Installation Guide
Step-by-step instructions for installing LEDs on your spray wall. Start with the Wall Planner to calculate your layout and components.
1. Drilling the Panel
Each LED needs a 12mm hole through the plywood panel. The LED bulb sits snugly in the hole from behind, with the light facing forward through the wall surface.
Tools needed
- - 12mm wood drill bit (brad point recommended)
- - Drill/driver
- - Measuring tape and marker
- - Straight edge or chalk line for grid layout
Drill on the ground
Always drill the panels before mounting them on the wall. Drilling on the ground is faster, more accurate, and produces cleaner holes. Mark your grid pattern (10cm or 20cm spacing) with a chalk line, then drill at each intersection.
Tips
- ✓ Use a brad point bit for clean edges — spade bits tear the plywood
- ✓ Place a scrap board underneath to prevent blowout on the back
- ✓ Keep edge margin of at least 10cm from panel edges
- ✓ Avoid drilling within 5cm of panel seams
2. LED Mounting Methods
There are several ways to mount LEDs depending on your hold types. Most walls use a mix of methods.
A. Standard — LED through hole
The most common method. The WS2812B LED bulb sits in the 12mm hole from behind the panel. The LED dome pokes through to the front, sitting flush with or slightly below the wall surface. Works well for most bolt-on holds since the hold base doesn't fully cover the hole.
B. Fiber optic rod through hold
For thick holds where the LED behind the panel wouldn't be visible. Drill a small hole (3-4mm) through the climbing hold itself, insert a clear acrylic or fiber optic rod, and position the LED behind the rod. Light travels through the rod and glows on the hold surface.
How to
- 1. Drill a 3-4mm hole through the thickest part of the hold
- 2. Cut a clear acrylic rod to length (hold thickness + 5mm)
- 3. Insert the rod, flush with the hold surface
- 4. Position the LED directly behind the rod on the panel
C. Surface mount — LED beside hold
When you can't drill behind a hold (e.g., a volume or box covering the area), mount the LED on the wall surface next to the hold. Less clean visually but simple and effective. The LED still lights up clearly to indicate which hold to use.
Special cases
Large holds (jugs, slopers)
Large holds may cover the LED hole completely. Options: use the fiber optic method (B), position the LED hole slightly offset from the hold center so light is visible at the edge, or drill through the hold itself if the material allows it.
Holds on holds (dual texture)
When a smaller hold is bolted on top of a larger one (common for screw-on footholds on a jug), the LED goes behind the primary hold. The smaller hold doesn't need its own LED — it shares the same position in the app.
Volumes and boxes
Volumes are large 3D shapes that bolt onto the wall and change the wall geometry. Holds are then bolted onto the volume surface. For volumes:
- - Drill LED holes in the volume surface (same 12mm hole, same method)
- - Route a short LED strip extension inside the volume
- - Connect to the main strip with a 3-pin extension cable
- - Or use surface mount (method C) on the wall around the volume
3. Strip Routing & Connections
LED strips run in a serpentine pattern on the back of the panel. Each strip is 50 LEDs. Strips connect end-to-end with 3-pin connectors. Use the Wall Planner to see the exact routing for your wall.
Serpentine pattern
- - Row 1 (bottom): left to right — LEDs 0-49
- - Row 2: right to left — LEDs 50-99
- - Row 3: left to right — LEDs 100-149
- - Continue alternating direction up the wall
Strip connections
Each strip has a data-in and data-out end (marked with arrows). Connect data-out of one strip to data-in of the next using the 3-pin JST connector. Make sure the arrow direction follows the serpentine path.
4. Power & Wiring
The Wall Planner calculates your exact PSU size, cable dimensions, and injection points. This section covers the physical installation.
Power injection
Inject 5V and GND every 150 LEDs (3 strips) to prevent voltage drop. Each injection point has a red (+5V) and black (GND) wire running from the junction box to the LED strip. Solder or use Wago connectors to tap into the strip's power pads.
Junction box
The junction box distributes power from the PSU to each injection point through individual fused outputs. Mount it on the wall behind the climbing panel, near the PSU. Each output should have its own fuse rated for the injection current (typically 10A).
Safety
- ! Never power LEDs from the controller's 5V pin
- ! Always use a fused junction box — never wire injection points directly to PSU
- ! Ensure common ground between PSU, controller, and LED strips
- ! Use appropriately rated cable — check the planner for your calculated sizes
5. Controller Setup
The Raspberry Pi (or ESP32) runs the Beeboard LED server software. It connects to the LED strip via GPIO 18 and to the app via WiFi or Bluetooth.
Wiring
- D GPIO 18 → LED strip data-in (first strip, first LED)
- G GND → junction box ground (shared with LED system)
- P USB-C power from wall outlet (separate from LED power)
Software
The Pi comes pre-configured if you order a kit. For self-sourced hardware, follow the Raspberry Pi Setup Guide to install the Beeboard server software.
6. Testing & Mapping
Once everything is wired and powered on, use the Beeboard app to map each LED to its corresponding hold position on the wall.
LED test
- 1. Power on the PSU and controller
- 2. Open the Beeboard app and connect to the controller
- 3. Run "Test all LEDs" — every LED should light up in sequence
- 4. Check for dead LEDs, wrong colors, or dim sections (indicates wiring issues)
Hold mapping
- 1. Upload a photo of your wall in the app
- 2. Tap each hold position on the photo
- 3. Assign the corresponding LED number to each hold
- 4. The app can auto-detect holds using ML if available
Ready to plan your wall?
Use the Wall Planner to calculate your exact LED count, components, and wiring.
Open Wall Planner