This article will cover the topic of “LED strip paralleling” in detail, but I will try to present the information as clearly and understandably as possible.
LED strip light LEDs are in series
An LED strip is a flexible strip made up of a number of small LED (Light Emitting Diodes). These are on a tape series connected in small groups. In a series, if one fails, they all go out. Like the traditional Christmas tree lights. Led strip light cutting and fault repair instructions for more.
Basics of parallel connection
Parallel connection means connecting several devices (in this case an LED strip light) to the same power supply so that each device receives the same voltage. Let’s connect each colour together.
The advantages of parallel connection include flexibility and reliability: if one device fails, the others continue to work.
Parallel connection of LED strip lights
Paralleling LED strip lights requires some technical knowledge and the right tools, such as a soldering iron and electrical cables. The process involves cutting the light strips to the correct length, attaching the cables to the light strips and finally connecting the cables to the power supply. Always remember to check that the power is off before starting work.
Parallel connection of LED strip lights in practice
For all LED strip lights, first check which is the + (positive) wire. It is always written on the LED strip at the cut-off point. Sometimes the markings are really small, so take a mobile phone picture and zoom in.
And then the rest are – (negative). Negative cables you can put in any order and connect it to the transformer – to the wire. And the LED strip light comes on.
Negative (minus) wires are found in different types of tape as follows:
Single-coloured strip Negative has 1 piece
- CCT (colour temperature control) 2 pcs: WW and CV, i.e. warm and cold white
- RGB 3 pieces: red, green, blue and red, green and blue
- RGBW 4 pcs: Red, Green, Blue, White and Blue
- RGBCCT 5 pcs: Red, Green, Blue, Warm and Cool i.e. Red, Green, Blue and Warm and Cool White
So you can connect any of these wires to negative and that colour will light up. As long as the plus is connected to the plus.
LED STRIP OR DRIVER GENERALLY DOES NOT BREAK EVEN you connect the + and – CROSS. Good quality drivers have short-circuit protection, meaning that the light doesn’t just come on because the led driver is protecting itself. This always happens if – touches the + pole. You may be startled if you hold them in your hand, as they may give off a small spark.
Interconnection
Once you have figured out the pluses of all the LED strips, put them together with a sugar lump, Lever connectors, soldering, etc… So all these go to the plus (+) in the transformer.
Image showing the wires sorted by colour
Then you just repeat the colours on all the LED strips in the same way, so-called colour to colour.
LED strip transformer power calculation
Calculating the size of the LED strip light driver in parallel installation is easy! Let’s take an example where there are 3 pcs 14,4W LED strip lights with lengths of 160cm, 220cm and 240cm.
This way, you can calculate the power requirements of the LED strips connected in parallel:
- The LED strip is 14.4W per metre, so it draws 14.4 watts of power (A) per metre.
- Next, calculate the total number of metres connected to the transformer, i.e. 160+220+240 cm = 620 cm, which is 6.2 m
- Then multiply the metres by the power, i.e. 6.2 m x 14.4 W/m = 89.28 W
When calculating the LED driver, it is important to remember to leave a 15-25% power margin for the driver, i.e. the driver should be
89 W x 1.15 = 102 W at its minimum.
Challenges of paralleling LED strip lighting
There are a few things to consider when connecting LED strip lights in parallel.
First, when several light strips are connected in parallel, the power supply must be able to supply enough power to all the strips, as calculated above. Otherwise, all the strips will flash or some will light up dimmer.
Secondly, the light intensity should be uniform across all strips, and this will not happen if one of the LED strips is significantly longer, over 10m, or one of the LED strips has very long supply wires.
In both cases, the cause is a voltage drop, i.e. 24 V on the LED strip may be 21 V due to a long supply cable. The cable acts as a voltage resistor and long intermediate cables should take into account the additional power requirements of the rest of the cable.
Examples of LED strip lighting in parallel
One example of LED strip lighting in parallel is to improve indoor lighting in the home. For example, in the kitchen, several LED strip lights can be installed under the worktops to provide efficient and pleasant light. All these worklights are connected to the same driver in paraller.
Another popular spot is sauna lighting, where LED strip lights are installed under the table and behind the backrest. In this case, too, both tapes are taken to the same driver paraller.
Frequently Asked Questions about LED strip lighting paralleling
What do I do if one of the LED strip lights connected in parallel does not work?
If one LED strip does not work, first check that the strip is intact on all sides and then that the cabling is in good condition.
Can I use different brands of LED strip lights in the same Power Supply?
Yes, you can use different brands of LED strip lights in the same parallel connection, but make sure they are compatible in terms of voltage (12 or 24 Volts).
How many LED strip lights can you connect in parallel?
The number of LED strip lights you can connect in parallel is mainly limited by the power of the power supply.
Lastly
LED strip lighting offers a flexible and reliable way to improve the lighting in your home or workplace. It requires some technical know-how and the right tools, but has the advantages of light quality, efficiency and continuity of operation even if one strip fails.
It is important to note that each paralleling project is unique and requires its own solutions, so this article only provides a general guideline on the subject.
Led strip light installation guides
- Led strip light cut-off – Led strip light cut-off and led strip light replacement
- Led strip light does not light – Why does led strip light not light, we go through the reasons
- Led strip light flashing – Why does a led strip light flash? There are many reasons and we will go through them all.
- Led strip light lifetime – What affects lifetime and why do other strips last longer?
- Led strip light mounting – How do I mount a led strip light indoors or outdoors? What needs to be taken into account?
- Connecting a led strip light to a transformer – How do I connect a led strip light to different types of transformers?
- RGB Led strip light connection – How do I connect an RGB led strip light to different control devices?
- Led strip light extension – How do I solder the joints? A little soldering guide for the beginner.
Led strip lighting specialist
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