Placement
Place a strip where its light falls on the surface it should colour, not where the strip itself is the focus: along a shelf edge to wash the wall, under a cabinet to light the counter, along a ceiling cove to glow the ceiling. A strip that is visible as a line of dots will distract from its colour, while a strip hidden behind an edge will show only its glow, which is the effect most installations want.
Place a strip where it can be reached for maintenance: a strip hidden permanently behind a fixed panel cannot be cleaned, repaired, or replaced without dismantling the installation. Accessibility should be planned with placement, not discovered after it: a strip that cannot be reached will be abandoned when it fails, not repaired.
Power and controllers
Power a strip for its length: longer strips need more power, and a power supply that is too small will dim the far end. Power planning belongs with the installation's length, named in the inquiry, so the supplier can confirm a strip and power arrangement that serves it. A strip powered inadequately will look uneven, and unevenness in a strip installation is the most visible failure of all.
Control a strip with a controller that matches its form: a plain strip needs a controller that sets a uniform colour, an RGBW strip needs one that handles white, and an addressable strip needs one that addresses its parts. A controller that does not match the strip form cannot drive it, whatever its other qualities, and the controller should be confirmed with the strip, not after it.
Safety, in general terms
Install strips away from water, unless the strip and its power are suited for wet locations, and keep power supplies ventilated, not enclosed where heat builds up. Electrical safety is not a detail: a strip installation that ignores it risks the installation and the people in it. Where local electrical rules apply, they should be followed, and the inquiry should ask about suitability for the installation's location, including wet or outdoor use.
This guide gives general installation principles, not electrical instructions for any specific strip or location. The specification for the exact type, confirmed in the inquiry, gives the specific requirements, and local rules give the legal ones. Both should be followed, and neither should be assumed from a general guide.
Before payment, confirm the minimum order quantity and lead time for your order. Certificates are available upon request.