With LED light bulbs in your LED strip lights being fixed in length across the market, it is not always possible to find LED light strips that are suitable for the length you need.
However, if you’re a LED strip light user (commercial lighting or for your home), you may be wondering whether there is a capability to cut the LED light strip to a fixed length to match the length of space required.
Usually, cutting LED strips is possible and has a line for you to work with on most sets - enabling you to use LED strip light connectors and reconnect the strips back together after you have cut them to your desired length.
How to Cut LED Strip Lights
Before you begin trying to cut the light strips on your own - this is a three-part process that requires a step-by-step guide in order to cut LED strip lights precisely.
First of all, before starting - you will need to make sure that the strip you have purchased can be cut. If not, cutting the strip lights may make them unusable.
In contrast, if they have the ability to be cut - it is paramount that you remember to disconnect the LED power when cutting a light strip that is connected to a power supply. Here is how you can cut your LED light safely and effectively:
Step 1: You will need to measure the length of the LED strip that you have purchased. This is so you find out whether you need to take any length off of the LED strip light. When measuring make sure you do not cut the strip too short - otherwise your effort will be wasted and you’ll have to go out of your way to buy another one!
Step 2: If your light strip set gives you the ability to cut it - there will be a scissors logo for where you will cut it. To avoid causing damage to your strip lights, you must find the scissors logo to cut at your desired length.
Step 3: The last step in this part of the process is to use any scissors you have to cut the excess strip along the position marked with the scissors logo (only where you want to cut it). To ensure that nothing goes wrong - try to cut the scissors logo with a straight trajectory, rather than a diagonal cut. This is because a diagonal cut can cause the light to stop working - so cutting straight is vital.
How Would You Fix Your LED Light Strips When Cut
If you purchased light strips that can be cut, then everything else that you cut off in the process cannot be used anymore for anything useful. However, if you want to reconnect them after you’ve cut the strip - you must use an additional 4-pin connector.
On the other hand, if you cut the strip improperly when cutting, it may cause the light strip to stop working immediately. Therefore, before you even begin the cutting process, we recommend you check over and over to make sure the length of the strip is measured properly and supplies you with what you need.
Subsequently, if you get this wrong, the 4-pin connector is not usually available with the LED light strip set - meaning that you would have to buy this product separately if the cutting process went wrong. Here are the correct steps you need to follow to fix your LED lighting when cut:
Step 1: To buy the right 4-pin connector for your strip light - you will need to choose the 4-pin connector with the same width as your strip lighting. For example, if your strip light was 10mm wide - your 4-pin connector would have to be suitable for 10mm and the list goes on.
Step 2: After you have bought your 4-pin connector - make sure to open your connector on the side (if your connector comes with a cover).
Step 3: Next, you will need to place the two cut ends of the LED light strip that you have cut into the fastening clips of your 4-pin connector. Quickly ensure that they are not reversed - by using the instructions provided.
Step 4: Once your LED strip is placed into the connector - you will need to close the cover and try to see if the light strip is lit as normal. If it doesn’t light up as normal, try to adjust the connecting point between the connector and the LED strip light.
It will always be a challenge to reconnect your strip after cutting - due to the fact you have to buy additional connectors, but if anything is done wrong, this operation can be completely ruined. So, our advice is to double-check everything you do before acting upon it.
How to Use LED Strip Lights After Cutting Them
You must make sure everything is precisely cut within your lighting kits. Some LED lights work when you cut them to a specific length - but there is no point in risking a potentially broken strip light.
When you’ve carefully cut the strip, follow these steps to ensure that you are using and placing your lighting in the proper position:
Step 1: The first step that needs to be taken is to assure that the wall you use is dry and clean before attaching your strip light to it. If the wall is wet, dusty or has any other hygiene issues - you will not be able to attach the LED light strip properly.
Step 2: After you’ve made sure or cleaned the wall, you will now be able to tear off the covering on the glue behind your lighting strip and put it anywhere you want that fits the scene.
Step 3: If you purchased a whole set of LED strip lighting - they should come with controllers and a connector. You will then use the connector to connect the controller to your light strip. However, please pay close attention to the front and back of your connector when placing the light strip in - as it will not work properly if inserted backwards.
Step 4: Once your light strip is connected to your connector make sure you plug it into the power source. If still not lighting up with colour, you may have gone wrong when cutting - so be extra careful when cutting the scissors logo.
