LED Light Strips

[last updated: 2021-11-08]

go to: LED's
go to: undercounter light strip project
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• There are of course dozens of different configurations for LED light strips,
  with different LED's used, with different brightness, spacing, color, waterproof or not, etc.
  Here are two versions I've tried:
  • 5050's from SuperBrightLEDs.com:
    60@ 5050 leds/m,
    375 lm/ft,
    360 ma/ft
    12v, warm white
    UPC: 847781043662
  • 3528's:
    • From eBay. No record of price or PN.
      
      
      

      LED strip Roll
    • Note contact pads on end of cut strip: I tried tinning them with a tiny drop of solder, and that worked, but wasn't necessary, because they made good connection under the connector clips without being tinned.
      
      
      

      contact pads on cut end

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• Cut them:
  • Every strip I've seen is splittable, that is,
    you can cut the strip (on a marked line) in between groups of 3 LED's,
    solder new connections, and have a light strip of your desired length.
    
    

    cut on white line every 3rd LED
  • Note that on both sides of the cut line are a pair of contacts for powering each cut strip
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  • Connectors:
    • I think I got the connectors from Banggood, I had recorded SKU187278, but that doesn't find anything now.
      Regardless, searching now for "LED strip connectors" gives lots of hits.
      Anyway, here's a picture of mine:
      
      

      LED strip Connector
    • With careful force, the cut end of the LED strip can be inserted under the clips in the connector.
    • If you want the red & black wires of the connector pigtail to match up with +V & gnd (of course you do), you must insert the correct cut end into the connector.
      
      
      

      notch in corner of LED is gnd side

      On my 3528 LED strip, the side of the strip that had the notch in the corner of the LED, mirrored by the notch in the corner of the white outline on the PCB,
      is on the ground side. Check yours to be sure.

    • The connector I have is clearly not designed for the 3528 light strip in the picture, because closing the lid would smash the first LED chip, but it works on these by cutting off the lid/flap. The clips hold onto the end of the LED strip Very securely, so the lid is not needed, IMO.
    
    
    inserted into connector

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