If you’re new to LED strip lights but are eager to get them up and running, the most critical step is figuring out how to provide the appropriate power input to the LED strip in order to get it to light up. Depending on where you purchased your LED strip and LED power supply, setup methods may differ. Below, we’ll go over the most common setups.

Ensure Electrical Compatibility of the LED Strip and Power Supply

Most LED strip light products operate on low voltage DC. Common DC voltages used are 12V and 24V.

First and foremost, check that the power supply is rated for the correct voltage that matches the LED strip voltage. It will result in the LED strip operating at lower brightness or no light output at all, and overvoltage will burn out your LEDs.

Secondly, make sure that the power supply power is sufficient for the length of LED strip being used. This can be calculated by looking at the LED strip’s specifications sheet, which typically lists the current or power draw per length.

If both of these conditions are met, electrically speaking, we are good to go.

Waveform Lighting’s LED Strip Connection Guide Chart

Next, we’ll need to look at whether the power supply and LED strip are physically compatible in the way of connectors and plugs. Because LED strips and power supplies come in a variety of connection types, it can get a bit confusing. So, to help shed some light (pun intended!) we’ve put together the chart below.