We’ve put this page together for you to help with the installation of your bespoke LED strips.
Take time to have a read through this information. Even if you have installed LED strips before you might find some useful stuff to improve your installation.
If you’re here to trouble shoot a problem then please head to our Frequently Asked Questions section
INSTALLING YOUR STRIP(S):
Your strips have been bench tested and would have only been sent out if they are working correctly.
Each separate piece has been individually bundled and secured with a paper tape showing the colour and length of LED strip and the length of cable.
Un-packing:
Please take care when un-packing the bundles and while you’re handling the LED strips, they can be easily damaged during the installation period.
Preparation:
The surface which you are sticking the strips to MUST BE clean, dry and dust free.
DO NOT try and stick the strip before you have prepared the surface correctly – you can contaminate the adhesive with dirt, dust or moisture and this will make it useless.
Ideally the surface should be cleaned with a cleaner that does not leave a residue behind for example:
Isopropyl alcohol
Solvent
Acetone
Non perfumed nail polish
Damp (not wet) cloth
Use a lint free cloth
Always test any cleaning product on a small discrete part of the surface first.
Do not use soap and water.
Keep in mind some surfaces will not be suitable for sticking the LED strips to, for example: Plastics – most plastics and synthetic materials are made from crude oil and therefore the adhesive may not stick to them, especially “soft” plastics
Painted Surfaces – particularly oil based paints and poder coated surfaces
Glass and metals – cerain atmospheric conditions can mske it very difficult to get the strip to stick to these surfaces.
Wood – oily woods like teak and olive wood or wood with oil based finishes.
If the strip doesn’t stick it is NOT due to “poor quality” tape on the strip – there will be another reason for it.
Fixing:
If you’re using aluminium containment this can be mounted using small countersunk screws, double sided tape or an adhesive.
Make sure you have read the section above if you intend to stick the containment in place as the same general rules will apply.
The interior of the containment will need to be cleaned before fitting the strip.
If possible you should carefully run out your strips in their approximate position to make sure the lengths are correct – sometimes we may add extra so they can be trimmed to an exact size on site.
You may also find that we have had to round the length down to the nearest available cutting point on the LED strip – this may mean you need to centre the strip to ensure even “unlit” sections at each end.
Once laid out in position it’s a good idea to connect them to their relevant power supply and test to make sure they are still working fine and no damage has occurred.
Once you are happy with the strip placement you can go ahead and fix them in place.
IMPORTANT
You should only apply pressure perpendicular to the surface of the LEDs
DO NOT rub along the strip whilst applying pressure this is likely to damage or dislodge the diodes or other components on the stip.
Why don't my new LED strips work?
The main reason for strips not working is reversed polarity; that’s to say you have connected the +/positive and -/negative the wrong way round.
Check all of your connections to make sure they are correct.
If your strips have worked and have now stopped working you will need to check if there is a voltage at the strip – if not you will need to trace back from there to find the fault.
Why has the remote control for my colour changing strip stopped working?
There are a few reasions why this might happen: the two most commen are
The battery in the remote is dead and needs replacing.
The remote has been un-paired from the receiver.
To re-pair it:
- Turn off the power for 30 seconds
- Turn the power back on
- Within 3 seconds press the “OFF” button on the remote controller – the light should flash to confirm the rer-pairing has been successful
Please not this is the usual method – please check your instructions if this does not work.
Why don't my strips stay stuck in place?
This is a common problem and there are several reasons:
- The surface is not clean, dry and dust free.
- You are trying to stick it to a surface which it will not stick to such as some plastics.
- The weight of the supply cable is too much for the adhesive to hold.