led strip

LED strip is the most versatile LED light source these days. It has become very widely used over the past 12 years. And all because LED strip or simply LED strip has many advantages over other light sources. It is economical, compact, bright (and even very bright), safe (12V or 24V), durable, strong, can be moisture-resistant. And the price of the strip is getting lower and lower. You can read more about LED strips in this article.

We introduced the first LED strips to the Ukrainian market in 2006. At that time, LED technologies were used only as decorative lighting. LEDs were expensive. They were not very bright. The necessary power supplies were not available on the market. It was even more difficult to find controls. There were no controllers or dimmers at all. Nowadays, everything has changed a lot. When we talk about lighting, now, most often, we mean LEDs. Not incandescent lamps or any gas-discharge tubes. And this is only the beginning. We are witnessing a real revolution in the field of lighting!!!

LED lights are successfully replacing traditional lamp light sources everywhere. They are used for basic lighting of rooms. And also for interior lighting and for street lighting. In transport, in shop windows, for landscapes and as light for industrial and warehouse buildings. In general, everywhere.

The choice can be made by deciding on just a few parameters:

1. Brightness.

You do not need to study the types of LEDs, their number per meter of tape, etc. Focus on the brightness (luminous flux) indicated in the description. Luminous flux is the main parameter. It indicates how much light a given lighting device produces. It is measured in lumens (Lm). For understanding: if the LED tape specification indicates 1200Lm/meter, this means that 1 meter produces the same brightness as one, well-known 100W incandescent lamp. The luminous flux of which is also approximately 1200Lm.

I would like to draw your attention to LED strips using SMD2835 LEDs. This new type of LEDs has proven to be the most successful for use in strips. And it is gradually replacing other options. SMD2835 LEDs come in different power and brightness. This, as well as several options for strips with different numbers of diodes per meter, cover the entire spectrum of the need for a variety of strips. The price of strips with SMD2835 diodes is lower than that of strips with similar characteristics with other types of LEDs.

2. Moisture resistance.

Determine the moisture resistance of the tape. This parameter is especially important when using this device on the facade, as well as in dusty and damp rooms.

The following types of moisture-resistant tapes are most commonly found on sale today:

In double moisture insulation - maximally moisture resistant:

This type of device is located in a transparent rectangular tube. The tube is filled with silicone* inside. Such moisture protection allows you to use the tape in especially humid rooms. In close proximity and when water gets on it. Most often, for commercial purposes, such moisture-resistant LED strips are assigned the IP68 index. This is not entirely true, since products with such parameters can be immersed in water. We do not recommend placing any tapes under water. They will work for some time, of course, but certainly not for long. Only such highly moisture-resistant products (in double moisture insulation) can be placed on the facade on dynamic structures. That is, fix the devices on moving elements, for example, advertising structures. After all, even if the outer protective tube is damaged, the silicone located inside will not allow moisture to penetrate inside and disable the tape.

In a transparent tube:

These types of products are located in a transparent heat-shrinkable tube. Such moisture protection allows using it in damp rooms. For cornice lighting, if wet cleaning of cornice niches is assumed. If you carefully seal the beginnings and ends of the device sections, you can place it in hammams and Roman steam rooms. It is allowed to use in saunas in the lower part of the room, where the temperature does not rise above 50ºС. It is also often used in an aluminum profile for lighting and facade illumination. There is usually no double-sided tape on the back side of such LED tape. And they are attached to the surface with clamps or simply laid in the LED profile.

In silicone*:

The front side of the LED device is filled with transparent polyurethane, elastic epoxy resin or silicone*. The back side of the board is not protected from moisture. And therefore it cannot be used in truly damp places. This moisture protection allows you to install this device in bathrooms, dressing rooms, on the facades of buildings under a canopy. That is, in places where water ingress is excluded.

Often, this type of product is used to illuminate advertising translucent structures. Of course, LED modules are more suitable for such plastic boxes. But the tape is cheaper. Sometimes it is used in a special aluminum profile for LED strip lighting and facade illumination. But in this case, it is important to additionally seal the profile itself from moisture penetration inside.

In the steam room:

If the strip is not protected, it does not mean that it will immediately fail when exposed to moisture. High-quality LED strips tolerate flooding normally. Of course, it is advisable to remove moisture from the product and dry it completely when turned off. It is better not to wipe an unprotected device with a damp cloth. No, this will most likely not harm the LEDs themselves. But dust and dirt, even a thin layer, remaining on the phosphor of the LED can cause a change in the color of the glow. And some areas may glow with a warmer color.

Cases of paint and primer getting on the LED strip deserve a separate story. Even a thin layer of transparent primer or a small spot of paint on the front side of the LED causes a change in the spectrum of the LED glow to a warmer side. The most common picture: Repairs are being done. The tape is glued into the niches for the cornice lighting of the ceiling. This is usually done when the finishing and painting of the ceilings is already finished. But the repair is still ongoing. This type of lighting reveals all, even minimal defects in painting work. The electrician connects the device, the painter discovers the emerging defects. And, with the best of intentions, most often without even informing the owner of the premises, they quickly eliminate them. At the same time, paint, primer and dust from sanding out flaws get on the device in some places. The color of the glow of the product becomes uneven. Somewhere warmer, somewhere colder.

The truth is revealed upon careful inspection of the tape. And if the sanding dust can be brushed off, then the primer or paint can only be removed mechanically or washed off. Here we can only advise to be careful and attentive when painting near the tape.

The non-waterproof product is the most popular and most often used in interiors.

Despite the apparent lack of protection, it makes no sense to use this product in a silicone or PVC tube in residential premises. Firstly, protected devices are more expensive, and secondly, heat dissipation from them is worse. In addition, non-moisture-proof tapes are a little brighter.

If you plan to use white tape, please note:

1. Color rendering index CRI. In good products it is 80RA and more. Thanks to high CRI, the light is comfortable for the eyes and conveys color shades well.
2. Color temperature. It is measured in K (Kelvin). That is, you yourself, or with the help of a designer, must decide what shade of light you need. Most often, there are tapes of warm (3000-3500K); neutral (4000-4500K) and daylight (6000-6500K) spectrum of glow.

If you need a color-changing strip (RGB strip), then select an RGB controller at the same time. And make sure that the controller's capabilities match your desires for light regulation.

A separate piece of advice: do not try to buy the cheapest product. In pursuit of buyers, unscrupulous manufacturers, in order to reduce the cost of their products, commit numerous violations of technology at various stages of production. Because of this, devices quickly lose brightness and fail.

We boldly claim that LED strips TM "VERSO" are the best strips on the Ukrainian market. All professionals choose our strips for their work. And are satisfied with the result. If you want to order a really high-quality LED strip, contact our online store Ledshop.com.ua!

*Do not confuse silicone with polyurethane and epoxy elastic resin.

Silicone is a more fragile and loose material. It can be easily damaged even by a fingernail. But, unlike polyurethane and epoxy resin, it does not turn yellow and remains transparent throughout the entire service life of the LED strip.