Installation of LED strip

The LED strip is exclusively decorative, because the LED strip is extremely decorative.to create full-color lighting it does not fit. These lighting elements have a fairly wide range of applications - designers often use it when designing:

• ceiling structures;
• of stairs;
• decorative niches;
• furniture;
• shelves.

Also lighting ribbons can be used for commercial purposes. With their help, advertising products, amusement rides, concert stages, shop windows are created.

Similar illumination makes it possible to simulate the sunset, daylight or create some other light effect. Using LED strips, you can get uniform lighting that will not dazzle or create shadows. If desired, you can change the color and brightness of the backlight, which allows you to change the interior of the room. Due to its flexibility the product is freely located on any structure. The tape can be cut into fragments, each of which then separately connected. A significant number of highlights have a self-adhesive base, which in the process of work you just need to remove and attach the product to the right place.

LED strip light. Photo:

Principle of operation

Such tapes work with the help of special units with a fairly wide range of power - 30-400 W.To ensure the power of the backlight, it is necessary to connect the wire contacts to it by soldering, taking into account the polarity. To connect, power and control a special device is used - a controller that has three channels. The connection is made so that the plus of the lighting element is connected to the plus of the power supply, and the minus, respectively, to the minus.

In order to correctly select the block for the LED strip, it is necessary to start from the required power factor. When determining it, you should be guided by the length of the product, as well as the number of LEDs that are supposed to be connected and the power of 1 m.

In addition, it is necessary to provide another 20% of capacity as a reserve. It is also important to consider the output voltage. The choice is made in the following sequence:

1. First you need to multiply the power consumption by the number of meters of material.
2. Further, taking into account the result obtained and the voltage, a block is selected.

Varieties of LED stripes

Tapes differ among themselves according to several criteria:

1. One of them is the number of LEDs per meter. The backlight can have 60 or 120 LED elements. The more of them, the brighter the ribbon shines, and the lighting is distributed more evenly.
2. The next difference is the color of the glow. A wide variety of color solutions makes it possible to embody any design intent.
3. Tapes also differ in the degree of protection and are divided according to this criterion into such types:

• conventional;
• waterproofing elements.

Backlighting related to the first type is intended exclusively for installation in rooms that are protected from moisture penetration. Tapes with moisture-proof properties can be installed in rooms with high humidity and even outdoors.

Thus, it is possible to distinguish 4 types of LED tape highlights:

• single-color products - they can be blue, yellow, red, white or green;
• multicolor - RGB tapes, which change color with the help of the controller;
• backlight with or without self-adhesive base;
• tape with waterproof qualities.

Advantages of LED strips

Application in the design of LED tape has its undeniable advantages. Among them, it is worth highlighting such aspects:

1. Ease of installation. The installation of the LED strip is easy enough to perform independently without the help of specialists.
2. Insignificant consumption of electricity, which contributes to saving of financial resources.
3. Thanks to the ability to cut the product, it is possible to form a tape of the required length.
4. High efficiency. Unlike conventional lamas, 70% of the energy which is expended on heat, LED lighting almost all electricity is used for lighting.
5. Tapes do not emit ultraviolet radiation.
6. In case of power fluctuations in the network, the backlight will not go bad.
7. A wide choice of color solutions allows you to choose a product for any interior.
8. Over time, the quality of lighting does not deteriorate.
9. Tapes are made on the basis of ecological material and do not pose a health hazard.
10. Lowering the voltage in the network will not affect the operation of the backlight due to the power supply.
11. Long service life.

Preparatory stage

Application of LED tape in design design is a very simple way to create an unordinary and aesthetic interior. It should be noted that the work begins with the appropriate preparation, which includes such steps:

1. Before installation, the tape should be cut into fragments of the required length. The frequency of cutting depends on the density of the LED elements. It can be 3, 5 or 10 cm. The cutting area is fairly clearly marked by the manufacturer. For work simple scissors will do.
2. Next, you need to solder the wires. This requirement applies to holistic tapes that have not been cut. It is recommended to replace the wires, since their length does not correspond to the required dimensions, and some tapes go on sale completely without wires.
3. If this situation occurs, you can fix it yourself. To work, you will need a soldering iron with a small power - from 25 to 40 W and wires up to 20 cm in size and 0.75 mm in cross section.

LEDs, like all semiconductors can not be overheated. For single-color tape it is recommended to use two wires of different colors. This will help to avoid an error with polarity during the connection.

1. The wires must be stripped from both ends, then treated with rosin or tin and soldered.
2. The place of soldering is recommended to be insulated. To do this, you need a piece of heat-shrink tubing 2 cm long, which you just need to put on the soldering site.
3. Further this tube needs to be heated by means of a construction hair dryer with a special nozzle, which will prevent hot air from entering the LED.
4. In the absence of a hairdryer, an ordinary lighter or matches can be used, but the quality of the work for this reason may deteriorate.
5. This measure will make the soldering stronger and will create insulation from various influences.

How to install the LED strip

As noted above, for maximum convenience of the consumer many backlights are produced with a self-adhesive base. To work with products that do not have this advantage, you need to prepare a double-sided adhesive tape. Installation is carried out as follows:

1. From the work surface, first remove dust and other contaminants, then degrease the substrate.
2. Then the protective layer is removed from the backlight, after which it is pressed against the necessary place.
3. This completes the installation of the LED tape with your own hands.

Despite the obvious simplicity of the installation process, the work should be carried out in accordance with certain rules:

1. Advantageously, the tape goes to the points of sale in the coils, each of which has 5 m of material.
2. If there is a need for separation into fragments, account should be taken of the type of tape and the density of the LED elements.
3. You can connect up to 15 m of backlighting into a single fragment. This is sufficient for a ceiling construction in an apartment with a standard footage.
4. If you want to illuminate a large room, then this amount of material is clearly not enough. In this case, the most optimal output is the separation of the backlight into sections of up to 15 m in length. For each of them, a separate power supply must be provided. Otherwise, if the electricity passes through a large series of connected fragments, the first tapes will have a high voltage, which will eventually lead to their rapid burning out. For this reason, it is recommended to divide the backlight.
5. The installation of the LED tape on the ceiling is done so that it is not within sight of the bottom. To do this, the backlight is fixed on the protruding lower level, in its upper part. In this case, the light will be distributed along the upper level of the ceiling structure.
6. When determining the distance at which the ceiling levels will be placed, it is important to consider the brightness of the tape. In case of insufficient space, the illumination will turn out uneven, and in this case the locations of the LEDs will be visible. Excessive distance will worsen the lighting, as the light will dissipate.

Connecting the LED strip

First, we'll look at the process of connecting a single-color tape. It requires a 12-watt power source. Since the network voltage is 220 watts, you need to prepare a power supply. It is equipped with a power cord or two wires of the same color N and L, as well as two multi-colored wires. The polarity of red corresponds to the plus, and the blue to the minus. To connect, you need to connect the backlight to the output of the unit.

Now let's figure out how to connect the RGB LED strip, that is, the backlight, whose color can be changed with a special device:

1. In this case, in addition to the tape and the power supply, you need to prepare a controller. It is connected to the wires of the unit taking into account the polarity.
2. The backlight is then connected to the controller. This element with a tape connects 4 wires, 3 of which are designed to control colors, and the 4th receives power.

Important! RGB tapes can have high power LEDs that consume a significant amount of energy. Usually they are located on separate sites. The controller can not withstand this voltage, and the power supply unit will be large. In this situation it is recommended to use signal amplifiers.

It will take two power supplies with low power to connect to the controller and amplifier. One end of the tape is connected to the controller, after which wires are soldered to the second end and it is connected to the amplifier.

The principle of the amplifier is as follows: it has two pairs of contacts. One receives the signal, and through the other signal goes to the second highlight area. Thus, the brightness of the sections and their color changes. A more detailed understanding of this process will help the LED tape circuit.

Process recommendations for

1. The light should not be exposed to mechanical influences, such as pressure or kinks. This will negatively affect the quality of the product.
2. It is also necessary to monitor the integrity of the tracks through which current flows and feeds the tape.
3. The installation of the LED strip should be carried out on the aluminum profile, since this material has the ability to remove heat. And overheating, as noted earlier, negatively affects the LEDs, reducing their life.
4. During the installation phase, it should be possible to repair the lighting in the future.
5. It is necessary to provide conditions for working with a soldering iron at the location of the tape and block. For this reason, it is not recommended to install the products behind tension or suspended ceilings, since in order to carry out repair work in this case it will be necessary to dismantle the part of the structure.

Possible errors:

• in the process of connecting the backlight and the unit the polarity is reversed;
• using a power source with an inadequate power;
• mechanical load on the LED cord;
• does not take insulation measures when sticking the product on a surface that conducts electrical voltage;
• series connection of long sections.

Conclusion

The main function of LED strips is to create a decorative effect. These lighting elements have a significant number of advantages that distinguish them from conventional lamps. Among the main advantages can be distinguished ease of installation and aesthetic appeal. A certain number of tapes goes on sale with a self-adhesive backing, which minimizes efforts during installation work. The installation of products that do not have such a framework is also available and does not require qualified knowledge or professional skills.

The tape connection features are shown on the video: