- May 13, 2021
- 35
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- 4,530
Hello,
My daughter has a set of strip lighting that has worked well for about six months.
The controller unit has four cables coming out of it. One is where the A/C adapter plugs in. A second is simply the receiver for an IR remote control. The remaining two are identical 4 pin connectors, into each of which plugs in about 15 ft of strip lighting, in her case, each going in opposite directions from the controller.
This is the problem we see now. Independently, each of the strip lights variously don't light at all, lights up in the wrong color, or flickers. Sometimes everything works perfectly.
To "mess it up," all it takes is the slightest touch of the controller, the strip(s) itself near the controller, the desk on which the whole thing sits, etc. It is extremely sensitive.
I tried to tape down all the different parts of the assembly separately to localize which was really the part that couldn't be breathed on too hard.
It was the 4 pin connectors, both of them, that are vulnerable.
The connecting ends are molded plastic, rectangular in shape, housing 4 pins (or 4 pin receptacles). The controller's "rectangle" fits into the larger rectangle of the strip lights ("male"), though the 4 actual connectors in each of the two cables within the rectangle are female (pin receptacles). The strip lights, obviously, have 4 male pins within the larger female plastic housing rectangle.
Markings and a small raised release tab ensure the 4 pin connectors are inserted in the proper direction. I have double-checked that.
None of the pins are loose, damaged, or missing. Nothing looks unusual in any of the connectors.
When plugged together, the connections are quite snug. They are not loose and actually require some effort to separate. But they have some give and if I bend, twist, or push them gently when they are fully connected, I can effect different (usually bad) results with the strip light operation.
I was about to try using some electrical grease to make a better connection for the pins, but then I thought that despite the jiggling observations, it was not likely that both connectors would become somehow internally loose at the same time, so I'm pausing that idea for now. I'm now wondering if there's something wrong with the controller.
One last thing I should mention. Prior to seeing this problem, I cut each of the strip lights and reattached the cut off portions with plastic, snap-on L-connectors.
I assumed there is nothing wrong with those connections because, even when the color is wrong, the wrong color is carried identically all the way down the strip, including past the L-connection. So the connections seem sound. Nothing changes color, intensity, or fails completely at the L-connection point.
Sorry for the long explanation, but I wanted to be clear and complete. When searching, all I found were hits related to using (or buying) the plastic connectors, or soldering the connections, or just making sure the pin connections are good and tight (they are).
Any ideas what/where the problem is, or what I can do to fix it?
Thanks!
My daughter has a set of strip lighting that has worked well for about six months.
The controller unit has four cables coming out of it. One is where the A/C adapter plugs in. A second is simply the receiver for an IR remote control. The remaining two are identical 4 pin connectors, into each of which plugs in about 15 ft of strip lighting, in her case, each going in opposite directions from the controller.
This is the problem we see now. Independently, each of the strip lights variously don't light at all, lights up in the wrong color, or flickers. Sometimes everything works perfectly.
To "mess it up," all it takes is the slightest touch of the controller, the strip(s) itself near the controller, the desk on which the whole thing sits, etc. It is extremely sensitive.
I tried to tape down all the different parts of the assembly separately to localize which was really the part that couldn't be breathed on too hard.
It was the 4 pin connectors, both of them, that are vulnerable.
The connecting ends are molded plastic, rectangular in shape, housing 4 pins (or 4 pin receptacles). The controller's "rectangle" fits into the larger rectangle of the strip lights ("male"), though the 4 actual connectors in each of the two cables within the rectangle are female (pin receptacles). The strip lights, obviously, have 4 male pins within the larger female plastic housing rectangle.
Markings and a small raised release tab ensure the 4 pin connectors are inserted in the proper direction. I have double-checked that.
None of the pins are loose, damaged, or missing. Nothing looks unusual in any of the connectors.
When plugged together, the connections are quite snug. They are not loose and actually require some effort to separate. But they have some give and if I bend, twist, or push them gently when they are fully connected, I can effect different (usually bad) results with the strip light operation.
I was about to try using some electrical grease to make a better connection for the pins, but then I thought that despite the jiggling observations, it was not likely that both connectors would become somehow internally loose at the same time, so I'm pausing that idea for now. I'm now wondering if there's something wrong with the controller.
One last thing I should mention. Prior to seeing this problem, I cut each of the strip lights and reattached the cut off portions with plastic, snap-on L-connectors.
I assumed there is nothing wrong with those connections because, even when the color is wrong, the wrong color is carried identically all the way down the strip, including past the L-connection. So the connections seem sound. Nothing changes color, intensity, or fails completely at the L-connection point.
Sorry for the long explanation, but I wanted to be clear and complete. When searching, all I found were hits related to using (or buying) the plastic connectors, or soldering the connections, or just making sure the pin connections are good and tight (they are).
Any ideas what/where the problem is, or what I can do to fix it?
Thanks!
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