Flexible LED strip lights are increasingly used in various lighting projects and are common in many homes. Compared with relatively dangerous high-voltage lighting, low-voltage LED lighting is very safe to use, it will not cause human injury when used under regulated conditions. You can even take your hand to touch the light strip that is glowing.
Low voltage lighting design is very friendly to household projects in easy-to-reach places. Today we’ll explore whether 12V LED strip lights are suitable for your low voltage lighting project?
Features of Flexible 12V LED Strip Lights: Three SMD LEDs for a set of cutting units, medium cutting accuracy; Good flexibility and bending; Standard 12V strips come with adhesive backing (outdoor strips do not); Have many LED colors; 5 meters only need one end of power supply.
12V Strip Light Applications: counters, shelves, ceilings, floors, gardens, patios, swimming pools, buildings, cars, ships, hotels, billboards, parks, Christmas, Halloween, party decorations, atmosphere transformation, etc.
Understanding 12V LED Strip Voltage
It’s important to know the LED working voltage when adding strip lights for ambiance or as supplemental lighting in rooms such as a kitchen, bedroom, or living room. It is related to your installation length and power supply system.
LED lighting systems powered by 5V, 12V, or 24V are collectively referred to as low-voltage lighting. Since low voltage cannot be directly connected to AC socket or house power systems, it requires a converter/transformer to convert 110V/220V high voltage to low voltage to power the 12 volt LED light strips. Therefore, the choice of LED strip light voltage determines what kind of power supply you choose.
You can hook up 12V strips to 12V lithium batteries, plug-in power supplies, hardwired power supplies, or dimmable led drivers. Click to learn more about how to power 12V led strips).
What Is Your Installation Length?
A 12V led strip light running a maximum distance of 10 meters (32.8ft), with power input on one side, the LED lights at the end will dim as the voltage drops, showing a brightness fade, and even a color change on a white led strip. Normally, a 12 volt led light strip running a distance of 10m requires power at both ends to prevent these changes.
For general home lighting projects and outdoor lighting projects, such as installing 12V RGB led strip around ceilings, under kitchen cabinets, or outlining your house, 12 volt led strip lights are sufficient for a total length of ten meters or less.
12V LED Strip Light Wiring Diagram:
Are 12V LED Strip Lights Suitable For Ultra-Long Lighting Projects?
First of all, we need to know what is the most critical point of low voltage extra long lighting project. It is to reduce the number of power supplies used as much as possible under the premise of long running distance of the strip, thus saving resources and costs, and also facilitating installation.
The most ideal light strips for ultra long distance projects are low voltage 24V led strips and constant current long led light strips. Compared with 12V strips, 24V strip lights can support longer running distances with less voltage drop. 12V strips and 24V strips are both constant voltage strips, and the reason for the voltage drop is that the components on the strip will lose some energy, causing the LED lights to dim.
Constant current led strip as the opposite of constant voltage strip is a perfect solution to the problem of voltage drop. It allows the led strip light to run from 5m (16.4ft) to 50m (164ft) to keep the brightness at both the head and tail end consistent, and without the need for additional power injection. For commercial LED strip lighting over 10 meters, it is always easier to install with less wiring.
*Note: Constant current led strip still needs to be equipped with a constant voltage controller and constant voltage driver to work properly.
So can 12V led strips be used for long distance lighting projects? of course you can. It just needs to be powered from both sides every 10 meters, except for some special 12V strips. Refer to the wiring diagram above to install your 12V strip light.
It is best to outline the entire project and see how many meters of strip you will be using, to determine how many power supplies you will need. Click to learn how to calculate the power of your strip.
Before installation, draw your sketch. Plan where you will need the strips, how they will be connected, and whether they will use the same power supply or have separate power supplies.
How Many 12V LED Strip Lights Can Be Connected?
The maximum number of LED strip connections depends on the wattage of a single strip and the wattage of the power supply. For a 14W/m 12V RGB led strip, theoretically you can connect (100/14=7.14) 7 strips with a 100W LED power supply.
But in fact, the LED power supply needs to be greater than or equal to 1.2 times the strip, so in fact, it can only connect (100/14/1.2 = 5.95) almost 6pcs 1m 12V RGB led strip.
| Strip Power | Strip Length | Strip Total Power | Power Supply Wattage | Maximum Strip Connect Number |
| 14W/m, 4.26W/ft | 5m/16.4ft | 70W | 100W | 100/70/1.2=1.19 |
| 14W/m, 4.26W/ft | 5m/16.4ft | 70W | 200W | 200/70/1.2=2.38 |
| 14W/m, 4.26W/ft | 5m/16.4ft | 70W | 300W | 300/70/1.2=3.57 |
| 14W/m, 4.26W/ft | 5m/16.4ft | 70W | 400W | 400/70/1.2=4.76 |
| 14W/m, 4.26W/ft | 5m/16.4ft | 70W | 500W | 500/70/1.2=5.95 |
However, if you are connecting 12 volt led strips in series, you also have to consider the voltage drop.
LED Power Supply Wattage At A Glance:
- 36W to 720W lithium battery
- 12W to 240W power adapter
- 35W to 3000W Mean Well switching power supply
- 18W to 600W Mean Well UL-Listed waterproof power supply
- 20W to 600W general waterproof power supply
- 60W to 500W rainproof power supply
Are 12V LED Strip Lights Easy To Use?
IP20 and IP65 12 volt led strips for indoor come with their own adhesive backing, which can be peeled off to attach the strip to any clean surface. Its flexibility allows it to fit well on both flat and curved areas.
Waterproof 12V led strip lights for outdoor use require mounting clips to hold the strip in place to prevent it from falling off due to its own weight.
The cut and reconnect feature makes the 12V strip very flexible for use. You can cut the strip to suit your application. Corners and obstacles that require jumping are also well resolved by LED Strip Light connectors.