Ben-BJD/Pixel-Tree-ControllerSafely power 800 LEDs with one 22A ESP32 WLED controller
Pixel Tree Controller is an open-source printed circuit board by Ben-BJD, from the Ben-BJD/Pixel-Tree-Controller repository on GitHub. It is a 2-layer board of 98 × 98 mm with 28 parts on 66 nets, routed with 181 tracks and 32 vias.
It is built around the SN74HCT245PWR(LX), ZX-PM2.54-1-22PY and KF2EDGR-5.08-3P, with the XF-506P among its other parts. Its parts include 8 connectors, 5 ICs and 2 capacitors.
A robust, logic-shifted, and fused Power Distribution Hub for driving massive addressable LED arrays (up to 22A) with an ESP32-S3 and WLED.
Driving 800 WS2811 pixels at full brightness draws upwards of 16 Amps (192 Watts). Attempting to route this through breadboards, thin jumper wires, or standard microcontrollers results in melted plastic, ground loops, erratic flickering, and potential fire hazards. Furthermore, the ESP32 outputs a 3.3V logic signal, while WS2811 pixels strictly require 5V, leading to degraded data packets over long wire runs.
The PixelTree Node v1.0 solves this. It is a custom-engineered PCB that acts as a safe, isolated, high-current brain for outdoor holiday light shows. It takes a massive 12V payload, distributes it safely across 8 automotive-fused branches, steps down power for an onboard ESP32-S3, and flawlessly level-shifts 8 data channels to 5V.
| Assembled Board | 3D Render |
|---|---|
 |  |
| PCB Front | PCB Back |
|---|---|
 |  |
SN74HCT245 chip to cleanly shift the ESP32's 3.3V data signals up to a punchy 5V, ensuring zero data degradation over long pigtails.K7805 highly-efficient buck converter drops 12V down to a stable 5V for the microcontroller and logic chip, eliminating the need for dual power supplies.| Component / Tool | Details |
|---|---|
| EDA Software | KiCad (Designed using standard 1.6mm FR4 / 1oz Copper limits) |
| Microcontroller | ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1U-N8R8 (Wi-Fi, Dual Core, RMT Peripheral for LEDs) |
| Logic Shifter | SN74HCT245PWR (8-Channel Octal Bus Transceiver) |
| Buck Converter | K7805-1000R3 (12V in, 5V out, High Efficiency) |
| Terminals | HB9500-9.5-2P (Main Input) & KF2EDGR-5.08-3P (xConnect Pigtail Outputs) |
| Firmware | WLED (Web UI, E1.31 / DDP support, Pixel Art Matrix support) |
This project relies on high-current traces and surface-mount (SMD) components. We highly recommend utilizing a turnkey assembly service.
ESP32-S3 into your computer via USB.This board relies on Serpentine Wiring (Folding). Each of the 8 ports drives two 50-pixel strings connected end-to-end (100 pixels per port). Because we use 12V WS2811 pixels, the voltage drop is minimal, and power injection at the 100th pixel is not required.
| PCB Port | ESP32 GPIO | Pixels Driven | WLED Matrix Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN1 | GPIO 4 | 0 - 99 | Strands 1 (UP) & 2 (DOWN) |
| CN2 | GPIO 5 | 100 - 199 | Strands 3 (UP) & 4 (DOWN) |
| CN3 | GPIO 6 | 200 - 299 | Strands 5 (UP) & 6 (DOWN) |
| CN4 | GPIO 7 | 300 - 399 | Strands 7 (UP) & 8 (DOWN) |
| CN5 | GPIO 8 | 400 - 499 | Strands 9 (UP) & 10 (DOWN) |
| CN6 | GPIO 9 | 500 - 599 | Strands 11 (UP) & 12 (DOWN) |
| CN7 | GPIO 10 | 600 - 699 | Strands 13 (UP) & 14 (DOWN) |
| CN8 | GPIO 11 | 700 - 799 | Strands 15 (UP) & 16 (DOWN) |
IMPORTANT: When probing this newly assembled board for shorts using a cheap multimeter in "Continuity" mode, it may beep continuously between 12V and GND. Do not panic. Cheap multimeters beep for anything under 1,000 Ohms.
If you switch to Resistance (Ohms) mode, you will likely read ~600 Ω from 12V to GND. This is a 20mA draw—merely the resting resistance of the
K7805buck converter. A true dead short (solder bridge) will read between 0 Ω and 1.5 Ω.
Contributions, issues, and feature requests are welcome!
If you want to contribute to the KiCad schematic or routing:
git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature).git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature').git push origin feature/AmazingFeature).Distributed under the CERN Open Hardware License Version 2 - Permissive.
Designed by BJD Solutions
| Qty | Value | Footprint | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | KF2EDGR-5.08-3P | Custom:CONN-TH_3P-P5.08_KF2EDGR-5.08-3P | CN1, CN2, CN3, CN4, CN5, CN6, CN7, CN8 |
| 8 | XF-506P | Custom:FUSE-TH_XF-506P | FH1, FH2, FH3, FH4, FH5, FH6, FH7, FH8 |
| 4 | MountingHole | MountingHole:MountingHole_3.2mm_M3 | H1, H2, H3, H4 |
| 2 | ZX-PM2.54-1-22PY | Custom:HDR-TH_22P-P2.54-V-F | U2, U3 |
| 1 | 0.1uf | easyeda2kicad:C0805 | C1 |
| 1 | 1000uF | Custom:CAP-TH_BD12.5-P5.00-D0.6-FD | C2 |
| 1 | 33Ω | Custom:RES-ARRAY-SMD_16P-L3.8-W1.6-P0.50-BL | RN1 |
| 1 | HB9500 12V IN | Custom:CONN-TH_HB9500-9.5-2P | U6 |
| 1 | K7805 | Custom:PWRM-TH_YLPTEC_K78XX-1000R3 | U5 |
| 1 | SN74HCT245PWR | Custom:TSSOP-20_L6.5-W4.4-P0.65-LS6.4-BL | U4 |
It measures 98 × 98 mm and has 2 copper layers, 1.6 mm thick.
28 parts, built around the SN74HCT245PWR(LX), ZX-PM2.54-1-22PY, KF2EDGR-5.08-3P and XF-506P. The full list of its parts is on this page, with links to each part's symbol and footprint where PCBKit's library has them.
From the Ben-BJD/Pixel-Tree-Controller repository on GitHub, at the commit this page was made from: the board is Pixel-Tree-Controller.kicad_pcb and its schematic Pixel-Tree-Controller.kicad_sch. PCBKit opens the board in the browser, with nothing to install.
Its repository states no licence, so its author keeps all rights: ask Ben-BJD before reusing the design.
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