At Adafruit, we're always excited to find new and fascinating glowing items. These 'chip on board' ultra-flexible LED strips caught our eye right away. With 352 SMT LEDs per meter soldered side by side and diffused by a silicone epoxy, they look very similar to neon or incandescent tubing or high - quality EL wire, but without the need for costly transformers, glass tubing, or inert gases. Unlike pixel - dot strips, these offer a continuous, pure light source. And compared to our 'Neon' tubing, they're thinner and more flexible, lacking the chunky diffused look. This 1 - meter long pink non - addressable LED strip is amazing. It has a solid piece of translucent silicone rubber as a diffuser on top of the LEDs, and it's encased in a sealed silicone tube that can be removed. It looks great and is super easy to use, making your projects shine. The silicone casing is strong, durable, and weather - proof. While not suitable for long - term underwater use or extended outdoor exposure, it's tough enough for outdoor projects like costumes, bike lighting, or festival decorations. With the adhesive backing, you can place it wherever you want. You'll get a strip with two wires (black and red). Supply 9V for bright light or 12V for very bright light, and it'll start glowing. The whole strip draws a maximum of about 800 milliAmps at 12V. You can cut the strip if needed. Note that these aren't 'NeoPixel' LED strips, so you can't control individual LEDs. Check out the guide on analog RGB LED strip control to see how it works. You'll need a microcontroller with a PWM output and N - MOSFETs or a ULN2803 to control the power to the entire LED element.
Using this LED strip is a breeze. First, decide where you want to place it. Thanks to the adhesive backing, you can stick it on any clean, dry surface. Connect the black and red wires to a power source. You can use 9V for a bright glow or 12V for an even brighter one. Remember, at 12V, the strip draws about 800 milliAmps at most. If you need a shorter strip, you can cut it down as required. But keep in mind, these aren't 'NeoPixel' strips, so you can't control each LED individually. To control the power to the whole strip, you'll need a microcontroller with a PWM output and either N - MOSFETs or a ULN2803. When it comes to maintenance, the silicone casing makes the strip quite durable. It can handle some outdoor exposure, like on costumes or bike lights. However, don't submerge it underwater for long periods or leave it outside in harsh conditions for too long. If it gets dirty, you can gently wipe it with a soft, dry cloth.
