I'm about to work on two new projects that will involve LED light strips, but have little (let's so no) experience with them.

First, I need to make a photography light box and will be going a little beyond a cardboard box with tissue paper on it. I'm looking at having the light source built in, obviously behind a diffuser of some sort.

Second, I'm building some overhead cabinets in a poorly lit kitchen (I know, right? Who'd guess that the kitchen would be poorly lit?) and want to fit some light strips behind the lower skirt to illuminate the work surface, and also possibly some feature lighting inside the cabinets.

I'm don't have a problem with soldering, but as I know next to nothing about LED strip lights does anyone have any experience with them they'd care to share? Advice on costs, where to buy, pitfalls, powering, etc?

They're easy. Just need a 12V adapter with sufficient Amps for the length you're running.

timmydownawell wrote: ↑Tue May 29, 2018 9:13 pm They're easy. Just need a 12V adapter with sufficient Amps for the length you're running.

Thanks. I'm looking at some Youtubes on the technical side, wondering if any posters have played with them in PP.

I've been meaning to do the same with some strip LEDs under shelving in the cave/kitchen. Those you tubers make it seem easy enough but I'm always put off by the risk of killing myself and/or the family when dealing with electricity here.

There's a well stocked lighting shop on 310/163 that has a wide range of led strip rolls, tube replacements and other lighting supplies.

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Tue May 29, 2018 10:05 pm

timmydownawell wrote: ↑Tue May 29, 2018 9:13 pm They're easy. Just need a 12V adapter with sufficient Amps for the length you're running.

Thanks. I'm looking at some Youtubes on the technical side, wondering if any posters have played with them in PP.

Depends what you buy. Some come in 2m or whatever lengths and clip together with no soldering required, others you buy off the reel whatever length you want.

epidemiks wrote: ↑Tue May 29, 2018 10:35 pm I've been meaning to do the same with some strip LEDs under shelving in the cave/kitchen. Those you tubers make it seem easy enough but I'm always put off by the risk of killing myself and/or the family when dealing with electricity here.

There's a well stocked lighting shop on 310/163 that has a wide range of led strip rolls, tube replacements and other lighting supplies.

Yep, hate when that happens. Especially when I'm providing the wood for the fire.

Unlike conventional filament bulbs that light up with + and - hooked up on either pole LEDs need to be connected with correct polarity and they are picky about the voltage fluctuations.

Single LEDs have an Anode - The positive-side which has a longer leg and the Cathode - Which is the negative-side and shorter leg.


Amperage needed is very low