How to Troubleshoot and Fix Broken LED Strip Lights

LED strip lights are one of the most popular lighting methods in modern homes and architecture. But unfortunately, it can also have problems with LED strips just like any other electronic device. Causing it to lose brightness or become completely unusable. In this article, we’ll cover how to troubleshoot and fix broken LED strip lights.

How to Troubleshoot Broken LED Strip Lights?

When the LED strip lights fail, we have to get to the root of the problem. For example, the led strip lights do not light up, the light strip flicker suddenly, the light strip suddenly goes out, etc. At first, when we need to troubleshoot broken led strip lights, we should do some troubleshooting to determine the root cause of the problem. You can troubleshoot by following these steps:

Check Power Supply

If the LED strip lights are not getting enough power supply, the strip may lose brightness or be completely unusable.

First, test the charge of the outlet or battery pack. You can test an electrical outlet by simply plugging in another device and seeing if it has power. If the test equipment works, then your problem lies elsewhere.

Check Power Supply connect LED strip lights

Confirm Compatible Accessories

The first thing to look for is a compatible accessory power supply, connector, or controller. If it is a 12V LED strip, it needs to be equipped with a 12V power supply, and vice versa.

Be sure to check any other equipment you are using, such as dimmers. All accessories must be compatible and operational for your lighting to function properly and safely.

Test Voltage to Troubleshoot Broken LED Strip Lights

The LED strip lights run on 12V or 24V DC power. So you’ll use a power supply, a transformer, or a driver, often called a power supply. The unit plugs into your home’s electricity and converts that power into electricity that the light strip can use.

If your light fails while running on battery power, it may be time to replace or recharge the batteries. To test voltage, you’ll need a DC voltmeter. If the voltage reading is lower than the lamp and power supply are rated for, you will need new batteries or a new power supply to fix the problem.

Check Connections

If your power supply, accessories, and voltage are in good shape, there’s a good chance it’s a bad connection. If power can’t reach every part of the strip, your lights won’t work.

The most likely place for a bad connection on LED strip lights is the solderless connector. Visually inspect each connector for loose wires. You may also find loose wires where they connect to the power adapter.

Common Problems and Solutions for LED Strip Lights

If your LED strip lights are working fine. But you find that the brightness of the light strip is not enough, the LED strip lights flickers, or get hot, etc. Here are some tips for resolving this issue.

Exceeded Maximum Operation

When you’re shopping for LED strip lights, you need to pay attention to their wattage, the length of the strips, and the wattage of the power supply.

In the long run, you have two considerations. One is finding an adequate power supply, which needs to be able to handle the wattage requirements of the entire stripe.

Another consideration is the routing of the led strip lights. If the comparison wires are convoluted, you need a 24V system. Because 24V wiring can carry the power it needs to run for a long time.

LED Strip Lights are Not Bright Enough

This may be caused by insufficient power supply or LED lamp bead failure. We can replace a power supply with a higher power, or replace failed LEDs.

Also, make sure you are using the correct gauge wire as well. If the wire is too thin or the distance is too long, it may cause a voltage drop and dimming of the LED lights.

LED Strip Lights are Not Bright Enough

LED Strip Lights Flicker

It is most likely caused by a short circuit in the circuit or a failure of the LED lamp bead. We need to check whether the circuit is normal or replace the failed LED lamp bead.

Also consider if there is a bad connection, which basically means you have a loose wire or a broken connection that is causing the power to these lights to go out.

LED Strip Lights Overheating

If the LED strip lights heat up abnormally, it may be caused by power overload or too many LEDs. We can reduce the number of LEDs or replace the power supply with a higher power to reduce the temperature.

Precautions for Checking Troubleshoot Broken LED Strip Lights

We need to pay attention to the following things to ensure the safe repair of LED strip lights:

  • Before checking and repairing the LED strip, make sure the power is disconnected to avoid the risk of electric shock.
  • When replacing LED lamp beads, make sure to use the same specification lamp beads to avoid circuit mismatch.
  • If replacing the power supply, make sure that the power of the new power supply is the same as that of the original power supply, and that the voltage of the power supply is consistent with that of the led strip lights.

Why Should Choose High-quality LED Strip Lights?

So when you choose LED strip lights, be sure to buy high-quality LED strip lights. It is necessary to consider the cost, but also consider the product quality. Otherwise, a large amount of maintenance and labor costs will be required later.

If you choose quality LED strip lights, your LED strip will hold up well over time. You can enjoy them for years to come.

All of our LED strip lights are quality guaranteed and provide a 3-5 year shelf life. Support custom length, color temperature, CRI, and more. If you have a demand, please contact us, and we will provide you with the best product quality and service.

FAQs

What if one section of the LED strip lights is off?

If a part of your LED strip lights is not bright, it is the problem of the light beads of the light strip itself. Then you need to cut off the damaged part of the light strip and replace it with the remaining light strip or a new light strip of the same model.

What if only one LED strip works?

Then it needs to be replaced. This can be caused by excessive bending and twisting of the strip, being stepped on, damaged in transit, or dry solder joints.

Why do LED strip lights break?

Such problems will occur if the PCB board on the LED strip lights is weakly soldered, or if it is pulled hard during use.

Can you cut an LED strip anywhere?

No, you cannot cut just anywhere on your LED strip. You must follow the cut marks on the strips to cut it.

Do LED strips need to be replaced?

If you’re not happy with the light or brightness of your LED strips, you might consider replacing them.