Do you plan to run LED strip lights around the edges of a wall or ceiling? And you have ONLY one available outlet for each end of the room. That’s where you’ll require an LED splitter because it would enable you to run light strips from one outlet.
Or perhaps you plan to install LED lights at the base of a dividing wall in your living room or kitchen? And you probably have only one outlet on one side of your wall. In that case, you can use an LED splitter to run your LED lights—and avoid adhesive strips of extension cords.
So, an LED splitter comes in handy for different LED-based projects around your home.
1. Can You Separate LED Strip Lights?
First, you should know; LED strip lights are versatile products. And it’s because you can easily cut them with the cut lines available on the strips. These “given cut lines” are in the form of copper dots on the LED strips.
So, cutting strips isn’t rocket science. All you’ll need is a pair of scissors or cutter to cut through the copper dots. But you must know one thing. The cut lengths vary for different LED strip light brands.
However, we recommend that you split the LED strip lights around 5 or 10 cm intervals.
As we mentioned earlier, the LED strip lights vary. And it’s because of the different manufacturers. So, it’s essential to consider the LED strip light brand before splitting.
2. Why Do You Require an LED Strip Splitter?
You’ll likely require multiple LED strips when running an LED strip project. And the need becomes more profound if you plan to run the LED strips in an organized circuit. In such a case, you may need a 12V battery or a 12VDC source of an AC/DC transformer.
But that’s not all.
You can run the LED strips in an end-to-end series, with a maximum run length. You may even need to run parallel strips from the energy source.
So, that’s where you’ll require an LED strip SPLITTER. With a splitter, you can place and utilize more strip reels for the project. You’ll opt for the better choice—against running a single LED strip.
But there’s more
The LED splitter enables you to position the strips in different directions. So, you can run the strips at the same level or link parallel lines to the primary juice output.
3. What Are the Advantages of LED Strip Splitters?
One smart way to run LED strips is by not exceeding their maximum run length. Also, using fewer power sources as much as possible is ideal. If possible, you can run the cable to the strip location with LED strip splitters.
Here are three key benefits of the LED strip splitters.
1. You Can Run a Maximum of 4 Strips From One Source
You can get 2, 3, or 4 output cable connections with an LED splitter. And this makes it easy to join parallel strings across your location into the same controller or transformer.
If you have larger projects, you can’t avoid the splitter. They are mandatory because they help you to achieve a cleaner and more precise result.
2. Setting Up Lighting Strips in a Room Becomes Simple
For instance, if you have some reels of 5050 LED strips with standard density. And you plan to run them around a room—using one single outlet; a splitter is your perfect go-to.
So, if you have no splitter, you may need to install a second power supply for the additional strip. Or perhaps, you could decide to splice at a parallel line—which could be tricky.
But having an LED splitter will make running the 5050 LED strips in opposite directions from one source more straightforward. That way, you can cover the whole location—without throwing excess cables around.
However, it would help to consider the wattage you need to power the LED strip lights. Also, ensure the power supply is sufficient to power all the strip lights.
3. One Strip Gets Split Into Two Easily
Most designers believe that LED splitters only help branch strips from a circuit into one source—AT THE BEGINNING.
But it’s not true.
You can also use an LED splitter by the tail of the LED strips—branching them in two separate directions. And it’s similar to a T-connector.
But this method involves one thing:
You mustn’t add above the highest run length at the tail of the first strip.
4. DC Splitter vs. Y-Splitter: What Are Their Differences?
LED splitters have a ton of names. But the DC splitter or 4 Pin Y-splitter are the most commonly recognized ones.
The DC splitter is a single-color splitter—used for single-color or white LED strips. So, it comes with 2.1mm output standard plugs that make it easy to plug and play. Plus, you can feed multiple pins of the DC splitter into the female 2.1mm jack on the LED strips.
On the other hand, the 4 Pin Y-splitter represents the RGB LED splitter. So, the splitters are the ideal choice for color-changing strips. And they also require a 4-pin connection, hence the name.
But that’s not all.
These 4-pins are the typical connection type for RGB LED flex strips.
5. Can You Install a Splitter at the End of Split Strip?
Of course. It’s possible. You can add an LED splitter at the end of another LED split strip. Hence, the splitter at the end can work for both four strips or two strips running off.
6. What Is the Number of LED Strips You Can Join Together?
The recommended number of LED strips you can join together is two.
But if you have to do more than two, you’d need to install a separate power bus that comes with a higher gauge. You can run additional power supplies or even run strips down the line.
Closing Words
No doubt, an LED strip splitter is a great deal—when you have to run a LED light strip project. However, you need to consider the dimension of the location you intend to install the strips. That way, you can tell if you’ll split your LED strips around 5 or 10cm intervals.
We’d love to hear from you—tell us your views concerning the LED strip splitters. Are you finding it hard to use them for your projects?
Please, feel free to reach us.
