How To Use Bifröst with Amplifiers and the Hue Lightstrip Plus Controller

In order to get the maximum benefit from Bifröst in a Hue Lighstrip Plus controlled configuration, amplifiers are needed. They allow the 24W power limitation when connected directly to the LS+ controller to be lifted and the full brightness of Bifröst is unleashed! The posted image is a wiring diagram of this setup.

Wiring diagram for using Bifrost with the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus controller

It may look a little intimidating at first, but the setup is essentially hooking up the output of the LS+ controller to the input of the amplifier, then connecting Bifröst to the output amplifier. Both the LS+ controller and amplifier can be powered off of the same 24 Volt DC power supply. Up to 10 meters of Bifröst-147 Pro and 15 meters of Bifröst-84 Pro can be run off of one amplifier, but we recommend running no more than 10m in series to avoid any noticeable voltage drop and provide the best performance.

Note that you will also need a large enough 24V DC constant voltage power supply to power the system, as the small 24W power supply provided with the LS+ is not powerful enough. We recommend 120W per 5m reel of Bifröst-147 Pro, and 72W per 5m reel of Bifröst-84 Pro. There are many viable options, but our top recommendation is the Mean Well HLG series power supplies for a professional level of protection and efficiency. Another more cost effective variant with many of the same benefits is the Mean Well XLG series.

IMPORTANT: If you are wiring the LS+ to the new power supply instead of using the 24 VDC supply that comes with it, you must attach the white wire with the DASHED line to the +24V lead. Philips did not use reverse polarity protection on the LS+ and wiring backwards will damage the controller. Wiring to the new power supply is done at your own risk!

Alternatively, Bifröst can still be run with the LS+ without the amplifiers, but will be subject to the same constraints on power that the LS+ implements on their own strips. In this case, do not exceed 10m of Bifröst attached to the controller, and be sure to wire the strip to the controller before plugging in the LS+.

Feel free to contact us at info@sowilodesign.com with any questions on the setup, or for help with the LED configuration you are working on and we will suggest the optimal wiring for the system to get the most out of Bifröst. We are here to help!