Do LED Lights Strips Burn Out?

It’s very rare to hear LED lights strips burn out. They generally don’t burn out like incandescents, instead, they begin to flicker. It’s because LED light strips don’t contain a filament. However, all of them are eligible only if you purchase quality LED strips.

The cheap and poor-quality strips are overvolted and poorly wired. As a result something they burn out partially or their different part burns.

Still, the answer is a bit confusing, right? No worries, I’ve explored the topic with reasons, solutions, and other facts below. Just keep on reading and surely you’ll be satisfied with your query.

4 Reasons For Partial Burn Out of LED Lights Strips

There are multiple reasons behind this problem. One by one I am describing them below. So, keep on reading. 

Reason 1: Poor Wiring

If your LED is from a poor manufacturing company then there are possibilities it is poorly wired. Poorly wired LED strips will be unable to pass the current and sometimes unable to maintain slight differences in volts. As a result, your LED Strips can burn out partially.

Reason 2: Cheap Part And Poor Workmanship

The next thing is related to disloyalty. Some manufacturers use the cheapest parts to manufacture the LED strips. So most of the parts don’t exceed the minimum consumption rating. 

Again, the way the manufacturer works isn’t a suitable procedure to set up things. All of these can be the reasons for partially burning out LED strips.

Reason 3: Error in Assembly

This time the users can be the reasons for unexpected burn out. Sometimes, the users primarily set the strips incorrectly. Again sometimes, they don’t use the LED  in the right spot. (LED strips can be intended for indoor, street, or outdoor). This assembly error or misusage can be the reason for partial burn out.  

Reason 4: Ingression of Water Or Moisture

This problem will occur only if you’re using any cheap LED strips. For the cheap LED strips, they don’t use reliable mechanic protection. Because of that, many insignificant damages occur. Such damage lets water and moisture into the device which results in LED Strips burning out partially or different parts burning completely.

What to Do If Your LED Light Strips Burn Out?

As I mentioned LED light strips don’t burn out completely. Instead, they burn out partially or their different parts get damaged. So you can fix them if the damage isn’t too serious. Let’s see how to fix damaged LED light strips.

• First, unplug the LED strips if it’s plugged in.
• Next, detect the damaged area/portion.
• Get a blade and detach adhered light.
• Now get a scissor and use it along the copper marking to cut out the burnt/damaged part.
• It’s time to cut another portion of the same strips from the leftover roll to fill up the damaged part.
• Now connect the back-to-back pin connectors (On each section)
• Finally, test the LED strips. If it works, reapply them to the surface.

Cautious

• Make sure that you are using the right number of connector pins. (2,4, or 5 pins)
• Don’t try to do it if you don’t have the minimum knowledge of electrical and electronics.

A different case: Unfortunately, if your LED light strips are damaged seriously then there is only one option for you which is to purchase a new one. 

How to Prevent Partial Burnout Or Damages in LED Light Strips

I bet you don’t want to be one of the rarest to finish up with damaged LED light strips. So, to avoid it here I got some tips for you.

• The number one rule is to purchase high-quality LED light strips.
• Next, you have to make sure that you are using a quality circuit board that exceeds the UL 94 flammability rating.
• Be sure about the voltage rating of the LED strips. For 12V strips, don’t use a 24V source and for 24V don’t use a lower voltage source. 
• And finally, use suitable light strips for suitable places. 

How Often Do LED Lights Strips Burn Out Compared to Incandescent?

I’ve already mentioned LED lights generally don’t burn out. So there is no suitable answer to this question.

But similarly, the question arises about the lifespan of LED and incandescent. An incandescent on average lasts for 750-2000 hours. But LED light strips have 17 times more lifespan. On average, they last for 35000-5000 hours.

Can LED Lights Strips Catch Fire

The energy and voltage used by LED strips are very low. So they are considered low-wattage lights (1w/m – 30w/m).

Besides, touching the strips you can’t feel the hot temperature. That means the operating temperature for LED strips is very low. So there is almost 0 chance for LED light strips to catch fire.

However, in rare cases, low-quality LED strips catch fire. It’s because of either using the wrong circuit, diagram, overvoltage, or using a low-quality circuit board. And in rare cases, if the operating temperature of LED strips rises above then the strip can catch fire.

NB: W/m indicates Watt per meter

What’s the Operating Temperature For LED Light Strip?

The operating temperatures for different types of LED light strips are different.

For example, the typical indoor use LED light strips have the operating temperature of the normal room temperature. It’s between 0-35°C (0-95°F)

Again, the high-power IP68 strips can withstand up to 110°C/230°F

Verdict

No more confusion you should have now on the topic – can LED light strips burn out? 

I suggest no need to worry about it. Just be cautious while purchasing your next LED. Also if it doesn’t turn on check the connection first. Most probably it’s a loose connection. And for damaged LED light strips you can easily repair them.