USB led strip in Sheffield?

[xdbx 10]

Any one know where I could buy these in Sheffield?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5v-USB-5050-LED-Strip-RGB-Colour-Changing-TV-PC-Backlight-Moodlight-/181813625400?var=&hash=item2a54efc238

 

No go with maplins or bardwells

[allysum 10]

You'll not find one of those in Sheffield unless it's from a small time reseller through Gumtree etc. Those types of electronics are usually distributed by chinese companies working out of garages and self storage companies in the UK.

 

I'd also be wary of running LED strips from USB. The metre length version of the item you linked too has a fairly good chance of blowing your ports and don't contain the power protection circuitry that something like an external USB hard drive carries. I've even known the small 20cm LED lights from the pound shops blow ports on laptops resulting in an expensive mainboard replacement.

[PeteMorris 10]

Any one know where I could buy these in Sheffield?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5v-USB-5050-LED-Strip-RGB-Colour-Changing-TV-PC-Backlight-Moodlight-/181813625400?var=&hash=item2a54efc238

 

No go with maplins or bardwells

 

I did see someone selling a similar sort of thing on one of those FB selling sites. But it was 15mtrs long and 'not' powered by USB, but a proper transformer. Complete with remote control etc...They wanted £15 for them...

[xdbx 10]

Thanks guys, I was being lazy wanting to use USB and as been said probably not a good idea.

Think its gonna be 12v and do the job properly.

[AlexAtkin 10]

Pretty sure modern hardware is meant to have USB short/overload protection. The issue is older hardware that did not.

 

I haven't had a motherboard blow its USB ports, but I have had a PSU blow by breaking the USB ports that in turn caused a short across 5V. I think it was fine when powered on as the motherboard shuts off the ports, but when you go into standby it blew 5VSB which was not protected.

Edited August 19, 2015 by AlexAtkin

[mafya 248]

Any one know where I could buy these in Sheffield?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5v-USB-5050-LED-Strip-RGB-Colour-Changing-TV-PC-Backlight-Moodlight-/181813625400?var=&hash=item2a54efc238

 

No go with maplins or bardwells

 

Bnq in Darnal had these on the tradepoint counter, I don't know if they are usb and or adapter only = http://www.diy.com/departments/masterlite-led-24w-striplight-l5000mm/841822_BQ.prd?icamp=recs

I saw some on the tradepoint counter for £25 but don't know how long they were..

Edited August 20, 2015 by mafya

[smithy266 21]

Could you run one from a usb charger, or plug socket with usb charger points?

[allysum 10]

Pretty sure modern hardware is meant to have USB short/overload protection. The issue is older hardware that did not.

Even older hardware (on the supply side) had short and overload protection but devices such as external hard drives also contain protective circuitry that works in conjunction with the mainboard electronics. Protection on one side isn't always enough. My advice is more about what is being connected to the USB ports and cheap Chinese electronics components are something I'd generally avoid.... if anybody tinkers with Arduino boards, Raspberry Pi's, Odroids etc you'll know what I mean.

 

The laptop that came in with damaged ports was a 4th gen Core i3 and had only stopped working the very moment a pound shop reading light had been connected to the USB. Rest of the machine worked but unfortunately the two USB 3.0 ports gave up permanently. The OP also indicated he would be attaching these things to his TV and I'm not so sure the protection on that is going to be up to the same standards as a computer.

 

A caution with USB chargers too.... many of those are also budget electronics and can get very warm when attached to something without control circuitry on the attached device.

[xdbx 10]

Have now ordered one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/3ft-3in-Battery-Switch-battery-powered/dp/B00LDO07J6/ref=pd_sim_sbs_60_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=02NCVJYJ1T2SERQWS09E and see how I get on.

Its not for my TV (I use the Ikea ones for that) its to put in front of a keyboard (musical) so the keys can be seen in the dark, might be too bright but that can be dealt with easy enough.

[allysum 10]

Its not for my TV...

My bad, read it in the title of the link you posted first

[AlexAtkin 10]

I have pound land xmas lights behind my TV for ambient light, you are making me nervous now.

 

I have ordered a USB light strip off eBay to replace it (amusingly after finding out they exists from this thread), but will test its current draw first before plugging it into the TV.

[allysum 10]

I have pound land xmas lights behind my TV for ambient light, you are making me nervous now.

If they came with a battery pack or a transformer already attached I shouldn't worry about it. Probably an overreaction on my part but I've avoided cheap external hard drive enclosures for the same reasons as the light strips.

 

The caution for using USB chargers is because there are 'fake' ones on the market that are far from the standards of the ones provided with phones and tablets and even just charging a cellphone from them gets the temperatures far higher than they should be.