An-Penta-Deca · FAQ

The big board, explained.

Questions about running fifteen channels at once. Planning your install? The getting-started guide covers zoning.

Answered by Quindor · QuinLED / Intermit.Tech · Updated June 2026

Channels & zones
What can the An-Penta-Deca's 15 channels actually do?
A lot. Run three independent RGBCCT strips (five channels each), up to fifteen separate white zones, or any mix of single, RGB, RGBW and RGBCCT. It's built to run a whole multi-zone room from one controller.
Three RGBCCT strips, really independent?
Yes. Each RGBCCT strip uses five channels (R, G, B, WW, CW), so three of them fill the board — and each is its own light in your firmware and in Home Assistant. New to tunable white? The CCT guide.
Why one big board instead of three small ones?
One IP address, one config, one fuse box, one thing to update. For a built-in install — cove, shelves, under-cabinet, an accent wall — a single Deca is tidier and easier to live with than several scattered controllers.
What CRI can it achieve?
CRI comes from the strip, not the controller — but the Deca is built to drive high-CRI analog and COB white strips, where CRI 95+ is common, across every zone. True-to-life white, in as many zones as you like.
Flicker & video
Does the 15-channel An-Penta-Deca stay flicker-free?
Yes — every channel dims at ~20 kHz. A whole-room scene fading all fifteen channels at once films as clean as a single strip: no bands, no flicker. Full explainer: why LEDs flicker on camera.
I see banding on camera — what now?
It's the camera's shutter set very high, not the Deca. At normal shutter speeds ~20 kHz is invisible. Lower the shutter and it clears immediately.
Power & safety
What are the power limits?
12–48V DC from one supply, up to 5A per channel and 30A total across all fifteen. Match the supply to your strips and size it for the combined load.
How is the Deca fused, and how do I replace one?
Every positive output is fused. There are 6 fused positive outputs protecting the 15 dimming channels, so a fault in one zone blows one fuse and leaves your other zones running. One bad strip can't take down the install. The An-Penta-Deca wiring guide shows where the fuses are and how to swap one. Background: why per-output fusing matters.
Built for a permanent install?
Very much so — a finned-aluminium body with mounting flanges, an external antenna and per-output fusing. Fix it down, wire your zones, and leave it.
Firmware & Home Assistant
ESPHome or WLED for multi-zone?
ESPHome is excellent here — each zone is its own Home Assistant light entity over a local API, which keeps a big install organised. WLED works too. Both are local, with no cloud or account. Install or update WLED in your browser with QuinLED's web flasher at install.quinled.info. The full decision guide: ESPHome vs WLED for analog.
Will fifteen channels bog down Home Assistant?
No. Over the local ESPHome API the device pushes state instantly, and Home Assistant runs 15+ light entities from one device without lag. Group your zones into rooms and scenes and it stays snappy.
Does it need the cloud?
No — fully local on ESPHome or WLED. You own it; nothing phones home.