Can I Use LED Strip Lights Outside?

If you want to place an LED strip outside your home, you need to make sure that it is safe. Primarily, that means ensuring it is waterproof because water is the easiest way for anything electrical to be damaged. Water is conductive, which means that as soon as it gets into an electrical system, it creates connections that were not there before. So circuits are altered, power surges can occur, and they also become dangerous to handle.

Anything electrical should have an IP certification that explains how secure it is. The IP rating is made up of two digits – the first relates to solid matter and runs from a scale of 0 (no protection) to 6 (dust-tight). The second refers to liquids and runs from 0 (no protection) to 9 (can withstand powerful, high-temperature water jets).

Indoor strip lights are typically rated IP20, which means that fingers (or finger-sized objects) cannot damage the circuits. Still, they are not protected from dust or liquids. Spill water on your strip, and you are in trouble. It is why you must never install a strip indoors where you may have a damp problem.

Outdoor strip lights are normally rated IP65, which means they are dust-tight and can withstand powerful water jets. However, they are not necessarily suited to immersion or high-temperature water.

Choose Novostella Lasting Rainbow IP65 Smart Strip Lights that can be controlled wirelessly from a smart phone app or remote, and you will have greater customization and convenience over your light displays. With built-in IC controller, various colors could be changing simultaneously in one line. It looks like the different color leds are chasing, skipping, dancing and twinkling. You're able to install them by using a buckle/pin every few feet. While you can't extend them beyond the set lengths, you can shorten them and seal-up the cut-end with the provided glue. This will assure a water-tight seal so they don't malfunction if exposed to any moisture.