Waterproof LED tape coating degradation

I agree I bet it is due to UV/blue light and seems faster discoloration with older tape like the coating has gassed out a chemical making it more vulnerable.

N. Shaun Tremayne

I have a few strips from random suppliers stored, I must check them now.

Anton

I've always hated that coating, not very water reistant and always yellowed in my experience. I used to always pull it off, run a thin, sharp (but not razor sharp) blade along the edge, then peel it away. Seems to not be adhered well at all in most cases.

Anton

It would be interesting to see if it darkened more in front of the blue emitter.

Big Clive

This happened to several strips I have that were never used and were sealed in a plastic tub out of all sunlight too. I think it's just the material. I had a big jug of epoxy resin that also yellowed badly over time.

GK

I had this happen with some 12V tape I built into my desk. Since replaced with regular tape and it's mounted in an aluminum channel. The channel gets much warmer than I expected, but no problem with the LEDs so far!

Jason Brinkerhoff

I have many strips that have done that over years of use. They are 110w 24v RGBW's with the W being a separate chip. The RGB still looks fine but the W is bad. They are used as roomlights and I would estimate they run 80/20, White/RGB so maybe at some time in the future the RGB will also blacken.

Ken Kopin

Interesting as a couple of weeks ago went up to prop store after not been in there for a couple of years ago due to covid. I got a eyeball on some of the very first tape I ever bought which has clouded over orange due to lack of window coverings not being put back up. I will try to get a picture of the tangoed tape in couple of weeks when go for setup. So daylight is a big issue as well. Only used the waterproof version for outside promotion never trusted it for long term projects. This tape is about 10 years old but only been powered up for no more than 70 hours when new. May not have had much exposure to daylight but this exposure was recent possibly a couple of days and not direct. So old new stock may have issues as before covid the tape looked ok.

N. Shaun Tremayne

I have the same strip, mine have changed from cold white to warm white in a year under the kitchen cabinets. They are glued to an aluminium bar, so never get hot, but still burned the waterproof coating

John Welbourn

Skidmarks

We have the same stuff under our kitchen cupboards and it’s been slowly fading from bright white to warm white. I have another couple of metres somewhere.

Phil Collins

had the same issue with the LED in my snakes enclosure. since then I've stopped using the coated tape (I have a silicone sleeve that i put it in instead which has held up better. I actually thought it was just because it was a cheap tape that I got.

Drachnien

I had the same, they were so degraded they literally crumbled and broke when I tried to remove them, they looked very brown but they still lit but very dim and warm, but they should have been cold white. Interesting video Clive, thankyou ❤

Wolfie RARAR

That IS interesting. I would not have expected that sort of failure.

Dave Frederick