOPTO controller connects to the Phillips Hue app. Does the GLEDOPTO controller need to be connected to the same wifi that the phone is connected to in order for the app to find the controller? I'm hoping to put something like this into a campervan and so would not have any wifi in place. Would the app still be able to find the controller or does it need to be connected to a wifi signal? thanks again

[@SmartHomePoint]

Hi Liam, thanks for the message. Your system sounds like it'll work well. Regarding the non WiFi control, your best best is to use a ZigBee switch or accessory such as Philips Hue's range of switches, buttons and motion sensors. These are battery powered and send a ZigBee message to the Hue Bridge, which then sends a ZigBee message to the GLEDOPTO controller. No need for the Hue app (or WiFi) then. I talk about this in solution #2 here: www.smarthomepoint.com/smart-plugs-turn-wifi-router-off-on/ Whilst that article is for smart plugs, it's the same general idea.

[@willabadia]

Hello, great video. But I’m having issues connecting with my hue app. Hue app doesn’t seem to fine the light. Any suggestions?

[@SmartHomePoint]

Hello, thanks! If your light is GLEDOPTO, sometimes it can be tempremental to add in the Hue app. Try turning the light off then on, and THEN add it to the Hue app. If that doesn't work, try adding the device in the app and THEN turn it off and on.

[@amankaran5378]

Will the gledopto controller directly connect to the wifi or I need some kind of hub like the Philips hue hub if I want to use the hue app?

[@SmartHomePoint]

Yes you're suspicion is correct - you will need a ZigBee based hub, like the Hue Hub/Hue Bridge, to use the Gledopto controller. It isn't WiFi based.

[@mariomoreira9145]

I have the same precisely led setup (i.e. 2 led RGB CCT strips connected to one Gledopto controller) and they rarely show the same RGB colour at the same time. And apparently this is also experienced in this video: for instance, when the author select green leds don't turn green. In my opinion, these leds are very sensitive to voltage and any deviation due to bad wiring, makes this setup a pain. So far I could not make two led strips wired like the video working properly.

[@fbr4801]

Can this GEMLEDOPTO controller be used with Apple HomeKit on a HomePod mini without a hue hub ? Or with the Aqara zigbee M2 hub ?

[@SmartHomePoint]

I'm pretty sure that it works with both, although I haven't tested those specific combos myself. The Aqara ZigBee hub should definitely work - GLEDOPTO say the following: "Compatible with ZigBee light link (ZLL) Gateways The ZigBee3.0 RGBW works with most ZigBee Light Link or ZigBee 3.0 Gateways/Hubs. Compatible with Amazon Echo Plus, SmartThings, Tuya, etc."

[@fbr4801]

@@SmartHomePoint Thnx for your response. I saw the description on their website too. That’s why I wasn’t sure, for the fact they didn’t mention the Aqara hub. I’m going to order one and try it out for myself I guess

[@darshan.sk37]

Setting up HA and zigbee. This was helpful! Thanks. 9:37 Don't you hate it when when they don't keep the standard wire pattern? 😂 I was annoyed on your behalf.

[@CustomTeslaLightshows]

Can I use a normal rgb strip light without the white thing? Is it compatible?

[@SmartHomePoint]

I haven't tried it myself, but apparently the RGBW controller works okay with a white only LED strip - so in theory the reverse is true (RGB but not W/WW) and it should work well. www.reddit.com/r/Gledopto/comments/bpohsi/how_does_a_1id_rgbw_behave_when_only_white_leds/?

[@CustomTeslaLightshows]

@@SmartHomePoint oh thanks dude, I will buy it . This is the one I saw www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B07NQC5V3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_i_FGAYFRKANMNPNQJYM4DJ What do you think?

[@SmartHomePoint]

I think that would work well yes (Giderwell and Gledopto controllers are basically the same here). Especially since the title says RGB and RGBW - it sounds like it will work fine for normal RGB strips too.

[@CustomTeslaLightshows]

@@SmartHomePoint thanks mate

[@DM-pw3pl]

Can i connect it directly to the electric cables or does it need a power supply?

[@SmartHomePoint]

Hmm good question. The Gledotpo controller I used expects a standard round end power plug/adapter (like laptops use). So it wouldn't be trivial to hook it directly to your electrical cables, no. Having said that, Gledotpo sell lots of controllers nowadays - maybe one of them support direct wiring?

[@whippedculture7633]

Will this work to Yeelight lighstrip hub as an alternative extension? Cause the yeelight 2M extension is 8 dollars in my country 😕

[@SmartHomePoint]

Yeelight looks like more of an 'all in one' solution, so if anything it'll be easier than this tutorial because all the parts should hopefully fit together (unlike what I done, where I had a generic lightstrip and had to solder connections to achieve what I wanted). But as long as the Yeelight lightstrip comes with the relevant connectors for the hub, that should work fine.

[@ordln4ry]

thanks alot i learnt alot about led lights in this video. Keep it up

[@kaelanbirks8780]

can you add a link to the control box you used?

[@SmartHomePoint]

Since I had an RGBW (not RGB-CCT) strip, I ended up with the GLEDOPTO RGBW controller, such as the ones here: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GLEDOPTO-RGB-CCT-RGBW-Zigbee-Smart-LED-Strip-Voice-Controller-For-Amazon-Echo-HK/373292150247?hash=item56e9f22de7:g:~5wAAOSwE~RfkqyR

[@kaelanbirks8780]

Cool! Thanks

[@jtsui3467]

Is a Philips hub required to use the Philips Hue app? I do not have a Philips Hue hub, I have a Smartthings hub. If I built my own LED light strips, would I be able to control the colors from the Smartthings app?

[@SmartHomePoint]

Unfortunately you can't control Hue through the Smartthings hub without also having the Hue Hub, which is frustrating. However if you build you own lightstrips with a GLEDOPTO controller, this can be paired directly with the Smartthings hub yes.

[@shahpopat4878]

Hi There, I am planning similar project except putting up RGB-CCT around my staircase, then using Philips motion detection device I have purchased a Gledopto Pro Controller 3.0 & a 5m RGB/ CCT Cable (with 6 Pin Core), Project Plan RGB-CCT will be cut to 2m, 1.5m and another 1.5m (total 5M) Connect each of the strip to the RGB-CCT to a 6 Pin Core Cable approximately 2m in length Then use a wire connector (standard plastic ones) and run a single 6 Pin Core Cable to the Gledopto controller Which I intend to mount underneath the staircase (in my pantry) Or would you recommend just connect all 3 strips directly to Gledopto controller? Finally, what is maximum length of 6 Pin Core cable you can use Appreciate you input - Thanks in advance

[@SmartHomePoint]

Hello, that sounds an interesting project, and yes the Hue motion sensor should work well in this setup for sure. Everything you say makes sense - 6 pin cable for RGB-CCT (with a compatible controller) all makes sense. I agree that using a wire connector to then run just a single 6 pin core cable to the controller would be best. It was a little fiddly to run the two cables directly to my Gledopto controller, so doing what you suggest (essentially splicing them, then running 1 cable to the controller) seems best. Regarding the maximum length - I'm not too sure sorry. From what I gather, the main issue (if it's too long) would be a drop in brightness. The max length will vary depending on the power source (12V vs 24V) and also the LED light strip used, but anything below 10 metres _should_ hopefully be okay.

[@Doctorindahouse]

Hi I was wondering what power supply you would use for the gledopto controller with 16 or 32' of led strip

[@SmartHomePoint]

Hi, the power supply you need depends on the LED strip you have too. From memory, in my case, my LED strip specified 5A, whereas the GLEDOPTO controller required 12V, so I purchased a random 12V 5A laptop charger from eBay which has worked fine.

[@ericoh333]

Very informative video, I appreciate it! (Hopefully) quick question..are there any alternatives to using a Hue bridge? For instance, do you know if the controller can connect directing to Alexa or Google Home apps?

[@SmartHomePoint]

Thanks 🙂 And good question. A WiFi controller would probably be best for you then - look up the 'Tuya GLEDOTPO WiFi controller '. It's basically the same thing, but you would add the light into the Tuya/Smartlife app, then connect to Alexa from there (for example).

[@peeweewoen]

Holy cow what wire stripper is that that can strip all those wires at once? insane!

[@SmartHomePoint]

Hah yes it's a beast 🙂 It's the Stanley FatMax Automatic Wire Stripper. Not sure if it's available in America, but it's easy enough to buy here in the UK.

[@billyhamlen9610]

I d like to see the effect of the finished product.....

[@SmartHomePoint]

Yes good point, I'm planning a couple more videos on this topic (including showing them in their final place - under my kitchen cabinets) so the finished product can be seen then. I'll link them from this video too when they're published.

[@a.h.d.h.2803]

Well done this video, like it very much!

[@Kraechtshammer]

umm yeah that's not exactly diy tho lmao

[@SmartHomePoint]

Potatoe potato :) Instead of a premade kit which wasn't suitable, I made this exactly how I wanted (and needed). Some would call that DIY. Granted I didn't build it from a resistor board, one diode at a time though..!

[@ClownWhisper]

Please change the name of this video you're not building your own you're not DIY ING anything

[@SmartHomePoint]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm happy with the name of the video - the project included soldering multiple strips together and putting them into a controller. It's different to using a prepackaged lightstrip e.g. Philips Hue Lightstrips.