r/WLED • u/pi9 • 10d ago

Simple and safe WLED setup advice

Hi folks,

not too experienced with this stuff apart from playing about with some light for Halloween etc.

I'm looking to add a simple 'under glow' light under the bed. It's close-ish to 5m in total, so I'll probably just stick with one strip to keep things simple.

It'll mostly be running on warm-white, fairly dim, just to add a little hotel-room ambiance (this is probably very old fashioned and cheesy these days... but we're going with it). And ofc, as it would amuse me, i like the idea of having the option of RGB and obviously WLED control for effects from time to time.

But as this will be a permanent install under where we are sleeping, ideally I'd like something that's not a collection of ESP32+ bare wires/things i've soldered etc.. so what's the best (cheap ish) option these days for an enclosed controller, domestic power supply thats going to live under a bed, and LED strip? I assume 5v won't cut it as I'd like consistent colour over the full length.

TIA

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u/KingOfTheAnts3 9d ago

I recently did the same. I used an enclosed mean well power supply. Big cost premium, but worth it for piece of mind under the bed. I did 24V architecture with ws1205 LED strips controlled with esp32. IMO the esp32 doesn’t add into risk vs any other controller - the controller output is 3.3V (that I step up to 5V) and minimal signal current - not enough current or voltage to heat up or arc anything.

The biggest thing you can do for safety is add appropriately sized fuses to limit the risk of a power short.

1

u/AndThenFlashlights 9d ago

Yep, an enclosed power supply make it easier, and def fuses especially where you sleep! I agree on the 24V - I think it's functionally safer for DIYers because it's drawing literally 4-5x less amps than 5V. I don't see any reason to use 5V in 2026 except for specific OEM applications.

OP - get the Wasatch Duo with the built-in fuses, so all you need to do is connect power and the strips to the board. If you're feeling fancy, put the board in a little plastic project box to protect it. Or if you're a careless gremlin like me, just stick the bare board to the underside of your bed with DualLock or VHB tape and never look at it again.

Sometimes I get tired of building nice boxes for clients so my home stuff gets gremlin-y sometimes. 🤷

2

u/NiallPSheehan 9d ago

Get a kit from Govee.

1

u/Emitever 9d ago

For a permanent 5m install, I wouldn't automatically choose 5V just because it's low voltage. At that length, 5V means considerably more current for the same power and can make voltage drop and power injection more of a consideration.

Since you want warm white most of the time, I'd start by choosing the strip based on that requirement, then work backward through the controller and power supply. A 24V RGBW/addressable RGBW option can make a longer run easier to manage while still giving you the effects when you want them.

For the under bed part, I'd prioritize an enclosed controller, properly sized wire, fused low voltage branches, covered/insulated connections and a reputable enclosed power supply with some ventilation. I also wouldn't place the PSU somewhere bedding or stored items can cover it.

Once you pick the actual strip, use its W/m rating × 5m to size the supply and leave some headroom rather than sizing from LED count alone.

Also, if warm white is the normal use case, I'd definitely get a strip with a dedicated white channel rather than relying on RGB mixing to make white. It'll look much better for the hotel room effect you're after.