RibbonFlex Pro® Outdoor Instruction Supplement for White LED Lighting
30 and 60 LEDs per meter models, Warm White (3000K) and Natural White (4000K)
Outdoor rated LED tape lighting is the same high-quality product as
Armacost RibbonFlex Pro indoor LED lighting and is encapsulated in
UV-resistant, waterproof tubing. It can also be used indoors in wet
locations. High performance 3M peel-and-stick foam tape with an
industrial adhesive allows the LED tape lighting to bond more effectively
to a wide variety of surfaces including unfinished wood and metals. It is
designed for custom installations and to fit many different applications.
Before installing any RibbonFlex Pro outdoor rated LED tape lighting, be sure to
thoroughly read the indoor Instruction Guidelines and this Supplement.
Outdoor RibbonFlex Pro installations follow the same guidelines as the
indoor instructions, with the exception of the following:
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Connecting and sealing power wires and spliced sections of LED tape
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All cabling must be rated for outdoor use
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If a power supply is used outdoors, it must have a suitable safety
listing (damp or wet location), or be approved by the manufacturer to
be put inside a wet location approved enclosure
12V DC dimmers must be installed in a suitable wet location
enclosure if used outdoors
Installation and wiring must be in accordance with national and local
electrical codes. If you are unclear as to how to install and wire this
product, contact a qualified professional. This LED tape lighting is CSA
certified for wet locations which includes interior or exterior
locations where water or other liquids may drip, splash or flow
on or against the LED tape lighting. Wet locations include
open-air decks and patios, uncovered porches, outdoor dining
areas, exterior walls, gazebos, pergolas and walkways. Indoor wet locations
include shower enclosures. Wet location certified RibbonFlex Pro has not
been approved or pressure-tested for continuous underwater use.
Installation Basics and Planning
The indoor Instruction Guidelines contain information and considerations
that are basic to installing LED tape lighting, whether indoors or outdoors.
Refer to those instructions as needed.
Three important considerations must be taken into account when installing outdoor
RibbonFlex Pro: the power supply, voltage drop and switching/dimming options.
It is always best to have the power supply located as close to the lighting
as possible to lessen the effect of voltage drop, which only affects the low
voltage output side.
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120V AC line voltage cabling can be run outdoors to the power supply
outside, as long as the cabling and the power supply are both rated
for outdoor use.
An indoor-only rated power supply can be used but it must be
installed indoors with the outdoor rated low voltage cabling running
from the unit to the LED lighting located outside.
Often the length of 12V cabling run from a power supply located
indoors to the LED tape mounted outdoors is longer than typical indoor
installations. Outdoor rated Armacost Lighting 18 gauge wire (item
#576018) is the standard recommendation, but thicker 14 gauge cable
(item #576014) may need to be spliced in on longer runs.
To determine what wire size will work best in your design, visit
armacostlighting.com/voltagedrop for an easy to use online voltage
drop calculator.
WARNING: Do not use outdoor 12V AC landscaping lighting transformers with
RibbonFlex Pro. They are AC output and all Armacost LED lighting requires
12V DC constant voltage output.
For switching outdoor LED lights on/
off, wire the power supply directly to
120V AC house voltage controlled by
an AC switch. You can also use a
standard AC wall dimmer with your
power supply if the power supply
clearly states that it is AC dimmable
with 120V dimmers. Note: Using an
AC dimmer with a standard electronic
power supply will not work and will
damage the power supply.
Armacost Lighting Direct Wire Outdoor
AC Dimmable 60 Watt Power Supply
with Wet Location Rated Enclosure
Another switching/
dimming option is
to use Armacost
Lighting’s Wireless
2-in-1 LED Dimmer
(Model DIM2IN1RFUC) with a standard
electronic power
supply. It uses radio
Thin profile, easily
frequency (RF) to work
surface mount
through walls up to
or install in wall
100 feet away and
helps to eliminate the need to run extra wires.
Blends with
existing switches
and dimming décor
When used outdoors, the 12V dimmer receiver must
be installed in an enclosure. A standard, non-metallic
PVC electrical box is recommended. Always check
the specifications of your power supply to be sure it is
compatible with this 12V DC dimmer.
For more information on dimming and power supply
options, visit armacostlighting.com/power-supply.
Dimmer Receiver
Cutting, connecting and wiring
Plan your lighting layout carefully to use as few splice connections as
possible. Any splice connection, especially if exposed to moisture, can be
a future failure point.
It is recommended that you make all wire lead connections and splices in
a workshop environment – not outside during the install. Always test your
lighting prior to sealing with heat shrink tubing as well as before the final
installation. This will ensure all connections are secure and all LEDs light.
Do not power lighting while it is on the reel for more than a few seconds or
it will damage tape lighting.
There are two methods for connecting power wires and splicing together
two pieces of LED tape lighting:
1. Soldering – the surest method for making strong, reliable electrical
connections.
2. Direct-Connect™ System – using Armacost Lighting SureLock
Wire-Ready and Splice connectors
Regardless of the connecting method, all wire and LED tape splice
connections must be sealed and protected in wet location environments.
The level of protection you choose will depend on your application.
Silicone and waterproof adhesive sealants can be useful in some
applications where the connection may occasionally get splashed. Regular
direct contact with water requires the most protection. Armacost specially
made clear adhesive-lined heat shrink tubing seals water out while using a
strong glue to bond the LED tape and wires together.
Note: Always solder connections when your lighting application is for marine
or RV use. Over time, connectors could fail due to vehicle vibrations.
Soldering wires and splices
This tape light is made ready-to-solder with ¼" tube removed on both ends.
The proper preparation of the LED tape – shown with 3/8" of the top and
bottom of the waterproof tube removed. 60 LEDs per meter model is shown.
If you need to solder power wires to a newly cut section of tape lighting, or are
soldering two sections of tape together, follow the guidelines shown below.
Preparing wires and stripping
It is easier to manipulate the solid core wires into the SureLock connector
when approximately 3 inches of the red and white wires are exposed.
Peel back the top tube flap and remove
with small sharp scissors to expose the
copper pads.
Slide the tip of razor knife or blade into
the end of the tube and cut slits approx.
¼" to 3/8" on each side of tube.
Use painters tape to secure LED tape to flat surface, use a fine tip
soldering iron and solder as shown. For how-to videos and tips on how to
solder RibbonFlex Pro, visit armacostlighting.com/installation.
You can hold the conductor wires and slide back the outer black jacket.
You may also want to remove or pull out the string inside the jacket, it is
not needed.
IMPORTANT: Strip wire ends only 1/8" (~3mm).
Strip wires no more
than the thickness
of the connector.
1
2
Strip wire ends 1/8"
As a measuring gauge, make sure the stripped copper is no longer than the
thickness of the connector as shown above.
The SureLock Direct-Connect™ System:
Using Wire-Ready and Splice Connectors
The instructions that follow here address the use of SureLock Wire-Ready
connectors; note that the SureLock Splice connectors use the same
cutting, connecting and sealing techniques.
The Direct-Connect™ System reduces the need for wire splices, allowing
you to make power wire leads the exact length your outdoor lighting
system requires.
SureLock Wire-Ready Connectors
are push-in wire connectors that use
Armacost Lighting specified DirectConnect™ solid core wire. Do not use
Armacost’s SureLock Connectors
supplied with wire – these models are
made with indoor-only rated wire.
Check polarity before inserting wires into connector.
Before inserting wires, check the
polarity direction as indicated
next to the copper pads on the
section of LED tape you will be
connecting to. Red wire connects
to + (positive), the white wire
connects to – (negative).
+
–
Be sure wires are aligned properly to go straight inside the metal receiver
clamp box within the back of the connector.
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Armacost Direct-Connect cable for white LED lighting is a 2 conductor, 18
gauge solid core wire that is sunlight resistant and listed for wet and direct
burial applications. SureLock Wire-Ready connectors are made specifically
to be used with this wire.
Unless soldering, use of any other cabling with SureLock Wire-Ready
connectors will void warranty.
For how-to videos using the SureLock Direct-Connect™ System, visit
armacostlighting.com/connectors.
Tube preparation
Note: Both ends of this tape light are tinned for easy solder connections.
If using a SureLock connector on these tinned pads, be sure any excess
solder has been effectively removed – the surface must be smooth and flat
to work with a connector. Or simply install the connector on a cut section
of LED tape where there is no solder joint.
When using SureLock connectors, remove / " (10mm) of tubing on the top
and the bottom along with a section of the 3M foam tape. This is required
to allow the LED tape light to slide fully into the SureLock connector.
3 8
Peel back 3/8" tubing and lift up over LED.
Use small scissors to cut top section of tube
away, taking care not to cut the LED.
If making a short wire lead connector (24" or less) using a SureLock WireReady connector on both ends of the cable, strip both ends of all wires
first before installing connectors. This will ensure you do not accidentally
pull a wire out from one of the connectors during the stripping process.
Tape light
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Insert one wire at a time and push inside until you feel the clamp grasp
and take hold. Do not attempt to push the wire in any further.
Turn the connector over and visually check to ensure each wire is seated
properly inside connector.
Be sure you see the wire protruding inside. If you do not see the wire, gently
push wire in again to reseat it. Be sure the wire is aligned to go into the center
of the metal clamp.
You must see wire
protruding inside.
The length does not
have to be as far
inside as pictured.
However, you must
see a portion of the
wire inside.
Strip wire 1/8"
The LED tape’s copper
pads will seat against
these connector
contacts shown here.
Do not push wire
past this point.
(Note: Connector
pressure pad door is
removed for clarity)
SureLock
Connector
If the wires are inserted too far inside the connector, the pressure pad
door may not close. Do not attempt to pull the wire back out as it will
unseat the internal metal clamp connector from the plastic housing. If this
happens, use a new connector.
3M foam tape
with red backing
Remove 3/8" of bottom tubing and also cut
away same size section of the 3M foam tape.
Once wires are inserted, take care not to inadvertently pull them from
the connector.
Inserting LED tape into the SureLock connector
On the back side, remove 3M red plastic backing from under tube, but
leave sticky-back foam tape in place.
Insert LED tape into the
top channel grooves as
shown (Armacost facing
up). Using a slight sideto-side motion, push
so that tape slides fully
into connector. This will
ensure connector contacts
make a secure connection
with the LED tape.
Be sure tape is fully inserted into connector until it hits the stop. The top
grooves that the tape slides into are about ¼" (6mm) deep.
Starting from the center of the tube and working out towards the ends, use
a heat gun to shrink the tubing while carefully heating all sides equally.
A 1200 watt minimum heat gun is recommended, a hair dryer will not
produce sufficient heat. When properly shrunk and sealed, a small amount
of glue will ooze from the edges of the tubing.
Visually check to be sure LED tape is fully inserted and seated properly inside
the connector.
Turn the lighting on to test the
connection prior to closing and
locking the pressure pad door.
Pay attention not to pull the LED
tape out of the connector while
closing the door. Be sure the
door locks into the side grooves
on the bottom of the connector.
If needed, put the tape and
connector upside down on a hard
surface and use a short flat head
screwdriver to push down the door
to lock in place. You can also
apply gentle pressure using small
needle-nose pliers to help lock the
door in place within the grooves.
Back side
of LED
tape shown
covering
connector
metal
contacts.
Once the wires and the LED tape have been installed inside the connector, take
care not to inadvertently pull either the wires or the LED tape from the connector.
Sealing the connection with the adhesive-lined heat shrink tube is needed to
permanently bond and secure the SureLock Connector to the power cable.
Perform a final power test and then use waterproof or electrical tape to
carefully wrap individual wires together. Regular 3/16" or ¼" diameter heat
shrink tubing can also be used.
In some installations, you may want to slide the outer jacket back over the
wires as shown below. Do not pull on the connector while doing this. Grasp
the wires at the opposite end from the connector and slide the jacket over
the wires towards the connector, do not push too hard on the jacket or it
may dislodge the connector.
After the LED lighting has been power tested, use waterproof or electrical
tape to wrap individual wires together. Regular heat shrink tubing can also
be used.
Use the same procedures for sealing SureLock Splice connections.
Depending on the LED tape model, you may need to trim tubing length so
edge seal is not on top of an LED.
To seal a cut end, use a half
section of the heat shrink tubing.
While the tube is still warm, lightly
pinch the end with pliers until
glue oozes out. This will ensure a
waterproof seal.
For helpful outdoor installation accessories, including useful tools, visit
armacostlighting.com.
Look under Accessories for:
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Direct-Connect™ Outdoor
Cabling
Heat Shrink Tubing
Waterproof Adhesive and
Sealants
Cool Seal® Weatherproof Crimp
Butt Splice Connectors
Wet Location Wire Nuts
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Nylon Cable Ties
Nail-In Plastic Staples for
Securing Cables
Wet Location Enclosures
Staple Systems for Securing
Tape Lighting
Wire Stripping and Crimping
Tools
For technical or installation questions please email
support@armacostlighting.com.
You can also carefully push the black outer jacket back over the wires. Do
not pull on the connector. Pay careful attention not to push too hard on
the jacket or it could dislodge the connector.
Sealing connections with Armacost heat shrink tubing
If done properly, Armacost Lighting’s specially made adhesive-lined heat
shrink tubing will seal out water and bond the connection with glue. Slide
the heat shrink tube over the connector as shown below.
Limited 1-year warranty
For terms and conditions, visit armacostlighting.com/warranty. Because
installation techniques will vary by skill level and the installer is ultimately
responsible for properly making and sealing waterproof connections,
Armacost Lighting will not be liable for failures due to water damage or
any other improper installation. RibbonFlex Pro has not been pressuretested for continuous underwater use. This warranty only applies when
all components, including LED power supplies, have been provided
by or approved for use by Armacost Lighting. Substituting another
manufacturer’s product and/or components will void the warranty. The
warranty does not cover labor or any other costs or expense to remove or
install any defective, repaired or replaced products.
Designed in Baltimore, Maryland
Manufactured in China
Position tubing so the edge is never over an LED
armacostlighting.com
© 2015 Armacost Lighting. All rights reserved.
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