Can You Really Cut LED Strip Lights?

Led light strips have become a popular choice for backlighting TVs and adding a touch of ambiance to kitchen cabinets. However, one challenge arises when it comes to these versatile strips – their length. Most LED strips are sold in long reels, sometimes spanning up to 100 feet. This begs the question: Can LED light strips be cut without any damage?

The good news is that LED light strips are designed to be conveniently divided. Along the strip, you’ll notice a line of copper dots that repeats at intervals. These dots indicate the ideal cutting points. If you cut the LED strip anywhere else, you risk damaging the circuit and potentially the entire strip. However, if you cut along the copper dots, you can safely create custom lengths or even combine multiple strips for larger installations.

How to Cut LED Lights Strips Properly

While cutting along a straight line may seem simple, many people make mistakes that end up ruining their LED strip lights. To avoid any mishaps, here are some essential tips to ensure a clean and successful cut:

1.     Measure the length: Determine the specific length you need for your LED strip before making any cuts. This will help you avoid unnecessary mistakes.

Read more: Cutting LED Light Strips: A Foolproof Guide

2.     Locate the cutting line: On the other side of the LED strip, you’ll find a pair of copper dots. These dots serve as a guide for where the lights connect to each other. Look for the dotted cut line between the copper dots.

3.     Choose the right cutting line: Select the cutting line that is closest to your desired length. It’s crucial to cut only along the existing lines. Cutting elsewhere may result in malfunctioning LEDs.

4.     Use scissors to cut: Hold the LED strip firmly and cut through the dotted line using a pair of scissors. Ensure that your cut passes through the copper dots and that the LEDs remain undamaged.

What if Your LED Lights Don’t Work After Cutting?

Sometimes, despite following the cutting instructions, LED light strips may fail to work properly. If this happens, here’s what to do:

1.     Check if the strip was made for cutting: Verify whether the LED strip you’re using is intended to be cut. If it wasn’t designed for cutting and you proceeded to cut it, there’s no way to fix it. These types of strips have continuous circuits throughout their length, so cutting them will permanently damage them.

2.     Confirm the cutting location: If the strip was made for cutting, ensure that you cut along the correct line. Cutting outside the circuit line will destroy the individual circuit, necessitating a trim back to the nearest cutting line.

3.     Address other issues: Different issues may arise when connecting multiple LED strips together. For example, if your LED strip exhibits varying shades of brightness on each end, it’s likely due to voltage drop. To avoid this, use shorter lengths of strip per power supply. Additionally, if the colors on your RGB LED strips don’t change, you may have connected them with incorrect polarities. Simply flip the strip around and redo the connection to rectify this issue.

Read more: How to Connect LED Strip Lights: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Connect Multiple LED Strip Lights

In most cases, you’ll need to cut and connect LED light strips to illuminate larger spaces or unique areas. Here are two ways to join LED strips together:

Clipping

The simplest method is to use a LED strip light connecting clip. Two common types are available:

• Hippo Buckle LED Strip Lights Connector: This connector allows you to effortlessly join two LED strips. It features a ‘buckle’ design that secures both ends of the strip. Hippo Buckle connectors work for both RGB and single-color LED light strips, increasing the possible coverage of your lights.
• Solderless LED Strip Lights Connector: For joining multiple LED strips, a larger solder-free LED light strips terminal is ideal. This connector provides enough space to connect several strips securely. It’s suitable for RGB and single-color LED tape lights, as well as dimmable LED strip lights. The connection is ensured with plastic clips.

Soldering

In situations where clipping is not feasible, such as when mounting strips with aluminum frames, soldering becomes necessary. Soldering LED strip lights together requires some specialized equipment and skills. Here’s a simplified process:

1.     Cut the strips to your desired size and remove the protective covering to expose the ends.

2.     Join the stripped ends accurately and solder them together.

By following these cutting and connecting techniques, you’ll be able to customize your LED light strips to fit any space or application without compromising their functionality. So go ahead and let your creativity shine with beautiful, customized best LED light strips!