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Can I Run LED Strip Lights Inside of Vinyl Tubing?


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fronzizzle 
Copper - Posts: 57
Copper spacespace
Joined: February 21, 2010
Location: Michigan, United States
Posted: April 20, 2019 at 10:25 AM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote fronzizzle
Hello all,
Some quick info: I purchased a nice car lift for use in my barn. The lift is a 4-post, drive-on type. One of the issues with working under cars is that it's dark, and I hate messing with work lights and constantly moving them around, charging them, etc.
My plan is to install some LED strip lights on both sides of the lift - they make kits for this and I've seen some videos of it, but I want to do it myself and go (much) cheaper.
On each side of the lift, there is a nice channel to run the lights. The issue is that working on cars can expose the lift (and the lights) to various liquids such as brake fluid, antifreeze, oil, gas, etc. This is especially true in the channel as it's possible that fluid could accumulate there, no matter how careful I am.
The lights I intend to use are weatherproof, but I certainly don't want to expose them to chemicals. These are the lights:
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/flexible-led-strip-lights/3528-outdoor-single-color-led-strip-lighttape-light-12v-weatherproof-ip66-76-lmft/1466/1882/
What I'm wondering is, can I feed the strip lights inside some vinyl tubing like you can get at Home Depot and run them that way? The tubing would protect the lights from fluids, and if the tubing got bad enough (dirty, discolored) I could just replace it. The stuff on the Home Depot website says it's good to 150 F. I'm not sure how hot the LEDs would get inside the tube, which would be open on both ends. Any thoughts? If this is a bad idea, any other suggested ways of protecting the strip lights?
eguru 
Copper - Posts: 340
Copper spacespace
Joined: February 04, 2018
Location: Quebec, Canada
Posted: April 22, 2019 at 6:57 AM / IP Logged Link to Post Post Reply Quote eguru
If you are trying to be cost effective, you have selected a very expensive source.
For a fifth of the price you can obtain brighter waterproof LED strips (even complete with a remote control dimmer). For example.
https://www.banggood.com/5M-SMD3528-WhiteWarm-White-600-LED-Waterproof-Flexible-Strip-Light-Kit-With-3-Keys-Dimmer-DC12V-p-1141161.html?rmmds=search&ID=515219&cur_warehouse=CN
At that price, I wouldn't bother buying tubing. Buying a second reel as a spare is cheaper than the cost of the tubing.
The LEDs will last longer without the heat build up in the tubing (open ends aren't going to help here unless you are talking about really over-sized tubing).
Also, the LEDs will end up oriented in different directions inside tubing.
Periodically, just wipe the fluids from the LED strips if necessary (don't use solvents).

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