Dimming 12v LED strip lights

[bperkins01]

Hi Everyone,

Hopefully a simple question. 
My marquee had 4 LED strip lights and was pretty washed out as seen here..


I removed two of them and then made the other two point up / down instead of at the back of the marquee.. 
It is still a bit brighter than I would like..
Has anyone 'dimmed' LED strip lights?  I found a dimmer on Amazon and maybe that is the way to go..
Any other suggestions or gotchas?
thx
Bob

[Nephasth]

Run em on 5v.

[barrymossel]

Something like https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Pack-Mini-Remote-Control-Dimmer-for-Single-Color-LED-Strip-LED-Ribbon-L-N3N0/182948828810 or https://www.ebay.com/itm/Controller-RF-Remote-Dimmer-for-RGB-LED-Strip-DC-5-24V-E5S2/192452150260

[bperkins01]

hmmm

I'll give the 5V a try - good idea..
After that - little dimmer thingy.
Thanks!

[Jakobud]

You could also just paint the interior of the marquee area black. That would lessen the amount of reflected light and should make it more dim.

[bperkins01]

Thanks all.

I tried the 5V option - didn't work at all..
Then I found a dimmer on Amazon for $5.85  - Hopefully that works..  Not 100% sure of how *bright* it will need to be in its final location..  So for $6..  I guess I'll have some flexibility.

[processedmeat]

Not sure how you mounted your leds but if you can direct them upward at an angle instead of straight onto the marquee that should diffuse the light some. 

[pbj]

Put a piece of masking tape over the lights.

[MartyKong]

The set I ordered from fleabay came with a dimmer on the remote. Cost like 19.99 and makes it easy to dial in.

[Ian]

Use better back lit material... Like from https://www.gameongrafix.com/

[bperkins01]

Thanks all -

The marquee is from Game on Grafix... its their Ultimate package with diffuser.
The LED dimmer will get it just right and give me some capability to adjust it for different lighting conditions if I want..

[Ian]

Thanks all -

The marquee is from Game on Grafix... its their Ultimate package with diffuser.
The LED dimmer will get it just right and give me some capability to adjust it for different lighting conditions if I want..

Wow sorry... then yeah you could even use wax paper, or even check out this thread about a quarter of the way down.... http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149265.80.html

[JudgeRob]

5v is a pretty big drop off in intensity for 12v led strips.  Try 9v.  That's probably where you'll end up with the dimmer.

[matsadona]

Dimming a LED strip is best done with PWM, not changing the voltage.

[bperkins01]

All.. problem solved for $5.85



Dimmer works perfect.  If you are in the process of a build and are using LED strips for backlighting, I'd just get one and make it part of the design.
Super simple and you will spend much less time trying to mask LEDs or having to guess how many strings of lights you should use.