LED lighting is the type of lighting that people often choose and willingly due to its modernity, energy efficiency, eco-friendliness, flexibility, low voltage and long lifespan. There are many reasons to invest in LED strips. But how to control LED strip lights? Let’s see!
How to control LED lights?
Using LED strips illuminates the whole interior, decorates it with light illuminations and creates the right atmosphere. The question is how to control LED strip lights? You can use various methods. The most common ways are: controlling by a remote control, a smartphone application, a manual controller, dimmer switch, wall-mounted touch panel, and voice control. This all depends on the type of LED strip and the level of control you want to achieve.
How to control RGB LED strips?
Controlling RGB (Red, Green, Blue) LED strip lights lets you customise the brightness and the colour of the lights. With features like brightness control, you can easily create the ideal ambiance for any occasion. The first method of controlling the RGB strip is using a remote control which communicates with an infrared receiver that is connected to the LED strip. The second method is using a smartphone app – some RGB LED strips are compatible with apps on smartphones. This method offers more options, such as animation effects.
The third method is using a manual controller – a device connected to the strip light with a dial or buttons to manually adjust brightness, colour, and modes. The fourth method is using voice control, if the RGB LED strip is compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or some other voice-controlled smart home system.
How to use LED light strips with a remote?
Using the remote control of an analogue LED strip (the most common type of LED strip) light is actually very simple, even if there are many buttons, and it seems a bit complicated. There are different remotes and different LED lights, but the basic principles are always the same. You ought to remove a small plastic strip disconnecting the batteries before you attempt to connect and operate the remote.
As you might suspect, each supported function has its designated button. Your only job is to learn which one to press to achieve the desired effect. There are the following buttons:
- On/Off,
- Play/Pause,
- Brightness up/down,
- Coloured buttons (this button allows you to switch the light to a given colour),
- Auto (which turns on automatic switching between the available modes),
- Click/Slow (with that button, you can regulate the speed of colour changes),
- Fade (dynamic gradient mode),
- Jump.
How to connect LED strips and pair them with a remote?
To make your LED light strip remotely controlled, you need to buy a receiver and connect it between the transformer/power supply and the strip light. If you want to connect multiple strips to one transformer, connect it to a splitter. Checking the transformer’s voltage is a must – it has to be the same as the strip’s voltage. Most LED strips operate on 12 or 24 V.
Then, pair the remote and the receiver. Long-press the right button on the receiver. The diode on it should light up. This time, long-press the on/off button on the remote until the receiver’s light flashes. And it’s ready! It’s supposed to work. If it doesn’t work, switch the lights on and off and try again, replace batteries or contact the after-sales service. Don’t forget that if you need to, you can pair the remote with multiple receivers at the same time.
How to turn on LED lights without a remote?
Let’s assume that you cannot find your remote. It’s gone. Is remote control even possible without a remote? Yes, you can control your smart LED strip light without it. Actually, you don’t really have to lose it. You may simply want to turn on LED lights without it, in a more convenient way.
You can control your LED strip thanks to the right LED controller (for a single colour LED strip or multicolour LED strip) or dimmable LED driver. Some LED controllers can not only control strips that are hooked together, but also they can control independent light zones. In turn, if you connect an LED strip to a dimmer unit, and then you connect the dimmer unit to the power source, you can effortlessly make your LED lights dimmable.
It’s possible to create fully intelligent lighting and intuitively manage analogue LED strips’ functionalities and parameters just with the use of your smartphone, tablet or any mobile device. It’s worth mentioning that many intelligent lights can be voice controlled (via Google Home Assistant, Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa).
Summary
Controlling LED lights can be done in a few ways that we have presented above. When choosing the best method, make sure that the LED strip and the controller are compatible. Always check the product specifications and all the manufacturer’s recommendations. Know your needs and preferences for colour options, brightness and other features you might need for your LED strips.
