Decking LED strip lights

[checkmate]

Hi Guys

My decking is on verge of completion and wanted to install LED strip lights on steps.

My concern is, i have 9 steps.

If i buy say a 20m length and cut to size. I will then have to power each up. Which means 9 plug points?

Is there a simpler way to connect all LED strip light to one circuit?

I have 5 steps towards end and 4 towards start of decking. Any ideas appreciated

thanks in advance

 

[Taylortwocities]

Are you sure that those LED strip lights, that can be cut, are suitable to use outdoors?
The ones i have seen have all of their connections on an exposed printed circuit board. The whole thing would die at the first drop of rain.

You should be looking for something that is at least IPx7 rated.

 

[bernardgreen]

Provided the power supply unit ( PSU ... the device that takes 230 volts ac and produces 12 volts DC ) can supply the 20 metre length uncut then you can connect the 9 sections in parallel and power them all from the one PSU.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

i have 9 steps.

Is that because of sloping ground, or because you've built an elevated platform?

 

[ericmark]

I thought I had answered this before? There are many ways to package LED's. The LED it's self is a current operated device which if white will have a threshold voltage of around 3 volts. When packaged often so many LED's are put in series with a current limiting device and then the package becomes a voltage dependent device. So for 12 volt as an example three LED's in series with a resistor then another 3 in series with a resistor so the length can only be cut every 3 LED's.

But of course it could also be 48 volt and use a proper switch mode current limiter and have 12 LED's per current limiting device in which case the strip could be cut anywhere along length as long as reconnected is series.

With so many options on how the LED's are controlled there is simply no way to answer the question until a LED package is selected as an example. So here is an example.

The Deltech 4.8W strip lighting gives out an impressive 240 lumens per metre, both in a crisp cool white 4000K and invitingly warm 3000K. The strips are rated IP65 and therefore fully waterproof, making this an ideal product for domestic settings both indoors and outdoors for both wet and dry areas. Each metre contains 60 unique LED chips, and the strips can be customised to any length by cutting at marked intervals every 5cm. The strip light is fully flexible and self-adhesive for easy installation.

Note it says cut at "marked intervals every 5cm" and it also states else where it is 12 volt. Using epoxy resin shrink sleeve at the joints made with good soldered connections I am sure you could use this with links between each step. But at 5 meters length why bother cutting? But until you select a product we can only guess on how you can install it.