Hellfire
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| posted on 29/1/15 at 09:32 PM |
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LED Lighting
I'm currently considering buying a 10m strip of 5050 RGB LEDs and installing them in my kitchen for under/over counter lighting. I prefer the
tape because it can be cut to size within 5cm and linked together around corners
What I can't figure out is whether I can cut the 10m strip into 2.5m lengths, add a 2m link wire to each length and feed them all into 1
controller using 3 No 2 into 1 adapters...
Will this work or will the link wires draw power and dim the LEDs
As you might be able to tell from the above, I'm not overly familiar with LED technology and electrickery in general 
Phil
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joneh
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| posted on 29/1/15 at 09:43 PM |
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You can join them with wire but they probably need to be wired in series rather than parallel. I.e daisy chained.
Jon
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Hellfire
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| posted on 29/1/15 at 10:04 PM |
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The problem with linking them in series is that each 5m strip has a 12v/6A/72W power supply. This means I'd need two controllers and two
remotes, one for each series....
I'd also need a lot of link wire, which I fear would dim the LEDs towards the end of the chain.... Or wouldn't it have any significant
effect?
[Edited on 29-1-15 by Hellfire]
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ShaunB
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| posted on 29/1/15 at 10:58 PM |
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I have cut up a 10m tape of LEDs and soldered on link wires so I could wire several strips in parallel into a single driver. In my case I reckon the
longest link wire is about ~5m and it makes no difference. I used bell/speaker wire. Be aware that the backing glue on the strips isn't enough
to hold them on the underside of the cabinets they all started peeling off after a few weeks, also the light can be quite directional. My solution
was to length 45' degree quadrant strip wood, cable tie the led tape to that every few inches and them screw the wood to the base of the
cabinets. The 45' angle now means that the light comes out into the room.
Hope that helps,
Shaun.
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joneh
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| posted on 30/1/15 at 07:12 AM |
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Yup ignore what I said. It appears these have changed a fair bit since I did mine! I couldn't cut mine and the came with wire to link them.
Just don't exceed the maximum run lenghts and keep below 80% of the maximum psu power.
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Acc8braman
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| posted on 30/1/15 at 08:47 AM |
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I put 26m meters in my lounge, using three power supplies, one controller.
Approx 10 meters of wire between the strips and the power supplies, used cat5 cabling, no power loss
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ShaunB
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| posted on 30/1/15 at 09:33 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by joneh
Yup ignore what I said. It appears these have changed a fair bit since I did mine! I couldn't cut mine and the came with wire to link them.
Just don't exceed the maximum run lenghts and keep below 80% of the maximum psu power.
The latest reels you are able to cut every 3 leds, so about every 50mm. Where you cut they have placed copper pads to solder onto specifically for
the purpose. You can also light the whole strip in one go if you want. One thing I did have to do was to move the driver unit to on top of the
kitchen cabinet, the reason being that my microwave/grill kicks out a lot of heat which was getting trapped behind the pelmet and overheating the
driver unit which self protected and shut itself down until cool again. Moving it to the top of the cupboard (hence the long link wires) solved
that.
I've also used then extensively in my race van as they put virtually no drain on the leisure battery, so even at circuits with no power the
battery does not get low.
Shaun.
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russbost
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| posted on 30/1/15 at 02:23 PM |
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Don't use the 5050 chip, it's feeble compared to the 5630, I have just started stocking the 5630 strip, & I also have suitable drivers
depending on what length you want to use, anything from 3W to 50W - you certainly don't need anything like a 72W!
We don't have any ads up for the strip yet but we do have Fluorescent tube replacement system LED under cupboard lighting,
concealed light
which I think are probably better than the strip in that they are waterproof & substantially more durable, I can also do the 5630 strip if you
want, I only have it in warm white at present, cool white expected in around a week, £2.50 per metre or £10 for 5m, beware of some of the cheaper
stuff it's rubbish, I'm only selling stuff from suppliers I trust & we're testing all the new items as they come in, I have
drivers starting at less than a fiver depending on what length you want to drive. I haven't got ads done yet for all the new strip &
drivers.
In answer to the original Q, yes, they can be daisy chained together & unless your putting metres & metres of thin cable in there is no
reduction in light output
Feel free to u2u or ring me for further advice, or u2u for phone no. if you want to pick my brain - no obligation to buy anything! Don't ring
the regular website no. as you won't necessarily get me & I'm the only one who knows all about the new stuff!
I no longer run Furore Products or Furore Cars Ltd, but would still highly recommend them for Acewell dashes, projector headlights, dominator
headlights, indicators, mirrors etc, best prices in the UK! Take a look at http://www.furoreproducts.co.uk/ or find more parts on Ebay, user names
furoreltd & furoreproducts, discounts available for LCB users.
Don't forget Stainless Steel Braided brake hoses, made to your exact requirements in any of around 16 colours.
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/furoreproducts/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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Hellfire
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| posted on 30/1/15 at 05:49 PM |
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Thanks for the information guys, really useful stuff!
What I'm considering doing, is buying 2 x 5m strips. Russ, I chose the 5050 RGB LED stuff because, from what I've read, it's middle
of the road in terms of brightness and they are colour changing, allowing me to create "mood lighting". I'm hoping that by having
two separate runs, it will allow me to change the under unit lighting colour for white task lighting whilst keeping the colour mood lighting over the
units.
Each run will require 2m of LEDs (with short links for the 90 degree corners), then a 3m link wire, and another 2m of LEDs (with short links for
corners). After reading the comments above I'm happy that there won't be a reduction in light output if connected this way.
The issue I have now, is that I will need two power supplies, controllers and two remotes for the above to work but am worried that the remotes will
operate on the same or similar frequency and I won't be able to control both runs independently............ 
Can anyone confirm this or suggest a way around it?
Thanks for the help, it's greatly appreciated.
Phil
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russbost
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| posted on 30/1/15 at 06:39 PM |
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Sorry, missed the RGB bit!
Can't see any reason why the installation won't work, is it not feasable to run it all from one power supply/remote, I can run 3 x 5m
strips with our 50w power supply, with capacity to spare, so if you have 72W it should be perfectly capable?
Other than that we don't deal with any remote control stuff at present so can't be much help there.
I no longer run Furore Products or Furore Cars Ltd, but would still highly recommend them for Acewell dashes, projector headlights, dominator
headlights, indicators, mirrors etc, best prices in the UK! Take a look at http://www.furoreproducts.co.uk/ or find more parts on Ebay, user names
furoreltd & furoreproducts, discounts available for LCB users.
Don't forget Stainless Steel Braided brake hoses, made to your exact requirements in any of around 16 colours.
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/furoreproducts/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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Hellfire
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| posted on 30/1/15 at 07:07 PM |
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Russ, I was initially going to run it all from one power supply but now two separate runs appeals to me more.... Provided I can control each run
separately!
The remote controls are IR, so if I have the two IR receivers at either side of the kitchen, it might be feasible to control each one with the same
remote......
Or will the IR beam bounce around and control both at the same time?
Phil
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russbost
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| posted on 30/1/15 at 07:11 PM |
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Sorry, pass on that one!
I'm sure someone on here must know about IR control stuff?
I no longer run Furore Products or Furore Cars Ltd, but would still highly recommend them for Acewell dashes, projector headlights, dominator
headlights, indicators, mirrors etc, best prices in the UK! Take a look at http://www.furoreproducts.co.uk/ or find more parts on Ebay, user names
furoreltd & furoreproducts, discounts available for LCB users.
Don't forget Stainless Steel Braided brake hoses, made to your exact requirements in any of around 16 colours.
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/furoreproducts/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1
|
NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
|
