Custom RGB LED Strip Without Soldering

As the Christmas is slowly approaching, there are numerous light-decorations available on the market. If you are a true DIY person, you will build it yourself!

In this Instructable I will show you how to build an RGB LED decoration without soldering, for under 10$* !

Let's get started!

*NOTE: This price is calculated with items bought on E-bay.

For this Instructable we need some basic tools:

1 - Wire stripper

2 - Plier

3 - Wire cutter

4 - A piece of 2-4 mm thick (aluminum, wood, plastic etc.) with a 3-4 mm hole

5 - Sewing needle

6 - Lighter

1 - USB cable with type A connector - used to connect the LED strip to power source (wall-adapter or any other USB type A connector capable supplying sufficient power)

- DigiKey: https://www.digikey.hu/product-detail/en/qualtek/...

- E-bay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid...

2 - Color Changing RGB LEDs (5 mm diameter) - This LED has a chip built-in which controls the LEDs with a pre-programmed color changing pattern

- DigiKey: https://www.digikey.hu/product-detail/en/sparkfun...

- E-bay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid...

3 - 330 ohm through hole resistors

- DigiKey: https://www.digikey.hu/product-detail/en/stackpol...

- E-bay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/100PCS-1-4W-0-25W-Metal-F...

4 - 5 V wall adapter with USB A connector

- DigiKey: https://www.digikey.hu/product-detail/en/phihong-...

- E-bay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_nkw=usb...

5 - Flexible, 2 conductor, black-red wire (22 AWG)

- DigiKey: https://www.digikey.hu/product-detail/en/tensilit...

- E-bay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=red-black+c...

6 - Transparent heat-shrink tubing (4 mm) – you can use a thicker tube to protect the LED

- DigiKey: https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/3m/MFP-3...

- E-bay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid...

7 - Black heat-shrink tubing (2 mm)

- DigiKey: https://www.digikey.hu/product-detail/en/te-conne...

- E-bay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid...

To create the connection between the cable and components we use the same principle as used for puncture test hooks:

First, with the sewing needle we create a small hole in the cable. After removing the needle, we can insert the leads of the LED and resistor in the cable. In this way we created an electric contact between the conductors in the cable and components lead.

Each LED uses around 20 mA. For a 10 LED strip a power supply capable of 200 mA is necessary and for 100 LED a 2000 mA (2 A) power supply is needed.

You can use any kind of LED for this project. Combining slow and fast color changing LEDs can be more interesting.

Thank you for reading my Instructable!