Need help in identifying live wire for LED light

i-need-a-lie-down · Tuesday at 3:53 PM

Hi,
Can someone tell me which wire in this wire is the live one for this LED light.
I am trying to connect an inline dimmer switch (bought on ebay) which needs the live wire to be soldered.
Pics enclosed. Many thanks.

UNG · Tuesday at 4:50 PM

I doubt the dimmer you have is suitable for dimming LED lighting also is the LED fitting suitable for dimming

i-need-a-lie-down · Tuesday at 4:58 PM

UNG said:
I doubt the dimmer you have is suitable for dimming LED lighting also is the LED fitting suitable for dimming

Thank you. Any idea which of the two wires (black or spotted black) is the live wire ?

ProDave · Tuesday at 5:07 PM

Quite possibly neither, if it is connected to some sort of control box, it is likely to be DC.

i-need-a-lie-down · Tuesday at 5:18 PM

ProDave said:
Quite possibly neither, if it is connected to some sort of control box, it is likely to be DC.

Oh! Any idea why the two parts of the wire are coloured differently ? Assumed it had a significance. Youtube has videos of these strip LED lights getting an inline dimmer attached - was hoping I could do that too !

binky · Tuesday at 5:25 PM

I think the spotted cable is +ve.

SPECIAL LOCATION · Tuesday at 5:28 PM

i-need-a-lie-down said:
Oh! Any idea why the two parts of the wire are coloured differently ? Assumed it had a significance. Youtube has videos of these strip LED lights getting an inline dimmer attached - was hoping I could do that too !

You-tube is full of wanna-be video stars posting semi-accurate info, some of which has very limited value...

You need to know the specification of your specific items..
to know if it is dimmable, and if your e-bay dimmer is compatible, and how it can be connected...

From the info given we would just be guessing at best?

Richard-the-Ninth · Tuesday at 5:34 PM

The item you show in your picture does not look like a dimmer.

Fleeting · Tuesday at 5:47 PM

The item in the picture is not something I would want in my house with electricity passing through it, looks a complete piece of tat.

i-need-a-lie-down · Tuesday at 6:51 PM

- connecting an inline dimmer switch

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BYNYXI-Rotary-Dimmer-Control-replacement/dp/B0D83FLQT1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Create-idea-Control-Welding-Terminal/dp/B0DKH67WYM - Similar but needs no soldering.

ProDave · Tuesday at 8:34 PM

That's a crude and simple version of the normal triac based phase angle firing dimmer, but minus any RFI suppression etc.

If as we suspect the wires to your LED are in fact DC than this will NOT work.

Richard-the-Ninth · Tuesday at 9:15 PM

(i-need-a-lie-down) neither of the items you link to have a review, BigClive showed the dimmers easily fail, have you a link to the light you have?

binky · 2025-01-29T08:45:22+0000

i-need-a-lie-down said:
- connecting an inline dimmer switch

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BYNYXI-Rotary-Dimmer-Control-replacement/dp/B0D83FLQT1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Create-idea-Control-Welding-Terminal/dp/B0DKH67WYM - Similar but needs no soldering.

That is meant for table lamps, to go in the power cord to it, and for use with LED lamps that are 240v, ie lamps that are replacements for standard tungsten filament. The cable you showed is DC and probably 12v , so you would need an 240v led driver that is dimmable to control the led things you have bought.

Mike P · 2025-01-29T14:14:56+0000

As pointed out, there is probably a control box that should feed the LED’s. If you put a mains dimmer across the led strip it will blow up!

Need help in identifying live wire for LED light

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