Troubleshooting LED Strip Lights - Blog

Edited 6/26/23 by Harrison Hamilton & Hannah Lee

LED tape lights are the go-to lights for straight lines, right-angle corners, and subtle underlighting. They are less daunting to budding DIYers and decorators than their rope light siblings due to their simple installation process; often requiring no more than plugging them in to install. However, even LED tape lights have their quirks and common issues. The following list outlines some of the most frequent causes of tape light failures and potential solutions, followed by more in-depth troubleshooting of two common tricky situations and more tips to have your LED light strips working properly in no time.

How to Solve Seven of the Most Common LED Tape Light Issues:

• The LEDs come on but then stop working.

  • Possible Cause: The dimmer connection is loose or is not compatible with the LED tape light.

    • Solution: Check the connections and your dimmer's spec sheet to ensure compatibility.

• The LED lights won't light up at all.

  • Possible Cause: The tape light isn't turned on or plugged into the wall.

    • Solution: Confirm the tape light is plugged in and turned on.

  • Possible Cause: For battery-operated lights, the batteries are dying.

    • Solution: Replace the batteries.

  • Possible Cause: A hardware issue, such as loose wires or too much wire insulation, preventing LED strips from receiving power.

    • Solution: Check wire connections. Ensure wire insulation is stripped at least half an inch on the ends and connections are sufficient.

• The LED tape light is flickering.

  • Possible Cause: The power supply voltage is too low.

    • Solution: Check that the voltage of the lights and driver match

  • Possible Cause: The batteries to your RGB controller are dying.

    • Solution: Replace the controller batteries.

• The LEDs won't flash or chase.

  • Possible Cause: The lights are connected to a dimmer.

    • Solution: Disconnect the dimmer from the circuit, as dimmers prevent the tape light from flashing or chasing.

• The light is a different color at the end of the strip.

  • Possible Cause: The strip has a weak electric current due to voltage drop.

    • Solution: Split up your strip light run with multiple LED drivers, with a max of 16 feet per driver.

  • Possible Cause: Crossed wires are causing the current to short.

    • Solution: Check for correct wiring and polarity of power. Hot and neutral wires should never touch. This could be a significant safety concern.

• The RGB tape light stays one color.

  • Possible Cause: The tape light is connected backward, reversing the polarity.

    • Solution: Flip your tape light around and reconnect it.

• The LEDs are hot to the touch.

  • Possible Cause: The power supply voltage is too high.

    • Solution: Check that the voltage of the lights and the driver match.

Signs of a Bad Pin Connection

If your LED tape light fails to turn on at all, then check your pin connections. Most likely, the pin is not inserted correctly. In rare cases, the pin is faulty. These tiny connectors are rather delicate, so you have to be very careful when inserting them. You could easily bend the pins or break them if you use too much force.