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Super Basic LED strip project: Some questions

.sailtoth3moon

May 24, 2011
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Hi everyone. This is an incredibly basic project I am doing since I have no experience with electronics, so please bare with me being a n00b.

I have a Randall rh 100 guitar amp head that I want to add a couple LED strips too.

I bought 2 led strips from walmart that are 12volt (meant to be wired to a car). Each package came with a 12 volt battery holder and battery that was rigged to a momentary switch to test the product in store through its packaging. I bought a toggle switch and would like to wire the two strips together (since they have a spot on the back to link them in a series) and run them through a toggle switch to the battery/ies.

Now my question is, how would I wire this? I had a single LED strip lit up through the battery holder that came with the package and the toggle switch worked. but when I plugged second strip in, it seemed to not work most of the time and the battery got really hot. I need to know whether the two 12 volt strips need to be powered by 2 12volt batteries or just one. Also, how should I wire this thing? Is there a way someone could create a diagram for me! And since the thing is meant to be hardwired to a car out of the package that the thing will not need any resistors? from the A23 batteries they lit up so I'm assuming the leds are already resisted.

I appreciate this, and would like to learn more.

So just to recap the materials I have are 2 led strips, 2 battery holders, 2 A23 batteries, a toggle switch, and a ton of wire and tools.

-Ryan
 
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poor mystic

Apr 8, 2011
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Hi Sail to the Moon!
are you wiring this to a car, or a car battery?
You need a double-pole switch.
Find out how much current the led strips will need, multply that number by 10, and get a solid double-pole switch from the auto-electrical supplier that can handle the current.

Ask the sales person to show you which way the 4 connections on the switch work, or test them out with a multimeter or a light bulb on a piece of wire. The power from the battery will be connected to 2 of the connections, and the 2 remaining connections will each get battery power when you throw the switch.

Good luck!

PS if you are NOT wiring this to a car, which is a nice low voltage system where nobody will get hurt, the following comments apply:

I certainly hope you're not wiring this to anything connected to the mains.

If the battery got hot there's probably a short circuit somewhere. Had any house fires lately?

General advice: Safe and reliable electronics won't happen unless the job is accomplished tidily, with every wire exactly where it should be and every join perfectly made. An experienced technician can get a good idea of the quality of a piece of equipment simply by looking at it, because a tidy, well laid-out job is a good job.

It's kind of hard to say it but this would be a good job to give to someone with a decent amount of experience. It won't take them long but it will save you grief. I think they'll have a very different idea of how the led's should be powered.
I have serious issues with the idea of having one switch connected to 2 separate transformers, both powered from the mains. I just wouldn't do it. The idea makes me tremble, and become white in the face.

I want to encourage you to get interested in electronics, sure, but using the mains like this is dangerous!
 

.sailtoth3moon

May 24, 2011
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May 24, 2011
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Just to clarify it will be powered by small a23 batteries. The led strips came with them and the battery holders so it should be appropriate. The led strips are meant to be wired together and be run off of a car so All I really wanted to do is take the components in the package and put a toggle switch inbetween. Now since I bought two kits and want to run them together my question is whether I should use both batteries (one from either kit) or should I run it off just one.

Now just so I'm clear I'm not running this off a car or hardwiring it to any power supplies just a simple wired circuit run off batteries to put in my guitar amp run by a switch.

Thanks !
 

Puno

Feb 25, 2011
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Feb 25, 2011
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you could wire the led strips in parallel and with the 2 batt. connected also in parallel that way batt will last as if it were individual strips, this works better when connecting led strips in series with the 2 batt connected in parallel.
 

.sailtoth3moon

May 24, 2011
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May 24, 2011
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If it's not to much trouble, Would someone be able to create a short diagram or a detailed very user friendly explanation on how to wire this in parallel? (keeping in mind I do not understand much of the lingo and slang you guys use) I would greatly appreciate it.

Equipment: 2 led strips, 2 battery holders w/ batteries. Toggle Switch.

Thanks so much !
 

Puno

Feb 25, 2011
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Feb 25, 2011
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Corrections to my last post!

Connect the 2 led strips in series (meaning one end of one strip is connected to the next strip and one end of either strip can be conneced to the 2 batt.(batt connected in parallel). why? well usually both ends of led strips are 2 terminals marked + and - and also they should come with a black and red wire plugs one of the plug has both plugs on the end and one has only one plug.

the one with both plugs, one end could be connected to the other strip in correct polarity thats red to + and black to - and use the other lead with only one plug to your batt. supply via a switch 2A or a 3A toggle switch will do the job if are 30 leds on one strip a switch of that rating is more than enough.

hope you understand what i am saying if not let me know and wil post a cct. for the wiring.
 
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.sailtoth3moon

May 24, 2011
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May 24, 2011
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Thanks for the response!

My led strips have a red and black wire on one end, and a plus and minus terminal spot for two wires to go in in the back. Now currently I wired it up not in series (because I just read your message after I wired it) and it lights up, but I'm not sure if the batteries are getting warm or not. I didnt leave them plugged in long enough to risk them blowing or something.

So basically this is a diagram of what I currently have. If you think I should change it, I definitely will. Instead of wiring each one to a battery, I can put them in series and then try to wire the batteries in parallel. (not quite sure how to do that yet though) just let me know what you think is the solution!

Thanks so much for the help!



excuse the poorly drawn diagram :p
 

Puno

Feb 25, 2011
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Feb 25, 2011
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here it is the cct. wiring diag. of the LED strips.
 

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.sailtoth3moon

May 24, 2011
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May 24, 2011
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Thanks a lot ! I'll wire that up and post pics of the final outcome when I get home tonight.
 
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