LED strip connectors

OldNick

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Sep 3, 2006
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I recently converted a bus/motor home ceiling lights to LED using LED strips, cut into short strips. I also fixed up a trailer's lights with LEDs the same way.......It was a PITA. I had to strip the plastic from each min-strip's connector tab area then solder.....again and again and....it also took quite a lkot of time.

I now want to use strips for veranda and shed lighting and I have found that the higher-power (5050 etc), if left in a full strip, lose a HEAP of power due to strip loss in the conductors, which are too fine for a full length let alone chained strips. So a few feeder cables would not go astray.

So I have seen the garden lights where you just clamp the cables with a little plastic gizzmo that has spikes to contact the conductors. Can you get these for LED strip lighting?

Thanks for any help.
 
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Str8stroke

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Nov 27, 2013
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On The Black Pearl
I have played alot with cheap china 5050 strip lights. If you are worried about loss, then a crimp connector would likely be the worst way to go. If you use a good power supply, then loss shouldn't be a huge issue. I have linked 3 Cheap 5 meter strings together using a Astron 10amp power supply at around 13.8 volts and not had a single loss of output issue. I connected the strips by soldering them.

I already had the power supply lying around from some Ham Radio stuff.
 

OldNick

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Sep 3, 2006
Messages
130
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Western Australia
I have played alot with cheap china 5050 strip lights. If you are worried about loss, then a crimp connector would likely be the worst way to go. If you use a good power supply, then loss shouldn't be a huge issue. I have linked 3 Cheap 5 meter strings together using a Astron 10amp power supply at around 13.8 volts and not had a single loss of output issue. I connected the strips by soldering them.

I already had the power supply lying around from some Ham Radio stuff.

I have to disagree. I ran a single 5m strip of 5050 and it was way under current, with a 250w power supply set at 13-8v.Connecting both ends helped and also made brightness even along the strip, but it was still under current. Many others have spoken of the same experience.
 

OldNick

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Sep 3, 2006
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So what I am finding now is crimp stuff that still needs the silicone covering removed from the solder tabs on the strip: one of tyhe nastiest parts for me. There are a few arguments that say it's easy, but I feel that there are LED strips and LED strips: I have had a coupe of shockers whenn it vcomes to removing the covering.

I wish they would just do an "uncool" method that simply punches through the silicone into the pads.....
 
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