When it comes to lighting, LED strips are the best choice. The advantages they offer in terms of decoration, light quality and sustainability make them today’s favourites. Whether for domestic or industrial spaces, they are ideal. But there are still many people who don’t know how to install an LED strip.
Yes, they are easy to install, but there is a minimum we need to know. Although at first it may seem complicated, because they are different from ordinary light bulbs, the truth is that anyone could safely install LED strips in their furniture.
But to make the process easier for you, we will explain how to install a LED strip like a professional, so your finishes and results will be the best for your customers.
It is worth noting that if you are looking for a visual explanation you can visit our YouTube channel and watch the different tutorials we have describing the whole process for our customers.
Steps to install an LED strip
The steps are very simple and we will explain them in detail so that you can understand the process and apply it in the different contexts you need. From luminaires for furniture to living rooms, wardrobes or mirrors.Define the installation area
What you need to consider initially is the installation location. For this measure the length of the surface and take the bottom number closest to a multiple of 5 to cut the strip. This is because most LED strips have the cut-off measurement every 5 cm, however, you can see this in the specifications of each model you purchase.
Making the cut
To cut the strip to the length you need, you must take into account that there is a sign indicating where it should be cut. If you make a mistake in this step you may cause the strip not to work. Use an ordinary scissors and carefully cut it, as we said before, every 5 cm should have the marking. The cutting point is also characterised by two metal contacts on the sides.Connection between LED strip and transformer
The transformers used for LED strips are generally 12 V. If a higher voltage is required, it should be stated in the specifications, but this is not often the case unless the strip is very long. To connect the transformer, it must contain specialised spikes that will serve to fix the tape and pass the power to its poles in the area where the cut was previously made. If you don’t have them, soldering with tin will be necessary. To save you even more hassle, buy a transformer with connectors like the ones we offer at Emuca.
Test your LED strip
Before adding it to any surface we recommend you to test it first, as in the connection process errors may occur and the LED strip may stop working, or it may just be a bad connection. For this, after the previous step, the LED strip is placed on a surface and the transformer is connected. In any case the last part to be connected must be the transformer. Although the voltage is safe for people, a cut can damage the LED strip in one segment or completely, so caution is always important.Surface installation
When all the electrical part is over, we proceed to disconnect the transformer to manipulate the LED strip. Before sticking to any surface, it is essential to clean it, as impurities can cause it not to adhere properly and peel off over time. Simply wipe the surface with a damp cloth and then wipe it dry so that the surface is ready for the LED strip adhesive after a few minutes.
Measuring and bonding
Always measure one more time to check and when everything is correct, remove the adhesive protector while you are sticking the LED strip. It is crucial that you do this progressively, as if you remove it completely you may mess it up or stick it wrongly. To fix it, apply gentle pressure on the plastic parts of the strip, never on the LEDs or other components.Connect and enjoy
When you have completed all the above steps you can proceed to connect the transformer and enjoy the LED strip, it only remains to place the diffuser panels if you have them or other accessories. For most cases these steps will be more than enough. When it comes to RGB LED lights you will need a driver that must be connected between the transformer and the LED strip, but the premise is the same.
