RGB Lighting strips for desk

Hello, first of all apologies if this is not the correct forum to post this in. It seemed the most fitting.

I want to create a RGB setup, pretty much everything is Corsair rgb, which is great for iCue. However, I also want lighting on my desk. Will the corsair light strips work? I don't have the feeling they're made to go on desks, they seem way too weak to provide good lighting on a desk. Although it would be great for iCue. I cant seem to find decent desk RGB in Europe. Thanks in advance

It's been done. It works and looks awesome.

 

Check out Zotty's pictures in the RGB FAQ thread, linked in my signature.

 

Check out my guide to making cables as well in case you need some longer cables.

Hello, first of all apologies if this is not the correct forum to post this in. It seemed the most fitting.

I want to create a RGB setup, pretty much everything is Corsair rgb, which is great for iCue. However, I also want lighting on my desk. Will the corsair light strips work? I don't have the feeling they're made to go on desks, they seem way too weak to provide good lighting on a desk. Although it would be great for iCue. I cant seem to find decent desk RGB in Europe. Thanks in advance

 

Yes this can be done and I have done it myself.

 

I would love it if Corsair sold a single strip that is longer, has more LEDs, no magnets, can't be daisy changed for safety reasons, and has a longer connector so you could plug it into your LNP for desk lighting. I love the strips that come with the LNP for case lighting, though all the magnets, terminating all those individual strips, and extenders do add cost and is not needed as most desks are not made of iron/steel.

I would need to use a LNP, since I already use 2/2 slots on my commander pro for led, it not being a single strip also seems annoying, but the worst part still seems to be that the lights appear to be very dim. On normal strips ment to go on furniture/desks you cant see the individual lights on the strip due to how bright they are, corsair just seems too dim. Would indeed be lovely if there was a good corsair alternative so it could sync with iCue. I think I have to keep searching for something brighter, thanks though!

Hey, hey!

 

Sure is possible with extension connections. I've attached extension connections from an LED port on the Lighting Node Pro. The extension connections exit the back of my case, and connect to four Corsair LED strips on the back of the monitor.

 

With the colours being able to be adjusted via iCUE, I illuminate the back of the monitor at night, which offers a soft glow on the wall behind it. Much easier on my eyes.

The Corsair strips actually run at a lower power draw than most of the ones that you find on Amazon. For example, one strip that I saw is rated at 18W for 60 LEDs. That's 3.3A. Six strips of the Corsair LEDs pulls ~2A. When you have a limit of 4.5A due to the SATA connection, that's a big factor.

Folks have used different LEDs with the Corsair system but have run into power draw issues.

I would love it if Corsair sold a single strip that is longer, has more LEDs, no magnets, can't be daisy changed for safety reasons, and has a longer connector so you could plug it into your LNP for desk lighting. I love the strips that come with the LNP for case lighting, though all the magnets, terminating all those individual strips, and extenders do add cost and is not needed as most desks are not made of iron/steel.

 

Yes! Two parts please:

 

1] A simple PCI-e slot card that gives you an external plug

2] A long cable (I'd need about 1.5m) or an extension before the LED strip starts.

 

(actually 3)

 

3] No bloody default rainbow for them!

 

Take my money Corsair :)

Yes! Two parts please:

 

1] A simple PCI-e slot card that gives you an external plug

2] A long cable (I'd need about 1.5m) or an extension before the LED strip starts.

 

(actually 3)

 

3] No bloody default rainbow for them!

 

Take my money Corsair :)

 

1) I thought this would be cool, though might be over kill. There tends to be a lot of holes in the case where you can route the case outside of them. I am routing mine outside via the front panel. I have a hand hole at the bottom which works.

 

2) I think DevBiker has a thread on making extension cables and the parts you need to do it if you want. From what I have seen Corsair uses pretty much industrial standard items. From the old CDROM 3/4pin style latched/keyed conenctors they use for their RGB Devices to the WS2812B style 5050 LEDs they use in their strips.

 

3) I am hoping the Rainbow lock mode bug will be eventually fixed. Though when you say default, could you elaborate? You can set a profile as the default profile by moving it to the top of list of the profiles. Though when the PC is locked or booting up, it disconnects from iCUE and goes to rainbow mode.

1) I thought this would be cool, though might be over kill. There tends to be a lot of holes in the case where you can route the case outside of them. I am routing mine outside via the front panel. I have a hand hole at the bottom which works.

 

2) I think DevBiker has a thread on making extension cables and the parts you need to do it if you want. From what I have seen Corsair uses pretty much industrial standard items. From the old CDROM 3/4pin style latched/keyed conenctors they use for their RGB Devices to the WS2812B style 5050 LEDs they use in their strips.

 

3) I am hoping the Rainbow lock mode bug will be eventually fixed. Though when you say default, could you elaborate? You can set a profile as the default profile by moving it to the top of list of the profiles. Though when the PC is locked or booting up, it disconnects from iCUE and goes to rainbow mode.

 

1] At a push I could make a hole etc. but I'd like a cut down LNP to avoid having to find somewhere to stick a second in my case :)

 

2] I didn't know they were WS2812Bs! I've done a few simple projects with those and Arduinos. Do you know if the LEDs in the LL120/140s are the same? I have a reel of these somewhere... Interesting. I'll hunt down that thread.

 

3] Sorry, I wasn't clear here. By default, I did mean the horrid rainbow when windows is locked/booting. It's bad enough inside my case. I could not deal with more on my desk :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Check my signature for the parts listings for the cables.

 

1) I'd like that simple slot adapter as well. Basically a straight-through connector from the inside to the outside.

 

2) Be careful with WS2812Bs that you get on the market. Most actually draw a good deal more current than the Corsair strips. Any strips that's on a NoPro will be limited in current draw. The SATA 5v rail supports up to 4.5A and you wouldn't want to put that on one connection exclusively.

 

3) Corsair is looking into doing something about the rainbow/unicorn vomit mode. It's been a really, really common piece of feedback.

1] At a push I could make a hole etc. but I'd like a cut down LNP to avoid having to find somewhere to stick a second in my case :)

 

2] I didn't know they were WS2812Bs! I've done a few simple projects with those and Arduinos. Do you know if the LEDs in the LL120/140s are the same? I have a reel of these somewhere... Interesting. I'll hunt down that thread.

 

3] Sorry, I wasn't clear here. By default, I did mean the horrid rainbow when windows is locked/booting. It's bad enough inside my case. I could not deal with more on my desk :laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

Check my signature for the parts listings for the cables.

 

1) I'd like that simple slot adapter as well. Basically a straight-through connector from the inside to the outside.

 

2) Be careful with WS2812Bs that you get on the market. Most actually draw a good deal more current than the Corsair strips. Any strips that's on a NoPro will be limited in current draw. The SATA 5v rail supports up to 4.5A and you wouldn't want to put that on one connection exclusively.

 

3) Corsair is looking into doing something about the rainbow/unicorn vomit mode. It's been a really, really common piece of feedback.

 

 

 

The ML/HD/LL RGB series of fans and LED strips use WS2812B/WS2812 compatible LED. They all use the same signal. While off the shelf WS2812B strips will work and I use a 60LED WS2812 strip I had laying around, I don't recommend them for most people. Unless you like to tinker like I do, have tools, the knowledge, and parts that I do, then you can do it. Corsair has done a lot to make things as idiot proof as you can for the connectors as you can only plug them one way. As DevBiker said the current can vary from different LEDs even of the same "type". So you have to keep that in mind.

 

I created a video that goes into detail about RGB if you want to take a look at it: [ame]

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@DevBiker, when you say the SATA 5v rail, do you mean each Sata cable is only rated for 4.5amps? The 5v rail for my PSU is rated at 24A and 3A for the 5v standby.

 

If they ever switch to 12v Digital LEDs, it will allow us to push more wattage, though it will be competing against the fans as they use 12v.