Installing LED strip lighting

[trudelle]

So chpthril those items I listed would work for my project

[chpthril]

Yep, I believe so!

[talltigeguy]

The strips are marked every 3 LEDs and can be cut to the length you need. The 300 LED strips are about 1.5" per section of 3 LEDs, so its easy to cut to near exact length when running a strip. With speaker and cup holder rings, its a little tougher.

You can do 1 of 2 ways. You can wire each strip in parallel or home-run each strip around to the switch/controller. personally, I like to parallel each strip, especially when doing 18 cup-holders and 8 speakers and a sub plus other LEDs to fill in. I run a single 2 conductor ( for single color) or 4 conductor (for RGB around the boat start at the furthest LED. I then pick up each LED strip along the way and tap them into the main line until I end up at the switch or controller. Far less wire and mush cleaner. if doing multiple zones, then each zone needs to be done this way. For me, any lights above the deck are on their own zone, thats 2 zones if we do tower speaker rings. To control those with a single RGB controller, just interrupt the B+ with a rocker switch just for that zone.

So when you cut the LED strip, will there be any loose wires to splice into on the next section? Maybe there will be, but I just cannot see them here:

[trudelle]

Talltigeguy there should not be any wires from my understanding just solder points...they make connectors to use so that you do not have to solder.

[chpthril]

So when you cut the LED strip, will there be any loose wires to splice into on the next section? Maybe there will be, but I just cannot see them here:

WHen you buy a bulk roll, they typically come with leads only on one end. So each section you cut off, you have to either solder on your own leads or use the solderless connectors. In your pic, do you see the 5 gold ovals? thats where you would make your cut. There will be another spot to cut after the next 3 LEDs.

[talltigeguy]

Talltigeguy there should not be any wires from my understanding just solder points...they make connectors to use so that you do not have to solder.

WHen you buy a bulk roll, they typically come with leads only on one end. So each section you cut off, you have to either solder on your own leads or use the solderless connectors. In your pic, do you see the 5 gold ovals? thats where you would make your cut. There will be another spot to cut after the next 3 LEDs.

Thanks! I will look up some of those connectors.

[trudelle]

Chpthril thanks for all the help with this... one more ? Can i put this on a 3 position switch ie like the nav/anchor lights? I would need to get a 3 position switch and remove the existing courtesy switch since it is a on/off switch... i guess the correct terminology would be from a SPST to a SPDT. Or would it be best to just install a new SPST.
thanks again with all of this i really appreciate the help

[chpthril]

If i understand what you are looking to do, then yes. A 3 position ON/OFF/ON switch will work. Up could be courtesy, down could be LEDs and middle is all off.