Portable Pixel Tester

[Chicken]

Years ago, when we first started working with pixels, I used one of those small mini remote-controlled pixel controllers that Ray Wu sells, strapped to a power supply to test strands and props.

A few years back, I upgraded to an HP power supply housed in an enclosure and added a QuinLED Uno. That setup let me test more pixels at once and gave me an easy-to-use web interface for controlling effects.

This year, I decided to take it a step further and build a portable version powered by a DeWalt battery. Amazon and a few other places sell DeWalt battery mounts paired with 12V buck converters, so I started with one of those kits. From there, I added:

• a 20A circuit breaker
• a 24V voltmeter
• a 12V volt/amp/watt display
• and the same QuinLED Uno controller

Now I can test pixels anywhere without dragging around an extension cord.

If you decide to build something similar, make sure your buck converter includes low-voltage cutoff protection. DeWalt batteries themselves don't have built-in protection to prevent over-discharge (that safety circuit is in the tools, not the battery), and running them too low can permanently damage them.

The buck converter I used claims to have built-in protection, but I still added the 24V meter so I can keep an eye on the voltage and make sure it doesn't drop below about 15.5V. The second display shows the 12V output, current draw, and wattage, which helps me see exactly how much power a strand is pulling.

Amazon also sells mounts for other battery brands, so this doesn't have to be a DeWalt-only build—but since we use DeWalt tools around here, I always have a few batteries handy.

Let me know if you have any questions

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