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(See our hardwired and other power supplies here)
1. What do I need to set up a hard wire LED power adapter?
Before you even get the necessary supplies together we need to cover safety. I know, I know, you've heard this all before. That's great that you know how to be safe, but like the adage goes, better safe than sorry. Whenever you're working with wires always make sure that no power is flowing through them. While yes, DC power is much safer and can be carefully handled, it never hurts to be extra cautious. Now that we've gone over safety yet again, let's talk about what you'll need to hard wire an LED power adapter. The list is pretty short actually, so no need to fret! You'll need an LED power adapter (obviously!) of any size (sixty watts, one hundred and fifty watts, three hundred and fifty watts, all fine!) In addition to your LED power adapter get yourself an A/C power cable, two or three pronged will do (I suggest three, as they are safer.) A pack of male DC barrel plugs (strip to male plug adapters) will round out the list.
2. How do I hook up my AC power on my adapter?
First thing's first, get the brown wire on your A/C power cable. You're gonna want to connect this to the L (live) port on your LED power adapter. The next step is very similar, almost the same honestly. Take the blue wire on your A/C power cable and connect it to the N (neutral) port of your LED power adapter. Now if you're using the three pronged cable like I suggested, there's one more wire you need to deal with, the striped wire. Hook this last wire up to the ground port, easily identified by the grounding symbol seen to the left. If you happen to be hard wiring a weatherproof LED power adapter, then this whole step is as easy as matching the wire colors up!
3. How do I hook up my DC power on my adapter?
These steps are very simple, practically the same as hooking up the AC power to your LED power adapter. Take the red wire from your DC male barrel plug (a strip to male plug adapter) and connect it to one of the V+ ports on your LED power adapter. Then connect the black wire on your DC male barrel plug to a V- port on your adapter. Super easy, and if you're using a weatherproof adapter it's once again even easier. Just like with hooking up AC power, just match the colors for a weatherproof LED power adapter!
4. My adapter is setup correctly, but my lights won't come on. What's happening?
If you're using one of our 150 or 350 watt LED power adapters then the solution could be pretty simple. These adapters come with a switch that toggles the power between 230 or 115 volts. The former option is not at all common in the US and probably won't provide you any power, so just flip that switch over to 115 and the green light that indicates power flow should come on! If that doesn't work, contact our customer support at customerservice@hitlights.com or (225)-304-0408 and we'll be happy to help you!
5. I want to use a hard wire adapter outdoors, what are my options?
Weatherproof and waterproof LED power adapters are always options to consider. Our 60 and 192 watt LED power adapter models are also fine for outdoor use as well, though you'll want to heat shrink the AC and DC plug connections beforehand
Our one fifty and three fifty models aren't designed with the great outdoors in mind, but that doesn't mean you can't use them! If you keep them in covered areas or other protected spaces you can be okay. There's also weatherproof wiring boxes on the market that could help you out. Just make sure whatever these adapters are powering is also designed to operated outdoors too!
Power is just a small part of your project, so we created this free eBook, titled 'How to Choose LED Strip Lights' is an ideal guide in the next stage of your LED lighting journey.