Our patented Tiger Paw® connectors have become well known in the low voltage lighting industry for allowing contractors and electricians to build custom LED systems without the need for a soldering iron. Perhaps most familiar are our plug-in Tiger Paw® connectors, as featured in our popular Cut & Connect Series kits. These handy accessories combine with standard interconnect cables to allow anyone to quickly and easily create an LED layout using just a pair of scissors!
However there are times where a customer or installer may prefer to use a direct wire option- being able to purchase cable in bulk can often save serious money on big projects. For these situations, we have long offered our green screw terminal tiger paw- a robust two-piece connector which allows wire to be securely clamped in place using small screws. But what if a customer is looking to hide their LED strips behind a small cabinet lip, or under a lens? The bulky green connector may be a great for making a strong connection, but it can be difficult to conceal.
Enter the new Inspired LED Micro-Lock Tiger Paw®. This handy little solderless connector is extremely discrete, low profile, and allows LED strips to be terminated directly to bare wire without the need for proprietary plug-in cables, or even a screw driver! Boasting our patented, industry-proven locking system, and new micro-push technology, this little wonder proves great things can indeed come in small packages.
Let’s explore some of the convenient features of this new product to see how it works, and where it can be best put to use in an LED system…
Use of this Tiger Paw® starts off with the same steps as any of our other solderless connectors. Start by simply measuring and cutting your flexible LED strip to length along the copper solder pads.
Inspired LED’s patented bridge lock system makes a secure connection to 12V 8mm wide LED flex, simply pull open the black latch, insert the flex strip, and slide closed.
The new push-lock wire component is designed to accept 16-22AWG solid cable, no screw driver required! It is important to use solid rather than stranded wire to ensure the small internal clamps form a secure connection. Failure to fully insert wire, or the use of stranded cable may result in random flickering.
The Micro-lock Tiger Paw® does not have assigned polarity. This means that you don’t need to worry about matching the positive side of your flexible LED strip to the Tiger Paw® itself. Instead, when inserting wire, you just need to remember to match the polarity of your cable to your flexible LED strip (positive to positive, negative to negative).
If polarities are not properly matched, current will not be able to flow and your lights will not turn on. Fortunately, the Micro-lock Tiger Paw® includes two release tabs which, when pressed, allow wires to be removed if necessary.
One of the most impressive elements of this new Tiger Paw® design is its size. Standing less than a quarter of an inch in height, the Micro-lock can easily fit into tight spaces or low-profile applications without drawing too much attention to itself. This makes it especially handy for use with channels and lenses or other DIY fixtures.
The new Micro-lock Tiger Paw is now available for purchase through the Inspired LED website, over the phone, or at our walk-in location in Tempe, Arizona. Check out the product spec sheet for more information!
To learn more about this and other new Inspired LED products, be sure to visit us at www.inspiredled.com, contact us via email at orders@inspiredled.com, or call us at 480-941-4286.
