LED Strip with ESP32

Medium 45 min $20

Addressable LED strips enable fantastic light effects. Each LED can be controlled individually with millions of colors!

📋 Prerequisites

• ✅ ESP32 set up with ESPHome
• ✅ Soldering iron (or strips with connectors)
• ✅ 5V power supply (at least 3A)

🛒 Components

Part	Description	Price
ESP32 DevKit	WiFi microcontroller	$5
WS2812B LED strip	1m, 60 LEDs/m	$8
5V power supply	At least 3A	$7
Wires	For power + signal	$2
Total		~$22

⚡ Power supply is important!

LED strips use A LOT of power:

• 60 LEDs full white = ~3.6A
• 144 LEDs full white = ~8.6A

Don’t use USB - it can max deliver 0.5-1A. Buy a dedicated 5V power supply.

🎨 LED Strip Types

Type	Colors	Recommended
WS2812B	RGB (16M colors)	⭐ Good for most
SK6812	RGBW (with true white)	⭐⭐ Better white
WS2811	RGB (12V version)	Long strips

🔌 Wiring

1. 5V from power supply → LED strip +5V

   Danger

   Do NOT connect 5V to ESP32! It gets power from USB.

2. GND from power supply → LED strip GND AND ESP32 GND

   Caution

   Common GND is critical! Without it the data signal won’t work.

3. GPIO16 from ESP32 → LED strip DIN (Data In)

⚙️ ESPHome Configuration

Simple

led-strip.yaml

esphome:
  name: led-strip
  friendly_name: LED Strip

esp32:
  board: esp32dev

logger:
api:
  encryption:
    key: "your-key"
ota:
  platform: esphome

wifi:
  ssid: "your-wifi"
  password: "your-password"

# LED Strip
light:
  - platform: neopixelbus
    type: GRB
    variant: WS2812
    pin: GPIO16
    num_leds: 60
    name: "LED Strip"

With effects

led-strip.yaml

esphome:
  name: led-strip
  friendly_name: LED Strip

esp32:
  board: esp32dev

logger:
api:
  encryption:
    key: "your-key"
ota:
  platform: esphome

wifi:
  ssid: "your-wifi"
  password: "your-password"

# LED Strip with effects
light:
  - platform: neopixelbus
    type: GRB
    variant: WS2812
    pin: GPIO16
    num_leds: 60
    name: "LED Strip"
    effects:
      - rainbow:
          name: "Rainbow"
          speed: 10
          width: 50
      - pulse:
          name: "Pulse"
          min_brightness: 20%
          max_brightness: 100%
      - color_wipe:
          name: "Color Sweep"
      - strobe:
          name: "Strobe"
          colors:
            - state: true
              duration: 50ms
            - state: false
              duration: 50ms

RGBW (SK6812)

led-strip-rgbw.yaml

light:
  - platform: neopixelbus
    type: GRBW
    variant: SK6812
    pin: GPIO16
    num_leds: 60
    name: "LED Strip RGBW"

Color order (GRB/RGB)

If colors are wrong (e.g., red shows green), try changing type: from GRB to RGB or BRG.

📤 Upload and Test

1. Click INSTALL → Wirelessly

2. Go to Home Assistant → Overview

3. Find your LED strip and turn it on

4. Try changing color and selecting effects

🎛️ Dashboard Card

Simple Light Card

Lovelace

type: light
entity: light.led_strip
name: LED Strip

🤖 Automation Ideas

Turn on at Sunset

automations.yaml

automation:
  - alias: "Ambient light at sunset"
    trigger:
      - platform: sun
        event: sunset
    action:
      - service: light.turn_on
        target:
          entity_id: light.led_strip
        data:
          brightness_pct: 50
          rgb_color: [255, 180, 100]  # Warm white

Red on Alarm

automations.yaml

automation:
  - alias: "Red alarm"
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: alarm_control_panel.home
        to: "triggered"
    action:
      - service: light.turn_on
        target:
          entity_id: light.led_strip
        data:
          effect: "Strobe"
          rgb_color: [255, 0, 0]

🔄 Alternative: WLED

WLED is firmware with 100+ effects and web app:

Feature	ESPHome	WLED
Effects	~10	100+
Web UI	No	Yes
Music sync	No	Yes
HA integration	Perfect	Good
Setup	YAML	Web

Tip

Want WLED? Flash it via install.wled.me directly in browser! Check out the WLED GitHub for documentation.

🔧 Troubleshooting

LEDs not lighting up?

• Check that GND is connected between ESP32 and power supply
• Check that power supply is on
• Try only first 10 LEDs (reduce num_leds)
• Check that DIN (not DOUT) is connected

Wrong colors?

• Change type: between GRB, RGB, BRG
• WS2812B is typically GRB
• SK6812 can be GRBW or RGBW

Flickering or random colors?

• Common GND missing - connect ESP32 GND to power supply GND
• Bad signal - try shorter cable to DIN
• Strip too long - inject 5V in middle of strip

🚀 Next Steps

🚶 Motion Sensor

Turn on LED strip on motion.

Build motion sensor →

🤖 Automations

Advanced automations in Home Assistant.

Learn automations →