Backlighting is not only very beautiful andan effective design technique, but also an opportunity to install additional light sources. They are irreplaceable at night, when full daylight is not needed, but you don’t want to bump into furniture in the dark.
With the help of lighting you can make a roomstylish, give it a unique design. But many craftsmen do not know how to make the backlight themselves, so they refuse the opportunity to implement such ideas with their own hands. There is nothing complicated in such work. A person with minimal knowledge of electrical installation can handle it.
LED backlighting
Using LED strip, which can be purchased at any store selling electrical installation products and lighting equipment, the following tasks are usually solved:
LED strip lighting provides additional light sources.
- separation and zoning of space;
- interior decoration of furniture with the help of light of different shades;
- providing additional sources of lighting;
- installation of concealed or semi-hidden fixtures.
The LED strip operates on the principlesemiconductor device. Optical radiation is formed due to direct current. When installing diodes, it should be remembered that the light they emit is in a narrow range of the spectrum. And the technical characteristics of the tape and light sources depend, first of all, on the chemical composition of the conductors that were used in the production of the backlight. Until recently, making a backlight using LEDs was a very expensive business. Now the tape is generally available. Its main advantage is easy installation. Such material can be cut into pieces of any length and mounted on almost all existing surfaces. LED strip is not the only way to make a backlight. You can install spotlights, halogen lamps and similar devices with your own hands. But diodes have a number of undeniable advantages:
Basic parameters of diode strips.In addition, you can purchase diodes equipped with an additional protective silicone layer. Such strips can be installed in high humidity conditions: on kitchen furniture, aquariums, indoor fountains, etc. Since the strip can be divided into parts, it can be used to implement a variety of design ideas. For example, diodes are placed pointwise, formed into patterns, illuminated tabletops, or used to decorate cabinets. Their use depends only on your imagination. Return to contents</a>
Mounting the illumination with your own hands
To secure the tape, you will need the following materials:
- finished tape with diodes;
- conductive cable;
- connectors designed to connect the tape;
- power supply unit (usually sold with a tape).
It is also worth stocking up on double-sidedconstruction tape. It is not needed only if the tape already has an adhesive layer. For installation you will need a sharp stationery or carpentry knife and a plastic profile.
Image 1. LED strip installation diagram.Before you start making the backlight, make sure that there are no external damages or defects on the strip. Check the markings on the block and the material being mounted. The voltage they are designed for should be identical (therefore, it is recommended to purchase ready-made kits). If you know how to solder, you can do without special connecting clips. But such fixing devices will help to assemble a reliable and durable structure without additional effort. And no special skills are required to install the clips. The LED strip installation diagram is shown in Figure 1. Following this drawing, you can easily make the backlight yourself. Return to Contents</a>Procedure for carrying out work First of all, youit is necessary to determine the contact elements. On Chinese-made products, which are the most common in Russia, they are located through 3 diodes. But this nuance depends on the manufacturer and the design model. In any case, the tape must be cut in this place. Therefore, before buying, you need to make sure that the tape can be divided into pieces of the desired length. The ends of the power cable are stripped of insulator to a length of 10-15 mm. This work must be done extremely carefully, since there is a risk of damaging the cores. For installation, you must use a knife with a sharp blade. After the ends are stripped, you can assemble the assembly chain. As a rule, the wires are marked brown (red, yellow) and white.
LED strip connection diagram.The first type of wires is intended for connection to the plus, the second - to the minus. You can connect the wires using soldering or mounting clips. Whatever method you use, make sure that the ends do not contact each other (do not touch). All connecting nodes must be carefully insulated. For this, you can use regular insulating or special tape. The second type of insulator is sold in specialized stores. The advantage of this material is that it is almost invisible on the wire. Return to the table of contents</a>Final assembly of the tape Each connectedThe contact is first insulated separately, and only then the assembly unit is fixed as a whole. Make sure that there are no uninsulated sections. All connections must be reliable. It is much wiser to hide a cable that does not look very aesthetically pleasing than to have a “breakdown”. The free end of the wire is connected to the connector. It is identical to the one used to connect mobile devices and computer equipment, so there is no need to use a specialized connector. When connecting, the wire marked with brown insulation is passed inside, and the white one is passed on top. After completing the installation, be sure to check the correctness of the connection. To do this, simply connect the power supply to the network. If the structure is assembled correctly, the diodes will begin to glow. Before fixing the tape itself, degrease the surface, clean it from dust and dirt. Do not use solvents, as they can damage the mounting surface. It is enough to treat the furniture or wall with a regular cleaning solution. After this, the protective paper is removed from the adhesive layer, and the tape is fixed in the place intended for it.
