Guide to the Best LED Light Strip Extension Cables

LED light strips are a great way to dress up just about any environment. If you’re building a PC, there’s a good chance there’s some lighting in it. But LED lights are also popular for kitchens, living rooms, and other parts of the house. Because they can be set to any color, there’s really no limit to what you can do. You can set them to cycle, or change the colors to suit your current move.

That said, LED strips by their very nature are accent lighting, not primary room lighting. As a result, you might want to use multiple short strips in the same general area. This can be a challenge, since you need some way to connect them all together. A good quality extension cable can get the job done.

We’re about to review four of the best LED light strip extension cables we could find. Each one has a number of features that are worth going over. But if you’re short on time, here’s a summary.

• The RGBZONE Strip Light Extension Cable is available in six lengths, and is designed for male or female plug-style connections.
• The Flutesan RGB Extension Cable can be cut and spliced as needed, and is suitable for outdoor LEDs.
• The HOMELYLIFE LED Strip Connectors with Extension Cable is also suitable for outdoors, and supports many pin styles.
• The Honoson RGB Extension Cable comes in a six-pack, with three different sizes and multiple female-to-male adapters.

As we said, there’s much more to each light strip than that. To truly find out how they perform, we’re going to have to look a lot closer. Let’s see how these LED extension cables stack up!

RGBZONE Strip Light Extension Cable

Key features:

• Designed for 4-pin 10mm plug-style connections.
• Available in 3.3’, 4.92’, 6.6’, 8.2’, 9.9’, and 16.4’ lengths.
• Can be male or female.
• Comes in a 2-pack.

The RGBZONE Strip Light Extension Cable is a white connecting cable with a smooth rubber finish. It doesn’t tangle easily, and is available in six sizes. You can order it in 3.3 feet, 4.92 feet, 6.6 feet, 8.2 feet, 9.9 feet, and 16.4 feet. In addition, it comes in a two-pack. As a result, you can connect two light strips together, and attach them both to the same controller.

The plugs are sized for a 4-pin, 10mm plug-style connection. They’re far from universal. But if your RGB light strip has a plug connector, chances are good that it will fit. The tips have an arrow at one end, which makes it easy to keep track of your polarity. Just align the arrows, and your lights should work.

In addition, the package includes a set of four black male adapters. These are just tiny plugs with four pins on either side. Stick one into the end of a cable, and it will be converted from female to male.

Flutesan 32.8ft RGB Extension Cable

Key features:

• Designed for 8mm or 10mm bare connections.
• 2-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, or 5-pin design.
• Suitable for outdoor light strips.

The Flutesan RGB Extension Cable consists primarily of a single 32.8-foot extension cable. It’s cuttable and splice-able, with a full set of 10 transparent connection clips. As a result, you can make longer or shorter runs at the exact distance you need. The cable is very good quality, with tin-plated copper wires that are highly conductive. Our only quibble is that it’s all white. This can help it to blend in if it’s routed in such a way as to be visible. But you have to be careful to keep the same polarity. If the cable gets reversed, it’s not going to work properly.

The transparent connectors have a clamp-down design. You close one end over the end of your LED strip, so that the internal copper pins touch the contacts. Then, you separate the wires on the last inch or so of the cable. There’s no need to strip the insulation. Just pull them apart, insert them into the corresponding slots on the slip, and snap it shut. The internal copper pins are very sharp, and will pierce the insulation to touch the inner wire.

This cable can be ordered for many types of light strips. You can order it in 8mm with a 2-pin design. For 10mm RGB strips, it’s available in 2-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, and 5-pin variants. In addition, the connectors are coated with a special finish that makes them waterproof when closed. As a result, this cable is suitable for use with outdoor LED light strips.

HOMELYLIFE LED Strip Connectors with Extension Cable

Key features:

• Designed for 8mm, 10mm, or 12mm bare connections.
• 2-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, or 5-pin design.
• Suitable for outdoor light strips.

The HOMELYLIFE LED Strip Connectors with Extension Cable is based around a 16.4-foot cable. As with the Flutesan cable, it can be cut to whatever length is required for your project. The wires are colored, which makes them much easier to connect properly. On the four-pin variant, these wires are blue, red, green, and black. Regardless of the variant, the black wire will always be the power connection. Then again, a multicolored cable can be ugly if it’s running somewhere where it’s highly visible.

This kit comes with a set of 12 clamp-down clips, which are made from a transparent plastic. The inner copper contacts are sharp enough to penetrate the insulation, so you don’t have to strip your wires. The clips are also easy to open if you want to disconnect them. You get a little plastic prying tool that pops them right open.

The HOMELYLIFE cable is available in many different configurations. There’s a 2-pin option, which comes in 8mm and 10mm. There are 3-pin, 4-pin, and 5-pin variants, all in 10mm. You can also order a large 12mm 5-pin version. All variants are waterproof, so you can use them with outdoor lights.

Honoson RGB Extension Cable

Key features:

• Designed for 4-pin 10mm plug-style connections.
• Comes in 1.6’, 3.3’, and 6.6’ lengths.
• Can be male or female.
• Suitable for outdoor light strips.
• Comes in a 6-pack.

The Honoson RGB Extension Cable is a complete kit, consisting of six different cables. All of them have 4-pin, 10mm tips with female plug-style sockets on both ends. The cable quality seems very good, with smooth PVC insulation. There are three different lengths, with two cables in each length. These are 1.6 feet, 3.3 feet, and 6.6 feet, so you can meet a variety of needs. You can also choose from black or white to better suit your operating environment.

Each tip has an embossed arrow at one side, which makes it easy to align the plugs correctly. As long as the arrows are lined up, your polarity will be correct. Along with the cables, you get a set of 12 male adapters that can convert your tips in a snap. Not only that, but the kit is waterproof, so it’s safe to use outdoors.

Of course, before you get an extension cable, you’re going to need some strip lights. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out our list of the best LED light strips for desks. At least one of them should be right up your alley.

RGB Light Strip Basics

Before we finish, we should talk about some of the basics of LED light strips. To be clear, we’re talking about flexible strips. You can also order silicone lights and rigid strips with plastic or aluminum frames. However, those types of strips normally won’t be compatible with an extension cable. Flexible strips, meanwhile, typically connect to a controller, and you can put a plug-style cable between them. Others can be cut and spliced, so you can use a clamp-on extension cable.

Just like PWM fan controllers, there are a variety of factors to consider when choosing an LED light. To begin with, think about the area you want to light up. Is it large or small? Do you need one long LED strip, or would it make more sense to use multiple smaller strips?

Think about how bright the lights need to be, and what color you’re going to want. Most LED strips can be adjusted to any color, but some have a more limited palette. You should also think about the installation requirements. Many light strips have a peel-and-stick backing for easy installation. Others use little plastic clips that you have to screw in first.

Final Verdict

No matter how you look at it, these are all great extension cables. But which one is the best choice for your application? Let’s recap what we’ve learned about each one.

We began by reviewing the RGBZONE Strip Light Extension Cable. This cable is available in multiple lengths for multiple applications. It’s designed for 10mm plug-style connections, which are the most common type of LED plug. The adapters allow you to connect it to both male and female connections. And while it’s not waterproof, it provides the best value for your money for indoor use.

Next on our list was the Flutesan 32.8ft RGB Extension Cable. This cable is the longest on our list, although you can cut it to whatever length you need. With 12 connecting clips, it can be used in up to six sections, so it’s very versatile. It’s available for multiple strip widths and pin configurations. We had some concerns about the all-white design from an installation perspective. But once it’s set up, it’s very attractive.

After that, we looked at the HOMELYLIFE LED Strip Connectors with Extension Cable. It’s similar in many respects to the last kit, albeit at half the total length. Also like the last kit, it’s available in different variants, although the selection is different. That said, the individual wires are different colors, so it’s easy to keep your polarity straight. And with the included plastic tool, removing the clips is very easy.

Last on our list was the Honoson RGB Extension Cable. This cable comes in a six pack, with two cables each in short, medium, and long lengths. You can choose black or white, depending on where you’re installing it. And not only is it waterproof, but you can convert the tips from female to male if needed.