Zone · Guides · Linkable lights

How do linkable LED lights work?

Linkable lights plug into each other so a whole run works from one power connection. Every linkable system has a limit, and only lights and cords made for that system will work together.

Before wiring, turn off power at the breaker; follow local code; use a licensed electrician if unsure. Follow the instructions for the exact light or connector.

Check how the limit is written

Some lights give the limit as a number of lights or strings, like “up to 4”. Others give it as total watts, like “up to 200 W”. Those aren’t the same thing. A watt limit means you add up the watts of every light in the run and stay under it; it doesn’t give you a fixed count. Either way, use only the cords and models the instructions list.

Zone linking limits

These are the specifications and features published for each exact model on its linked product page. “Not published” is an information gap, not a rating or a “no”.

Can you link different models together?

Only if the instructions say so. A plug that looks the same, the same brand or the same colour of light doesn’t mean two lights are electrically compatible. Never plug a low-voltage light into a different power supply just because the connector fits.

The Zone Z-LINK108-BLK is a 108 in. linking cord for under-cabinet lights. Before you use it to jump a gap between cabinets, check that it’s listed for the bars you’re joining; it isn’t automatically a match for every bar in the table.

A checklist for the full run

• Write down every model and the power supply you plan to use.
• Find the limit and note how it’s written: lights, strings or watts.
• Check which connectors, linking cords and model combinations the instructions allow.
• Make sure the whole setup suits the location, and unplug or switch off power before you connect anything.

Zone hasn’t published linking for its shop lights. Don’t borrow the grow-strip limit for a shop light; treat it as not linkable until the product says otherwise.

What linking actually does

Linking carries power from one light to the next, so a row of lights needs one outlet or one hardwired feed instead of one for each light. The first connection still carries the load of everything after it, which is why there’s a limit. On low-voltage lights, the power supply is part of the limit: Zone’s hand-wave under-cabinet light, for example, allows up to 24 W on its supplied transformer. On the 120 V under-cabinet bars, the 200 W limit applies to the linked run itself. The fairy and RGB string lights give their limit as a number of strings instead.

Think of the lights, linking cords and power supply as one system. Two bars can give the same white light and still need different connections. Two kits can both say “plug-in” and still use different plugs after the power supply. The linking instructions tell you what goes together, not the category name.

Plan the layout, not just the total length

For cabinets, sketch each section you want lit and each gap you don’t, such as over the stove or around a window. For a plant rack, mark the shelves that need light. A linking cord crosses a gap without lighting it, which keeps the run tidy where a light would be in the way. Another light adds lit length and adds to the load. Both count toward the run in different ways.

Label each light by model on your sketch, especially if you’re mixing 12, 18 and 24 in. bars. Add up the watts only after you’ve confirmed the combination is allowed. If a light’s wattage isn’t published, you can’t do the maths, so ask before you buy.

4 ft linkable grow strip

4 feet · full spectrum, red and blue

18 in. 3-CCT linkable under-cabinet light

800 lumens · 3000K soft white

9 ft linking cord for under-cabinet lights

108 inches

Related guides

• Under-cabinet lighting: a buying guide
• How do you choose string or café lights?
• Grow light bulbs, strips or fixtures?