The instructions clearly mention the requirement for a 12 volt direct current adapter, or an eight AA battery holder. Both have to have a 5.5 millimeter barrel. No mention of the inside diameter of the barrel. Current requirement is 1 amp.
So I bought an 8 AA battery holder, with a 9-volt type snap connector on it. A package of 9 volt snap connectors with wires, and two packages, each with different inner barrel sizes, outside diameter 5.5 mm. So I’ll have to put all that together, in order to use these LEDs.
You would think they would carry what is needed to make this work. Good thing I know how to use a soldering iron.
I just checked Adafruit.com’s site. Their Digital RGB LED Weatherproof Strip 32 LED – (1m) – ID: 306 uses a 5 volt Direct current ( 5vdc) adapter and requires 2 amps for 1 meter. Their Neo Pixel strips have the same power requirements.
From the look of one, and the photo of the other, they look the same. So I’m not certain I should be pumping 12 volts to the Radio Shack rgb LED 1 meter strip.
Adafruit’s item 875 is a plug it in for 8 AA batteries, 5.5mm outside and 2.1 mm inside diameters. Cheaper than all the material to make one from Radio Shack items.
Radio Shack uses a TM1802 driver/controller integrated circuit. It allows changing color and brightness of each LED segment. After cutting, there are 3 LEDS per 10 cm strip.
Adafruit’s NeoPixels uses a WS2812 and WS2811 chip/driver. The other strips use different circuit chips. Can be cut down to one pixel.
My opinion is the adafruit.com items are better and easier to work with.