Everything You Need To Know To Find The Best High Efficiency Constant Current LED Strips

Determining LED Strip Quality

Sometimes, it can be tricky to distinguish between LED strip lights designed for high performance and longevity, and those that are not. Below are some pointers for knowing where to look.

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  Circuitboard Composition & Quality -  For higher power LED strips, the quality and specification of the underlying circuitboard is paramount. Because high levels of electrical current must travel through each section, sufficient copper material is needed. Look for LED strips with a copper weight of at least 2 oz, and ideally 4 oz to ensure the circuitboard can handle the higher power - otherwise, you can become victim to voltage drop.

  LED Quantity & Quality - The efficiency, quality and stability of light output is directly determined by the LED emitters. Look for LED strip lights that place stringent quality controls and specifications on the LED emitters, and watch out for LED strips that claim a high power despite a low LED count, as this can indicate overdriving the LED emitters, leading to premature failure.

  LED Strip Surface - High quality LED strips will usually include an extra coating of white paint to help increase the reflectivitiy of the light and increase overall light output. Lower cost LED strip options will use skip this step, keeping the copper color exposed. This can affect both the brightness and color of the light, especially in an aluminum channel installation.

Determining LED Strip Quality

Sometimes, it can be tricky to distinguish between LED strip lights designed for high performance and longevity, and those that are not. Below are some pointers for knowing where to look.

  Circuitboard Composition & Quality -  For higher power LED strips, the quality and specification of the underlying circuitboard is paramount. Because high levels of electrical current must travel through each section, sufficient copper material is needed. Look for LED strips with a copper weight of at least 2 oz, and ideally 4 oz to ensure the circuitboard can handle the higher power - otherwise, you can become victim to voltage drop.

  LED Quantity & Quality - The efficiency, quality and stability of light output is directly determined by the LED emitters. Look for LED strip lights that place stringent quality controls and specifications on the LED emitters, and watch out for LED strips that claim a high power despite a low LED count, as this can indicate overdriving the LED emitters, leading to premature failure.

  LED Strip Surface - High quality LED strips will usually include an extra coating of white paint to help increase the reflectivitiy of the light and increase overall light output. Lower cost LED strip options will use skip this step, keeping the copper color exposed. This can affect both the brightness and color of the light, especially in an aluminum channel installation.

LED strip lights are an extremely popular lighting solution. However, there are many things to consider, such as which strip is best for your application, what is the correct power supply, or how to install them. If you're struggling with any of the problems listed above, then you are in the right place! Our ultimate strip lighting guide will assist you with any strip light-related questions you may have.

One popular type of strip light is the SMD (surface-mounted device) LED. In an SMD LED light strip, a series of chips are mounted and fused onto the circuit board with space in between each chip. Chip types are designated by their size in millimeters, with the most common being , , and .

These strips are bendable, versatile, and customizable. SMD LEDs can be cut or soldered together to fit the exact length you need. 

Another option is COB (chip on board) strips, sometimes called dotless or spotless strip lights. In a COB strip, the individual light chips are placed closely together and covered with a phosphor diffuser over the top to make an even, continuous glow. The strip remains flexible which allows it to be applied on rounded or sharp application areas. Like standard SMD strips, COB LED strips can be cut at designated marks or soldered together.

COB strip lights are especially useful when you cannot hide the strip behind anything and you don't want the individual LED chips to be visible. They can also reduce hotspots if you place these lights close to highly reflective surfaces.

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Strips are classified as non-weatherproof, weatherproof, or waterproof. The type of strip you need is determined by the environment where your strips will be installed. Each strip has an IP rating indicating the size of solids and the pressure of liquids a strip can resist.

Indoor strips have a rating lower than IP64 and are not intended for locations where they could be exposed to water. Common indoor LED strip light installations include under-cabinet lighting, above-cabinet lighting, pantry lighting, cupboard lighting, bookshelf lighting, cove lighting, and bias lighting. You can make indoor strip lights waterproof with aluminum channels and proper weatherproofing accessories.

Outdoor strips are rated IP64 and above. They're designed for a variety of applications, such as landscapes, vehicles, motorcycles, decks, walkways, patios, gazebos, and railings. Submersible, underwater strips must be IP67 or above to protect internal components from water damage.

Depending on how continuous you want your light to look, choose from low, standard (medium), or high-density LED strip lights. Strip light density can be found by looking at the LEDs per foot, with high-density strips having more LED chips per foot and low-density strips having fewer. Since lower-density strips have more space between each light chip, they emit less light but require less power to run. COB strip lights have the highest density of any strip light type.

Before selecting your strip lights, you must first determine how long of a strip you need. Measure the length of all areas where you will install your strip lighting and add up the total length. LED strip lights are most commonly available in set lengths, but select styles are available in custom lengths. Once you have the total length of strip lights you need, you must figure out the maximum run of your strip.

Max run is the maximum length a strip light can extend from a single power source without experiencing an excessive voltage drop. Voltage drop occurs when a circuit gets so long that the voltage at the end farthest from the power source is not strong enough to push enough power down the strip. The result is that LED chips at the end of the circuit get dimmer than those at the beginning of the circuit. 

Many factors can affect the max run of your LED strips. If your strip lights have a higher light density, such as a COB strip, then the max run will be lower since there are more components causing the voltage to lower. On the other hand, strips with a higher voltage, such as 24V, will have a longer max run because there is a lower current draw.

Your strip light's voltage will depend on your specific application and where you want to install it. Strip lights are available in 12V AC, 12V DC, 24V DC, 36V DC, 48V DC, and 120V AC, with 12V strips being the most popular. AC (alternating current) strips are typically used for landscaping applications or when the strip is hooked up directly to the mains. 120V strips are usually exclusively used in commercial applications.

Strips with a higher voltage typically have a longer maximum run. Whichever voltage you choose, you will need a power supply that matches the voltage of your strip light.

Your controller and dimmer must be compatible with the type of strip light you have. For example, if you have an RGB strip light, you must also use an RGB controller; otherwise, you may lose some of the functionality of your strips. We offer a range of single-color, tunable white, RGB, and RGBW controllers. 

The type of strip and controller you choose will determine what you can control, including the colors, modes, speed, and brightness. Some controllers even offer music sync abilities. For more information, read our guide on how to choose the best controller and dimmer for your strip light.

Super Bright LED's is one of the top online retailers of LED strip lights. Browse our wide selection of strips below, or reach out to one of our product support specialists with any questions you may have. Call us at 866-590- or Live Chat during regular business hours: Mon-Thurs 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT and Fri 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT.

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