Mounting LED strips
Getting the strips onto the car so they survive weather, washing, and road debris.
Moderate · Two to three hours
Plan the runs
Dry-fit before you stick anything down. With 4 outputs, a common split is both side skirts on one and both bumpers on the other.
A single run tops out at 800 LEDs. A series chain counts as one run, so its LEDs are counted together against that limit.
A single output can be split to drive more than one strip — both side skirts from one channel, for instance. Strips sharing a channel show exactly the same thing at the same time; two channels is what lets two runs animate independently.
Strips can also be joined end to end. The firmware then treats them as one longer strip and addresses the LEDs continuously, so a pattern travels the whole length instead of repeating on each one.
Prepare the surface
Wash the mounting areas thoroughly first. Underbody surfaces carry road film, mud and brake dust, and the tape has to stick to the car rather than to what is sitting on it.
Once it is clean and dry, wipe the same areas with isopropyl alcohol and let them dry completely. This lifts the last of the wax, polish and tyre shine, which is what defeats adhesive far more often than the adhesive itself fails.
On a cold day, warm the surface before applying. Adhesive tack drops sharply below about 10 °C (50 °F).
Route the leads
Run leads along existing looms where you can, and zip-tie them every 200 mm (8 in) or so. An unsupported lead will eventually chafe through. Zip ties are in the box.
Leave a little slack at each end rather than pulling the lead tight — roughly a 100 mm (4 in) loop. It lets you unplug and re-route later without re-running the lead, and it stops the connector taking the strain when the body flexes.
Keep leads away from exhaust components and moving suspension.
If you cut a strip
Cut only on the marked cut lines. A cut strip cannot be returned for change of mind.
Fit one of the supplied end caps over the cut end, and seal it. Every strip ships with caps.
Use a neutral-cure silicone. Do not use an acetic-cure one — the sort that smells of vinegar as it sets — because the acetic acid it releases corrodes the copper pads inside the strip. Sealant is not in the box; any neutral-cure silicone from a hardware shop will do.
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