Borealis DMX Addressable Strip Light Installation Guide

• #2 Phillips screwdriver (for mounting bracket screws)
• Soldering iron
• Scissors

• Borealis DMX Addressable Strip Light
• Non-dimmable power supply
• DMX Strip Light Splice Bite Connector
• Wago 3-Wire Lever Nuts Conductor Compact Splicing Connectors
• DMX 3 Pin Male XLR to Screw Terminal Adapter

Controller Options

• DMX Stand-Alone - (Good) Basic setup required to enable addressable functionality
• Stand Alone with WiFi - (Better) Can be controlled conveniently from your phone
• DMX Controller - (Best) Allows you to view what changes you're making in real time
• DMX Controller of your choice - The strip can receive any DMX512 signal.

Remember S.A.F.E.T.Y.

S: Shut off power.

A: Ask a licensed electrician if needed.

F: Follow NEC guidelines.

E: Equip yourself with proper PPE.

T: Treat the wires as live.

Y: You are responsible.

Beyond safety, here are a few important things to keep in mind about the product and installation.

• Borealis DMX Addressable Strip Lights are directional. There is a label marked on the wire indicating which direction the wires should go.
• Only use the addressable strip light in an indoor/dry environment.
• Strip Light Handling: Don't bend LED Strip Light to a diameter less than 1.5 inches. Don't fold or crease LED Strip Light. Don't tightly bend LED Strip Light on a horizontal plane. Don't power Strip Light while still on its reel or while tightly coiled. DO NOT put pressure on surface of strip lights, especially on the glass/acrylic panes. DO NOT cover strip lights with any materials other than any mounting accessories if applicable. DO NOT install strip lights where LED chips are exposed to direct sunlight.

FYI: This is helpful information, but not necessarily needed for your installation.

There are two common formats for addressable LED products: SPI and DMX. While both allow for advanced control, they function quite differently.

SPI (Serial Port Interface)

SPI strips typically have four connections: positive, negative, and two data lines. They are controlled with an SPI controller. If you cut the strip and reconnect it as a new lead, the addressing restarts.

DMX (Digital Multiplex)

DMX strips work differently because the addresses are pre-programmed into the strip. If you cut a DMX strip in the middle, the segment retains its existing address rather than starting over. This makes it easier to maintain consistent addressing across multiple sections. Like other DMX devices, these strips must follow standard DMX rules:

• Only one controller can run to a single line.
• The line must remain contguous (no branches or splits).

The advantage of DMX is its compatibility with existing lightboards. It provides greater flexibility and control, though it can also be more complex to set up.

Important: Always use the correct installation guide for your controller. This guide is specific to DMX addressable strip. For SPI instructions, click here.

1. Determine the length you need for your project. You must use the cut lines to adjust the length of the LED strip light. If you need to cut the LED strip light, steps 2 and 3 explain the cutting process.
2. Locate the cut line on the strip.
3. Using a sharp scissors, make a clean cut along the marked line.

Using Connectors

This method uses LED Solderless Bite Connectors to provide a quick and easy installation of LED strips. If planning to use bite connectors, confirm that you have the right type and quantity of connectors in hand.

To install the connectors, simply insert both ends of the strip lights into the ‘mouth’ sides of the connector and use pliers to compress the connector until it “bites” the strip. Make sure that all of the teeth are compressed fully.

Test your connection.

Soldering

The strip light comes with wires on both ends. Use these if you can because it’s a lot easier to use the pre-soldered leads. Only cut and solder if you absolutely have to.

Step 1: Prepare your workspace

Set up a clean, stable work surface with good lighting and ventilation. Make sure your strip light and wires are within easy reach.

Step 2: Tin the wire ends

Using your soldering iron, apply a small amount of solder to the exposed ends of your wires. This process, called tinning, creates a protective layer and makes it easier to attach the wires to the strip.

Step 3: Tin the solder on the copper pads

Locate the copper pads at the end of your strip light section. Gently heat the pad with the soldering iron, then apply a small amount of solder.

Step 4: Connect the wires

Carefully align each tinned wire end with the corresponding copper pad and solder them in place. Ensure the connections are secure without creating solder bridges between pads.

Step 5: Let it cool

Allow the soldered connections to cool completely before moving or testing the strip light.

Step 6: Test the connection

Tug on the wire and make sure it doesn’t break. After you connect the strip light to a power supply, encoder, and DMX controller, you’ll then be able to confirm that it lights up properly.

1. Determine where you want the strip light located.
2. When installing light strips using the adhesive backing, press from one end to the other to prevent air pockets or raised sections. Be careful to limit contact with skin to ensure a minimal transfer of oil from skin to LED strip backing.
3. OPTIONAL: If strip lights are installed into Aluminum LED Strip Channel, be sure to clean the channel to assure the strip sticks. Choose the right channel for your strip by viewing our Mounting Channel Compatibility Chart .
4. Mount the power supplies and controllers out of the way by using mounting screws included in their packaging.
5. Follow electrical code for concealment of any wires.

Once you have the strip light cut to length and mounted, it is time to make the electrical connection.

The DMX signal comes from the DMX encoder/controller. To connect it, you’ll use a DMX cable, which has three main connections: Ground (GND), Data+ (D+), and Data- (D-).

• Ground: Connect the black wire on the strip to the ground wire on the controller and also to the negative wire on the power supply. This creates a three-way split between the power supply, the strip, and the controller. See wiring diagram below.



• D+ and D–: Connect D+ to A and D– to B on the controller. These wires carry the data signal.

On the LED strip itself, you may notice an extra blue wire labeled P_I. This wire does not connect to anything for a standard setup – it’s a programming wire used for advanced functions like re-addressing the strip. For most users, you can simply cap it off and ignore it.

An addressable strip light is divided into sections of 6 LEDs. All 6 LEDs in a section act together as one unit. This means you cannot control a single LED by itself – when you send a command, the entire section of 6 LEDs responds the same way.

Each section uses three addresses: one for red, one for green, and one for blue. For example, the first section of 6 LEDs will use addresses 1 (red), 2 (green), and 3 (blue). The next section of 6 LEDs will use addresses 4 (red), 5 (green), and 6 (blue), and so on down the strip.

When you write your program, think of the strip as a sequence of these address blocks. By adjusting the values sent to each address, you can control the color and brightness of each 6-LED section independently.

You may use any DMX512 controller to program and control the LED addressable strip. In the videos linked below in the Resources section, we show how to use the Nicolaudie standalone player for this purpose, but you are not limited to that option. The strip can accept a DMX512 signal from any compatible DMX512 controller or encoder.

• aspectLED How To Simply Setup and Program DMX Lights For Beginners
• aspectLED How to use a DMX Stand-Alone Player