7 Common LED Strip FAILS and How To Avoid Them 

Imagine spending hours setting up LEDs and loving it... then seeing your room on the “what not to do” part 😂

"You shouldn't have exposed LED strips" Tik Tok teenagers: We don't do that here.

It has 6.5m views but I find it surprising that not a lot in the comments are talking about how incredibly informative the video is,especially considering the title. Normally youd get the same amount of information from other channel in 5-7 videos. I mean if you dont care about hot soits or exposed led and think it looks better just ignore it. But stuffs like hot spots is something that an amateur might not even notice when setting up led strips. Great stuff.

I didn't know that so much detail and variation existed within the LEDs. You've done a phenomenal job to keep the video interesting and 100% informative .. cheers

I was reluctant to get into using LEDs because I thought it seemed too complicated. After watching this video, I now know that it's far more complicated than I imagined.

Him at the beginning: LED strip lights are super cool! Him on the first tip: LED strips are ugly.

I have been using LED strips for years in different projects and this has been an eye opening experience. A good portion I knew already but man, I've been doing this wrong all these years. lol

I'm late to comment, but something not mentioned here is where you tap into the strip to supply power. Ideally for longer runs you want your power to start in the middle of the strip so you don't get as big a voltage drop across the strip. You will need more current from your power supply, but it makes more consistent lighting and they're much less likely to fail.

"You don't have to have an electrical engineering degree." Me: * fastening an LED strip to the back of my electrical engineering degree *

*talks about exposed leds* Me: looks at ceiling with exposed leds going all around it. Shut up hammock

I'm planing on doing some LED projects at home, your video was a HUGE help. Thank you very much for the tips!

Very informative, this guy knows his stuff. After watching his video I did my homework and asked a few electricians as well. We were all pretty impressed. Thanks for giving it to me straight. Awesome tutorial.

Take note!! This video is meant for professionals and interior designers who's main goal is to make their room look elegant and stylish, so if you're a teenager having fun and your lights ended up making it to the "What not to do" list, it's OK you're not a professional :))

index 1. Exposed LED strip 1:04 2. Hotspots 2:48 3. LED strips don't need to be RGB 4:42 4. Choose the right power 5:59 5. Choose the right number of LED per meter (density) 7:08 6. Individually addressable LED 9:10 7. Spend a little extra to get better control 10:28

This was the most informative video I've come across and answers so many questions. Thank you for posting!

Thank you for making this video. I am a low-voltage electrical engineer looking to branch out and your channel is very informative. ❤

"How many times are you gonna use a color other than white" me: and I took that personaly

Holy shit... You gave us all the right info with absolutely no fluff, and it STILL took 12 minutes to get it all out there. Bravo, sir!

Upon unboxing, I was immediately upset at how the rails were very noticeably bent. But I kept going, all tools needed to assemble were included ru-vid.comUgkxqtX4Dxs6aecAZEuz6GY5-d81YecKCshn and I had it set up in about 30 minutes. Honestly I love this thing, make sure to read the measurements and measure your space so you know if it'll work for you. I bought this to put inside my closet, underneath where I hang my clothes and it is absolutely perfect! It is VERY sturdy and all drawers glide easily and mine are stuffed, and they are still flush when closed.

Really glad I found this video. It might be 2 yrs after you made it, but really appreciate the tips. Thanks heaps!

But I might want my house to look like a cheap nightclub...

Tomorrow is the end of the quarter and i have multiple large missing assignments, yet here I am, watching a tutorial on how to make something I don't even own look good.

Excellent explanation and comparison of the various options available. I keep ending up at this video on my various searches for LED and RGB lighting videos over the past couple years 👍🏽

This is one of the best videos I’ve seen on LED strips. Thank you for putting it together!

Thank you for successfully un-inspiring me to do anything with LEDs

Thanks man! I followed your guide so I could help a friend when he was switching flats. Those 90 degree connectors are worth every penny. People loved how I did the job and I got payed to install led strips for 3 more people. You made me 150 euros, huge amount for a student and it didn't take too much time. I can't say thank you enough times.

extremely helpful. I just returned the led pucks to Lowes, and I am going to go with strips instead. Thank you for the advice!

Love the video, great advice and tips! Hard disagree on the remotes vs smart switches/apps though. Apps are planned obsolescence and as your amazon echo/google home etc become old and obsolete your gear will crap out. A cheap remote may be cheap and flimsy but its very easy to replace, and will work "indefinitely" as long as you have a fresh battery. Keep it simple.

This was in my recommended and now I really want to get LED lights for my room

Dude: How often are you going to want a color other than white? Me: Always!

Thank you! Im having some of these problems with installing leds. I didn't know these jumpers, clips, etc. existed. Now i can do this right!

Thank you, this is so helpful. I am about to start an installation in my RV and this has given me a lot of information.

This was really in depth for something to simple😭

As someone who wants to set up his dorm room with lights , This video has given invaluable information. Thank You for this.

Extremely helpful and informative video. It helped to consider issues a person would never know to ask or address until it was too late. The video helped me decide LED lighting IS doable. I’ve always wanted to install LED strips under my kitchen cabinets. This video helped me decide to do the project. Thank you for taking the time to create the video.

Thank you for this video! I received an LED strip for a Christmas present but I never used it because I had no idea how to set it up and I didn’t want to do something dangerous like using the wrong voltage. I feel much more comfortable installing it now that I’ve seen this video. Thanks!

"Easy to cut with a hacksaw." Struggles to make a clean cut.

Him:exposed LED lights are ugly Me who put them up like 8 minutes ago:👁👄👁

Great video. You covered all the issues I encountered myself at first.

You just saved my from making install mistakes my first time around. Thank you for sharing!! 👌🏿

Wow, dude. Where have you been all my life? You really answered a few vexing questions I've had about LEDs and LED strips in this one short, concise, WELL EXPLAINED and ORGANIZED video. Too many creators unleash a stream of consciousness in their videos due to either poor planning or writing or a maligned attempt to keep the video longer. You do none of that and I really do appreciate it. I'll definitely recommend your channel to others... Thank you sooo much.

As someone trying to get my first LED installation right, this was a very powerful, informative video of pitfalls to avoid and general advice. Thanks man!

Incredibly helpful . I was worried about installing but no more...

Nicely explained 👌. I love the addressable LEDs too.

Talking about exposed led lights: Me looking up at my led lights on:

It was kind of mentioned, but not explicitly: Keep in mind what kind of surface your LED's are going to be pointing at. If they are pointing to open air it's fine - but if they point directly at a reflective surface, you are more likely to 'see' the LED dots on your surface (eg. countertop). In that case, test them before mounting to see if the surface reflects the dots too much and if so, can you angle the LED strip? As in: instead of pointing straight down at your countertop from the underside of the cabinet, put them on the front lip pointing at the back wall - or if the backsplash is reflective too much, point them down - or if both counter and backsplash are showing the dots reflection, do the diffuser thing. Just something I had to contend with on my install.

thanks for the info and links this is a game changer

You addressed all the issues. Thanks

Glad I watched this video. Very informative and it will help me plan my project in a way that will keep the cursing during installation to a minimum.

This video was packed with info. I appreciate all the knowledge that was shared. Very nicely put together, concise overviews, and presented in layman’s terms. Thank you!

Thank you very informative and detailed...I learned😊

Wow! I learned so much. Yep, I made one of the mistakes in my last installation. Thanks for a great video

Great info and details! I had not even thought about overlapping the joints in the aluminum channel with the diffuser. I installed white LEDs in aluminum channels with diffusers under our kitchen cabinets. I also added single color LED strips around the deck (red LEDs) and and under the dash on my boat, white LED strips in each storage compartment and blue LEDs in the live well. They are incredibly helpful and draw lots of positive comments (lust!). Bought everything from Amazon. I found that the white snap connectors can fail and are a pain to install when used with waterproof LED strips. Instead, I cut the strips and soldered them with 22ga tinned wire at every 90 degree turn. Result - no hot spots and no dim or unlit spots.

“Purple and gross”.. Me: I guess I’ll just switch colors then

Appreciate you sharing your experience, thoughts & this video. I am just about to start experimenting with Various LED Lighting Systems. This video should help avoid some issues along the way.

such a great video. absolutely love the way you put everything, very easy to understand and convincing. thanks for sharing!

Thank you, probably the most informative and comprehensive video on LED light strips.

This is a fantastic professional straightforward no nonsense practical guide to using LED strips. It has been extremely useful in helping me make the right choices and avoid some cringeworthy mistakes. Thanks

Dude, this is such a thorough analysis. Hats off!

Your Video is great! this is all the information that I needed!! Thanks!!

This is video is mandatory for everyone into led strips universe. Thanks for sharing it!

I really wish I had seen this video several years ago, before I trial and errored my way through lots of setups that didn't work well. This video explains things wonderfully. Thanks for taking the time to make it.

Good info on the 'Hotspot'. I was planning to run a strip down my display case and fold the strip and run it back down the display in the opposite direction to give it a little more light. Good to know folding the strip creates Hotspots. Using the extensions is exactly what I needed to do instead. Oh and btw, anyone interested in using LEDs but concerned it might be too complicated, it's not that hard to figure out how to setup. Watch a few RU-vid videos like this one and buy your LED lights, an assortment of connections, and LED extension cable with Wire Quick Connections and you should be set. Use the very end of you LED light it practice cutting a portion of your strip and connecting it back to the main strip. Once you get a feel of how it all works you're good to go. It took me a few hours to figure out how all the connecting things work (with the help of RU-vid) and once I learned it it was pretty easy stuff. Now I just hope my display case doesn't catch on fire. Good luck guys!

Well made and high quality tutorial! You really mentioned every single thing you need to know about led-strips.

One of the best setups I did for someone was lining the side of crown moulding/framing of a window with a warm led strip. The moulding around the window was just a little thicker than the width of the led strip, so it fit perfectly with just enough room to spare. It was about 16 feet in total; so up one side, across the span, and then down the opposite side, and down to a smart outlet (connected to wifi controls and etc) and it looks awesome. It’s just enough light and it disperses nicely around the window and onto the wall. Plus the strip is dimmable so it can be as bright as needed.

This was so Helpful, thanks very much dude.

This is actually a pretty informative video an d answered some questions I didn't even think about as im about to swap kitchen cabinets and add a lot of LED light strips. Thank you

I swear, this video popped up in my feed while I was contemplating LED strip lighting ideas for my office desk. The algorithm is telepathic, I tells ya!

you're an ANGEL. I've been installing LED strip lighting in trade show booths and furniture for years and it's AMAZING how all of these are mistakes that happen without close supervision, it's like people can't comprehend what will happen, I'm sharing this video with my team so they can share with internal clients. THANK YOU!

Hey, thanks for the tips! I learned a lot that'll come in handy for LED projects.

most informative video I've seen this month, thank you!

Great video thanks. I have a lesson learned to share. When mounting kitchen cabinet downlighting I used connectors to a cable so I could hop across the cooker hood with my own cable run. The problem is that the connectors get very very hot and this is because they are carrying the current for the majority of the kitchen. I don't have this problem at the start of the strip because it's a soldered connector. I've got around this problem by soldering onto the strip instead of using the connector but if I knew about the problem beforehand I'd have used the existing soldered connection at the start of the led run on the side of the cooker hood that had the longest run and only used the small clip on connector for the short run on the other side. TLDR: clip on connectors get hot if they carry a lot of LEDs so either solder your own connectors or carefully use the provided soldered connector at the start of the strip for your longest run.

Thanks, this helps a lot since im hooking up some LEDs in my car like Morohoshi-san.

Also, consider Wire resistance. The Strip mentioned with 120 W and 24V will draw 5 Amps, at least over the shared + Wire. So when installing, use a proper Wire diameter.

this guy is absolute gold, I have being doing such research and everything I need is in one video

I have been looking at those aluminum channels for over a year now. You nailed it!

4:01 those corner connectors leave a gap. Better option is leave the loop there and use black electrical tape to cover the extra LEDS so you still have one or two in the corner instead of zero

Very first tip has already taught me something new and blown my mind. Thank you

Top effort anda great guide. Thank you

This is the most helpful video I have seen for LED lighting installation! Thank you! I will be installing LED light strips inside my new RV. I prefer the soft glow over the overhead lights.

Me who's already put mine up and was happy with them until this point

This is great advice! Thanks!!!

excellent presentation. I just moved and I dismissed LEDs for my new place knowing some of the failures you highlighted without knowing all of these solutions. I think I might give it a try.

Currently working on a custom closet and just installed LED strips throughout the cabinets. The LED strips are definitely ugly but the wife wanted them. Thanks to this video I ordered some of those diffusing channels. That looks sooooooooooo much better and more professional looking than the good strips exposed. Thanks for the tip!

this video was a gold mine holy cow

Outstanding video. Packed will amazing relevant material and solid suggestions. Thank you.

Thanks for the info, researching different lighting options.

"Remotes are bad and Apps are worse and will probably get used even less than the remotes. Here's an alternate solution to those" : *Proceeds to show an app* :

I’ve installed 1/4 round upside down 6” to a foot below the ceiling, then laid the led strip on top. It eliminates seeing the LEDs and the constant pull of the tape from gravity. You’ll need to solder wires to the corners where I cut to fit or you’d need the 90’s shown in the video. Great video!!!

Lots of helpful information. Thank you.

This was so helpful, thank you.

I never thought I would learn this much about LED strips in my whole life. Thank you for this really informative video it was pretty cool. I may use LED strips with the aluminum casings on the corner of my work-from-home space.

Wow! Very informative, probably one of the best LED strip videos I've watched.

Great advice on the matter. Thanks for the info. It's so clearly laid out.

Thanks I didn't know about the diffuser strips

A good video that covers a lot of the main issues I ran into when digging into LED lighting, but I honestly wasn't expecting you to miss some of these: 8. For longer life, *don't* use the rated voltage. A slightly lower voltage will barely be noticeable, but will *drastically* extend your LEDs' life expectancy. For example, a 19.5v laptop power supply can work pretty well with 24v strips; just match the power rating. Another option is to get a power supply that has voltage adjustment. You can also use a PWM motor/LED controller between the power supply and strips to adjust their brightness as needed. 9. When choosing LED's for your main source of light, all LED's are NOT equal. Look for a CRI rating of 90 or above for good *quality* light. (I once bought a 50W COB for a project. That LED is now sitting in my junk box because it gave everything a purple/green hue that was unbearable--the CRI was probably 60 or below. Instead, I now use the LED strips + dimmer that DIY Perks suggested and my living room is lit with sun-quality light even in the dead of night.) 10. For strips that need to be able to follow a bend, buy some aluminum flat bar stock from your local hardware store. You can bend it into any shape needed and cut it with regular woodworking tools, then attach the LED strip to it, using clips/epoxy/etc. as needed to ensure the strip stays in place. 11. Pro-level bonus: For even *better* light diffusion, use a 'light guide plate/sheet', which is an edge-lit sheet of acrylic/PMMA/etc. that has horizontal & vertical v-shaped grooves cut into the back of it to reflect the light towards the front surface of the sheet. (Some use dots, but they don't work *nearly* as well.) The grooves get deeper, wider, and closer together the farther they are away from each LED to maintain a uniform brightness across the entire surface. To prevent light from escaping out of the back, either reflective paint is applied to the back surface or a separate reflective plate is used. (This is the technology used in modern laptop backlights.) Please note that this is *NOT* something that your typical handyman can do a good job with; a CNC and a lot of time and money will be needed to ensure good uniformity. OTOH, you can buy the sheet and reflective backer from the usual Chinese suppliers.

Thanks, Rob! I've never put the time into LED strips that I really should, just basically slapped them up and hoped for results. This is great advice for people exactly like me!

Very helpful, thank you.

Thank you for the VERY informational video!

Alternate title: How to make your LED installation more expensive.