You might be interested in beautifying your home with LEDs but don’t know how to wire multiple LED lights to one switch.
The process is very straightforward; anyone can do it if they acquire the relevant skills.
Generally, you could wire as many LED lights as you wish to a single switch.
Surprisingly, we have multiple methods to use, including the home run switch wiring and daisy chaining light fixtures.
Today’s article takes you through a step-by-step multiple LED light connection guide and why you should do it. Let’s get rolling!
LED Light Switch Wiring Basics
Before upgrading to wiring multiple LED lights to a single switch, you must understand how to work with a single LED.
To begin with, all power circuits have two conducting wires and the ground.
A black wire carries power from the source to the load (LED). Then, a white wire completes the circuit by connecting the load to the source.
We have a switch between the load and the power source on the black wire.
Steps To Connecting Several LED Lights To A Single Switch
(A person installing LEDs)
Even before you initiate the connection, you should have the following:
- Wire strippers or cutters
- Electrical tape
- Heat shrink cover
- Outlet
- Soldering iron
- Power supply
- Heat gun
Acquire The LED Kit
The first step is to buy the right LED light kit for your project.
Some considerations to follow while buying LEDs include compatibility with other products, wattage requirements, and light type.
And since we’re connecting multiple LED lights, buying from the same brand would be the best option.
Identify A Switched Power Source
Now you can settle on an appropriate power source for your LED lights. We recommend power outlets that hide behind furniture to hide the wiring.
Also, consider a power outlet that allows you to power the lights on or off using a switch.
Determine LED Lights Power Requirements
At this point, determine whether the switch’s power handling capacity can sustain the LED light total power requirements.
Fortunately, when you buy LEDs, they contain information about power requirements.
And we are confident that most household outlets supply power that can manage different LED light types.
Determine Common Ground
Most outlet plugs have a pin that links to the ground.
Therefore, grounding should never be an issue in such a case.
However, if you have a two-pronged plug, use a three-pronged adapter.
Set Up The LED Lights
Position the LED strips close to where you’d like to place them.
This gives you a clear idea of how much wiring you’ll need.
Doing this before connecting the LEDs permanently provides room for mistakes.
Connect Wires
Employ a stripper to remove the wire’s outer covering.
Next, twist the resulting copper ends together.
Luckily, if you bought strips from the same brand, it becomes easier to join them using connectors.
And if you can’t use connectors, you can still sell the ends with a soldering iron.
After the solder cools, cover your connections using a heat shrink tube and employ a heat gun to shrink the connection permanently.
Attach Strips and Connect Power Supply
After connecting the strips, attach them to your preferred surface using adhesives.
And once you’re certain the connection is okay, connect the strips to the power supply.
Finally, turn on the switch to see whether the LED lights are working properly.
Importance of Connecting Multiple LEDs To One Switch
(A master gluing LEDs)
Below are why you should connect multiple LEDs to a single switch.
Energy conservation: Connecting multiple LEDs to a single switch eliminates the use of the power supply’s remote control, thus saving on energy consumption.
New design ideas: The adoption of a single switch for multiple LEDs presents an opportunity for new design possibilities.
Easy upkeep: This type of connection assemblies LEDs in a single area, thus making it easy to check up on them.
Fewer repairs: Assuming an LED light gets damaged, this connection arrangement supports the repair of only that particular LED.
Therefore, you won’t have to involve yourself with other LEDs in the system.
Advanced options: A single switch lets you easily dim or turn off individual fixtures.
Multicolor lights: Connecting several LED lights to a single switch makes it easy to develop a multicolor display.
This will brighten the color and ambiance of your home.
Space saving: Connecting multiple LEDs to a single switch presents a more compact arrangement.
Also, it improves the general LED light appearance.
Multiple LED Light Connection Circuits
(LED connections)
There are two common circuit types for connecting multiple LED lights to a single switch, as we’ll highlight below:
Series Circuit
The series circuit connection has each LED light on a wire that links to the next LED strip.
Therefore, you connect each LED light in a closed loop. And you can consider buying a Y-connector to split power into multiple supplies.
Simply put, in a series connection, each LED has two wires.
The first wire connects to the next LED light in the circuit, while the other connects to the beginning of the line (the power source’s negative side).
Parallel Circuit
We usually use parallel circuits when connecting the LEDs to a power supply, and each LED has a separate wire.
Therefore, you won’t need special connections like Y-connectors.
Surprisingly, you can increase the number of LEDs to whatever number you wish, but the same should apply to the batteries; otherwise, an overload could occur.
Simply put, a parallel circuit has wires that connect to the power source’s negative and positive ends directly without going through another LED.
Multiple LED Light Wiring Precautions
(Using LED lights indoors)
The following LED light wiring precautions should always be at your fingertips:
- The first step should involve planning the LED orientation before attaching them to the surface or cutting the wires.
- We all understand how dangerous and conductive power is. Therefore, before you start working on your LED lighting, power off the circuit, and after you’re done with the wiring, ensure you insulate it with solder.
- When wiring is exposed, ends connect the positive and negative to the power supply’s positive and negative. Doing otherwise will cause a short circuit.
- Put on protective gloves while handling electrical components.
- Additionally, keep the soldering points further apart to avoid cases of short circuits.
- Use a multimeter to test the power outlet before connecting your LED lights to ensure there are no cases of overvoltage.
- Even when the circuit works effectively, do regular inspections to check whether issues need immediate attention.
- Finally, never run solders or wires over metal surfaces to eliminate short circuit cases.
FAQs
What’s the maximum number of LED lights a single switch can operate?
The limit to the number of LED lights on a single switch is determined by different factors, including the switch capacity, LED current requirement, power source capacity, and LED wattage requirement.
Nonetheless, the total capacity for your LED load should remain below 80% of the total switch capacity.
Otherwise, the switch won’t support the LEDs effectively.
Is it possible to connect multiple LED lights?
Yes! You have the freedom to connect as many LED lights as you wish.
The best approach would be to connect several LED lights to one switch.
Therefore, from a single control point, operating the LEDs and changing aspects like brightness becomes easy.
But to be safe, the switch’s capacity should support all the LEDs in the system.
Final Remarks
As you can see, wiring multiple light-emitting diode lights to a single switch is possible as long as you have the tools and skills.
But first, you must acquire the right LED kit and identify a switched power source.
Moreover, you must determine the LED lights power requirements and common ground. And after setting up the LEDs, connect wires, attach the strips, and switch on your power supply.
Finally, don’t forget to test whether your connection is up and working without problems.