I really need advice from an electrician ASAP. please help me? Im so confused

[Carla]

I really need advice. I know nothing about electrics so i am looking for someone to give me some basic answers and help.

I want to put lighting around my ceiling. I need 20meters, I found 20 meters of led strip lights on ebay, they come in 4 rolls of 5 meters totaling 20 meters.

It says the specs are 12v 10a and 120watts (please see attached photo) I have tried asking the seller for advice but he isnt making much sense.

basically i need to know if the 10a power supply is enough to power 120watts (20meters) of led lights? im worried about it not being enough and they might over heat. im assuming it must be ok otherwise they wouldn't sell the power supply with the 20m set but i just need to make sure it is suffice to power it.

 

[SparkyChick]

Hi Carla,

Welcome to the forums.

On the face of it, it appears that the power supply should be sufficient. However, buying from eBay, particularly if the seller is in China for example, can be a risk... particularly with electrical goods.

Looking at the picture you have supplied, the power supply MUST be in a suitable enclosure as it has exposed live connections. The connector used to connect it to the LED tape will also be of limited use in your application as you are wanting to go around the perimeter of the room whilst the connector supplied requires you to put the tapes all starting at roughly the same place (within the confines of that connector). I wouldn't want to run four of those connected in series as I suspect the voltage drop would be quite substantial, resulting in varying levels of intensity along the length of the run.

Just my initial thoughts based on the limited information.

Hope that helps.

 

[Carla]

Hi Carla,

Welcome to the forums.

On the face of it, it appears that the power supply should be sufficient. However, buying from eBay, particularly if the seller is in China for example, can be a risk... particularly with electrical goods.

Looking at the picture you have supplied, the power supply MUST be in a suitable enclosure as it has exposed live connections. The connector used to connect it to the LED tape will also be of limited use in your application as you are wanting to go around the perimeter of the room whilst the connector supplied requires you to put the tapes all starting at roughly the same place (within the confines of that connector). I wouldn't want to run four of those connected in series as I suspect the voltage drop would be quite substantial, resulting in varying levels of intensity along the length of the run.

Just my initial thoughts based on the limited information.

Hope that helps.

so that silver power supply you are sayimg isn't enclosed properly? my guy doing the job says i need 15m in living room but told me to get 20m roll.

you say the power supply is sufficient but you said they will have different levels of intensity. which i dont understand. what would you suggest i do to ovoid that

 

[GeorgeCooke]

I wouldn't want to run four of those connected in series as I suspect the voltage drop would be quite substantial, resulting in varying levels of intensity along the length of the run.

Nor would anyone else who knew what they were doing. Each strip would only get 3v if they were in series.

 

[SparkyChick]

Nor would anyone else who knew what they were doing. Each strip would only get 3v if they were in series.

Actually what I was getting at was connected end to end.

These RGB tapes are typically 3 bus bars (or 4 if they have dedicated white elements to the LED chips) plus ground, and they can be connected end to end. But the voltage drop in the tape would be quite substantial on a run that long.

 

[Carla]

Actually what I was getting at was connected end to end.

These RGB tapes are typically 3 bus bars (or 4 if they have dedicated white elements to the LED chips) plus ground, and they can be connected end to end. But the voltage drop in the tape would be quite substantial on a run that long.

they wont be joined end to end as i have an opening to another room so both ends wont jojn. will this effect the light intensity

 

[Midwest]

Agree with SparkyChick. Buy from a reputable dealer, not ebay. They will make up your strips to size and pair them up with the appropriate driver etc. There's loads of retailers.

 

[Carla]

Agree with SparkyChick. Buy from a reputable dealer, not ebay. They will make up your strips to size and pair them up with the appropriate driver etc. There's loads of retailers.

i dont really have the time as i need them by next week. so need to order by tomorrow. i really just want to know what i was asking about in my last post

they wont be joined end to end as i have an opening to another room so both ends wont jojn. will this effect the light intensity

 

[buzzlightyear]

if you are asking how to do the job you have came to the wrong place
IMO get a spark in to advise you what you require.
and pay him to supply and fit .agree with madam chick .

 

[telectrix]

buzz, calling SC "madam" might well result in a well placed kick to your goolies.

 

[JK-Electrical]

buzz, calling SC "madam" might well result in a well placed kick to your goolies.

Perhaps he was calling her "madman chick" but got the spelling wrong.

 

[Midwest]

i dont really have the time as i need them by next week. so need to order by tomorrow. i really just want to know what i was asking about in my last post

Place I ordered from came within 4 days, including them making up bespoke lengths.

 

[Pete999]

Perhaps he was calling her "madman chick" but got the spelling wrong.

That's even worse than Madam.

 

[JK-Electrical]

That's even worse than Madam.

I'm sure she'll see the humour and won't be offended.

 

[oracle]

Perhaps Madame would be politer

 

[Pete999]

Perhaps Madame would be politer

Now you are looking for trouble

 

[Pete999]

Perhaps Madame would be politer

Now you are looking for trouble

 

[Midwest]

Wot about Ma'am, an address for Royalty or a senior officer

 

[SparkyChick]

buzz, calling SC "madam" might well result in a well placed kick to your goolies.

Dare I say it's a huge assumption he has goolies

I'm sure she'll see the humour and won't be offended.

You and me outside The Arms!!!!

Wot about Ma'am, an address for Royalty or a senior officer

SC is just fine... just don't capitulate to the feminists and use Ms. I HATE that!

 

[telectrix]

mademoiselle is more appropriate. i don'think she's married. .

 

[telectrix]

Wot about Ma'am, an address for Royalty or a senior officer

creep.

 

[Midwest]

... just don't capitulate to the feminists and use Ms. I HATE that!

I'll call anyone, what they want to be called.

I knew a bloke once, who called himself Richard Cohead, we called him Dick & his last name was spelt Cockhead. What were his parents thinking?

 

[Pete999]

mademoiselle is more appropriate. i don'think she's married. .

I'm spoken for so that's me out of the frame then, can't stand change and after 48 years what use would I be?

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Getting back on topic a mate of mine disregarded my advise not to go with Chinese downlights from fleabay because he was too tight to pay the £300 quid odd for the Collingwood units I wanted to supply....they all failed within a year. Cost him a lot more than £300 quid in the end.

 

[Spoon]

I'm with @SparkyChick posts. You pay your money you take your chance. You have to be careful with Chinese electrical goods.
Go with @Midwest advice and get them from a reputable dealer.

 

[Spoon]

I'll call anyone, what they want to be called.

Please call me "Spoon, the stud of the UK" from now on...

 

[streamer]

my guy doing the job says i need 15m in living room but told me to get 20m roll.

If somebody is doing the job for you and you are unsure what to order, get him to supply the lights.

 

[Carla]

I'm with @SparkyChick posts. You pay your money you take your chance. You have to be careful with Chinese electrical goods.
Go with @Midwest advice and get them from a reputable dealer.

how do i find a reputable dealer in ny area

 

[streamer]

how do i find a reputable dealer in ny area

Get your electrician to supply them

 

[Carla]

Get your electrician to supply them

my electrician wanted to buy them from china. id like to get them myself from a reputable supplier but i dont know where. would it be somewhere like maplin or b&q ?

 

[DPG]

Maplin are no longer. B&Q possibly yes. Also either the Range or Home Bargains sell them I think.

 

[plugsandsparks]

If you go to Eyre and Ellison in Chesterfield, you can walk out with them, they use PowerLED components, so far very good.

 

[Carla]

its the RGBW ones I'm looking to get as the white on them is pure unlike the tinted white on regular RGB led strips

 

[Carla]

If you go to Eyre and Ellison in Chesterfield, you can walk out with them, they use PowerLED components, so far very good.

If you go to Eyre and Ellison in Chesterfield, you can walk out with them, they use PowerLED components, so far very good.

i doubt the range would sell 20 meters of RGBW as its quite a big strip. i live in essex but i could give the one in Chesterfield a ring, maybe it can be done over the phone and posted. thanks guys

 

[Carla]

I'm with @SparkyChick posts. You pay your money you take your chance. You have to be careful with Chinese electrical goods.
Go with @Midwest advice and get them from a reputable dealer.

Getting back on topic a mate of mine disregarded my advise not to go with Chinese downlights from fleabay because he was too tight to pay the £300 quid odd for the Collingwood units I wanted to supply....they all failed within a year. Cost him a lot more than £300 quid in the end.

if i used a different electrician would they generally get them from a reputable supplier or would most use chinese products? i could tell an electrician i want them from a reputable supplier but id have no way of knowing if they would actually do that or not

 

[Midwest]

my electrician wanted to buy them from china. id like to get them myself from a reputable supplier but i dont know where. would it be somewhere like maplin or b&q ?

Goggle is your friend there, just avoid ebay. Simples.

 

[Midwest]

if i used a different electrician would they generally get them from a reputable supplier or would most use chinese products? i could tell an electrician i want them from a reputable supplier but id have no way of knowing if they would actually do that or not

Being on the end of things that have gone Pete Tong, its far simpler to deal with a UK based retailer.

 

[Carla]

Being on the end of things that have gone Pete Tong, its far simpler to deal with a UK based retailer.

Goggle is your friend there, just avoid ebay. Simples.

yeah i plan to but what worries me is my electrician wont do that and id have no way to know

 

[plugsandsparks]

Eyre and elliston have a branch over the border at enfield and Edmonsons have one near Romford. Strips come in 5M rolls, give them a call for 4 rolls, probably two drivers and two controllers. You can get some tech support from them, to a limit , 20M at 12V is not something i have contemplated, in fact, you should be looking at 24V and get the supplier to match the strip length to the driver.

 

[Carla]

Eyre and elliston have a branch over the border at enfield and Edmonsons have one near Romford. Strips come in 5M rolls, give them a call for 4 rolls, probably two drivers and two controllers. You can get some tech support from them, to a limit , 20M at 12V is not something i have contemplated, in fact, you should be looking at 24V and get the supplier to match the strip length to the driver.

so if i got 4 rolls of 5 meters, i could attach them all together and cover the 20m room. does that mean at each point where i connect another 5 lm strip i would have to have an adapter n cord running down the wall? i planed to have the cable n adapter run down the corner of the walls and box it in to hide it

 

[JK-Electrical]

how do i find a reputable dealer in ny area

 

[Marvo]

I would suggest you find an installer with plenty of LED experience. The trick with LED's is knowing from experience which products are good quality and which products are compatible with each other. Buying from China via EBay is going to be a lottery..... and one with few winners. Never buy any electrical or lighting products if the seller can't provide a comprehensive data sheet (in coherent English).

Given the lengths and wattages of the tapes you mentioned I'd be looking at 24v tapes, not 12v.

 

[Carla]

I would suggest you find an installer with plenty of LED experience. The trick with LED's is knowing from experience which products are good quality and which products are compatible with each other. Buying from China via EBay is going to be a lottery..... and one with few winners. Never buy any electrical or lighting products if the seller can't provide a comprehensive data sheet (in coherent English).

Given the lengths and wattages of the tapes you mentioned I'd be looking at 24v tapes, not 12v.

so basicaly if i just look for a qualified electrician with Led experience he will be able to figure all this out for me and make sure its done properly? because honestly trying to figure this out is stressful. id rather pay someone to do it

 

[Marvo]

so if i got 4 rolls of 5 meters, i could attach them all together and cover the 20m room. does that mean at each point where i connect another 5 lm strip i would have to have an adapter n cord running down the wall? i planed to have the cable n adapter run down the corner of the walls and box it in to hide it

There will be a limit on the max length a single run of LED tape can be because the tracks inside the tape can only handle a certain amount of current. Usually the max length is 5 meters but can sometimes be up to 10 meters for 24 volt tapes.

If you need a 20 meter length of tape around a room you can't do it in a single run, you're definately going to need to make it in shorter lengths with multiple supplies.

 

[Marvo]

so basicaly if i just look for a qualified electrician with Led experience he will be able to figure all this out for me and make sure its done properly? because honestly trying to figure this out is stressful. id rather pay someone to do it

Yes, LED design is not an easy area and it's likely to get more stressful if you don't find someone with good experience to do the design and a proper spec as well as the installation. There's a lot of junk on the market that's unreliable at best and downright dangerous at worst. There's even a lot of great quality products available that simply aren't compatible with each other and just don't work together. Also the currents involved, hence the wiring sizes involved, especially when you're talking about 20 or 25 meters of tape can also become something of a design issue. The whole area of LED design is a bit of a minefield.

 

[rolyberkin]

One of the forums sponsors electrical2go sell LED tape at very reasonable prices, give them a call or get your electrician to call them, where in Essex are you?

 

[plugsandsparks]

so if i got 4 rolls of 5 meters, i could attach them all together and cover the 20m room. does that mean at each point where i connect another 5 lm strip i would have to have an adapter n cord running down the wall? i planed to have the cable n adapter run down the corner of the walls and box it in to hide it

You have caught me exactly when i am designing led strip for 10 rooms with recessed ceilings. All the recesses i have split into 2 runs, the manufacturer would only commit to 10M at 24V , but it is manufacturer specific. So i have two drivers feeding 10M each and two controllers linked together. BUT this is a specific design against a specific manufacturer. The devil is in the detail....... My client wants full dimming and colour control from his Ipad and mood switch so it has to be designed with full backing from supplier (manufacturer), the more you get into it the more you find the limits of whats doable. A 20M run is well out there, unless you get a written confirmation it will work, you are wasting time and money.

 

[plugsandsparks]

Duplicate

 

[Spoon]

i planed to have the cable n adapter run down the corner of the walls and box it in to hide it

So as above. If the limit is 10M then you could still do what you want but have 2 10M lengths. Both come up the corner of the wall but split directions, so the corner is the centre point.

 

[plugsandsparks]

yep you can have 100M if you want, just split it down, most of my runs were between 12M and 16m, drivers are remote and have just run two 5core YY to each recess at one point as the recesses are either square or round