Due to its versatility and numerous advantages, LED strip lights have completely changed how we illuminate our homes and workplaces. LED strip lights let you alter any place with a fashionable and affordable lighting solution, whether trying to add ambient lighting to your kitchen or business space.
Additionally, installing LED tape couldn’t be simpler and doesn’t require any prior electrical expertise, so you can easily achieve the desired appearance. This article offers a comprehensive how-to on installing LED strip lights for DIYers, experts, and novices alike. It contains all the information you require to install LED strip lights.
This manual describes all important information, procedures, and important comments. It also highlights the typical errors that plenty of individuals would commit.
Table of Contents
Things To Consider Before Installing Commercial Electric LED Strip Lights
LED Strip Lights and Light Bars have specified limitations for the run length due to safety concerns and the nature of LED light fixture design. However, if you keep the following in mind, it’s rather simple to create a massive LED installation that’s both safe and effective.
Check Strip’s Limitations
The run limits in feet and fixtures are listed on the corresponding product pages for all strips, bars, and module lights. A safer installation will result from run limit observance and help the lights last longer.
When an adapter is used to supply more power than it is designed to, it will overheat and perhaps catch fire. We advise using no more than 80% of a power supply’s capacity to prevent power spikes.
Use Right Gauge Wires
The wire gauge provides information about a wire’s thickness. A lower number indicates weight, and a larger number indicates lightness. Large installations must consider the wire gauge of the parallel run cables and the 12V power wires.
A voltage drop will occur if an appliance or light is placed distant from the power supply. The proper wire gauge can be determined depending on the number of fixtures in your installation using a voltage drop calculator, which helps you avoid voltage drop.
Use Power Supply With High Wattage
Utilizing a power source with a larger wattage than required is an additional method for providing power to a far-off fixture. A fixture will get more power after passing through the wires if more power is provided at the source.
Steps To Install Commercial Electric LED Strip Lights
Strip lights are simple to install for indoor and outdoor applications because they are cuttable, linkable, and have 3M double-sided back adhesive. White LED strip lights to work well as ambient, accent, or task lighting in both business and residential settings.
Frequently used to create ambiance are RGB and dream color strip lights. In conclusion, strip lights are ideal for lighting DIY projects since they can be used in various situations.
Prepare LED Strip Lights For Installation
The layout plan will directly determine the installation task, and the cost of your project will be indirectly affected. Although a project’s light strip may have a fixed length, a variable wiring arrangement may necessitate a different number of power supplies and controllers. The price of parts and labor will therefore vary.
Connect Strip To Power Supply
An LED light strip, a suitable power source, and, occasionally, LED wiring are required for a straightforward installation. Connect the low-voltage 12V LED strip to one end of the power supply and the 110V house outlet.
The power source must deliver the right voltage and amount of amperage for the light strip. Remember the polarities while connecting the power supply to the light strip. A connection between incorrect polarities could damage LEDs. 12V and 24V.
Connect LED Light Strips To the Adapter
Two light strips can each receive power from one power adaptor. The two light strips can be connected with just a two-way power splitter. Please note that the wattage of the light strip cannot be greater than the adapter’s output for LED strip lights.
Typically, a power adaptor uses less than 120W. Thus, the maximum power per light strip is 50W.
Use LED Dimmer For Single Color Lights Strip
It would help if you utilized an LED dimmer positioned between the light strip and power source to change the brightness level of single-color LED strip lights. A LED dimmer may also be referred to as an LED switch controller.
Remote controls are typically available for controllers. Control keys or buttons are also present on some controllers. As usual, the strip lights’ voltage and maximum amperage must be suitable.
Use RGB Controller For RGB LED Lights
RGB LED and an RGB LED controller must control strip lights to function. RGB controllers manage the RGB strips’ colors, including color selection, color-changing modes, and brightness levels.
A suitable power source is also necessary for installing RGB strip lights. Similarly to this, RGBW strip lights require an RGBW controller to operate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Cost Of Installing LED Strip Lights?
Now that you know how LED bulbs can help you save money over time by requiring you to buy fewer light bulbs, you can use them. Your location will now affect the price of power per kWh. Because of this, an LED bulb costs only $16 to power at that rate instead of $115 for an incandescent bulb.
Does LED Strip Light Use More Power Than Bulbs?
Absolutely not! Watts per meter is the unit used to assess consumption, and several factors will affect this. The intensity of the lights, to start. A common LED strip lamp with a standard density has 25 to 30 LEDs per meter. In terms of the number of diodes per unit length, a high density is often 50 or 125. However, some reach much higher.
The size of the diodes comes next. Normally, this information is provided as a four-digit number that only specifies the diode’s width and height.
Bottom Line
Utilizing strip mounting brackets and screws at strategic locations along the strip is another approach to hanging LED strip lights. This installation technique may be an excellent option for outdoor strip light applications.
Additionally, it is frequently employed for indoor applications involving concealed or invisible LED strips, such as ceiling cove lighting. Long-term application surface preparation on the coves of the ceiling may be difficult.
The LED lights won’t be obstructed by the mounting brackets, either. Mount the power supply and LED controller last.
