How to cut and connect LED strips
How to cut and connect LED strips
It is made of a flexible material that adapts to any surface. Depending on the model, they come with 30, 60 or 120 LEDs per meter. It contains SMD (Surface Mount) LEDs, located at an equal distance along the strip.
Although all types have many uses, there are specific LED strips for every space. Some strips are intended exclusively for indoor use, others come with IP65 outdoor protection (dust and moisture).
It comes with self-adhesive along the entire length of the strip making it very easy to install, especially under countertops, cabinets, stairs, signs, shop windows, facades, bars, bowling alleys and hotel spaces.
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Installation of LED strips:
- 1. Getting to know the space
The first thing to look at is where you will install the LED strip. You need to measure the deck to calculate the cut. If the deck is 93cm long, you can cut a section of 90 or 95 (remember the cuts should be multiples of 5cm!).
- Cut the pieces
Cut the tape along the marked line every 5 centimeters. You can use any scissors. Attention: If the tape is cut beyond the 5cm cutting line, the cutting section will not work and cannot be reused.
- Transformer preparation
When the length of the LED strip is known, the transformer needed to power it can be calculated. Generally, the strips go to 12V, and the adapter allows them to be plugged into a 220V socket. The transformer should always be 12V, and we recommend a switched source type transformer that resists changes in voltage.
Regarding the electric current, it can be calculated taking into account the consumption of the strip per meter. For example, if we want to install two meters of SMD LED strip, the consumption is 0.4 amperes per meter, which is equivalent to 400 milliamperes (mA), so we need a 1 amp. Although the consumption is 0.8 A, it is always recommended to leave a margin of at least 20% to avoid the source being required to the maximum.
- Tape and adapter connection
Connect the LED strip to the transformer using pre-made connectors. You can also solder the source wires with a tin and electric soldering iron up to 40W. If this is your option, strip the wires from the end of the adapter and solder them to the tracks on the end of the strip. IMPORTANT: The positive cable of the source must be soldered to the positive track of the strip (as with the negative).
If the tape is RGB, it is necessary to have an "RGB controller", which allows colors to be mixed. In this case, the source is connected to the controller, and its four cables are soldered to the tracks of the RGB tape. Each wire has a color and each path has a letter. The red wire should go to the R track, the green should go to G, the blue to B and the black to the common positive of the strip.
- Operational test
Once you've made the cuts and soldered the sections—and connected to the controller, if that's your case—perform a test run to verify the connection. The power supply should be the last thing you plug in, because even though the voltage in the system is low and there are no electrical hazards, it can damage the system.
- Surface cleaning
Before applying the tape, it is important to clean the surface where it will be glued. The LED strip comes with self-adhesive material on its back, and sticks to almost any surface: plastic, wood, metal, acrylic, cardboard, glass, wall, doorlock and stone, among others. The surface must be clean so that the adhesion is more durable. It can be cleaned with a damp cloth and make sure it is completely dry before proceeding.
- Presentation
Once the surface is clean, file the tape into place to make sure you made the measurements correctly. It's never a waste of time!
- Placement
Peel off the backing paper from the LED strip, peeling it as you stick it (don't peel all the paper at once!). Once the tape is glued, press with a finger into each gap remaining between LED and LED (caution: do not press on the resistors or LEDs, only the tape).
- Delivery
Plug the source in and enjoy the bright, even light provided by the LED strip.
Sections that are not used can be used in another project. There are also connectors for connecting different sections of strips in the same connection (there are linear or L-shaped).
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As you have seen, LED strips are very easy to install. Also, they are maintenance-free and have a very long life, like all LED products.
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