lighting
I'm interested in using the 12 or 24 volt LED strip lighting that can be purchased online by cutting strips and applying them to the eight support ribs on an outdoor canopy. Can this be done in a "star" pattern using "T" connectors and feeding the star from the end of one of the star points?
To clarify further I am talking about a pattern with a center ring and eight lines radiating outward kind of like an asterisk "*". Please refer to the attached diagram.
Thanks!
As Dan says, there is a maximum to the number of connected segments you can run. After that, you can get "RGB amplifiers" that are powered, and run the next set of segments.
You should take into consideration:
It may make sense to have several small(er) power supplies rather than one or two large ones.
There are LED replacement kits that include a bulb, power supply, and trim ring (if you are not wed to your existing ones). They may be less deep than the bulbs you are finding. The bulb base is separate from the rest of the unit to reduce space and ease installation.
Images and links are for illustration only, not an endorsement of any product or source.
Best Answer
These strip lights are designed to be easy to install, so there's not a lot to worry about.
You can remove a little complexity by removing two of the T's and not making a full loop in the center. If you start at the T on the "supply" strip as "1" and number the rest clockwise, the #1 T and the #8 T can be removed.
If you want everything to be symmetrical you can install just as your picture shows. The wires will be connected to themselves, so there's not a short circuit situation here.