Can led strips be cut?
Yes, LED strips can be cut to desired sizes. When it comes to LED strips, there is no specific size. Either the type of LED does not matter in the size of the LED strip. You can cut all types of LED strips into custom lengths.
If you cut your LED strip into suitable lengths, it will still work as intended. However, you will need to use couplers and connectors to join and complete the circuit. When joining the cut LED strips with each other, you should ensure that they are joined well to light uniformly. If you do not join them correctly, you may experience inconsistent lighting across the LED strip.
Why does your led strip stop working after cutting?
Your LED strip stops working after cutting because you might have cut it in the wrong place. If you cut the LED strip in a place that is not a cut point, there are high chances that the cut place helps complete the circuit for the LED to work correctly. So, if you cut the LED strip at the wrong place, it will only work up to the cut point, and the rest will not work.
How to cut and connect led strips after cutting
If you buy LED strips and need to customize the length to suit your needs, you should follow the proper steps to cut the LED strip. Most of the time, you will be able to connect them using a male connector. The most important thing when using the male-to-male connectors is aligning the arrows.
However, you would need to cut the LED wires and create new ends or solder the extensions in some instances. The ideal place to cut in a LED strip is the copper connections located at every two inches of the LED strip. If you need to reconnect, remove the plastic on the end to reveal the circuits. Make sure you cut out enough plastic to expose the letters.
When reconnecting, you can create a new end or two lines directly, use a coupler to align the circuits, and then clip back. Otherwise, you may solder the two ends directly in a pinch. For this, you may need to add a separate lead to allow for stretches to help keep the line running. These stretches might be suitably applied on walls or windows.
Keep all the lines separate when soldering and line up each line correctly with the other. Letters printed on the LED strip will guide you on where to connect green, red and blue. If you do not connect the lines as indicated on the LED strip, it will not work. After reconnecting the two LED strips, remember to use a heat shrink cover to protect the connections. Keep note that there are different covers to use indoors and outdoors.
Connecting your LED strips can be easy if you follow the proper guidelines. This way, you would connect LED strips to your desired length regardless of the size of your area.