LED strips are considered one of the most popular and common types of lighting devices. This is due to a large number of advantages. They are characterized by small size and economical energy consumption.
Types of LED Strips
According to the installation methods, this type of lighting device is divided into two types - DIP and SMD. In the first case, the LED bulbs are placed directly in the tape case, from them there are two outputs on each side. In the latter case, resistors and LEDs are soldered to the tape on the surface.
Visually, the DIP tape is a sequence of small cylinders, and the SMD has a flat look.
Also, when choosing an LED strip, the color of the bulbs is of great importance. It not only creates a mood and affects the emotional state of a person, but also determines performance. Color LED strips are divided into the following types:
- Monochrome ribbons. They are made of one type of LED bulbs. They can be of different colors, for example, yellow, red, green, blue and white. If desired, you can find non-standard colors - orange or pink. There are also tapes with ultraviolet and infrared radiation.
- Multicolor ribbons are equipped with three LED crystals in one chip, due to which the ribbon emits different colors.
There is a wide variety of shades of white. LED strip can emit cold or warm white, neutral.
Calculation of the power of LED strip
The power of the LED strip needs to be calculated in order to find the right power supply for it. With inaccurate calculations, you can not get enough or, conversely, too powerful a device. The operation will be incorrect, the LED strip will quickly fail.
Before proceeding with the calculation, you need to understand the variety of existing markings of LED lighting fixtures. The abbreviation SMDXXYY means the following:
- SMD is the type of technology used to produce printed circuit boards.
- XX, YY - the size of each LED, measured in tenths of a millimeter.
To calculate the power of the LED strip, it is necessary to multiply the current strength (measured in Amperes) by the voltage (Volt).
The table can simplify the calculations:
| Type of LED Bulbs | LED concentration per meter | Power consumption 1 meter tape |
| SMD 5050 | 120 | 25 |
| SMD 5050 | 60 | 15 |
| SMD 5050 | 30 | 7,2 |
| SMD 3528 | 240 | 19,2 |
| SMD 3528 | 120 | 9,6 |
| SMD 3528 | 60 | 4,8 |
Some manufacturers in the accompanying documentation for the product indicate the required power supply.
What you should pay attention to
LEDs are most often sold in reels 5 meters long each; the exact number of LEDs is fixed on the package.
When choosing a lighting device, you must pay attention to the following parameters:
- installation methods;
- type of installed LED bulbs (the level of illumination will depend on this parameter);
- degree of protection;
- power consumption (the parameters of the purchased power supply will depend on this indicator);
- supply voltage;
- number of LEDs;
- Colour.
Build quality
The build quality and materials used in the manufacture directly depend on the manufacturer. The most popular products on the market are Arlight, Gauss, Cree, Feron, Navigator and OSRAM.
It is recommended to purchase lighting devices in those places where they provide a guarantee, and it is also possible to check the operability of the device, hold it in your hands.
In the manufacture of LED bulbs, the following defects are most often encountered:
- soldering of the product made of several separate pieces;
- low-quality soldering;
- blinking or poorly functioning segments.
If the buyer decided to make a purchase through the online store, you first need to study the reviews about the seller.
Degree of protection
The degree of protection is usually fixed in accordance with international standards. This parameter must be indicated on the package. If information is not available, one should doubt the quality of the goods offered.
Open LED strips are marked IP20. They are designed to work in dry rooms where moisture protection is not required. Most often it is used to illuminate ceilings and cabinet furniture.
IP65 marking - products characterized by partial protection against moisture. They are used for installation in bathrooms, provided that there is no possibility of water entering them.
The degree of protection IP68 indicates complete protection of the tape from moisture. The device can be used in a humid environment at a depth of 1 meter. However, in this case, for safety reasons, it is recommended to additionally use residual current devices.
Supply voltage and power
A specific model has its own supply voltage, these data should also be indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging. The following types of denominations:
- + 5V - applicable for lighting devices powered by USB-connectors on computers. Recently, it is often used to decorate wardrobe items. A feature of the work is the conversion of energy from batteries with a voltage of 1.5 V into a direct current of 5 V.
- + 12V is the most common type of rating designed to power tapes. For uninterrupted and productive work, special power supplies are used - drivers.
- + 24V - used if there is a need for backup power supply in case of power failure. The battery will last much longer, provided that the amperage for the same power segments is half as much. There is another reason for using this rating - in the case of large distances between the tape and power supplies. Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce the voltage drop, which is caused by the resistance of the electrical wiring.
- + 36V - rarely used, since manufacturers rarely make power supplies with this rating. If the device fails, it is unlikely to be able to find a quick replacement. The advantage of using it is the reduced current that the lighting device will consume.
You can also find out the power of the LED strip by the type of LED bulbs used.
LEDs of the same power, but different colors will have different light output. General parameters should be indicated in the tables of the accompanying documentation. The completeness of the light flux depends on the power of each LED bulb.
Number of colors and color cast
LED strip manufacturers produce products in the following colors:
- RGB, multicolor;
- cold white;
- yellow;
- blue;
- red;
- green;
- warm white.
Pink is gaining popularity. Its relevance is largely due to the great benefits to the growth and development of plants.
Calculation of the power of LED strip for one power supply
The required power of the power supply is found by summing the used LED strips. To ensure long-term, uninterrupted, and most importantly, safe operation of the device, it is recommended that you select a power reserve of PSU of approximately 20%.
It is often practiced to operate a computer power supply as a driver. Such blocks give voltage levels: +3.3; +5.0; +12; -12 V. To ensure the operation of LED strips, only + 12V power supplies can be used.
It will not be difficult to find a suitable one, since the outputted performance of the device is always fixed on special stickers.For optimal operation, it is forbidden to overload the power supply unit to a power exceeding 80% of the nominal value indicated on the sticker. If you neglect this rule of operation, the current transformer will work continuously in overvoltage and overheat. Such factors significantly reduce the operational life of electrical appliances.
Before starting the power supply before turning on the LED lamp, you need to short the two conductors.
