Can strip lights be hardwired?

Do you want to know can strip lights be hardwired? Good! Because that’s what we are going to talk about today. But before we do, there is obviously some confusion, which is evident in the numerous forum posts every day. So, I think a little background might help.

What is a strip light and how its work?

A Strip light is similar to a fluorescent tube, it is a lamp that emits light from phosphor. The phosphor is sandwiched between two pieces of glass and the lamp has an electrical connection soldered to it. The main difference between a Tube light and a strip light is that a Tube light has a Bakelite lid, while a Strip light has an aluminum lid. Strip lights come in various colors and sizes and are commonly used in retail outlets and exhibition stands.

Can strip lights be hardwired?

Strip lights are technically called flexible neon lights, so they can be hardwired with the use of a transformer. The transformer should be purchased separately. The strip light has to be connected to the ground, so the transformer is essential to produce the voltage required to light up the strip lights.

Strip lights are not designed to be hardwired. In fact, they work on low voltage electrical current which means they will not be able to support a load of a hardwired light without causing a fire. You would need to install a dimmer switch and go with LED lights to get the same effect. While LED lights can be installed almost anywhere, they do cost a bit more and do not last as long as an incandescent light.

How to hardwire led strip lights?

For most applications, the strips are designed to be plugged in between a power source and the lighting load.  For other applications, the strips may be hardwired to a load such as a light fixture or receptacle.  To wire a hardwired application, you will need to cut the appropriate wire and install the correct connectors. See below for the correct wire cutouts and connectors for the products below.

• Start by cutting the wires to the length needed and stripping the wires back 1/2″.
• Strip the insulation off of the wire and the inside of the connectors enough to allow the wire to fit inside the connector.
• Slide the wire into the connector, lock it into place and make sure it is secure.
• The strip is now hardwired and ready to use.

Can LED strip lights be wired into a lighting circuit?

Strip lights are sold as data transfer and low-power lights, so the circuits in those lights are not sufficient for driving regular lighting. However, you can add some components to create a lighting circuit. You need to add a female plug and a breadboard, then use a breadboard wire to connect all the strip lights. Get a 12-volt power source, place it on the breadboard, then connect another wire from the power source to the breadboard wire. Now you can place the breadboard plug into a socket to take power from a regular light circuit.

LED strip lights are LED lights that are connected in a line to form a tape or strip of lights. The lights can be cut to length and joined with solderless connectors to form a continuous strip. LED strips are available in different lengths, and the length of a strip will determine the number of lights in the strip. LED strips for a 12V circuit to contain either 5mm or 3mm LEDs, and these strips will have a data sheet with the recommended drive current.

All strips have a maximum recommended drive current, and LED strips to consume the least power when operated between 20% below to 80% above the maximum current. You can connect LED strips to a lighting circuit. The only limitation is the maximum current rating of the strip. So if the maximum current rating of the strip is 2A, you can connect the strip to a 12V lighting circuit which has a maximum current rating of 2A.

How do you hardwire LED strip lights to a wall?

LED strip lights are used a lot in home and office decor projects. They are flexible, energy-efficient and low-maintenance. But the drawback is that they are difficult to install. You need to attach the strip lights under the molding or the joist and then run extension cords to get them to the outlet. Here are a few tips that will make it easier to hardwire LED strip lights to a wall:

• Use a wire mold to run the power. You can get a wire mold from a hardware store. It will make it easier to hide the electrical wires.
• Use a plug-in power adapter to extend the length of the strip lights. The trick is to use small-gauge wire from the plug-in adapter to the wall outlet.
• Plan your layout. Lay the strip lights along the wall and then decide how to attach them to the wall. If you want to hide the wires, use a trim strip. If you want to run the wires under the baseboard, use a wire mold.