How can I fit 3m Neopixel strip inside a silica gel tube wit

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Squeakychu
 
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How can I fit 3m Neopixel strip inside a silica gel tube wit

Post by Squeakychu »

Hello. I just bought a 3m Neopixel strip to fit inside a silica gel tube that I bought from AliExpress. However, the string in the tube that you tie on to the end of the strip to pull it through the tube broke, and now I have no way to pull the strip through. I tried pushing it through, but I broke a few leds in the process of doing so, and am afraid that I'll have to buy a new 3m silica tube altogether in addition to another meter of leds to replace the broken ones. Does anyone have tips on how to pull a strip of lights through a silica gel tube? For reference, the tube is a WS2811 Neon Sign Tube SK6812 RGBW LED Strip Light Silica Gel from BTF-Lighting.

3M tube I'm trying to put the strip in
IMG_8638(Edited).jpg
IMG_8638(Edited).jpg (440.65 KiB) Viewed 54 times
One of the broken LEDs, particularly the C1 area
IMG_8639 (2).jpg
IMG_8639 (2).jpg (340.11 KiB) Viewed 54 times

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adafruit_support_mike
 
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Re: How can I fit 3m Neopixel strip inside a silica gel tube

Post by adafruit_support_mike »

Your best option will be to run another piece of cord through the sheath. High-strength braided fishing line is pretty durable while being light enough to pull through the sheath with a vacuum.

Once you have the new cord through the sheath, solder a piece of wire to the 5V and GND pads on the NeoPixel strip so you have a metal loop to carry the pulling force to the strip.

Pulling a strip through a sheath is more a process of working it through gradually because the silicone tends to be grabby. Pulling the cord will create a small bulge at the leading edge of the strip, and you need to work that bulge along the strip to the end of the sheath before pulling the cord again.

The component missing from the strip in the lower photo is a capacitor, and isn't critical. Ideally every pixel will have a capacitor to reduce voltage spikes, but they all work together. Losing one or two out of a hundred or more will have little effect.

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