LED Strip Lighting Series
How to Waterproof
LED Strip Lights
IP ratings decoded, outdoor installation methods, sealing connections, and choosing the right protection level for your environment. Everything you need to install LED strip where moisture is a factor.
IP Ratings Decoded
The IP (Ingress Protection) rating system uses two digits to communicate a product's resistance to solids and liquids. For LED strip lights, the relevant digit is the second one, which describes liquid ingress protection. The first digit (solids protection) is almost always 6 (dust-tight) for any reputable LED strip product.
| IP Rating | Protection Level | Construction | Appropriate Environments |
|---|---|---|---|
| IP20 | No moisture protection | Bare PCB | Dry indoor only |
| IP44 | Splash from any direction | Partial coating | Covered outdoor, damp indoor |
| IP65 | Water jets from any direction | Conformal coating over PCB | Kitchens, covered outdoor, wet zones |
| IP67 | Temporary immersion to 1m / 30 min | Silicone sleeve or tube | Outdoor exposed, landscape borders |
| IP68 | Continuous submersion beyond 1m | Fully potted silicone jacket | Ponds, pools, water features |
IP Rating Applies to the Strip Only
A strip rated IP67 does not mean your entire installation is protected. The connections, driver, and wire terminations each have their own protection requirements. A single unsealed connection point in an otherwise IP67 run is the weakest link and will fail first.
Choosing the Right Protection Level
Over-specifying the IP rating costs money and introduces unnecessary thermal and installation complexity. Under-specifying causes early failure. Use this framework to select the minimum appropriate protection level:
- Will the strip ever be directly exposed to rain or outdoor weather? If yes, minimum IP65. If it will be in a position where water can pool or flow over it, IP67.
- Will the strip be submerged or in continuous contact with water? IP68 only.
- Is the strip in a bathroom, kitchen, or other damp interior? IP65 at the zone closest to the water source; IP44 acceptable in zones further away.
- Is the strip in a covered outdoor location with no direct precipitation exposure? IP44 to IP65 depending on how much humidity and indirect moisture contact is expected.
- Is the strip in a fully interior, climate-controlled dry space? IP20 is appropriate and preferred because it maximizes heat dissipation.
Sealing Cut Ends
The most common failure point in any IP-rated LED strip installation is the cut end. When you cut a strip to length, you expose the raw PCB edge, which is not protected by whatever IP coating the strip carries along its length. Every cut end must be sealed before the installation is considered complete.
IP65 Cut End Sealing
IP65 strips use a conformal coating applied over the top surface of the PCB. This coating does not wrap around the cut edge. Seal cut ends on IP65 strips with a small amount of clear silicone sealant applied to the cut edge and allowed to fully cure before exposure to moisture.
IP67 / IP68 Cut End Sealing
IP67 and IP68 strips come with a silicone sleeve or tube that extends slightly beyond the PCB at each end from the factory. When you cut the strip, you remove this factory end seal. You must apply a rated end cap or apply clear potting silicone to refill the open end of the tube before the installation is put into service.
⚠ Critical Step
An unsealed IP67/IP68 cut end will allow water to wick into the silicone sleeve and travel along the length of the PCB by capillary action. This causes corrosion of solder joints and emitter pads that may not manifest as an immediate failure but will significantly shorten product lifespan. Seal every cut end, every time.
Sealing Connections in Wet Environments
Solderless clip connectors are not waterproof at any IP rating. For any installation at IP65 or above, connections must be either soldered with sealed heat shrink or made with purpose-built IP-rated waterproof connector assemblies.
01
Solder the connection
Tin both the PCB pad and the wire end. Make a fast, clean solder joint. Pre-slide heat shrink tubing over the wire before soldering so it can be positioned over the finished joint.
02
Apply self-amalgamating tape or silicone
For IP67 connections, wrap the bare joint area with self-amalgamating silicone tape before applying heat shrink. Alternatively, apply a small amount of neutral-cure silicone sealant directly to the joint and allow it to skin over before sliding heat shrink into position.
03
Apply adhesive-lined heat shrink
Use adhesive-lined (dual-wall) heat shrink tubing, not standard single-wall. The adhesive inner lining melts as you apply heat and fills any gaps around the wire and PCB edge, creating a waterproof seal. Size the tubing to provide at least 10mm overlap onto the strip's IP coating on each side of the joint.
04
Strain relief
Secure the wire to the mounting surface within 50mm of the joint. Any movement at the joint flexes the solder bond and eventually cracks it. In outdoor installations, thermal expansion and wind movement are the most common sources of wire movement at connections.
Waterproofing Drivers and Power Supplies
Most LED drivers are rated for dry indoor installation only (IP20). For any outdoor installation, the driver must be housed in a NEMA 4X or IP66-rated enclosure, or you must specify a driver that carries its own outdoor IP rating.
When selecting a driver enclosure for outdoor installation, consider the following:
- Ventilation. LED drivers generate heat and require airflow. A fully sealed enclosure will cause the driver to overheat unless you derate the load significantly or add a heat sink to the enclosure exterior.
- Entry points. Every conduit or wire entry into the enclosure must be fitted with an IP-rated conduit fitting or gland. The enclosure IP rating only applies when all entry points are properly sealed.
- UV stability. Plastic enclosures must be UV-rated for outdoor mounting. Standard ABS enclosures become brittle and crack within 1 to 2 years of direct sun exposure.
Aluminum Profiles and Moisture
Aluminum extrusion profiles used in outdoor LED strip installations must be sealed at their end caps and any cut edges. Bare aluminum will not corrode significantly in most outdoor environments, but moisture that enters through open profile ends can pool against the strip PCB and cause corrosion at contact points even where the strip itself is rated IP67.
Seal all profile end caps with a neutral-cure silicone sealant. Do not use acetic-cure (acidic-smell) silicone near metal components; it corrodes copper pads and aluminum surfaces over time. Use either neutral-cure silicone or a polyurethane sealant for all LED strip installation sealing tasks.
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
