How to pick the right LED strip

1. Where is it going?

Start with the environment. It decides which strips are even an option.

Indoor, dry locations: cabinets, shelves, coves, closets, stairs, and displays. Every indoor strip we sell works here.
Outdoor or damp locations: choose our Weather Resistant strip. Connectors are not intended for use with outdoor tape, so it needs soldered leads. Call us if you aren’t sure how to set it up.

Strip type	Best for
Standard single-color	Hidden or shielded runs where you want good light at a lower cost.
COB	Visible runs. COB strips give continuous, dot-free light.
RGBW	Color effects plus a true white, controlled from one strip.
Tunable White	Adjusting from warm to cool white to suit the room or the time of day.
Dim to Warm	Light that gets warmer as you dim it.
Centra Bright 300Ω	Our high-output 24V strip for longer or brighter runs.
Double Row	Maximum light from a 12V strip in a single run.

Think about the job the light is doing.

Accent lighting (coves, shelves, displays): you want a glow, not glare. Standard output is plenty.
Task lighting (under cabinets, workbenches, mirrors): you need more light on the surface. Choose a brighter strip or a COB strip.
Main lighting: choose our brightest options, and plan on more than one run.

Each product card shows a brightness meter, so you can compare strips at a glance.

12V works well for shorter runs, such as cabinets, shelves, and closets.
24V is better for longer runs, because it loses less brightness along the strip.
Pick one voltage per project. 12V and 24V products can’t share a power supply or be wired on the same run, so each voltage needs its own power supply.
Most strips can be ordered in custom lengths.

DC or AC: strips marked VDC need a DC power supply. Strips marked VAC run from AC. Don’t mix the two in one cart.
Match the power supply to the strip: it should match the strip’s voltage and have enough capacity for the total length.
Match the control to the strip: single-color strips use a standard dimmer. RGBW strips need an RGBW controller. Tunable White strips need a tunable white controller.

Connectors are matched to the strip type, so pick them after you pick the strip.

If your strip is	Use
Standard single-color	Tiger Paw connectors (flex-to-wire or flex-to-flex), or the COB 4-Screw connectors
COB	COB 4-Screw connectors
Centra Bright 300Ω	Centra Bright 300Ω 4-Screw connectors
RGBW	Color-Changing RGBW connectors
Tunable White	Tunable White 3-Conductor connectors
Double Row	Soldered connectors or soldered leads only. Call us and we’ll help you set it up.
Weather Resistant (outdoor)	Soldered leads only. Connectors are not intended for outdoor tape. Call us if you need help.

Most of our flex is 8mm wide. These are the exceptions:

Tell us about your project and we’ll help you pick the strip, power supply, and connectors. It’s free.

Call 480-941-4286 · Email design@inspiredled.com