At Adafruit, we're always excited to find new and amazing glowing items. These 'chip on board' ultra - flexible LED strips are truly captivating! With 352 SMT LEDs per meter soldered side by side and diffused with silicone epoxy, they closely resemble 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 and pure light source. And compared to our 'Neon' tubing, they're thinner and more flexible, without that chunky diffused look. This particular strip is a yellow non - addressable LED strip. It has a solid piece of translucent silicone rubber as a diffuser on top of the LEDs, encased in a sealed silicone tube that can be removed. They look amazing and are incredibly easy to use, perfect for lighting up your projects! The silicone casing is strong, durable, and weather - proof. While not suitable for long - term underwater use or extended outdoor exposure, they're 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 receive a 1 - meter long strip with two wires (black and red). Supply 9V for a bright glow or 12V for an even brighter one. The strip draws a maximum of about 800 milliamps at 12V, and you can cut it to the desired length if needed. Note that these aren't 'NeoPixel' LED strips, so you can't control individual LEDs. Check out our guide on analog RGB LED strip control to learn how it works. You'll need a microcontroller with a PWM output and N - MOSFETs or a ULN2803 to manage the power to the whole LED element.
Using this LED strip is a breeze. First, decide where you want to place it. Thanks to the adhesive backing, you can easily stick it to any flat surface. Next, connect the black and red wires to a power source. You can use 9V for a bright light or 12V for an even brighter glow. Just make sure the power source can handle the maximum draw of about 800 milliamps at 12V. If you need a shorter strip, you can cut it to your desired length. But remember, these are non - addressable LED strips, so you can't turn on or off individual LEDs. When it comes to maintenance, keep the strip away from long - term underwater exposure and extended outdoor conditions. Although the silicone casing is weather - proof, extreme conditions can still damage it. Also, avoid bending the strip too sharply as it may damage the LEDs inside. If you have any questions about controlling the strip, refer to our guide on analog RGB LED strip control. You'll need a microcontroller with a PWM output and either N - MOSFETs or a ULN2803 to manage the power.
