Ever flicked the switch to your LED light strip, expecting a vibrant glow, only to be met with darkness? Frustrating, isn’t it?
Before you toss that strip in the trash, what if I told you it’s possible to bring it back to life? And no, you don’t need to be an electrical wizard to do it.
In this guide, we’ll dive deep into:
- Why LED light strips break in the first place
- The art of soldering to mend your broken strip
- A quick alternative: using strip connectors
Did you know that most LED light strip issues are easily fixable with soldering? So, grab your soldering iron and let’s light up your world again. For those who’d rather skip the solder, we’ve got you covered with a quick strip connector guide.
VIEW OUR CAVELIGHTS RECOMMENDED LED LIGHT STRIPS HERE.
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Why Do LED Light Strips Break?
First things first, let’s get to the root of the problem. LED light strips are versatile and awesome, but they’re not invincible. They can suffer from:
- Electrical surges – Electrical surges will cause the wires and components in the strip to overheat and melt, leading to potential short circuits.
- Physical damage – If your LED strip sustains physical damage (e.g. when they fall off the wall), components will likely start to fail and/or break.
- Wear and tear over time – General wear and tear over time eventually leads to LED strips not working as they once did.
Understanding why they break will help you (hopefully) prevent them breaking in the future.
Soldering
Tools You’ll Need for Soldering
Before diving in, make sure you’ve got all the right tools:
Having the right tools not only makes the job easier but also ensures a more durable fix.
The Art of Soldering: Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Identify the Damage
First things first – turn off the power and unplug your LED strip.
Inspect it carefully to find the damaged section. Is it a single LED module or a larger segment of the strip?
Step 2: Cut the Damaged Section
Find the nearest designated cutting points to the left and right of the damaged section, and then cut it out using a pair of sharp scissors.
Make sure you only cut along the designated cutting lines on the strip. These are usually marked with scissor icons or dotted lines.
Cuts anywhere else will interfere with the electrical wiring of the LED strip.
Step 3: Pre-tin the Pads
Fire up your soldering iron and let it heat up.
Once it’s hot, apply a small amount of solder to the copper pads on your LED strip. This process is called “pre-tinning,” and it makes the actual soldering much easier.
Step 4: Solder the Wires
Cut two pieces of heat shrink tubing and slide them onto the wires you’ll be using.
Now, hold the stripped ends of the wires together and apply the soldering iron. The pre-tinned solder will melt and fuse the wires.
Slide the heat shrink tubing over the soldered area and heat it to secure the connection.
Step 5: Test the Connection
Before you go sticking that LED strip back on to the wall, give it a quick test.
Plug it in and turn on the power. If the strip lights up uniformly, you’ve nailed it. If not, double-check your soldering work.
Step 6: Secure with Heat Shrink Tubing
Remember those pieces of heat shrink tubing you slid onto the wires earlier? Now’s the time to secure them.
Use a heat gun to gently heat the tubing until it shrinks snugly around the soldered areas. This adds an extra layer of protection and durability.
Step 7: Reinstall the LED Strip
Now that your LED strip is ready to go again, go ahead and reinstall it.
Whether it’s under your kitchen cabinets or hidden on the ceiling, it’s ready to shine bright once more.
Alternative: Using Strip Connectors
Not everyone is comfortable wielding a soldering iron, and that’s completely okay.
There is another fix, and an easier one at that – you can also fix your LED strip using strip connectors.
It’s a simpler, solder-free method that gets the job done in no time. For a step-by-step guide on how to do this, check out our full step-by-step guide here.
Key Takeaways
- Identify the damage before diving in
- Use the right tools for a durable fix
- Soldering offers a robust solution
- Strip connectors are a quick and easy alternative
If you’re concerned about your newly-fixed LED light strip damaging your walls, don’t miss our guide on whether LED light strips rip paint off the wall.
VIEW OUR CAVELIGHTS RECOMMENDED LED LIGHT STRIPS HERE.
Related Posts
- How to keep LED light strips from falling off the wall
- Can you cut LED strip lights anywhere?
- Ripped LED strip lights: Easy fix without soldering
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