Have you ever had a broken LED strip? A common issue with led strips is that they will stop working, or the lights will go out. This article will show the steps on how to fix a broken led strip.
In this blog post, we will explore what causes a broken led strip and how to fix it. We’ll also tell you about some of the risks associated with repairing your own led strip.
Summary: Fixing a broken LED strip involves identifying the issue, such as a failed LED, a faulty connection, or a damaged section, and then applying the appropriate repair technique. To begin, gather the necessary tools and materials, including a soldering iron, solder, heat shrink tubing, a utility knife or scissors, wire strippers, and connectors. Make sure the LED strip is disconnected from the power supply before attempting any repairs to avoid electrical hazards.
If a single LED or a small section of the strip is faulty, you can replace it by cutting out the damaged part along the designated cut lines. Strip the ends of the remaining wires, apply heat shrink tubing, and solder the replacement section onto the existing strip, ensuring that the positive and negative terminals are correctly aligned.
If the issue is due to a loose or broken connection, inspect the solder joints and re-solder them if necessary. In cases where the copper pads on the strip are damaged, you can bridge the gap using a small piece of wire or a conductive adhesive. Once the repair is complete, cover any exposed connections with heat shrink tubing or electrical tape and reconnect the LED strip to the power supply. Test the strip to ensure proper functionality and enjoy your restored LED strip lighting.
5 Reasons that Causes Broken Led Strip
1. Mishandling/Obstructing Led Strip
When you install your led strip, keep in mind that the lights are very fragile. If you run into or obstruct the light while performing other work, it may cause the solder joints to fail.
In addition, Over-bending and deforming can turn a working led strip into one that doesn’t light up.
2. Loose Connections
If the connections to your led strip don’t have good contact, the electricity won’t flow.
So the first thing you should do when troubleshooting a non-working led strip is to check if all of the solder joints are still intact and connected well. Check for cold solder joints or places where copper doesn’t look bright and shiny.
3. Over Exercising the Solder Joints
Repeated bending of the solder joints can cause connections to fail from fatigue. If you over bend your led strip, especially if it is not on a flat surface, it may damage the contacts inside the waterproofing sleeve.
In addition, due to excess friction and heat, a small scratch or dent in the insulation will short out the circuit.
4. Water Damage
If water gets into your led strip, it may cause the electronics inside to short out or corrode. So when you put in a new led strip, be sure that all connections are dry before turning on the power.
Even after drying, they could still develop corrosion problems down the line.
5. Improper Wiring
The batteries will only charge to a specific voltage if you hook up your led strip in reverse polarity. The negative and positive leads on the power supply have different resistances.
So you should test that each one gives off full voltage before starting work. If you don’t check this first, it may damage your electronics or the board itself.
The Solution: How to Fix a Broken Led Strip
As of now, there are two ways to fix the led strip that you have broken – one is a permanent fix, and the other is temporary.
It’s up to you which way you would like to go about fixing your broken LED light strip or if it’s better to buy a new one.
Steps for Temporary Fix
Step 1
The first step you have to do to create a temporary fix for your broken LED light strip is to measure how long the area is that was ripped or torn apart so that you can cut another strip of the same size.
Step 2
Cut another length of the flexible, waterproof silicone tube and stick it on top of the area that is torn apart. Then, seal it with a soldering iron.
Make sure the silicone tube ends are adequately packed so that no water will get in and damage your LED light strip.
Step 3
Now, you will need to tie a knot around the silicone tube and LED light strip so that it comes out even after you slip it into the hole.
Step 4
After your led strip has been re-sealed, you will need to solder the wire back together and then push the silicone tube back down so that your LED light strip fits snugly into place again.
Step 5
At this point, you should plug in your LED light strip to make sure that it works and that the area you tried to repair hasn’t short-circuited.
Step 6
If it is working, you can now use hot glue or silicone glue to fix your LED light strip in place again.
Make sure that you are using a waterproof type of adhesive so that when the weather changes, your LED light strip will still be in good shape and continue working!
Steps for Permanent Fix
Step 1
The first thing you need to do is cut off the silicone tube on both ends of your LED light strip. It will allow you more room to work with so that you don’t short-circuit the whole strip.
Step 2
Use a soldering iron to fix the two-wire pieces back together again.
Step 3
Now, you need to reattach the two wires back into their solder joints in the PCB. To do this, carefully slide them back into place and use your soldering iron to ensure they are securely fastened.
Step 4
Next, take a piece of electrical tape and wrap it around the outside of the joint. Doing this will help protect it from short-circuiting in the future.
Step 5
Now that you have repaired your LED strip, it is a good idea to test it out and make sure everything works. To do this, take one of your strips and plug the male end into an outlet or use a DC power supply.
Then take the female end and plug it into one of the male ends of another LED strip to test that all of them are working properly.
Step 6
Once you have confirmed that everything is working, now you can cut out a piece of heat shrink tube big enough to slide over the electrical tape on both sides.
Then carefully slide it over to the electrical tape, and use your heat gun or blow dryer to shrink it down to a smaller scale.
Step 7
Now that the tubing has shrunken, you will want to cut out some notch holes on each side of the strip. It will allow you to access both screws for mounting.
Now take some silicone-based electrical tape and wrap it around the outside of the joint. This helps to protect your repair area from short-circuiting in the future.
Step 8
Now you are ready to mount your LED strip anywhere you want, whether under a desk or along a wall. To do this, use some screws and drywall anchors to fasten it in place firmly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Fix Led Strip Lights When Half Are Out?
If you are experiencing a problem with your LED strip lights, the first thing you should do is determine if there is a power issue or if the lights themselves are defective. If the lights are working but only half of them are turning on, your first guess may be that there is a power issue. However, if the lights are only half-working and some of them don’t turn on at all, then it’s more likely that the light strips themselves are defective.
If you are experiencing a problem with your LED strip lights, the first thing you should do is determine if there is a power issue or if the lights themselves are defective. If the lights are working but only half of them are turning on, your first guess may be that there is a power issue. However, if the lights are only half-working and some of them don’t turn on at all, then it’s more likely that the light strips themselves are defective.
In order to fix these types of problems, you will need to replace the light strips. This can be done by taking the entire unit apart and replacing each individual light strip with a new one. Alternatively, you can try to fix the power issue by plugging in the light strip into an outlet and checking to see if it turns on. If not, then you may need to replace the circuit board inside of the unit.
Regardless of how you fix the problem, always make sure to test the light strip after installation in order to make sure that it is working properly.
Can Led Strip Lights Be Cut and Joined?
Yes, Led strip lights can be cut and joined. This is useful for creating custom lengths or widths of LED strip lights, or for joining multiple LED strips together to create a single longer strip of lights. To join LED strip lights, first cut the desired length of LED strip lights using a standard cutting tool. Next, use a connector strip to join the end of one LED strip light to the beginning of another LED strip light, making sure that the connector strip is the correct width (usually 1/8-inch wide) and that the ends of both LED strips are fully exposed. Finally, secure the connector strip with a small amount of adhesive or double-sided tape.
Why is Part of My Led Strip Not Working?
There may be a few reasons why part of your LED strip might not be working. First, if the power to the strip is interrupted, some of the LEDs may turn off due to the lack of power. Second, if the strip is damaged, some of the LEDs may be damaged as well. Finally, if the adhesive that connects the LED strip to the light bulb is not properly installed, some of the LEDs may not be connected to the light bulb and will not work. In all cases, it is important to check to see if any of the LEDs are blinking or flickering and contact an authorized technician if they are not responding correctly.
Is It Safe to Put Duct Tape on Led Lights?
the safety of duct tape when it comes to Led lights is largely dependent on the type of light fixture and the specific application. Generally speaking, duct tape is harmless when applied to incandescent or fluorescent light bulbs, as these types of lights do not contain any electronic components. However, it is important to be aware that duct tape may not be safe when applied to LED lights, as these bulbs are often fitted with electronic circuit boards that may be damaged by the adhesive. If you are concerned about the safety of duct tape when it comes to your LED lights, it is best to consult with a qualified electrician or technician before making any modifications.
Final Words
If you want to fix a broken led strip, try this troubleshooting guide. You’ll have an easy time fixing your LED lights if you follow these simple steps.
With the proper knowledge and tools in hand, there’s no need to worry about having dead or flickering LEDs anymore!
We hope that this guide has given you an understanding of how to fix a broken LED strips. If you have any questions, please get in touch with us or leave a comment below to help answer them!