Hook up LED strips to Molex?

[megadarkwood]

I have a few LED strips I want to hook up to a molex connector, how do I do this?

[Hans Christian | Teri]

A good start would be telling us what they're meant to be connected to.

[_ASSASSIN_]

should come with your LED strip, but I wouldn't recommend it, just makes a huge mess in the back of your system

[megadarkwood]

A good start would be telling us what they're meant to be connected to.

Just something to put in my case

 

should come with your LED strip, but I wouldn't recommend it, just makes a huge mess in the back of your system

I just found a LED strip roll and want to power it via a molex.

[Hans Christian | Teri]

A LED strip is not just a LED strip, what kind of LED strip do you have? How was it originally intended to be powered?

[LapX]

I also want to do that as I can get some for free, They're meant to be connected with + and - (12v) (I will have to solder the cables) Can I get a molex adapter on amazon ? (I thought of posting it here instead of creating something else, sorry if it bothers you megadarkwood).

[megadarkwood]

A LED strip is not just a LED strip, what kind of LED strip do you have? How was it originally intended to be powered?

im not 100% sure, I think it is 5v or 12v and it just has 2 connection points, for the red and black wire (not sure what they do lol)

[LapX]

im not 100% sure, I think it is 5v or 12v and it just has 2 connection points, for the red and black wire (not sure what they do lol)

Then it is 12v (unless it says something else anywhere on the strip, near the cutting points) Trust me, I work in a company that sells this.

[Bluejay0]

Two port? Similar to the ones found on 6+2 Pin PCIs?

[megadarkwood]

Then it is 12v (unless it says something else anywhere on the strip, near the cutting points) Trust me, I work in a company that sells this.

So how would I go about connecting it? The positive to the 12v and the negative to the ground?

[Bluejay0]

So how would I go about connecting it? The positive to the 12v and the negative to the ground?

 

Like always? I have an LED strip that I use for desk lighting but it would be nice for pictures.

[LapX]

Ok sorry I just figure it out I'm stupid I know how to do this... You're gonna need soldering iron and something to heat it (search on google about soldering electronics if you doN,t know what I mean or if you never done it) Cut the cables of the molex connector to take off the plastic piece (Or maybe buy an other molex connector on Amazon if you don't want to ruin your PSU cables.) Search on google (again) wich cable is the ground one (usually black) and wich one is the 12V (Maybe red or something else) then solder them to the strip according to the indications on the strip (near the cutting points, it's not on all of them however) I would recommend covering it in electric tape to make sure it doesn't touch anything else. You can add cables to add lenght between the molex connector and the strip but it may be messy if you never donne that and look ghetto. 

[MatthewEnderle]

+12VDC is the  Yellow wire as I remember from some of my adventures when i was 8 and COM is the Black wire

[megadarkwood]

Ok sorry I just figure it out I'm stupid I know how to do this... You're gonna need soldering iron and something to heat it (search on google about soldering electronics if you doN,t know what I mean or if you never done it) Cut the cables of the molex connector to take off the plastic piece (Or maybe buy an other molex connector on Amazon if you don't want to ruin your PSU cables.) Search on google (again) wich cable is the ground one (usually black) and wich one is the 12V (Maybe red or something else) then solder them to the strip according to the indications on the strip (near the cutting points, it's not on all of them however) I would recommend covering it in electric tape to make sure it doesn't touch anything else. You can add cables to add lenght between the molex connector and the strip but it may be messy if you never donne that and look ghetto. 

I know how to use a soldering iron and I will try it tomorrow. Will let everyone know how it goes.

[MatthewEnderle]

I know how to use a soldering iron and I will try it tomorrow. Will let everyone know how it goes.

do you know the properway to do it? Like cleaning the wires with flux and then tinning the leads and then you solder them together while they overlap by 11/16th of an inch? If not, you do now.

[megadarkwood]

do you know the properway to do it? Like cleaning the wires with flux and then tinning the leads and then you solder them together while they overlap by 11/16th of an inch? If not, you do now.

Well, I know how to solder.

[whatthe_fuzz]

This thread...

here lets me pretty much paraphrase it

"I have an LED strip. It has some connector. It's an LED strip. LED. Strip. Help"

Pictures are worth a thousand words

[megadarkwood]

This thread...

here lets me pretty much paraphrase it

"I have an LED strip. It has some connector. It's an LED strip. LED. Strip. Help"

Pictures are worth a thousand words

Unfortunately I can't post pictures right now. Or else I would

[Bluejay0]

Unfortunately I can't post pictures right now. Or else I would

 

Then wait till tomorrow to update us on this topic. Those in favor for a hold to this topic?

[LapX]

do you know the properway to do it? Like cleaning the wires with flux and then tinning the leads and then you solder them together while they overlap by 11/16th of an inch? If not, you do now.

I've soldered many LED strips in my life and I assure you I don't know what you're talking about with this overlap.

[_wky]

I would just get some random molex powered whatever for cheap, cut it of and solder the leads from the LEDs to a black (-) and yellow (+12) lead from the molex.

[Samdb]

It would be nice to know the ratings on the LEDs, only then can we help you and some LEDs require less power than others and connecting them to the incorrect voltages could damage them.

[megadarkwood]

It would be nice to know the ratings on the LEDs, only then can we help you and some LEDs require less power than others and connecting them to the incorrect voltages could damage them.

I will check when I get back from school.

[MatthewEnderle]

I've soldered many LED strips in my life and I assure you I don't know what you're talking about with this overlap.

it's a better connection to place the leads overlapping then to pig-tail them together to solder.

[LapX]

it's a better connection to place the leads overlapping then to pig-tail them together to solder.

I don't understand but w/e, I never had problems with my soldering. I have the feeling that this is what I do, I just didn't learn the terms.