DIY LED lighting wiring

How to cut LED string lighting and reconnecting with twin flex wire.

Note: I take no responsibility to any injuries, fire, electric shock or anything that might happen following this instruction. It is meant as a guide for the DIY enthusiast. I wish I had taken pictures while I was busy, but this is a sort of "re-enactment" to give the just of it.

Before beginning I would like to add that you first connect the power supply to your LED string and test the entire system. If it does not work then connect the power supply to the other side. Apparently the power supply should work both ways on some strips, but from experience this is not always the case. Mark the side that works!


This a general guide for the 220-240V LED lighting that can be baught in meter segments. To cut them search for the "break" in the LED strip where the string may be cut:


The LED strip can be cut with a side cutter. Make sure to mark either the end of each piece, or the beginning. I prefer the beginning of each new segment that I cut. You can either use a marker or insulation tape should also work:


You can cut more that one piece, and the pieces are interchangeble as long as you keep the power supply lines lined up correctly. This is very important! Some strips have diodes that correct the flow for each seperate light piece, but unfortunately this is not the case for all. I rather put caution to the wind and follow this than just try and connect everything and have a very expensive smoke cloud in the end.

"All electronics work with smoke... the moment the smoke comes out it does not work any more."

For the connections I used a thick piece of copper wire. I cut it into about 18mm lenghts. I curled the end over to give more grip when I wind the wire. The correct way should actually be to solder the twin flex to the hard copper wire, but my soldering iron decided to pack up and was left to do this. The other reason being that it will not be as easy to pull the wires loose from each other by accident while handling the connections:


As for the twin flex if you have marked twin flex then this next bit is not nessesary. I only had normal white twin flex and therefore took permanent marker to one side of the wires to mark them. I only show a small piece here, but I marked the entire length I used like this. Hard work, but makes the chances for mistakes less.


Clear the twin flex with a wire stripper or knife. Be carefull to not cut yourself. Wrap the exposed copper to your "copper core".


Rest to follow in next post (to many pictures):

 

You can couple both ends first before continueing with the connection. Make sure that the marked side stays on the same side. If you choose the right hand side, like I did, then keep the connection on that side for the next connection also. First start by placing one "pin" with a pair of pliers into the LED strip light. Then first insulate the first connection before placing the second one in place. It is just more easy to do it this way, than doing up the entire connection and trying to insulate each connection on its own.


Do the same for the second connection, and then insulate the entire connection properly when done:


A big tip I have at this point is to test each connection after you completed it, especially if you are doing more than one connection of strips. I tied three 4m strips with twin flex inbetween and all of them work. The reason for testing is to ensure you did a proper connection and did not get the sides mized up. It it easier to redo one connection that complete the entire lentgh and then only realise your mistake. Should your connection not light up first check the connections, then check for the direction. If did by accident swith the sides then just pull them out with pliers and reconnect to the correct sides. Ensure when you test that any open connections are insulated, and before opening up any connections that the entire system is removed for the plug. You do not want to get shocked while you are busy with yout DIY project!



Once all the connections have been completed you should have success in that all the lights should be working. Hope this DIY helps.


PS: A similar connection system can be implimented should say a segment or two of your LED lights not work. You can cut them in a similar fashion and then use the hard copper wire to connect them. The links can then either be taped, heat shrinked or glued to keep them together.