How to cut and connect LED strips

It is made of a flexible material that adapts to any surface. Depending on the model, it comes with 30, 60 or 120 LEDs per meter. It contains SMD (Surface Mount) LEDs, equally spaced along the strip.

Although all types are versatile, there are specific LED strips for each space. Some strips are exclusively for indoor use, while others come with IP65 protection for outdoor areas (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, signage, shop windows, facades, bars, bowling alleys, and hotel spaces.

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Installing LED strips:

1. 1. Identify the space

The first thing to consider is where you will install the LED strip. You need to measure the surface to calculate the cuts. If the surface length is 93 cm, you can cut a section of 90 or 95 (remember that cuts must be multiples of 5 cm!).

2. Cutting the pieces

Cut the strip along the marked line every 5 centimeters. You can use any scissors. Attention: if you cut the strip outside the 5 cm cutting line, the cut section will not work and cannot be reused.

3. Preparing the adapters

Once the length of the LED strip is known, the adapter required to power it can be calculated. Generally, strips run on 12V, and the adapter allows them to be connected to a 220V outlet. The adapter must always be 12V, and we recommend a switching power supply type adapter that resists voltage fluctuations.

Regarding the electric current, it can be calculated by considering the strip's consumption per meter. For example, if we want to install two meters of SMD LED strip, the consumption is 0.4 amps per meter, which is equivalent to 400 milliamperes (mA), so we need a 1-amp power supply. Although the consumption is 0.8 amps, it is always recommended to leave a margin of at least 20% to avoid the power supply being required to its maximum capacity.

4. Strip and adapter connection

Connect the LED strip to the adapter using pre-made connectors. You can also solder the power supply wires using a soldering iron with tin and electricity up to 40 watts. If this is your option, unwind the wires from the end of the adapter and solder them to the tracks at the end of the strip. Important: The positive cable of the power supply must be soldered to the positive track of the strip (and similarly for the negative).

If the strip is RGB, it is necessary to have an "RGB controller," which allows color mixing. In this case, the power supply is connected to the controller, and its four cables are soldered to the tracks of the RGB strip. Each wire has a color, and each track has a letter. The red wire should go to the R track, green to G, blue to B, and black to the common positive of the strip.

5. Test run

Once the cuts have been made and the sections soldered - and connected to the controller, if that is your case - perform a test run to check the connection. The power supply should be the last thing you connect, because although the voltage in the system is low and there are no electrical risks, it could damage the system.

6. Surface cleaning

Before placing the strip, it is important to clean the surface where it will be adhered. The LED strip comes with self-adhesive on its back, and it adheres to almost any surface: plastic, wood, metal, acrylic, cardboard, glass, wall, drywall, and stone, among others. The surface must be clean for the adhesion to be more durable. It can be cleaned with a damp cloth and make sure it is completely dry before proceeding.

7. Presentation

Once the surface is clean, position the strip in place to ensure you have made the measurements correctly. It's never a waste of time!

8. Placement

Peel off the backing paper from the LED strip, and peel it as you stick it (do not peel all the paper at once!). Once the strip is stuck, press with a finger in each gap remaining between LED and LED (attention: do not press on the resistors or the LEDs, only the strip).

9. Connection

Connect the power supply to the current and enjoy the bright and uniform light provided by the LED strip.

Unused sections can be used in another project. There are also connectors to join 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. And also, they are maintenance-free and have a very long lifespan, like all LED products.