Silicon Coating vs Silicone Sleeve

Yachtie2020

New elf
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
2
Hi,

To clarify, I am not talking about epoxy resin, rather the IP65 silicon coating vs IP68 silicon sleeve led strips Ray Wu supplies.

What is the experience with the coating with UV? Cleaning to solder would be harder, but if you could buy the same silicon spray to reseal, it sounds easier then the sleeve?

Cheers
Peter
 

Cranzy

Full time elf
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Dec 24, 2018
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Location
Perth
Depends on how you plan to use them. I would go for the silicon sleeve.
I used both versions for spiral trees and the silicon coating doesn't work with zipties. You will ziptie it nicely to the frame, only to discover the next day that the ziptie 'eats into' the silicon.
 

Adsy

Full time elf
Joined
Aug 10, 2018
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203
Location
Sheidow Park SA
Hey Peter,
Silicon coating is not good with uv . After a few weeks they will turn a yellowish colour. Dont get me wrong they still work ok just
doesn't look desirable. Oh and that 3m sticky back is a pain in the neck, it just never works in an outdoor environment
 

David_AVD

Grandpa Elf
Community project designer
Generous elf
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Jun 12, 2010
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Victoria Point (Brisbane)
I found that the silicone sleeve developed breaks where the zip ties went around it. Any tiny pinhole lets water get sucked in as the cool after a humid day, then they corrode internally.
 

Yachtie2020

New elf
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
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2
Thank you for clear responses, I will stick too sleeves to avoid UV yellowing, tx.
 

i13

Dedicated elf
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Messages
1,172
I have the sleeve type in my display and it hasn't discoloured after several seasons of use. I recommend getting end caps if you order this type of strip. When I order caps from Ray, he sends 50% with holes and 50% without holes by default. I ask him for holes in every cap because I usually have wires on both ends of the strip. If I don't want wires, I'm already using silicone glue in the end cap and that closes up the holes. He ignores the minimum order quantity when I order other items alongside the end caps.

When joining the sheathed strip, I use heatshrink with some silicone glue in the strip where it joins and under the heatshrink. I've never had a problem other than bad silicone glue. I can't see the join even with black heatshrink unless it overlaps the lights. Clear heatshrink is available but not essential. Careful not to heat it too much because it'll shrink too far. Cheaper silicone glues can also discolour eventually.

Careful when soldering any strip. If you heat it for too long, the solder pads on the strip can fall off at a later date.
 

Dreamin

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
382
Location
Sunshine Coast
I haven't had any UV issues with my strip in the sleve on my roof and it was up there for 3 months. :) I only got water in where I had cut it and the silicone I used wasn't good enough to be water tight. Lesson learned for next year :)
 

JCooper

New elf
Joined
Jul 1, 2019
Messages
21
Use a Silicon Sleeve. Makes for easy repair if necessary. When i cut the sleeve, either for repair or the end of the prop, a little squirt of clear silicon before heating clear heatshrink around it makes for a waterproof seal.
 
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