Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W → 74AHCT125 → WS2812B LED Strip
Toggle Power Wires
Toggle Ground Wires
Toggle Data Wires
Toggle /OE Wires
+5V BUS
GND BUS (COMMON GROUND)
5V PSU
5V, ≥10A
+5V
GND
FUSE
SWITCH
470–1000µF
at LED input
Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W
Pin
Name
Use
4
5V
Board 5V
6
GND
Common GND
12
GPIO18
LED DATA OUT
GPIO18 (Pin 12)
GND (Pin 6)
5V (Pin 4)
74AHCT125
Quad Buffer / Level Shifter
Pin
Name
Function
1
/1OE
Output enable (low = on)
2
1A
Input from Pi GPIO18
3
1Y
Output to LED DIN (5V)
7
GND
Chip ground
14
VCC
+5V supply
/1OE
1A
1Y
VCC (Pin 14)
GND (Pin 7)
/1OE → GND
WS2812B LED Strip
First LED segment
Pad
Name
Use
1
5V
Power in
2
DIN
Data in
3
GND
Ground
4
DOUT
To next LED
5V
DIN
GND
DOUT → next LED
220–470Ω
Red = +5V, Gray = GND, Yellow = Data, Orange = /OE (enable). Pi, level shifter, and LEDs share a single common ground.