With the advent of LED lamps it became possible to make the lighting design of apartments and houses more varied. And when they came up with flexible tapes with small LEDs attached to them, which can glow in different colors and even smoothly change color, only imagination is required: connection led strip- it's not difficult. Once you have done the operation, you can easily repeat it.
LED strips are single-color and universal - they change their color using the control panel
Types and types
Before connecting the LED strip, it is worth understanding their types and markings. So you will not be mistaken with the choice of the power supply and will accurately calculate the required glow intensity, tape length and other parameters.
Colors and types of glow
You've probably noticed that LED strips differ in the type of glow. They are:
- Monochrome. They are assembled from elements of the SMD type, give out a certain color. The marking indicates the initial letter of the English spelling of the color:
- LED-W-SMD - white (can be tinted blue or yellow, also called warm or cold light),
- LED-R-SMD - red,
- LED-B-SMD - blue,
- LED-G-SMD - green.
- Universal. Marked with RGB - they give different shades depending on the command from the control panel. They work in tandem with a controller and a control panel.
The most demanded in the lighting of interiors are ribbons made of monochromatic - monochrome - crystals. The constant change of colors is too stressful, does not allow you to relax. This is illumination, not illumination. Therefore, universal tapes are used to create advertisements, highlight cars - wherever it is necessary to attract attention. When decorating interiors, they mainly use SMD tapes.
Degree of protection
Since the field of application of LED strips is extensive, the degree of protection is different. For dry rooms, conventional open ones are produced - without a protective coating. There are waterproof ones - they can be used in damp rooms - in bathrooms for example. They are covered with a layer of varnish. There is another option - moisture resistant. They are sealed in a sealed housing and can be mounted directly in the water - in an aquarium, pond or pool. They can also be used for outdoor lighting.
For exterior car styling, LED strips are most often used, placed in a transparent polymer tube. It protects not only from moisture penetration, but also from mechanical damage, but their cost is higher.
Sizes of LEDs, their brightness and density
Let's figure out the dimensions. If you take several strips, you can see that they are made of LEDs of different sizes. In addition, they are sometimes located tightly next to each other, in some - at a fairly decent distance, and there are also tapes with LEDs in two lines.
It is not difficult to distinguish the dimensions of the elements externally, but how to understand this by the marking. The dimensions are shown in numbers that appear after the letters indicating the type of LED. For example, LED-R-SMD3528 (red) and LED-RGB3528 (universal) are assembled from elements with dimensions 3.5 * 2.8 mm, LED-G-SMD5050 (green) and LED-RGB5050 (universal) - 5.0 * 5.0 mm.
These are the two most common types, although there are larger ones - 56 * 30 mm, and there are also smaller ones - 20 * 20 mm.
The larger the crystal, the greater the light intensity they give out. For monochrome crystals, the indicators are as follows:
- measuring 3.2 * 2.8 mm gives out a luminous flux from 0.6 to 2.2 lm;
- size 5.0 * 5.0 mm - from 2 to 8 lm.
Universal LEDs with the same dimensions have a lower intensity: three small crystals of different colors are soldered in one case, therefore the RGB luminescence intensity is lower:
- 3.2 * 2.8mm gives out 0.3 to 1.6 lm;
- size 5.0 * 5.0 mm - from 0.6 to 2.5 lm.
All values are given for crystals without a protective coating. Any of them reduces the intensity of the glow and this must be taken into account when calculating the brightness of the glow.
Length calculation
Above we were talking about each individual LED on the tape, and there are many of them on the tape and they are located with different densities, respectively, they can produce a stream of light of different intensities. The minimum number of crystals per meter is 30 pieces, the most high density in one row - 120 pcs / m, in two rows - 240 pcs / m.
Depending on the number of crystals, the total luminescence intensity and electrical power consumption also change. For the convenience of calculating the required illumination intensity and electrical parameters, the technical data are summarized in a table.
Power table of LED strips with different LED densities
From this table, you can determine how long the backlight tape is needed. For example, you want to make a backlight in a room, a medium intensity glow. Replace two 80W incandescent bulbs. It is necessary to organize a luminous flux of about 140 W (two 80 W lamps will never give 160 W).
If for these purposes you take SMD3528 with the number of LEDs 120 pcs / m, you will need about 5 meters of tape (we take with a margin of 20%), SMD5050 with an installation density of 60 pcs / m will require 4-4.5 meters.
In general, LED strip is sold by meters. From the factory, it comes in bobbins of 5 m and a piece of this length is not always necessary. Therefore, it is possible to cut off the required amount: according to the applied dotted lines with scissors. Strictly along these lines and can be cut.
Cut the LED strip with scissors strictly according to the marking
If the scissors are not drawn, then there must be a dotted line. Also, the cut line can be determined by the presence of contact pads on both sides of the line.
Connecting LED strip
Most LED strips are powered by 12V or 24V. If there is one line of crystals, 12 V is required, if there are two, 24 V is required. Any source is suitable direct current that produces such a voltage: battery, power supply, battery, etc.
To connect the tape to a 220 V household network, a converter or adapter is required (also called blocks or power supplies, adapters).
Recently, tapes have appeared that can immediately be connected to a 220 V network. All of them are sealed in plastic tubes - 220 Volts is no longer a joke. They are also cut along the marked lines, connected using a special connector that is inserted into the conductors. A cord with a built-in rectifier is connected to the connector (this is a diode bridge and a capacitor).
This tape differs from the usual one in that in it small sections (20 pieces) with LEDs are not connected in series, but in parallel, also so that the diodes are directed towards each other. Due to this, we get the required voltage of 220 volts or so. The alternating current is converted to direct current by means of a diode bridge, and the ripple is damped by a capacitor.
In principle, such a tape can be assembled from an ordinary one, but you will need to take care of insulation: touching an element connected to a household network without an adapter is fraught with serious consequences.
How to connect multiple LED strips
Each of the tapes, depending on the modules used and the number of elements per meter, consumes a different amount of current. Average parameters are shown in the table. Knowing how long you want to mount the backlight, you can choose an adapter that will deliver the required current.
Sometimes the required length of the tape exceeds 5 meters - when it is necessary to illuminate the room around the perimeter. Even if the power supply can deliver the required current, it is impossible to connect two or more five-meter tapes in series. The maximum permissible length of one branch is the 5 meters that come in a reel. If you grow it by connecting the second one in series, a current will flow along the tracks of the first tape that is many times higher than the calculated one. This will lead to a rapid failure of the elements. The track may even melt.
If the power of the power supply is such that several tapes can be connected to it, separate conductors are pulled to each of them: the connection diagram is parallel.
In this case, it is convenient to place the power supply unit in the middle, for example, in the corner, and from it - two tapes on both sides. But it is often cheaper to buy several less adapters than one more powerful one.
Connecting RGB tape through a controller
First the power supply is connected in series, then the controller. They are connected to each other with two wires. There are already 4 conductors coming out of the controller, which are wired to the corresponding contact pads of the RGB tape.
Just like in monochrome tapes, in this case the maximum permissible length of one line is 5 meters. If a longer length is required, then two bundles of wires of 4 pieces each leave the controller, that is, they are connected in parallel. The length of the conductors can be different, but it is more rational for the power supply and the controller to be in the middle, and two backlight branches go to the sides.
Connection methods
Connecting the LED strip to the power supply is serial. Therefore, we pay attention to the polarity: we connect "+" only to the same pole, and "-" - to the minus.
At the end of the tape, which comes on a reel, conductors are soldered. If the glow is monochrome, there are two conductors - "+" and "-", for multicolor 4, - one common "plus" (+ V) and three colored (R - red, G - green, B - blue).
But a 5-meter piece is not always needed. shorter lengths are often required. Cut the tape along the marked lines.
In the photo, you can see the contact pads on both sides of the cut line. They are signed on each tape, so it is rather difficult to get confused when connecting. To make it even easier, use different colored conductors. This will make it clearer and you will definitely not get confused.
Connectors
You can connect the LED strip without soldering. There are special connectors for this. These are specially designed devices - plastic cases that ensure proper contact. There are connectors:
It's very simple: open the lid, insert tape or bare-ended conductors. The lid closes. The connection is ready.
The method is very simple, but not very reliable. The contact is made only by pressure, and if the cap loosens a little, problems begin.
Soldering
If you have at least some soldering skills, it is better to use this method. For work, you need a medium-power soldering iron with a thin or sharpened tip. You need rosin or flux, as well as tin or solder.
We clean the ends of the conductors from the insulation, twist them into a tight bundle. We take a heated soldering iron, put the conductor on the rosin, and warm it up. We take a little solder on the tip of the soldering iron, warm up the wires again. The veins should be tightened with tin - tinned. In this form, the conductors are easy to solder.
It is advisable to plummet the contact pads in the same way: dip the soldering iron in rosin, warm up the pad. Make sure that the tin does not flow out of the area. Take the prepared conductor, lay it on the pad, warm it up with a soldering iron. The tin should melt and tighten the conductor. Hold the conductor in place for 10-20 seconds (sometimes it is easier to hold it with thin-nose pliers or tweezers - the conductor heats up), twitch. He must hold on tight. We solder all the necessary conductors in the same way.
On 4-wire RGB strips, be careful not to connect the pads during soldering. The distance between the contacts is very small, the slightest drips can ruin the whole business. Proceed carefully.
Watch the process of soldering a diode tape in the video. You will need to repeat everything.
One of the biggest mistakes is the unjustified choice of the supply voltage of the LED strip, power supplies and control units. This leads to additional financial and labor costs. Woe to the masters (generalists), who once a year get a hack to install a few meters of LED strip are very fond of 12 volts. When you ask them why did you order a 12V ribbon? They begin to carry some kind of nonsense that this is a safe voltage or mumble about some single standard. Most of them simply do not know about the existence of tapes with a power supply of 24V, 36V, 220V due to their narrow thinking and lack of necessary knowledge. In this article I will tell you both the substantiated optimality of the choice of some tapes and the inappropriateness, and in some cases, the impossibility of choosing others. Let's start with a 220V power strip. Everything seems to be simple, stuck to the ceiling, plugged in and enjoy the light, there is no need to buy expensive power supplies, but these tapes have serious drawbacks.
1. These tapes are available in a specific color only. That is, I bought a diode tape with a red tint - the ceiling will be forever red. After a week, this shade will begin to annoy you.
2. Most tapes powered by 220 volts are not dimmable.
3. These tapes can only be cut in 50 cm pieces.
4. The places of application of these tapes are very limited due to the high voltage. Four points are enough for us to give up LED strips with a supply voltage of 220V. We still have tapes with 12V, 24V and 36V power supply. Consider LED strips with a supply voltage of 36 volts.
I want to say right away that this voltage is considered the most optimal from the point of view of the stability of the operation of the diode tape and savings Money for cable products, control units, installation. BUT, not every manufacturer produces this tape and control equipment. And those manufacturers who produce it have a very narrow range of choices. In the future, in the event of equipment failure (controller, power supply, amplifier, dimmer), we may face the problem of their interchangeability. Therefore, unfortunately, we put aside the LED strip and additional equipment with a power supply of 36V. We still have a tape with a supply voltage of 24V and a favorite of generalists and migrant workers 12V. We will choose one of them in terms of numbers and facts. For example, take one of the most popular white tapes, made on smd 5060 diodes, 60 diodes per meter (14.4W) One will be with a supply voltage of 24V, the other 12V. I want to say right away that their cost is the same. Let's take the simplest ceiling perimeter, 20 linear meters.
Fig 1 Fig 2 
As we can see, we need to install 4 pieces of tape of standard length (5m). Every 5 meters of tape, we feed it with a separate cable (cord) from the power supply, as stated in the installation and connection manual.
Now let's take our CALCULATOR and calculate the cross-section of the cable cores for 24V tape: Enter the voltage - 24V in the first window. In the second window, enter the length of the cable (cord), about 6 meters. In the third window, enter the total power of 5 meters of tape 72W (14.4x5 = 72) Press calculate. The calculator gives out a cross-section of 0.75mm. For installation, a standard SHVVP cord 2x0.75 is suitable. Now let's calculate the cross-section of the conductor for a 12 volt tape. Enter 12. Enter 6. Enter 72. Press calculate. The calculator gives a cross section of 1.5mm. Feel the difference? And yet, all manufacturers of 12 volt tapes recommend feeding 5 meter sections from both sides due to high currents. We take the previously selected SHVVP cord 2x0.75 and power the tape from both sides Fig. 2 Let's calculate the economic part:
1. The required amount of ballscrew cord 2x0.75
a) for 24V tape = 15 meters = 225 rubles (for 2016)
b) for 12V tape = 46 meters = 690 rubles
2. Labor costs. Accordingly, to connect the 12V tape, the labor costs for the gasket increased. more cable (cord) and tape connection on both sides.
3. Suppose you decided to install a brightness control (dimmer). Almost all manufacturers produce universal dimmers, they are suitable for controlling 12, 24 and sometimes 36 volt tapes. BUT, there is one "pitfall" here. For example, let's take one of the most powerful dimmers and try to apply it to our ceiling Fig. 1 and Fig. 2
Fig 1 
Fig 2 
I will be very brief. If you supply a 12V tape from this dimmer, then 240W can be "pulled out" from it, and if 24V, then 480W. The total power of our ceiling is 288 watts. Accordingly, for connecting a 24V tape Fig. 1, one dimmer with a large margin is enough, but to connect a 12V tape Fig. 2, you need to buy additional equipment, a power amplifier.
And this is at least 2,000 rubles. (US $ 30)
Summary: there are no merits of 12V tapes in relation to 24V tapes - there are no merits. Disadvantages - minimum 3. Therefore, for professional installation led lighting and backlighting, I reasonably recommend choosing tapes with a supply voltage of 24 volts.
If you have not found the answer to your question, please write it to us, the largest community of electricians.
- incorrect installation and connection with errors
Here are the main three rules and mistakes to look out for first.
1 rule
The LED strip is connected in parallel, in lengths of no more than 5 meters each.
It is even sold in coils of this size. What if you need to connect 10 or 15m? It would seem to connect the end of the first piece to the beginning of the second and you're done. However, such a connection is prohibited. Why is it so accepted?
Because five meters is the estimated length that the current-carrying tracks of the tape can withstand. With a longer length, the load will exceed the permissible one and the tape will surely fail. In addition, irregularity of the glow will be observed. At the beginning of the strip, the LEDs will shine brightly, and at the end they will be much dimmer.
This is how the scheme of parallel connection of LED strips with a length exceeding the permissible one will look like: 
In this case, the tape can be connected both from two sides, and from one. Connecting on both sides reduces the load on the current paths, and also helps to avoid uneven glow at the beginning and end of the tape. 
This is especially important on a powerful tape - over 9.6W / meter. This is exactly how it is advised to connect professionals who have been installing LED products for many years. The only fat minus is that you have to drag additional wires along the entire lighting.
2 rule
The LED strip must be mounted on an aluminum profile, which acts as a heat sink.
During operation, the tape heats up, and this temperature negatively affects the LEDs themselves. They simply overheat and begin to lose brightness, gradually degrading and decaying.
Thus, a tape that could have worked quietly for 5-10 years will burn out without a profile in a year, or maybe even earlier. Therefore, the use of an aluminum profile in LED backlighting is mandatory. 
The only tape where you can do without it is SMD 3528. It is low-power, only 4.8W per 1m and is not so demanding on the heat sink. 
Especially in need of heat dissipation are tapes filled with silicone on top. In them, heat transfer occurs only through the substrate, from below. And this is sometimes not enough. If you still stick it on some plastic or wood, then there will be no cooling at all.
3 rule
The correct choice of power supply is a guarantee of a long-term and safe work the entire backlight.
The power supply should be 30% more powerful than the LED strip.
Only then will it work fine. If you pick it up end-to-end, exactly according to the power of all LEDs, then the unit will constantly work at its limit. Naturally, such work will affect the duration of operation. Therefore, always give him a supply.
Connecting LED strip
To mount lighting using LED strip, you will need:
Installation of 220V power supply
If you have not completed email. installation work, then you must first connect the voltage of 220V to the tape connection point. To do this, cut the wall, or lay the cable channel and pull the three-core VVGng-Ls 3 * 1.5 cable along it. Lead it directly to the junction box where the power supply of the LED strip will be connected. 
An existing junction box can be used where the main lighting is connected. The main thing is that the place allows you to freely connect additional wires and terminal blocks.
It is advisable to install the switch on the LED strip on the 220 Volt wires, and not in front of the tape on the outgoing 12-24V. In this case, the unit will not work continuously. Moreover, it is contraindicated for pulse units to work without load. In addition, the level of security will be higher. 
Check beforehand and do not confuse phase, zero and ground. More often than not, zero happens of blue color, the grounding conductor is yellow-green, and the phase conductor is of any other colors.
But you cannot trust only the color coding! More details on how to distinguish zero and phase without errors can be found in the article "How to determine phase and zero in electrical wiring". 
Next, you need to lay a cable from this junction box in a strobe, corrugated sleeve or in a cable channel to the future installation site of the power supply. To place it, mount a convenient shelf. It can be made from pieces of plywood or drywall. Place a dimmer next to it. 
Connecting the power supply
After extending the cable to the unit, you can proceed directly to connecting the wires.
- connect the phase wire to the L connector
- blue core - zero, to terminal N
- yellow-green - to the terminal marked as Pe or ground icon
Dimmer connection
Now you need to connect the dimmer. Here use a flexible installation wire PUGV 1.5mm2 of different colors. For example black (for negative contacts) and red (for positive contacts).
- measure and cut the required wire size
- clean the ends and crimp them with NSHVI tips
First of all, connect the ends from the side of the power supply. Connect the negative wire (black) to the terminal marked –V... Positive wire (red) with terminal marked as + V.
Both wires must be connected to the dimmer from the side Power IN(input power). Connect the red wire on the dimmer to the positive terminal DC +, and the other wire to the terminal minus DC-
Further, there is again the installation work on the laying of the wire. Stretch it in a corrugation from the dimmer to the point of connection to the LED strip. Use the same PGV. If the total length of the LED strip and backlight exceeds more than 5 meters, the strips are connected in parallel. Moreover, each of them is supplied with a separate power supply. 
Proceed to connect the wires to the dimmer terminals. They are usually labeled and labeled Output Led. For reliable contact, it is better to crimp the stripped ends of the cores with tips. 
Installation and soldering of wires on LED strip
You can proceed to the installation of the tape itself. To do this, you need to measure it and cut it into the desired pieces. This can be done not anywhere, but only where the dotted line or scissors are drawn. 
After cutting, the wires can be soldered to the special contacts on the tape. For the same purposes, as well as for connecting individual pieces of tape to each other, connectors can also be used. 
Look for the negative contact and connect the black wires there. Another wire, red, goes to the plus contact, respectively. Do not heat the soldering iron to the maximum, otherwise you will easily burn the substrate. Recommended soldering time - up to 10 sec. 
Opposite ends are also cleaned and NSHVI tips are installed on them. 
Remember again that for better cooling, you only need to lay the LED strip on an aluminum profile. It is mounted in advance.
After all these works, all the cores of the wires are brought out to one place and connected to the corresponding supply wires, observing the phasing (positive and negative contacts). 
The connection is best done using the Wago terminals.
Today it is difficult to imagine any interior made without high-quality LED strip lighting.
However, those who are first faced with the choice and installation of such lighting often make mistakes at the very initial stage. Let's consider the most common ones.
Supply voltage
Often people buy a tape without really thinking about its tension. What the seller advised is taken. And they are not always competent.
The most optimal is the choice of 12 volt led backlighting. It has a number of advantages:
- a large assortment, which is always available in many stores
You can easily find a replacement piece of a burned-out backlight or a failed 12V power supply. However, there are also limitations here.
This tape is supplied in rolls of 5 meters. You cannot connect them in series with each other. 
At 12 volts, with a large length (over 5m), there are significant voltage losses. The current in the circuit rises and eventually the LEDs fail. 
Another advantage:
- this brand can be cut into small pieces of 5cm
Thus, it is very easy to select optimal size by the dimensions of the structure. 
In addition, such small pieces can be easily powered directly from the battery, without any bulky voltage sources. 
Due to high voltage losses, the power supply should be placed as close to the beginning of the tape as possible. If you do not have this opportunity, then choose models for 24 or 36 volts.
The 220V LED strip also has a number of advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include the fact that it is supplied with a construction length of up to 100m. 
This is very convenient when you need to highlight sections of the facade of the house, or some kind of metal structures. 
On top of that, it comes in a sealed design from the beginning. But its thickness in this silicone is at the same time a disadvantage. 
It is not convenient to use such a tape indoors, as it will take up a lot of space.
In addition, a significant drawback is the fact that it can only be cut every half a meter. Well, the cost of high-quality copies will differ significantly from low-voltage models. 
Cheap led strip
The most common mistake and problem is buying an inexpensive backlight. Such copies will work properly for a maximum of 1 year.
After that, you will have to shift it and additionally pay for both the product itself and the cost of the work. 
Therefore, it will not be possible to save here for sure. 
Power supply selection
Many people buying a power supply unit choose it with exactly the same power as the LED strip itself. This is fundamentally wrong.
If all of your led backlights have a power of 60W, then you cannot buy a 60W power supply either. You need to take it with a margin of 30%. That is, if the tape is 60-70W, take it boldly 100W. 
If you have a very powerful tape, or the backlight consists of many parallel sections, then you need to choose the appropriate power source. 
However, not many people know that units from 250W and more are often equipped with cooling fans. 
Order such products on Aliexpress and only after unpacking the parcel you will find a surprise.
Imagine installing it in your bedroom. For the first month, it may and will work relatively silently, but in the future, such lighting, due to the constant hum, will not cause anything but irritation. 
Therefore, always pay attention to this seemingly insignificant moment. Better to order 2 smaller pieces than one big one.
It will be a worthy alternative to a powerful fan unit. Connect half of the site from one, half from the other. 
Place of installation
There is no need to hide the power supplies in places where, after the repair is completed, there will be no access. 
We are talking about covered with plasterboard and stretch ceilings. The fact is that a power supply unit is the same consumable as a lamp for any lamp.
And sooner or later it will have to be changed. In fact, the power supply is one of the weakest links in the entire backlighting. Therefore, make sure that you have access to it in advance.
Connection wires
You can choose the perfect block and buy a quality tape, but connecting it with a wire that is too thin will not get a good result. How to correctly select and calculate the cross-section of the power wires?
There are two ways to do this.
Selection by belt load
First, they must be copper. Secondly, in order not to study the table of correspondence of rated currents and suitable wire cross-sections (and it will not always be at hand), apply the universal formula.
For every 10A load, a copper wire with a cross section of 1mm2 is required.
This section will be enough for you with a margin, and everything will work properly. How do you know how much current the entire backlight consumes? 
By simple calculation. Let's say you have an SMD 5050 with a voltage of 12V and a power of 14.4W / meter. The total length of the entire led backlight is 15 meters (3 pieces of 5m each are connected in parallel to the unit). 
For one 5-meter section, the power will be equal to:
P = 14.4W / m * 5m = 72W
We divide this power by voltage and get the current:
I = P / U = 72W / 12V = 6A
It remains to divide the calculated value of the current 6A by 10A, according to the universal formula, and we will obtain the required wire cross-section for installation:
6A / 10A = 0.6mm2
The closest standard value will be 0.75mm2 wire. 
Note, however, that this calculation is only acceptable if the tape is in close proximity to the power source.
If the unit is hidden 5m or more from the backlight itself, then it is advisable to use wires ranging from 1.5mm2 or more.
Even though the calculation will give lower values.
When you have RGB backlighting, the total current that is calculated using the formula I = P / U must be divided into three channels (R-G-B). After all, you will connect each color with a separate conductor. 
Selection by block power
The second method relies not on the power of the tape, but on the power of the power supply. 
According to him, the wires must be of such a cross section that they can safely withstand 135% of the rated current that the power source is capable of delivering.
In addition to the normal operation of the backlight, no one canceled the possible short circuits... Unit protection is usually triggered at overload from 105% to 135%.
If the PSU has a "Hiccup" protection, then it will periodically turn off and try to turn on again. In this case, you will not burn the wires. The block will click and click until the short circuit is eliminated.
There is another protection - "Constant current limiting". Thanks to it, the output voltage will decrease until the current reaches an acceptable value.
But this value will be acceptable for the block, and not for thin wires!
And if your wire is too weak, it could cause a fire.
Wire brands
Recommended brands of wires for connection - ШВВП, КСПВ, ПГВ, acoustic wires. Just don't confuse the tape connection with the power supply connection. 
For the power supply unit, a full-fledged VVGng-Ls or NYM electric cable is already needed, through which it will be possible to safely transmit 220V.
The use of acoustics or fire alarm wires here would be a gross mistake and violation.
Sealed tape
According to the degree of moisture protection, tapes are divided into 4 types:
- IP-20
It does not have a protective coating and can only be used indoors in dry rooms.
- IP-33
Has a double layer of varnish that protects against dust, but not water. Can be distinguished by its characteristic brilliance. 
- IP-65
Protected against dust and water jets.
Fully immersed in a silicone sheath and double insulated wires.
They can be used in water to illuminate pools and aquariums. 
For indoor installation (lighting of furniture, ceiling in the bedroom, hall), some choose a sealed LED strip with IP65 protection. It is not completely in the silicone hose, but simply spilled from the top with sealant, as it were. 
This gives it protection against splashing water. People think it will be great and convenient to dust it off.
However, the use of such a model in a dry room will never justify itself. You will get more minuses than pluses.
In such rooms, especially during the winter period of heating operation, low humidity is observed. And the sealant applied over the tape under such conditions tends to dry out quickly. 
In some cases, the silicone will simply crumble like glass and flake off. And this silicone starts to "lead" when it dries.
It pulls the substrate along with it and the connection points to the board break. Contact begins to disappear and the backlight goes out in places, does not burn evenly. 
No repairs will help here. We'll have to change everything entirely.
And many also fail to properly solder the sealed tape. There are nuances and peculiarities here. 
The same silicone begins to turn yellow over time, which ultimately changes (contaminates) the backlight color. Checking the quality of silicone in a store is problematic. 
This effect (yellowing) will only take effect after a few months. Do not forget about the smell that will invariably come from the sealant when the tape heats up.
Therefore, use the sealing tape where it belongs - in wet rooms in bathrooms, in the kitchen under the apron, near the sink. 
Polarity connection errors
Many people ask the question, what will happen if the LED strip is connected incorrectly? That is, mix up the polarity, plus and minus places. 
Will it explode, ignite, fail? No, nothing like this should happen.
Led strip consists of LEDs. And the LED, in turn, although light emitting, is still a DIODE. 
A diode is a semiconductor that passes current in one direction, and does not in the other direction, if the polarity is reversed. That is, in this case, your led product simply will not glow.
Connected incorrectly - does not light up. Reverse polarity and it will definitely light up.
However, remember that this is only for the LED strip. 
If you reverse the polarity when connecting a controller or amplifier, then these electronic devices can easily fail.
Glow color selection
For some reason, few people pay attention to such an important point as the accuracy of color reproduction. The colors themselves are subdivided into:
- warm white
- neutral white
For the operation of LED strips, as for any electrical equipment, first of all, an energy source is required. Most often, the power supply of the LED backlighting system is carried out from a single-phase AC power supply with a voltage of 220 volts, i.e. from a regular outlet in our apartment. The exception is self-powered systems, for example, those mounted in cars, motorcycles, balloons, New Year's costumes, etc. etc.
The input wires of the power supply are connected to a ~ 220V network. Usually on the power supply, these are brown, blue and yellow-green wires (respectively - phase, zero and ground).
The output wires are connected to the LED strip. Red or brown output wire - "plus", black or blue - "minus". The colors of the wires on the tape were also not chosen by chance. On a monochrome tape (white or colored, which does not change color), the red wire is "plus", black is "minus". When connecting the tape to the power supply, the polarity must be observed, i.e. connect the red wire of the tape to the red or brown output wire of the power supply, the black wire to the black or blue output wire. If you want to control the brightness of a ribbon or change the color of the highlight, please read the articles "Changing the brightness of single-color ribbons" or "Controlling multi-color ribbons".
LED strip is usually produced and sold by us in 5 meter lengths wound on a reel (there are also tapes reeled in two 5 meter lengths on one reel). The tape can be cut in increments of 2.5, 5 or 10 cm, depending on the type of tape. Cutting the tape is allowed only in the designated places - between the copper contact pads. Typically 12 volt tape is cut in 3 LED increments, 24 volt tape in 6 LED increments. There is also a tape that is cut in steps of one LED.
The back surface of most tapes has an adhesive layer. The exception is some types of waterproof tapes. Installation of the tape is carried out on a clean, smooth, even, dry, preferably degreased surface. For installation, it is enough to remove the protective layer from the tape and press it to the prepared surface.
The supply voltage can be applied to the tape from one side of the cut.
To use the cut pieces of tape left without current supply wires, these wires must be soldered to them. Soldering is carried out to copper "spots" on the tape using standard solder and any inactive flux (flux that does not contain acids in its composition) or pine rosin. For a quick and reliable connection, the contacts must be carefully cleaned, for example, with the edge of a mounting knife. There are also connectors that are mounted directly to the tape, but the use of such connectors is highly undesirable due to the low reliability of the connection (contact loss, heating and burning of the connectors are possible). If you are not “friends” with a soldering iron, we can prepare strips according to your dimensions with wires of the required length soldered to them.
It is strongly not recommended to connect tapes more than 5 meters long one after the other. With such a turn on, a current that exceeds the permissible value flows through the tape located closer to the power supply, which causes the tape to overheat. In this mode, the tape will not work for a long time. If it is necessary to connect to one block of tape more than 5 meters long, the power supply unit can be located at the junction of the tapes, and the tapes can be split in two directions. If it is not possible to arrange the equipment in this way, then it is necessary to supply power to each 5-meter tape through separate wires laid from the power supply to the tape.
When choosing wires for connecting the LED strip, it must be borne in mind that the current in the supply circuit of the strip is quite large. This is due to the need to transmit relatively high power at a low supply voltage of the LEDs. The approach usually used when choosing wires for a 220 volt network is unacceptable here. So, for example, to transmit power of 100 watts at a supply voltage of 220 volts, a current of 0.45 amperes is required. To transmit the same power at a supply voltage of 12 volts, a current of 8.3 amperes is required, i.e. 18 times more! Also, when choosing a wire, in addition to the maximum permissible current, it is necessary to take into account the voltage drop across the wires. For example, no one will notice a decrease in voltage from 220 volts to 219, and a decrease in the supply voltage of the tape by the same 1 volt from 12 to 11 volts is already quite critical. The thinner and longer the wire from the power supply to the tape you will use, the less voltage will reach the tape. A reduced supply voltage in a single-color tape leads to a decrease in the brightness of the glow, and in a multi-color one, in addition, to a shift in the color balance towards red. There may even be a situation when the end of the tape, when the white color is turned on, glows more pink than its beginning. Losses on wires are especially strong when using a 12-volt tape. That is why the use of a 24-volt tape is always more preferable, especially at high powers. To reduce these losses, it is desirable to place all equipment as close to the belt as possible. If this is not possible, it is necessary to use a wire of a sufficiently large cross section.
Wire connections are best done with soldering. If this is not possible, then it is advisable to use terminal connectors, for example, connectors from WAGO, which have proven themselves as convenient and reliable devices.
The installation of power supplies must be carried out in such a way as to ensure air circulation for cooling the blocks, as well as provide for the possibility of access to the power supply for maintenance or replacement. The reliability of the power supplies used is quite high, but in our real life there are cases in which a voltage or ripple dangerous for the power supply may appear in the network, leading to their failure.
Before switching on the system, be sure to carefully check the correct installation. Improperly mounted equipment can be damaged the first time it is turned on. Equipment breakdown caused by installation errors is not a reason for warranty repair or replacement.
