# How flexible are LED light strips?



## seanspotatobusiness (Jun 6, 2012)

Those 5050 LED light strips; how flexible are they? Can they be bent back on themselves (180 degrees) without breaking?


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Jun 7, 2012)

How tight a bend? As in one end touching the other end, or as in completely folding the thing like paper?
My limited experience is that they are quite flexible, but no way you could fold it; I'd say (without physically confirming, don't have one on me) you could turn it 180 degrees over say a 1inch diameter. Will check when I get home.


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## qwertyydude (Jun 7, 2012)

Yes they can be bent but you have to be careful and only fold them between the SMD resistors so they don't pop off.


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## idleprocess (Jun 7, 2012)

You're not going to bend them across the edge to any useful degree.

A flat bend is possible, with a large radius being the best. Most tight bending applications would be better served cutting the tape and running a jumper between segments.


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## Scott594 (Jun 15, 2012)

The "waterproof" ones appear to be the standard ones with a PVC coating (it's more like it's extruded on than coated), which has the about the same flexability as clear "vinyl" tubing if you cut some of the 1/2" dia. down the middle. It cracks if bent sharper than 2" radius and run that way.

The heat trapped by the PVC coating makes the whole affair get quite hot. Hotter than I like to see. I'm lighting a hallway with the 5050 strip and it looks like I'm going to have to order some of the "non-waterproof" because I expect to see the PVC coating cracking, yellowing and hardening due to the trapped heat (even with reduced operating voltage). I'd expect early LED failures as well. 


One other thing. The "peel & stick" adhesive isn't going to hold up. The heat of the test run loosens the backing paper, and prematurely exposes the adhesive which picks up dirt etc from handling. It softens from the heat and isn't "heavy duty" to start with. I'm planning using the plastic & nail type electrical staples.


It seems like it's a going to be a great product once they get the bugs out, but what you get right now is the "beta test". 

Sorry for the long answer on the simple question, but I wish I'd known all that stuff before I ordered 20 meters. (I did try a few short lengths off the "bay", but didn't test thoroughly enough before ordering the big lot of waterproof. Looks like my boat is going to have some pretty fancy lights as well as my hallway.


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## AnAppleSnail (Jun 15, 2012)

I have some (non-water proof) SMD strips. Mine are on top of painter's tape on Aluminum bar stock. They are secured with zip ties. This holds them securely and cools them somewhat.


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## gi30d3 (Jun 15, 2012)

Can they be bent back on themselves (180 degrees) without breaking

They can't be bent back on themselvees unless the factory would special make for that. It is not that hard, if you need, you would contact me, i will send a video or something to show you. thanks.


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## flexmaster (Jun 21, 2012)

Here is video with a brief example of how flexible the lighting strips are, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y0RfSxokjY. The size of the LED chip, 5050 vs 3528 or any other size, will not have as much of an effect on the stress put on the led on the strip as how close togther the chips are. What I mean by that is most LED strips come with 150, 300, or 600 leds per 5 meters of strip. The more leds per meter the closer together the chips are and the more stress is placed on the chips. It is not recommened that the strips be folded between leds. There are corner pieces that can be purchased that are small 90 degree turns made of the strip material that have leds on them making a seemless turn around corners.


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## Transisto (Sep 13, 2012)

Very 

I have tried bending a 3528 strip while it was working to the point where it would break appart, (Like I would do cut a solid core wire without pliers.)

After ~30 180deg bend (over a less than 1mm length) I got tired, it didn't break.

It must surely depend on type and manufaturer, I suggest you test your's at the ending, the worst that would happen is you'd loose 3 led.


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## demonic69 (Sep 15, 2012)

The ones I have can be folded back on themselves without breaking, can't see why you'd risk damaging the traces though when you could just cut and solder the points back together


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## joemarkin (Nov 8, 2014)

it base on FPC thickness, if your PCB is 1oz thickness, Then it will be very flexible, 180 degree bent is ok. But it have a fault, The PCB will have larger voltage-drop. Now Normal PCB is 2oz thickness, so we advice your don't bent it hardly. of course, for 3oz PCB, it is fragile. so we must use it carefully.

In others, For FPC layout, it also decide the Flexible led strip' bending. one experienced engineer who will lay out all line at some angle, never layout two
line at vertical angle. 

lastly, FPC components' placing direction also is a critical factor.

So you need to research your flexible led strip PCB.


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