Determining how to wire LED strips


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Old 01-02-17, 05:29 PM
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Determining how to wire LED strips

I am going to be making a built-in bookshelf on my wall. It is 153W X 48H X 10D (all in inches). I want to run LED light strips vertically along the face frame. One strip one each side. Each upright is 48” tall. So I have a total of 12 – 48” high strips to power. I am thinking I want to use 12V strips.

I am trying to figure out what gauge wire I should be running from the transformer to the strips. I know I should do them in parallel but that is about it. I have attached 3 pictures. The one is an example of the uprights so you can see where they are going. The other 2 are how I think I should lay it out. I want to do the layout titled “end”. I need to figure out what gauge wire I need for the main wire running across the top. This is a total of about 153” long. The wires to each LED strip will be about 10” long. I assume (I may be wrong) that I can use a smaller gauge wire for this.

these pictures are not to scale

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Old 01-02-17, 05:34 PM
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#18 would be a good size to use. You can use solid thermostat cable that comes in a brown jacket.

Each strip will be well under one amp so really any wire you have can be used.
 
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Old 01-02-17, 05:49 PM
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To save money and time, can I use the 18 wire for all it right to each light strip?

Am I thinking correctly with the layout? I am thinking I need to solder or somehow join the wires together when they go from the long wire.

Also, will a 12A power supply work?
 
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Old 01-02-17, 07:36 PM
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You can solder the wiring or use wirenuts to insulate the connections. Basically you need to make sure the connections are solid, can't short out and are out of sight.

You have haven't told us what LED strips you are using but I figured less than 1A per string.

Typical tape I'm looking at is 2.8 watts per foot or 11.2 watts for four feet.
12 watts = 1 amp.
 
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Old 01-02-17, 08:04 PM
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I forgot to put in there that it will be a 12V string. I think I want to be able to dim them. So any idea where I can get a 12A dimmable transformer for these?

I am thinking these.... amazon/product/B00HSF65MC/
 

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Old 01-02-17, 08:41 PM
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Those are 16.4' strips that can probably be shortened to 4.1' each.
One 16.4' strip requires 20 watts. So each 4.1' strip is around 5 watts.

12) 4.1' strips would require 60 watts or 5 amps.

I would use a 12vdc PWM dimmer to control the lights.
amazon/Dimming-Controller-Adjustable-Brightness-Zitrades
 
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Old 01-03-17, 04:36 AM
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The OEM dimmer switches all appear to need to be wired. No plugs. If I cut the round plug off of a power supply, are there 2 wires that I can attach to the dimmer? I don't want to cut one if that is not the case.
 
 

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