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I ordered and received WS2812B 5050 RGB Individual Addressable LED strip and for the first time I received an LED strip without cutoff points and with no pads. The product images and description do not match what I received and I have begun the return/refund process.

In the mean time, I'm wondering how would you go about cutting and joining these up? I guess scratching through the top surface to reveal the traces beneath? Since they are individually addressable I'm guessing they can be cut off one by one.

Is this just the cheapest possible way to manufacture these kinds of LED strips without having to include those solder pads?

led strip

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  • \$\begingroup\$ You got the wrong product. But you will need to keep your wires short. amazon.com/ALITOVE-WS2812B-Individually-Addressable-Waterproof/… \$\endgroup\$ – Tony Stewart Sunnyskyguy EE75 Jun 10 at 16:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ your proposed mod sounds possible, but the practicality of it might leave something to be desired. \$\endgroup\$ – dandavis Jun 10 at 17:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ @SunnyskyguyEE75 I know I got the wrong item sent, as it wasn't the one I ordered, I'm just wondering if it's feasible to even use these. \$\endgroup\$ – Matt Jun 10 at 17:48
  • \$\begingroup\$ messy but possible if using AWG 30 magnet wire and polyurethane adhesive strain relief, to prevent wire breakage. Soldering challenge because FPC substrate melts easily \$\endgroup\$ – Tony Stewart Sunnyskyguy EE75 Jun 10 at 18:10
  • \$\begingroup\$ Similar to what I thought. Hope to get my money back, it would be tedious to use these in my project I'm working on.. \$\endgroup\$ – Matt Jun 10 at 18:23
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those LED modules are so close together that there's no room to add junction points for cutting it.

just cut the strip using a hacksaw (or whatever works) and solder your three wires to the existing solder on the component leads.

secure the wires with 2 part epoxy or cyanoacrylate glue. enter image description here

the red wires are the power wires and should be thich-ish wire the green wire is the data wire and can be thin

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  • \$\begingroup\$ What about the negative rail? edit i'm dumb, the remaining pin is negative :) thanks for the info! \$\endgroup\$ – Matt Jun 11 at 20:47
  • \$\begingroup\$ One of those red wires is the negative rail (I'm just not sure which one) I think it's the one with on the arrow side. so I was being deliberately vague when I called them both "power" \$\endgroup\$ – Jasen Jun 12 at 2:54

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