Super hot plug on 12v led strip

[mangojam42]

So I bought 2 strips of 5050 RGB LEDs and they come with an IR remote which is also the regulator. It works great BUT if I have it on at full white (red blue and green leds are all on and at 100%) the plug which connects to the 12v line gets extremely hot. I measured it with an infrared camera at 99 degrees Celsius!

So, I'm thinking the plug itself is just made of really poor quality chinesium, and the contacts within are creating too much resistance. Maybe I can fix the whole problem by just bypassing the plug (cut it off) and solder the leads together... then again maybe I'm misinterpreting something and could start a fire on my boat?

I've added some pictures as attachments for some clarity.

Can anyone offer some advice?

[Maker42]

My best guess would be in favor of the chinesium explanation.

Resistance in a connection would have to be unusually and unprobably matched with the impedance of the LED strip itself. Possibly, but it appears unlikely.

Bypassing it might work if the LEDs take 12V, but do they? If so, why have a regulator?

Fortune favors the paranoid, so I'd be worried that the situation might degrade further if you do nothing, and end up starting a fire.

Not to mention the ridiculous power drain for something that's supposed to be easy on the batteries. That would be grounds enough for booting them off my boat.

[AmericanVagrant]

It sounds like the connection isn't great causing the heat buildup. How long are the strips attached to this?

For whatever reason, colored LEDs tend to draw more power than white. For instance with these ones the draw is over twice as much: https://heracolights.com/product/red...-strip-lights/

[svmobert]

It could just be that the metal-to-metal contact between the two plugs is very small due to fitment issue.

First, try putting dielectric grease in the contacts to see if that helps.

Second, if you don't plan to move the LED strips and componets around, cut the cables and use good quality crimps with adhesive heat shrink, just make a permanent connection.

There could be a bad solder joint inside that connector, it it's just a one off. If you have multiple and they are all the same, then more of a cheap design issue.

[mangojam42]

Thanks for the advice!

I am running 2 strips. One is 5 meters the other is 7.5 meters. The controller is rated to 3x4A So I think it should be up to the task.

I'll try and get a hold of some dielectric grease and see how that works. I also bought a new controller with plug to test out in case it really was a one off bad plug. Very likely I will just und up making my own crimps though. Doesn't sound like any of you think that's a bad idea...

I won't be back on the boat until September 2017, but I'll report back with results when I do!

Thanks again!