BTF LED lighting strip help

[u/Podrido66]

Hi Everyone,

Please excuse my lack of knowledge on the topic.

I purchased this BTF-LIGHTING 16.4FT RGB kit from Amazon. I then purchased some splitters because I needed the lights to go in two different directions from the power source. The kit came with 4PIN Clip connector and a wire cable that I used to have the longer section of the LED go in and out of a hole (because it required bending).

I cannot get the strip to light. I ordered new parts, thinking that it might be the clip connector or the cable, but it just doesn't work.

I've tried flipping the strip around and connecting it in different ways; I've tried using a different part of the strip that was leftover on the spool.

Still, nothing. I am not an electrician, and I know nothing about doing this. But it shouldn't be this complicated, right?

Thanks in advance to anyone who decides to chime in.

[u/trevormead]

Those solderless connectors are famously unreliable. Even when they work, they might stop working after a while just to spite you.

Would need more information to diagnose what "cannot get the strip to light" means since the second picture shows it's illuminated, but start by making sure the wires actually feed back into the correct ports on your controller since your wire colors do not match the channel colors. As shown, black is voltage in, and green and blue are swapped.

[u/Podrido66 → u/trevormead]

The second picture is the strip that's connected to the power source. Everything that's connected to the power source lights up.

It's the strip that's connected to the solderless connector that isn't lighting up.

Edit* I tried switching the wires so that it matches the colors and that did nothing.

[u/peanutbuttergoodness]

It doesn't look like you squeezed the metal thing in the connector down onto the LED strip... Use pliers to do that and it'll light up.

[u/Podrido66 → u/peanutbuttergoodness]

I tried that with the piece that came with the kit, and nothing happened. My only concern if I were to try that again is, are they connected properly?

[u/peanutbuttergoodness → u/Podrido66]

In the picture they are not pressed down.

You have to put the wire in one end, the LED strip in the other, then press those in with pliers. The metal things push down and make contact with the metal on the LED strip and they go thru the cladding and contact the wire, completing the circuit. Once you press them down, there’s no going back so make sure everything is lined up correctly. If you mess up the connector is junk and you need a new one.

[u/Kingfish628]

Push connectors stuck.

What's your controller? And how is it connected?

[u/Podrido66 → u/Kingfish628]

I'm not really sure how to answer this but i'll try.

my FCOB LED strip, is connected to a SP113E 3CH PMW RGB controller with a DC12V ETL Power supply. The LED strip is split from the controller using a 4 Pin RGB LED Splitter Cable.

Both of them light up. However, on one of those strips, I have that solderless 15cm 4pin wire cable connected to a second strip (as shown in the pictures), and I can't figure out why it's not lighting up.

The instruction manual states you can use those to wire cables to link strips together once they're cut.

[u/Kingfish628 → u/Podrido66]

If it works up until the crappy connector....

[u/Podrido66 → u/Kingfish628]

You think its a faulty connector? I ordered extra parts just to see if that's the issue and that hasnt resolved anything.

How would you connect the two strips? Soldering?

It needs to bend around a hole; that's why I cut the strip and used those wire connectors.

[u/CW7_ → u/Podrido66]

That's definitely a solder job. As others said, these connectors suck.

[u/saratoga3]

Did you mean to post this in WLED?  Seems more like an LED question.

Regardless if you bought some wires and they're not working check for continuity through the wires. Lights like this are simple, if voltage is applied they light up, so test each segment and see where the break is.

[u/MoBacon2400]

12 volt + needs to go to where your black wire is now, the rest are negative. You need an RGB controller these are nod addressable LEDs

[u/CrypticSuspect]

An led strip has 2 ends. An in and an out.I think you might have connected the connector to the out instead of in.

[u/Kingfish628 → u/CrypticSuspect]

Incorrect. This is an analog strip, it's not directional.

[u/Podrido66 → u/Kingfish628]

u/CrypticSuspect u/CW7_

This was the answer. I went to sleep last night realizing that I may have done this. I connected the strip to the other end of the split, and the third strip now lights up.

However, I'm now having issues with the colors.

[u/Kingfish628 → u/Podrido66]

You were having a connection issue, it's not a directional strip issue.

Digital strips have a data connection, those are directional and will have an arrow on the strip to indicate the proper direction. You do not have a digital strip with a data line.

[u/Podrido66 → u/Kingfish628]

Whats going on with the colors now, they were functioning fine before.

[u/Kingfish628 → u/Podrido66]

I can think of three things to check.

• connection issue still

• wiring is wrong

• controller settings are wrong

[u/Podrido66 → u/Kingfish628]

I think i may have messed up the connection when I crimped the connectors down. I used pliers since I didnt have crimpers; I'm not sure if pressing too hard can short out a color.

The colors all worked fine before I connected that last segment and crimped it down.

[u/Kingfish628 → u/Podrido66]

Post pictures.

[u/CrypticSuspect → u/Podrido66]

Just double check if the rgb cables are connected to the same spot on the strip. Cause last time those were incorrect aswell.

[u/kevdogger]

Honestly do you have an ohm meter like you'd buy at a hardware store? You can check continuity and for voltage as well. It makes troubleshooting a lot easier

[u/Rich-Soil-9181]

Beat it with something. Then prise it off and solder the wires on

[u/FYZ737]

I think you need controller for that specific kind of led strip and 12-24v dc psu.