A huge number of types of LED strips with completely different parameters is sometimes confusing. What LED strip is worth buying for the ceiling?
Basically, different models differ in the following specifications:
- the size of the diodes;
- the density of LEDs per 1 m;
- power / brightness;
- type of lighting (single-color, multi-color RGB, RGB + white, etc.).
Different combinations of these parameters and give different models of LED tapes. Each of them solves its own problem. Some are more suitable for decorative lighting, while others can be used as a full-fledged light source. It only remains to decide which model is suitable for your task.
1. One-Color Decorative Strip
Single-color ribbons use crystals of only one shade, which determines the color of the glow. Equipment with white (W) crystals usually costs less than red (R), green (G) or blue (B) ones. Models with other shades, such as blue, lilac or orange, have a higher price.
Single-color ceiling lighting is considered classic and the easiest. As this variant is usually used for decoration, e.g. to illuminate a niche or work area in the kitchen, high brightness is not required, so models with 4.8-15 W/m are suitable.
When choosing also recommend to pay attention to the color of luminescence (warm, cold, daylight) and the density of the diodes (the smaller the distance between the light sources, the more even backlighting).
2. Multicolor Decorative RGB Illumination
Multicolor tapes provide multiple colors of illumination, because they use LEDs with three crystals: red (Red), green (Green) and blue (Blue). Lighting with different shades is possible by combining their luminescence with different intensities.
Some effects can be realized only with multicolor models. For example, they are installed to illuminate different colors that can shimmer, flicker, etc.
Multicolor tape is also convenient because it has additional functions:
- control by remote control or wall panel;
- switching between programs with different effects and glow;
- control the brightness of static colors and programs;
- different speed modes of programs;
- remote on/off.
The settings are determined by a signal coming from the RGB controller. It can be used to set backlighting with different effects, such as iridescence, flickering, alternating colors, etc.
3. Combined RGB+White (RGB+W) Illumination
Multicolor is 3 times less bright than the same but single color. If you want a bright white light, and to change colors with a remote – then you need RGBW tape. For a bright white glow it has special white diodes.
To control such illumination you need special consoles and amplifiers. Separate diodes with white crystals provide a powerful light flux, which is difficult to achieve in models that have only RGB glow.
It turns out to be a kind of 2-in-1 option that gives both white and multicolor ceiling illumination. You can turn on any color you want and choose programs with different effects. However, it is more difficult to install and connect such equipment than a standard LED strip.
4. MIX-White Multi-White Tape
Depending on the color temperature, the white glow of the diodes has different shades:
- warm – temperature up to 2700K;
- cold – temperature from 6000K;
- neutral – the temperature is usually in the range of 4000-4500K.
When choosing a one-color model with a shade of luminescence should be decided in advance. Some people like warm shades, some like neutral, others like cold shades. But sometimes you want to be able to change them at your discretion. In this case it is worth buying a multibelt MIX-White. Such models have a board with diodes of warm, cold and daylight glow. At the discretion of the owner can include any or all of them.
The LEDs on the board can be arranged in one row, alternating with each other, or in two rows, for example, in one source of warm glow and in another – cool. On the quality of the work does not affect, the only difference in complexity of manufacture and the number of diodes per linear meter.
It turns out, using the model MIX-White, you can turn on the backlight with any shade of white. However, for such equipment you need specialized control and power consumption is usually higher than average.
5. 220 Volt Tape
LED strips differ significantly from standard incandescent bulbs in the way they are connected. These light sources are not connected to a 220 V socket directly, but through power supplies (usually 12V or 24V). Accordingly, to illuminate the ceiling or niches, as a rule, buy low-current models at 12 or 24 volts. The principle of choice here is simple: the PSU must have the same value as the voltage of the strip. The necessary figures can be found in the technical parameters of the product.
Nevertheless, models for 220 V also exist, but they are designed for outdoor illumination. Sometimes customers are going to buy a 220 volt strip at home, as they do not want to think where to hide the driver. Especially since each 5 m section of the low-current tape has to be connected to the PSU separately. However, it is a mistake to choose 220V backlighting, because such models are not designed for household lighting and are even harmful, because they give a high load on the eyesight!
But what to do if you do not want or have no possibility to pull from each segment of 5 m of wire to the driver? Stabilized tape is designed for these cases.
6. Stabilized Strip
Stabilized LED strips are designed to connect the segments of 20 to 50 meters on one side only. That is, in this case you do not need to pull the wires from each 5 m segment to the driver. This option is well suited to the illumination of large areas, such as spacious halls.
This is a new solution in the world of LED technology, which resulted from the installation of the board current stabilizers, which align the supply voltage along the entire length of the strip. Stabilizers also protect diodes from loss of brightness, while maintaining a bright and uniform glow over the entire surface.
Produce stabilized tapes with different shades of glow, but at present the range is still quite small. In addition, for such models there is no special control, that is, they can not be dimmed, turn on / off remotely, etc. There are no multicolor backlights with stabilizers either.