Category 04 / Connectors and leads
Solderless LED strip connectors that join on the cut line, and 18 AWG leads that keep the feed under 3 %.
Two parts, both for 24 V and 48 V strip: the ZV-C10 clip connector for joins and the ZV-L18 pre-wired feed lead for getting power from the driver to the first pad. Shipped anywhere in the United States from our Austin counter. Each is quoted by inquiry in USD, per pack, on the same load sheet as the strip and driver it connects.
ZV-C10
Clip connectors for 8 mm and 10 mm strip
A clear polycarbonate body with two spring contacts and a hinged lid. Slide the cut end of the strip in until the copper pads sit squarely under the contacts, press the lid shut, done. No iron, and no burnt pads on a ladder. Two widths in stock, and the load sheet names the width against each strip on your order so nobody guesses at the counter.
These suit cabinetmakers and homeowners joining indoor runs inside channel. They do not suit a strip that will be flexed after fitting, and they do not suit silicone-sleeved outdoor strip unless you strip the coating back cleanly first. Most clip joins that flicker were closed on a cut made 2 mm off the line, so the contact is sitting on bare substrate instead of copper.
| Strip widths | 8 mm and 10 mm, single colour |
|---|---|
| Voltage | 24 V and 48 V strip |
| Join types | Strip to strip, strip to lead |
| Tools | Sharp scissors on the marked cut line |
| Price basis | Quoted per pack of 10, USD |
Quoted per pack of 10, USD. Quantity follows the join count on your sheet.
ZV-L18
Pre-wired 18 AWG feed leads, 2 m
Two-core red and black 18 AWG, two metres long, with a strip clip already fitted on one end and bare tinned tails on the other for the driver terminals. It is the lead most jobs need: driver in the cabinet void, strip under the shelf, a metre or so of wire between them.
Two metres of 18 AWG at 3 A drops 0.25 V. On a 24 V run that is 1.05 %, well inside our 3 % ceiling. At 5 A, the full 120 W working load of the ZV-D150P, the same lead drops 0.42 V, or 1.75 %. Past 3.4 m of feed at 5 A we stop using 18 AWG and put 16 or 14 AWG on the sheet instead. We will not quote a lead that leaves the far end of your run dim.
| Conductor | 18 AWG two-core, red and black |
|---|---|
| Length | 2 m |
| Loop resistance | 0.0838 Ω per lead |
| Ends | Strip clip one end, tinned tails the other |
| Price basis | Quoted per pack of 5, USD |
Quoted per pack of 5, USD. One lead per feed point on your sheet.
Wire gauge against feed distance at 24 V
Longest driver-to-strip feed that stays under 3 % drop, which at 24 V is 0.72 V. Worked with Vd = 2 × L × I × R. Our LED strip voltage drop calculator runs the same numbers for your exact job.
| Gauge | R per metre | 2 A (48 W) | 3 A (72 W) | 5 A (120 W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 AWG, ZV-L18 | 0.02095 Ω | 8.6 m | 5.7 m | 3.4 m |
| 16 AWG | 0.01317 Ω | 13.7 m | 9.1 m | 5.5 m |
| 14 AWG | 0.00828 Ω | 21.7 m | 14.5 m | 8.7 m |
Read the row for the wire, the column for the current. A 7.2 m kitchen run of COB strip at 10 W/m pulls 72 W, which is 3 A at 24 V. On 18 AWG you can put the driver up to 5.7 m away. Four metres gives 0.50 V, or 2.1 %. Fine.
At 48 V the same wattage draws half the current and the 3 % allowance doubles to 1.44 V, so every distance in the table goes four times as far. That is most of the reason the 48 V long-run strip exists.
Feed drop and run drop are two separate losses. This table covers the wire between driver and strip. The strip's own copper loses voltage along its length, which is why a 24 V run gets a second feed past 10 m. The sheet shows both.
Polarity notes
Red to plus, and check it before the lid closes
- 01Every cut pad on our strip is marked + and −. The red core goes to +. The clip body is clear so you can see which pad sits under which conductor before you press it shut.
- 02Reversed polarity on constant-voltage strip usually just means nothing lights. Open the clip, turn the strip over, close it again. What does real damage is + touching − at the driver terminals, so twist and tin the tails.
- 03When a run is fed from both ends, both leads go to the same driver and keep the same polarity at each end. Feeding from two different drivers is not something we put on a sheet.
- 04Tunable-white strip carries three conductors. A two-core clip will not do. The controls page lists what goes with that set.
- 05Power off at the driver before any join. 24 V will not hurt you, but a live short arcs the pad and the clip will never seat properly on it again.
How connectors land on your sheet
You never count clips yourself. They come off the run drawing.
Send the runs
Run lengths in metres, where each run breaks, where the driver sits.
You: one message
We count joins
Every break and corner becomes a clip. Every feed point becomes a lead, with gauge checked against distance.
Us: load sheet
Written quote
Parts list with codes, pack quantities and a USD figure. Nothing is binding until you confirm it in writing.
Us: quote in USD
Ships together
Connectors go in the same box as the strip and driver they were counted against.
One box, one sheet
Questions buyers ask about solderless joins
Are clip connectors as reliable as solder?
On a clean cut, fully seated, yes for indoor runs. A clip that fails was almost always closed on a cut made off the line or on pads still carrying silicone. If you want solder, solder. We do not stock solder kits.
Can I join two strips around a corner with a clip?
Use two clips and a short length of two-core wire between them. Folding strip to turn a corner cracks the copper trace over time, and the crack shows up months later as a dead section.
Do the feed leads work on 48 V strip?
Yes. The lead does not care about voltage at these levels. At 48 V the current is half for the same wattage, so the drop on a 2 m lead is small.
Who should not buy these?
Anyone running 12 V strip bought elsewhere. We do not stock 12 V and we will not size a feed for it. Also anyone joining strip in a wet location: clips are for dry indoor runs inside channel.
Connectors and leads by inquiry
Send the runs. We count the joins.
Run lengths in metres and where the power comes in. That is the whole form. Also see kits, which include their leads and clips.
- +1 (204) 555-4462
- [email protected]
- 34 River Road, Floor 2, Austin, Texas 37641