Outdoor LED Strips

Outdoor LED strips: encapsulation, IP rating and sealing against the weather

Outdoor LED strips are flexible strips built to sit out in the weather: silicone or PVC encapsulation, a high protection rating and watertight connections. That is what separates them from an indoor strip, which fails as soon as it meets water or dew. Here we group together the whole FactorLED family of LED strips for outdoors: 24V Outdoor LED Strips, 220V Outdoor LED Strips, Smart Outdoor LED Strips and Accessories, with IP65 LED strip and IP67 LED strip options depending on how exposed the installation will be.

Encapsulation and IP rating: what really protects the strip

The IP rating is read as two digits: the first is protection against dust and the second against water. IP44 copes with splashes and only works under an eave or on a covered porch. IP54 protects against dust and splashes. IP65 withstands water jets and is the sensible minimum out in the open. IP66 takes powerful jets, IP67 temporary immersion and IP68 permanent immersion. Rule of thumb: with direct rain, IP65 as a minimum; at ground level, in a recess where water gathers or next to a pool, move up to IP67 or IP68.

The encapsulation shapes the look: a COB strip gives a continuous line with no dots, while an SMD one lets you see the chips. Choose according to whether it will be seen head on or only as reflected light.

Ends and joints: where an outdoor installation fails

This is the critical point. A waterproof LED strip loses its protection the moment you cut it: the cut leaves the circuit exposed. Every end has to be closed with an end cap and sealant, and every joint or cable entry needs a watertight connector or heat-shrink sleeve. With a bare joint, water creeps in by capillary action, travels inside the encapsulation and kills whole sections months later, far from the actual fault.

Two habits that save trouble: make the connections outside the drip zone and leave a downward loop in the cable before the strip, so the water falls off instead of following it.

Fixing and temperature

The adhesive backing is not an outdoor fixing system: heat and damp lift it off. Fix the strip with plastic clips or an aluminium profile, resting the clip on the encapsulation without pressing it against the chips. Leave a little slack between fixings: silicone expands in the sun and a strip under tension ends up pulling on the solder joints.

Trapped heat is the LED's main enemy: avoid closed channels with no ventilation on sunny facades and use aluminium profile, which helps dissipate it. In cold weather the silicone stiffens and should not be bent.

24V or 220V: choose by the length of the run

24V Outdoor LED Strips run off a power supply and are the option for short and medium runs, with easy dimming and the safety of low voltage. Their limit is voltage drop: on long runs the far end receives less voltage and looks dull. The answer is to feed from both ends or split the route into sections.

220V Outdoor LED Strips connect to the mains with their kit and allow long continuous runs without spreading power supplies around, something you appreciate around the perimeter of a house or a fence. Smart Outdoor LED Strips add app control, scenes and color, and in Accessories you will find power supplies, connection kits, end caps, watertight connectors, clips and profiles.

Where they are installed

In the garden, to pick out paths, flower beds and hedges. On facades and eaves, as a line that draws the shape of the building. On pergolas and porches, as indirect light. On outdoor steps, for safety. Around pools, with high IP ratings. And on hospitality terraces, where the outdoor ceiling LED strip spreads light evenly and the outdoor floor LED strip marks out the space.

At FactorLED you will find outdoor LED strips in 24V, 220V and Smart, with their sealing and fixing accessories and the IP rating on every product page, so you buy the protection your installation really needs.

Frequently asked questions about outdoor LED strips

What IP rating does an outdoor LED strip need?

IP65 as a minimum if it gets direct rain. IP67 or IP68 at ground level, in recesses where water gathers or next to a pool. IP44 only works in covered areas.

Can a waterproof LED strip be cut?

Yes, along its cut marks, but the cut end loses its watertightness. It has to be closed with an end cap and sealant to recover the protection rating.

24V or 220V for the garden?

24V for short and medium runs and when you want dimming. 220V when you need one long continuous run without spreading power supplies along the route.

Why does the far end of my 24V strip go dim?

It is usually voltage drop caused by excessive length. Feed the run from both ends or split it into sections with their own supply line.

Can I stick it up with the adhesive it comes with?

Outdoors it is not reliable: heat and damp lift it off. Use clips or aluminium profile and leave a little slack for expansion.