How to choose an LED strip

Although LED strips appeared on the market not so long ago, they have already managed to occupy their segment. These are new and slightly non-standard lighting devices, which are usually used to decorate premises or create outdoor advertising. They can be used to illuminate niches, openings and multi-level ceilings.

Today, LED strip can easily replace the sconces and chandeliers that are in every home. It is not surprising that the question arises: "how to choose an LED strip?" This is an economical solution. Diodes do not use much electrical energy, but they shine quite brightly.

When choosing, it is important to choose the right type of LED strip, as well as calculate the luminous flux power that is necessary in a given situation. This is what we are talking about within the framework of our article, which can certainly become useful to you in this case. Let's get started!

List of manufacturers: which brand to give preference to today

It should be admitted that today CD-tapes were able to reach the peak of interior fashion. It is not surprising that a lot of companies were puzzled by their release. These are popular brands that everyone knows about, as well as little-known organizations from China. CD tapes are not complicated. They are reliable in use, so even at an affordable price for you, there is a chance to find the best option that will delight you with functionality for more than a year. But keep in mind that if there is no desire to play the lottery when choosing a good ribbon, then it is better to pay attention to the options from Russian or European manufacturers.

In return, you will receive high quality LED strips if you buy products from brands: LEDCraft; Sveteco; Joliet Technologies; Arlight or Cree.

Features of work and structural device of the CD-tape

When choosing which LED strip to choose for backlighting, it is important to understand what the design is. It is a flexible board with a solid base that has a series of diodes soldered to it. Their location is clear - all diodes are at an equal distance from each other. This is an important parameter that allows you to create uniform light diffusion.

The board is connected to a special type of power supply. It supplies a voltage of 12-24 V to the LED area, due to which a decrease from 220V occurs. The tape can be equipped with a self-adhesive layer to facilitate installation, or it can be placed in a transparent type of plastic tube. Each tape comes with contact pads that allow you to increase the length and assemble a chain from separate pieces. In accordance with them, you can cut the flexible "lamp" in order to obtain short strips. They are connected to each other by soldering or an LED connector, which is an even more civilized way.

For mounting, the ultra-thin tape is optimal. It is no more than 8-10 mm in width, and 3 mm in height. This makes it possible to install LEDs even in places where it is not easy to get into. This minimizes the loss of space.

LED strips do not consume much energy, but they give quite a decent amount of light, which allows you to fully illuminate a room.

The main criteria for choosing a CD-tape

Please note that there are a number of parameters that should certainly not be neglected if there is a desire to buy a quality product, which will not further upset with its work.

Brightness

The lighting power indicator is indicated by a special index. It is represented as 4 digits. Relying on it, you can determine what is the quality of the glow of the tape and its brightness indicators. Today, under this parameter, it is customary to distinguish several types of diodes. We propose to talk about them in more detail in order to bring you up to date.

3528

CD tapes with this marking are not popular in our country. This is due to the fact that the glow power indicator varies within 4.5-5 lm, but not more. SMD devices can be applied in decorative finishes. For example, shelves, ceilings, wardrobes, or often found to decorate a desktop in the kitchen.

Thinking about which LED strip to choose for the kitchen or another room, it is better to look for other options. The same power is enough for installation as an auxiliary lighting in a pair with other lighting devices. But this option will not be appropriate as an independent light source due to the weak glow and muffled light scattering.

5050

These tapes have analogues - 5055, 5060. They are much more common. In accordance with the characteristics, they do not differ from each other, but only the fact that in analogs a little longer diodes can be distinguished. The luminous flux is within 12-14 lm.

In general, these lamps are distinguished by their striking properties. They can be used as a decorative or auxiliary device, as well as the main source of lighting in the room. If you have chosen an LED tape to provide the main lighting in the room, then take into account that you need to provide 5 m for 8 square meters.

2835

Continuing to study the question of which LED tape to choose, do not forget about the 2835 option. It is equipped with bright 24-28 lumen diodes. The tape has a narrowly directed light flux with high power, if we take it in comparison with the options indicated above. For this reason, it is more often used to organize full-fledged lighting of rooms. The calculation is as follows: 12 square meters need 5 meters of CD-tape.

But the decorative features of this option are weak. On the contrary, bright light is capable of emphasizing the minuses of the interior, and even being in the room you will feel how it hurts your eyes. In general, in rooms with spacious features, using SMD variants, the problems indicated above can be avoided.

5630 (5730)

By marking, we mean diodes with bright and powerful properties. Tapes are often used as the main lighting in office premises, shops or premises with a large area.

LED strips provide 75 lm of light flux. At the same time, the diodes heat up quite strongly, for this reason, experts do not advise mounting them in the area of ​​an aluminum profile or a polymer stretch ceiling.

Protection rate

An equally important criterion that should be taken into account when deciding which LED strip will be used for the ceiling or walls is the level of protection against moisture and dust.

ip20 is the cheapest open tape available. It can be used in bedrooms, children's rooms, halls or living rooms. Those. in those rooms where it is dry and clean.

ip23, ip43, ip44 - the level of dust and moisture protection is much more serious. Due to this, the LED strip can be used in rooms where there is dampness and no heating. Those. loggia. You can equip it on a baseboard or on the floor.

ip54, ip65, ip68 - sealed tapes are presented, which are hidden in a silicone cocoon. Their installation can be carried out in rooms where there is a high level of humidity.Application is possible even with external lighting. The protection level of the LED strip allows it to work perfectly even at temperatures of -25 .. + 60 ° С.

Power Supply

To ensure the diode lighting works correctly for a long time, you need to select the appropriate power supply. It comes separately from the kit, and therefore you should also consider this purchase in your list of expenses.

The power supply should be chosen, relying on the indicator of the length of the tape, as well as the amount of electricity consumption per running meter. Those. you need to multiply these values ​​and round off the result, leaning up.

The power indicator depends on the location of the chips, or rather, their density. Also important is the intensity of the luminous flux that they give out. For example, SMD tape 3528 has 60 diodes per meter and consumes 4.8 watts. But the variant 5050 with the same density values ​​produces 15 watts.

Controller: determining the optimal type

This device is needed to control the functioning of RGB tapes of different colors. Its main task will be to change colors, saturation and brightness of the hue, relying on commands from the remote control or the program. The controller is located in the area between the power supply and the tape.

To date, several types are known:

• No remote control. This option is cheap and easy. He has a built-in program that controls the smooth change of shades.
• IR remote control. The settings are much more solid. The controller itself must be located in the area where the remote control "sees" it. The price of the device will depend on the number of built-in options.
• Radio remote control. This controller can receive a signal even if it is in another room. There are a lot of glow settings - almost 10,000 shades, as well as a large selection of various modes.

Sometimes you can find options that function through Wi-Fi. Management will be carried out through a special application, which should be downloaded to a smartphone. If we talk about functionality, then such devices are no better than radio models, and therefore the overpayment for them is pointless.

Your task will be to correctly determine the power data of the controller, relying on the data of the standard series. These are 72, 144, 288 or 180 watts. If the power is lower, it means that the device will fail soon, and therefore be careful and do not neglect this parameter.

Types of CD tapes

Monochrome SMD

SMD LED strips are the most popular in our country today. They are cheaper than their counterparts. Abilities allow you to give out a blue, red, yellow or green glow. There are also intermediate tones. For example, orange, purple. Those options that come in white make it possible to decide on any of the three shades. It can be neutral, warm, or cold.

The color of the tape will vary due to the color of the crystals used in LEDs. By the way, there are no whites there. To get a natural glow, it was decided to apply a phosphor to a blue crystal. This is the technology used by manufacturers. But keep in mind that over time, the coating will still fade, and therefore the tape will show its natural color.

The main advantages

• a solid variety of shades;
• compact size and ease of installation;
• the presence of tapes of different power;
• energy consumption is economical;
• will last a long time;
• can be used as an independent light source;
• reasonable price.

The main cons

• very often there are fakes from China that are not of good quality;
• goods from famous brands are very expensive;
• if you choose the wrong color, it will spoil the impression of the created picture of the interior.

Multi-color RGB

RGB strips, when glowing, can produce thousands of different shades. There are crystals of 3 primary colors. It's green, red, blue. You can mix them in certain proportions, and you can get a shade that suits your liking.

A special controller is able to respond to changing and combining colors; it is responsible for adjusting the saturation and intensity, brightness of the diodes glow. Due to this, RGB strips operate in a cyclical color change mode, flicker or correspond to the principle of a "treadmill".

The main advantages

• variety and brightness of shades;
• saturation;
• you can automatically change the color or turn on the "special effect";
• economical consumption of electrical energy;
• setup from the remote control is simple.

The main cons

• RGB tapes cost 2x more than monochrome versions;
• cannot be used as the main lighting in the room.

Due to the use of multi-color LED tapes, you can decorate the house not only inside, but also from the outside. You can also highlight a car, a billboard. But all this is possible if you have tapes with an excellent degree of protection against moisture and dust.

Quality assessment of CD-tape

Even not all professionals can assess the quality of LEDs, let alone us - ordinary customers. On this and trying to recoup dishonest manufacturing companies that seek to fill the market with rubbish. But don't despair. There is an exit. There are secrets available that will make it possible to understand what the quality of the product really is.

Make sure the LEDs and resistors are aligned exactly. Also evaluate the protective coating, it should be applied evenly. The edges of the tape should be even.

It is important that there is a logo from the manufacturer's brand. Resistors can have a voltage resistance of 150 - 300 ohms. Marking can be provided 151-301. If the tapes are not of high quality, then the indicator will be indicated only 100 ohms.

The brightness of the diodes at different edges of the tape is the same. All diodes give light of the same temperature, but the assessment of this parameter is possible if you look at the tape with sunglasses. Bend the tape around 60 degrees and then release it. It will keep bending for some time.

It is likely that this tape is of high quality, the power supply is correctly installed, everything is the same, but after a couple of months of operation, the diodes will begin to fade. Please note that the manufacturer may indicate that the CD tape will last a decade. But this is possible if the heating is not more than 400 C. If you leave it on for a long time, the temperature regime will be increased to 800 C. In this case, the diodes will begin to "age" much faster. The brightness values ​​will be reduced by 2 times in 50-80 hours. Those. do not skimp on the purchase of special aluminum profiles that have a transparent cover. Due to them, it is possible to effectively remove heat from the tape. However, keep in mind that their cost is not small.

Steel profiles are much cheaper. But don't forget that their performance is lower than that of the aluminum version.

Advantages and disadvantages of CD tapes

Among the advantages is the fact that the LED strip gives out very high luminescence indicators, but at the same time minimum energy consumption is ensured. It is also convenient that installation can be carried out even in places where it is difficult to get. The tape will not take up useful space, and the installation itself is quite simple.

A high-quality tape will last exactly 20-50,000 hours under the right temperature and moisture conditions. But low-quality options from unknown manufacturers will fail in the first year of use.

If the LED burns out, then 3 diodes will stop shining, and not all. This is due to the design features of the tape. At the same time, the plus is that the LEDs are not afraid of low temperature conditions or shocks. With their help, you can create very interesting lighting ideas. For example, equip a floating ceiling effect that looks amazing indoors. Moreover, there are a number of options on the market today where the sections have different colors. In some of them, you can change the brightness of the glow and color.

There are still disadvantages. But they are not significant.One of them is that it is important to use a power supply and it is bought separately, as already mentioned in our article above. But another drawback is that after 20-50,000 hours, the brightness will begin to decrease.

Expert advice: which CD tape to give preference to

If you plan to decorate shelves or racks, then use SMD strips 3528, as for the shade, it can be anything. You don't need to strive to provide a high power tape. The optimal solution would be to stop at 60 diodes per 1 sq. M.

To equip a bedroom or a children's room, it is better to buy SMD 3528 or 5050 as additional lighting. But again, pay attention to the soft white glow - neutral or warm.

To organize additional lighting or replace the main one in the hall, living room, large rooms, it is better to use LED strips, whose power ratings are 2835 or 5050. These are bright diodes that will perfectly cope with the options of traditional lamps.

If the task is to equip street showcases, an office or a store, it is better to choose SMD 5630-5730, where powerful diodes with high brightness. It will not be difficult for them to provide lighting to a large perimeter.

But for avid car lovers who want to stand out against the background of the gray mass, you can buy SMD 5050 tape or multi-color RGB for lighting. Please note that the protection level is not lower than ip54. For a sign of a cafe or other institution, choose multicolor RGB tapes in a silicone shell, but the level of protection is better than ip65.