Need assistance wiring 12V LEDs to LED-Wiz

[bdlou]

Hello all.  Hoping to get some help with my new project.  I recently purchased a LED-Wiz™ 32-port USB Lighting and Output Controller (LEDWIZ01) and am a bit confused on the correct way to wire the unit for 12v.  I currently have around 18 buttons with 12V LEDs wired directly to my power supply.  They are not RGB LEDs.  Just simple two posts.  I’m not understanding how to wire the power supply line that I’m currently using to the LED-Wiz.  If I want to use all 32 ports (as I plan on replacing more buttons in the future), I believe I need to bridge the “Bank Voltage Select” ports together, correct?  Do I run the positive from the power supply to port 1-8 and then bank them together?  Does that line jump somewhere else?  What about the ground.

Thanks in advance!
Louis

P.S. Here are some pics of what the buttons look like lit up directly off of the power supply!

[phildo77]

I could be wrong here BUT...

It looks to me like those outputs are 5V max?  Putting 12V on the supply may blow the chip if its not rated to operate at that voltage.  I don't see anything in the instruction sheet that gives a max voltage but theres a lot of talk about 5V.  The output drivers of the chip have to swing from the supply voltage to ground (I'm guessing) to light the LED.  The LED voltage is the drop across the LED when lit so the rest of the voltage drops across the resistor which in turn gives you your current calculation.  So with a 5V max supply you can't get the potential high enough across the diodes to light em.

So my short answer is...  You can't use the LEDWIZ to light 12V diodes.     

(I also don't see anything in the instruction sheet about "Bank Voltage Select" so I don't have enough information here to really say one way or the other.  But I would still assume that that thing isn't capable of lighting 12V forward voltage diodes)

But I could be wrong.

[bdlou]

The docs do reference 12V once:
http://groovygamegear.com/PDF/LEDWIZv2_INSTALL.pdf

In Figure 2 they mention "+12v to devices connected to outputs 9-16" <------------ Bank Voltage Select 9-16 --------------> +12V to PC Power Supply"

I believe the example is showing that you can mix and match voltages per bank.

[bdlou]

You know...  As I was typing that response I had one of those "Oh sh..." moments.  I realized that the diagram is showing the bank being connected from the 12V line to the Bank Voltage Select, and then that line goes out to all of the buttons.  I misunderstood what the diagram was showing and never sent that voltage line back out to the buttons.  I also never ran the power supply ground to the ground jack on the unit.  Quite frankly, for the combinations I did try, I have no idea what I tried, and am probably very lucky I didn't blow the unit.  I just got the LED-Wiz to light and animate a button finally!  So, here's what I did for success:

+12v to devices connected to outputs 1-8 <------------ Bank Voltage Select 1-8 --------------> +12V to PC Power Supply
External Ground (Next to USB 5V Output on LED-Wiz < -------------- > Ground from Power Supply
Output 1 < --------------- > LED Ground on button

So, basically, if you read the instructions, and then follow the instructions, then it will work as expected!   

If anyone sees any major flaws in what I have done, PLEASE let me know.  I will probably get these all wired up this weekend!

Thanks,
Louis

[phildo77]

Ahhhh good job!    Yeah I was looking at the OTHER chip instructions which doesn't mention 12v at all.  It looks like the chip you have has the bank voltage select and should do what you're looking for!  Sorry for answering without all the info.