You’ll almost probably need to cut and connect LED strips unless you’re lighting a very small project. One of the most major benefits of employing LED strips is this. To illuminate larger regions and distinctive nooks and crannies, multiple strips can be connected together.

The length of LED strips is usually a few meters. LED strips are available in lengths ranging from 3 to 16 feet. But what if they’re excessively long? Is it possible for you to cut the LED strips to the length you require for your project? LED strips can be shortened, which is fantastic news. Take your time getting your scissors out. We’ll go over the important elements to consider before trimming LED strips in this article.

Before cutting, make sure the strips you bought are ready to cut: certain strips can become unstable once cut. Continue to ensure that the power is turned off fully. It’s extremely risky to cut 24v RGB LED strips that are directly linked to a power source.

• The first step is to determine the length.

If the LED strip you bought is too long, you may simply cut it off. To begin, determine the required duration. Your time and effort will be squandered if you make the error of cutting the strip too short.

• Step 2: Examine the strip for scissor marks.

For your convenience, LED strip manufacturers to identify the cuttable area of their LED strips with a scissor mark. To avoid injury, you must first locate the scissor sign.

• Step 3: Using scissors, cut the fabric.

The final step is to use scissors to cut off the surplus strip at the position indicated by the scissors mark. The light may stop working if you cut diagonally, so make sure you cut straight.

It’s vital to keep in mind that once you’ve cut the LED strips, the rest of your buy won’t operate. If you want to reattach them after cutting them, you’ll need to use a 4-pin connector. However, if the strips are cut and connected incorrectly, they may stop working properly. As a result, we recommend double-checking the length of the strip before cutting it to avoid having to rejoin it afterward.

If you need to reattach the LED strip after it’s been severed, you’ll need an extra 4-pin connector. This device is usually not included in the LED strip bundle and must be purchased separately.

• Step 1: Get a 4 Pin connector that fits your needs.

There are numerous lamp connection items available, therefore based on the type of strip, you must select the appropriate one. If your strip is 10mm wide, your 4 Pin connector must be 10mm wide as well. It will not work if your strip is 8 mm wide and you bought a 10 mm connection. 

You must open the connector from the side if it has a cover.

• Step 3: Connect the strip to the connector in step three.

Connect the LED strip’s two cut ends to the connector’s connection clips. You should now double-check that they are not in the wrong order, as shown in the diagram.

• Step 4: Keep the connection safe.

Connect the power supply after installing the strip and sealing the connector cover. Check that the strip lights up appropriately. Adjust the connecting point between the connector and the strip if the linked section does not light up properly.

In general, it’s tough to rejoin a strip after it’s been severed, even if it’s a custom-led strip. Not only will you have to buy extra connections, but any mistakes could render the strip useless. As a result, it is critical to ensure that the needed length is correct in order to reduce waste.

Strip connections are the most convenient because they do not necessitate the use of any instruments. With a knife, remove the translucent plastic covering the copper pad. Then simply slip the strip into the connector, making sure that the components are in the correct order.

The second way is to solder directly to the strip with an iron and old wire. To align the polarity, melt the solder directly onto the copper tip to generate a little puddle. Over both copper points, melt solder wire until the tip is completely covered in liquid metal.

The black wire should be aligned with the negative mark, and the red wire should be aligned with the positive mark.

Remove around 12 inches of the housing from the end of the wire with wire strippers. Twist the wire’s end to connect all worn ends, then solder it to the solder pit.

Connect the wires with plastic end caps. Buy a plastic end cap from a hardware shop, drill a hole in it, and insert one black and one red wire. Leave a 1.3-centimeter gap for stripping.

With solder, connect the wires to the LED strip. Solder the wires to the LED strip after twisting the ends until they connect.

You can test the strips by inserting them into a power source when you’ve finished making the connections. Voila!

Whatever type of LED strip you have, one thing is certain: you can cut it to any length you wish. There will be straight or dashed black or white lines throughout the LED strip indicating where you will cut. Because the circuitry is segregated, cutting these lines is simple. As a result, cutting the strip here is completely safe and poses no risk of damage.

The cut lines on each LED strip are different since they come in a range of styles. Most LED strips, on the other hand, feature a cutoff line every three LEDs. On both sides of the black cut line, copper specks can be spotted. They make an asymmetrical pattern. There are two copper dots on a monochromatic light, but four copper dots on a color-changing RGB light. You’ll be able to see the cut lines between these copper specks if you find them.

The 5050 RGB LED strip is one of the simplest LED strips to use. This is most likely due to the fact that the strip has a 5m spool and can be cut with scissors every three LEDs. Cutting the copper contacts before the copper contacts are recommended when utilizing our plug and play connections to allow a greater variety of pins to make contact with. RGB necessitates the use of a color-shifting remote control, whereas one color can be utilized without a dimmer.

Conclusion

So there you have it. LED strips may be resized to accommodate any installation, no matter how big or little it is.

As a result, it’s no wonder that they’re rapidly becoming the most popular LED lighting option.

If you’re still undecided, a professional can cut your LED strips for you, but if you follow my advice, you’ll have nothing to worry about.

Our LED strip experts at MSH are always happy to share their knowledge. For further information, please contact us.