How to Wire RGBWW LED Strips?
An RGBWW (RGB+CCT) LED strip has six pads: one common positive (+) and five color channels, R, G, B, W and WW. Every color line is a negative. To wire it:
- Strip to controller: R to R, G to G, B to B, W to W, WW to WW, and the strip “+” to the “+” on the RGBWW controller output.
- Controller to power supply: use a supply with the same voltage as the strip (DC5V, DC12V or DC24V) and enough power; an overloaded supply burns out.
- Test every channel (red, green, blue, both whites) before you mount the strip. A wrong color means a crossed signal line.
Use an RGB+CCT controller: an RGBW controller has one channel too few. Longer than one reel? Add a 6-channel amplifier (see long runs).
RGBWW(RGB+CCT) led strips can be seen as a combination of RGB led strips and CCT led strip lights. We all know that there are constant current led strip lights and constant voltage led strip lights, and the biggest difference between them is that the voltage drop. Constant current led strip can reach long distance running without voltage drop. Actually, the constant current led strip lights, like our DC24V constant current RGBWW led strip, is connected to led controller and power supply too.
So what are constant voltage led strip lights?
• RGBWW led strips: DC5V, DC12V, DC24V • Addressable RGBCCT led strips: DC12V single signal, DC24V breakpoint resume |
The voltage of each lamp bead is rated, but during the circuit transportation, due to the excessive number of led light strip parts, the voltage is lost, resulting in uneven brightness and color of the light strip. The loss situation is different for different voltages. And the lower the voltage, the more obvious the loss. Therefore, if you want your led light strip to run long distance, you have to choose DC12V or DC24V.
At SuperLightingLED we wire RGBWW strips, controllers and amplifiers for home and commercial projects every day. Below are the 6-pin wiring diagram we use, how RGBWW differs from RGB and RGBW, and the installation, long-run and multi-zone steps.
RGBWW (RGB+CCT) LED strip wiring diagram
An RGBWW strip is common positive: the “+” pad feeds every color, and the controller switches each color on its own negative line. Match the six pads one to one:
| Pad on the strip | What it is | Connect to |
|---|---|---|
| + (V+) | Common positive, DC5V, DC12V or DC24V to match your strip | “+” (V+) on the RGBWW controller output |
| R | Red channel (negative) | R on the controller output |
| G | Green channel (negative) | G on the controller output |
| B | Blue channel (negative) | B on the controller output |
| W | White channel (negative); marked CW (cool white) in our diagrams | W / CW on the controller output |
| WW | Warm white channel (negative) | WW on the controller output |
These diagrams are drawn by the SuperLightingLED engineering team. Wire colors follow our house convention: red V+, black V-/GND. Click any diagram for the full notes in our LED strip wiring diagrams library.
Looking for an RGBWW cable? Our 6-pin RGB+CCT LED strip parts range has 6-pin extension cables, strip-to-wire and strip-to-strip connectors, and corner connectors.
RGB vs RGBW vs RGBWW: which strip do you have?
Count the pads at the cut mark. The pad count tells you the strip type, and the strip type decides the controller, amplifier and connector:
| Strip type | Pads at the cut mark | Color channels | Controller and parts | Wiring guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RGB | 4: V+, R, G, B | 3 (red, green, blue) | RGB controller; 3 channels on a DMX decoder | How to wire RGB LED strips |
| RGBW | 5: V+, R, G, B, W | 4 (RGB + one white) | RGBW controller, 4-channel amplifier, 5-pin connectors; 4 channels on DMX | How to wire RGBW LED strips |
| RGBWW (RGB+CCT) | 6: V+, R, G, B, W, WW | 5 (RGB + two whites) | RGB+CCT controller, 6-channel amplifier, 6-pin connectors; 5 or 6 channels on DMX | This page |
| Tunable white (CCT) | 3: V+, WW, CW | 2 (warm and cool white) | CCT controller | How to wire tunable white LED strips |
Match the controller to the pad count, not just the color name. An RGBW controller drives 5-pad strips and cannot run a 6-pad RGBWW strip properly. It works the other way round: as the installation section below explains, an RGBWW controller can also run an RGB strip or a tunable white strip.
How to install led light strip?
The power supply supplies power to the RGBWW led controller and the RGBWW light strip, and the controller controls the brightness and color changes of the RGBWW strip. RGBWW led controller also can be connected to an RGB led strip and a tunable white led strip.
1. 5V VS 12V VS 24V LED Strips
5V RGB+CCT led strip lights ⇒ Voltage drop in 5 meters ⇒ Power supply at both ends of 5 meters
12V RGB+CCT led strip lights ⇒ No voltage drop in 5 meters ⇒ Power supply at both ends of 10 meters, power supply at one end of 5 meters
24V RGB+CCT led strip lights ⇒ No voltage drop in 10 meters ⇒ Power supply at both ends of 15 meters, power supply at one end of 10 meters
2. How to connect led strip lights correctly?
1) The color line is connected correctly.
“R” to “R”, “G” to “G”, “B” to “B”, “W” to “W”, “WW” to “WW”. Wrong connection of the led color signal line will cause the color to be displayed incorrectly, which is one of the reasons why the display color is different from the control color.
2) The positive and negative poles are connected correctly.
All the led color signal lines represent the negative pole. The positive pole is the mark “+”, connect the “+” of the led strip light to the output same “+” of the led light controller.
3. How to choose a suitable controller and power supply?
1) Compatible with the light strip.
RGB controller is suitable for RGB led strips, and RGBW controller is suitable for RGBW led strips too.
2) Sufficient power.
This is the most important point, power overload is easy to burn the power supply. How to calculate the power for your led strip lights? Click here to learn the answer.
3) Match the use environment.
If there is a need for waterproof, add a plastic waterproof box to the controller or choose a waterproof power supply.
Sizing the supply: add up the strip wattage with how to calculate power for LED strip lights, then choose from our LED power supplies.
How to achieve ultra-long distance installation of led strip lights?
We know that there will be a significant voltage drop in series low-voltage light strips for long-distance operation. How to maintain long-distance operation without voltage drop? Let's take a look together.
The solution is to install an led amplifier between two RGBCCT led strip lights to boost the attenuated signal in the circuit, achieving consistent brightness of the led light strip over long distances and reducing the voltage drop.
The power of the led amplifier depends on the power of the led strip lights it connected to. There is another way to connect the led amplifier, paralleling the light strips.
For an RGBWW run, the amplifier must have six channels (V+, R, G, B, CW, WW): a 5-channel RGBW amplifier drops one of the whites. Shop RGB/RGBW/RGBCCT LED strip amplifiers, or see the 6-channel amplifier wiring diagram.
How to control multi-zone led strip lights?
1. RF controller
The most commonly used for multi-zone control is the RF led controller. The RF controller can be controlled by RF remote control, which is simple and convenient. The signal is sent from the remote and received by the controller. The signals between the controllers are automatically synchronized within 30 meters. The RF led controller supports smart mobile phone control with WiFi-Relay.
One RF remote can control multiple led light RF controllers, and one RF controller can match up to 10 remote controllers.
2. DMX decoder
DMX decoder makes normal led strip lights compatible with DMX512 system. DMX signal input, PWM signal output, convert DMX signal into PWM signal. The DMX decoder can cascade multiple led light strips, one light strip is counted as a DMX address, and the DMX address can be freely programmed. The DMX system is controlled by the main console or computer.
►Connect one RGB+CCT led strip light :
RGB+CCT controllers and 6-pin parts
Every RGBWW strip needs a controller between the strip and the power supply. Pick it by how you want to control the colors, then add the 6-pin parts for your layout. These are the SuperLightingLED categories we build RGBWW projects from:
RGB+CCT LED strip lightsDC5V, DC12V and DC24V RGBWW reels
RGB+CCT controller seriesControllers for 6-pad strips
6-pin RGB+CCT LED strip parts6-pin connectors and extension cables
RGB/RGBW/RGBCCT amplifiersLong runs without voltage drop
RF RGB+CCT control systemMulti-zone, controllers sync within 30 m
RF RGB+CCT remote controlsOne remote, several controllers
DMX512 control systemDecoders for DMX consoles
Addressable RGBCCT LED stripsSingle signal and breakpoint resumeAddressable RGBWW (RGBCCT) LED strips
The strip list at the top of this page also has addressable RGBCCT strips: a DC12V single signal type and a DC24V breakpoint resume type. They are not wired like the 6-pad strips above. They take a data signal from an addressable RGBCCT controller, so follow the single-signal or breakpoint-resume wiring in How to wire addressable LED strip lights. Browse the full range of addressable RGBCCT LED strips.
RGBWW LED strip FAQ
How many wires does an RGBWW LED strip have?
Six: one common positive (+) and five color channels, R, G, B, W and WW. All the color signal lines are negatives.
Can I use an RGBW controller on an RGBWW strip?
No. An RGBW controller cannot drive an RGB+CCT strip properly because the strip has one more channel. Use an RGB+CCT controller; it can also run an RGB strip or a tunable white strip.
Why does my RGBWW strip show the wrong color?
A color signal line is connected wrongly. Connect R to R, G to G, B to B, W to W and WW to WW, and connect the + of the strip to the + on the controller output.
How far can an RGBWW LED strip run?
A 5V strip shows voltage drop within 5 meters and needs power at both ends. A 12V strip has no voltage drop in 5 meters (power at both ends for 10 meters); a 24V strip has none in 10 meters (power at both ends for 15 meters). For longer runs, add an LED amplifier between two strips, or use a constant current RGBWW strip.
How do I control several RGBWW zones?
Use RF controllers: one RF remote controls multiple RF controllers, the controllers synchronize automatically within 30 meters, and one controller can match up to 10 remotes. For larger projects, use DMX decoders: each strip is one DMX address, controlled from a console or a computer.
Related reading: How to wire single color led strip lights?
How to wire tunable white/CCT led strip lights?
Send us your run length, voltage and how you want to control it, and the SuperLightingLED team will put together the strip, controller, amplifier and power supply. Standard orders such as accessories and controllers ship within 24–48 hours; LED strip orders follow the production lead time shown on the product page. Contact our team