Here, for the first time, I am experimenting with installing an LED strip (aka LED). I decided to organize it from the corridor (I'll lay out the closet itself later, when I'm done) around the mirror.
I bought a couple of meters of tape in the store, a power supply, a double clip. To calculate the power of the power supply, relative to the length of the tape, it is necessary to carry out small mathematical calculations:
the power consumption of one meter of tape is multiplied by the total length of the tape (in meters).
On one power supply should not cling more than 15 meters. Be sure to check the polarity when connecting!
Let's take a closer look at the power supply. It has a number of terminals. Let's go left to right. The first pair - we fix a wire with a plug for an outlet to it (polarity is not taken into account). The third connector is for grounding (I don’t have it in my apartment - I skip it), the next pair is for the tape itself. Each connector is labeled "+" and "-". The same designations are also on the tape itself - they must be combined, otherwise the tape will not shine. 
We assemble the circuit, as I said earlier (a wire with a socket, a power supply, a tape - all two meters). 
For testing, plug it into a power outlet. Voila - everything glows! 
Let's move on to the next step: you need to divide the tape into several pieces to make the backlight on both sides of the mirror. We cut it with simple scissors in the place indicated by the corresponding icon. 
To connect to the power supply, special clip-adapters are used. They snap into place at the ends of the strips of tape, again with exact observance of polarity. Very convenient - no soldering. 
We fasten the tapes to the power supply (in the same order) and try to plug it into the outlet. Hehe.. it works! 
We proceed to the preparation of the furniture box for the installation of the tape. For this I chose a mortise aluminum profile. Accordingly, it must be embedded in the wall. We select the groove with a milling cutter, coat it with sealant, install the profile in the groove and leave it under oppression for a couple of hours. 
The groove profile looks like this 
The LED strip itself is equipped with an adhesive layer. We remove the protective film from it and paste the tape inside the profile. 
We put the box in place, connect the wires to general scheme(we add a switch to it) and use .... I will give the final photo a little later.
Added on 07/28/10
LED technology is developing rapidly, and many people involved in the manufacture of illuminated letters and other advertising products are wondering what is better to use today: LEDs or neon? This article discusses some of the most important aspects regarding LED lighting for indoor and outdoor illuminated advertising - LED letters, signs, etc., and also addresses the issue household lighting with LED products. LED backlighting, of course, is becoming more and more attractive every year in terms of brightness, and more affordable in terms of prices, and, therefore, more preferable, given all the existing advantages of LED-based light sources. The article contains information that may be interesting and useful for managers, designers, manufacturers, as well as anyone interested in LED topics.
Neon or LEDs? Neon and LEDs!
The history of inventions in the field of artificial lighting sources shows that the appearance of the next newly made light source does not cancel out earlier inventions overnight and does not make existing light sources useless. All of them, in one form or another, peacefully coexist to this day, each occupy their own specific niche and are in demand in one way or another. This can be said about almost all light sources ever invented by mankind, including non-electric ones, with the exception, perhaps, of the most archaic ones: splinter and torch. If we take this fact into account, it becomes clear that the opposition that sounds in the question "LEDs or neon?" Is not entirely appropriate, and the question "Will LEDs replace neon?" one can safely answer: "No, they will not force them out, but, apparently, they will squeeze them out in order to take their rightful place!"
So, today the question is "LEDs or neon?" moved to the practical plane, and for many people involved in the manufacture of outdoor illuminated advertising, it sounds like this: "In what cases is it more appropriate to use neon for indoor lighting, and in what cases is it better to use LEDs?" Neon has been used in illuminated advertising for a very long time, therefore, as a rule, there are practically no questions about neon lighting - everything is quite well known, understandable and well worked out. As for LEDs, everything is not so clear and simple here, so we will talk about the practice of LED backlighting in illuminated advertising.
We will try, using the example of LED products offered by our company, to conduct a certain comparative analysis, which will help to reveal and comprehend the main points related to the choice of the desired product, calculations and, ultimately, with financial side question.
What should be taken into account when choosing LEDs for interior illumination of illuminated advertising products?
There is now a lot of information on the range of LED products, but this information is often predominantly of an advertising nature, despite the fact that it is present in the product description. specifications which, by the way, may not be entirely true. Understanding the technical characteristics of LEDs and choosing the right product from the existing variety of LED products is not always easy.
Adhering to the point of view that it is impossible to achieve a real solution to the issue without solving this issue in practice, we bring to your attention the results of a comparative test conducted in our company. The results of this test, in our opinion, can be very useful as our regular customers, who have been professionally engaged in the manufacture of light outdoors for a long time, and all those interested in the practical aspects of manufacturing products with LED backlighting.
The test is purely applied in nature and does not contain any difficult-to-understand scientific and theoretical calculations or formulas. You just need to compare the results obtained during testing. The main criterion for comparison was the value of the illumination of the surface of the final product (observing the uniformity of illumination), since in illuminated outdoor advertising the brightness of the illumination of a sign and the uniformity of illumination are the most important indicators (after design, of course).
As an object for measurements, a box 1 x 1 meter, 140 mm deep with a light-diffusing surface of 4 mm milky acrylic plexiglass was chosen. Thus, all the data presented are valid for a surface of 1 square meter, which is the starting point for calculations for most managers of advertising and production companies.
For internal illumination of the box were used:
- flexible sealed tapes with single-chip LEDs
To be able to compare various products in a comprehensive way, we combine all the data obtained in a table.
| Name | Number of sources nicknames |
Number of light diodes in the source |
glow angle | Voltage power supply |
Power consumption | Energy consumption kW per year (when operating 10 hours a day) | Illuminated- surface news |
Total cost of illumination (per sq. meter)* |
| 4-diode modules (single-chip LEDs) | 126 pcs. | 504 pcs. | 100 | 12 V | 72.5W | 265 kW | 1653 Suite | 7972 rub. |
| LED strip PL99 (single-chip LEDs) | 7.5 pcs. | 528 pcs. | 110 | 12 V | 72 W | 263 kW | 1896 Suite | 7040 rub. |
| 2 diode smd modules (three-chip LEDs) | 78 pcs. | 156 pcs. | 120 | 12 V | 47 W | 172 kW | 1633 Suite | 7860 rub. |
| 3 diode smd modules (three-chip) | 80 pcs. | 240 pcs. | 140 | 12 V< | 58 W | 212 kW | 2649 Suite | RUB 8880** |
| neon tubes | 6 pcs. | - | 360 | 5000 V | 175 (105) W | 639 (383) kW | 1797 Suite | RUB 5800*** |
* The total cost is calculated based on the retail price (without discounts), so the table shows the maximum cost of lighting 1 sq. meters.
** The calculation is made for old-style three-diode modules. New modules will need 70 pcs/sq. meter. The total cost will be 8430 rubles.
*** Neon lighting is calculated as an average economical option (the minimum possible number of tubes + a transformer with a current of 35 mA). If you use more tubes and a transformer with a large current (50 mA), then the cost will naturally increase. The illumination of the surface will also increase.
Some useful calculations, comparisons and conclusions.
By simple calculations using tabular data, you can get an idea of the effectiveness of the tested light sources:
- 4 diode modules - 23 Lux with 1 Watt
- LED Strip PL99 - 26 Lux with 1 Watt
- 2 diode smd modules - 35 lux with 1 watt
- 3 diode smd modules - 46 lux with 1 watt
- Neon tubes - 10 Lux with 1 Watt
Curious information, isn't it?
Now we find out the cost of 1 Lux from each of the tested light sources, we will need it for further calculations:
- 4 diode modules - 4.8 rubles.
- LED strip PL99 - 3.7 rubles.
- 2 diode smd modules - 4.8 rubles.
- 3 diode smd modules - 3.4 rubles. (3.1 rubles for new ones)
- Neon tubes - 3.2 rubles.
We calculate the real cost of backlighting 1 sq. meters.
Knowing the cost of 1 Lux from each light source considered in the test, you can calculate the total cost of backlighting with one or another light source. This information will be especially needed when terms of reference a certain level of illumination of the surface is stipulated. For example, a promotional item requires a surface illuminance of at least 2500 Lux (that is, a surface illuminance comparable to neon or fluorescent lamps).
We get the cost of lighting one square meter (at a depth of 140 - 150 mm) using various light sources from our test:
- 4 diode modules - 12000 rub/1 sq.m.
- LED strip PL99 - 9250 rubles / 1 sq.m.
- 2 diode smd modules - 12000 rub/1 sq.m.
- 3 diode smd modules - 8500 rub/1 sq.m. (7950 rubles for new ones)
- Neon tubes - 8000 rubles / 1 sq.m.
If we compare the calculation results, it becomes clear what we will get in the final and for what money, that is, there is an opportunity to make a more informed decision and make a more rational choice.
The performed calculations show a clear advantage of multi-chip 3-diode smd modules in all respects.
Calculation of the cost of boxes or three-dimensional letters.
Calculating the cost of backlighting for rectangular boxes using any of the listed LED products is now very simple - you just need to calculate the area of \u200b\u200bthe box and multiply it by the cost of lighting one square meter. Calculating the number of LED products is also not difficult - you just need to multiply the area of \u200b\u200bthe box by the number of products required to illuminate 1 sq. meters.
Calculating the cost of lighting for boxes with a complex configuration (various trademarks and three-dimensional letters) is somewhat more difficult, since you will have to use a program, such as Corel Draw or Autocad, with a module for calculating the area. But after the areas of objects with a complex geometric shape are calculated, the illumination cost is determined with the same ease as in the first case.
We calculate the required number of LED modules.
Since the calculations made above clearly showed the advantage of 3 diode smd modules of a new sample, therefore, we will do the calculation just for them.
As an example, let's make a calculation for the sign "FLOWERS", the height of the letters is 0.7 meters, the depth is 140 mm.
1. Let's measure the area of the letters in Corel Draw.
2. Knowing the number of modules for 1 square. meters (70 pieces), we multiply the obtained values of the area of \u200b\u200bthe letters by this amount.
3. We get the estimated number of modules in each individual letter, which will provide illumination of its surface equal to 2649 Lux: "C" - 12 pcs., "B" - 13 pcs., "E" - 13 pcs., "T" - 10 pcs., "Y" - 13 pcs.
However, keep in mind that this is only an estimate. In order for the illumination to turn out to be uniform, it is necessary to correctly place the modules inside the letters. The placement of modules inside the letters, as a rule, makes its own adjustments: in some cases, modules will require a little less than the calculated number, in other cases, a little more than the calculated number. This is inevitable and depends mainly on the size of the letters and the complexity of the font.
Thus, when placing LED modules in letters, we find out that their number has slightly increased, which we owe to the originality of the selected font, and the illumination of the surface will be higher initial indicator at 2649 Lux. With a decrease in the depth of the box, the illumination of its front surface, respectively, will increase.
You can quickly select a power supply for the required number of LED modules according to the table, which was compiled taking into account a margin of 15%. This calculation scheme can also be applied to other LED products (modules or strips) offered by our company.
Can LED products be used for home lighting?
The use of LEDs for domestic lighting purposes is another interesting and important aspect. Indeed, LEDs, as well as products made from them, have many advantages in terms of their parameters in relation to other sources of artificial lighting. Let's list them again.
- High mechanical strength. They don't break, they don't break.
- Electrical safety. Supply voltage 12 volts.
- Energy efficiency. The power consumption is very small.
- Durability. The service life of white LEDs is 30 - 50 thousand hours.
- Low heat generation with high light output.
- Sealed. Do not require additional protection from atmospheric phenomena.
- Environmentally friendly. Do not contain substances hazardous to health.
- Continuous light emission. Frequency pulsations are absent.
- Good color rendering index. As a rule, at least 80.
The last three points are especially interesting from the point of view of the use of LEDs for domestic lighting.
So, the first thing worth noting is the environmental friendliness of LED light sources. LEDs do not contain liquid mercury like fluorescent lights or mercury vapor like neon.
An LED, if not dimmable, emits light continuously, and in this way it is similar to sunlight as well as the light coming from a flame. All other sources of artificial lighting using AC power electricity, emit a flickering light, with a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the alternating current. This applies to all types of incandescent and fluorescent discharge lamps.
The flickering of lamps operating on alternating current is imperceptible to the naked eye, but, nevertheless, the brain fixes it and this is the cause of fatigue - a person gets tired faster. In addition, there is the so-called strobe effect, when the illumination of rapidly rotating or rapidly moving objects creates the illusion of their static or slow movement. In production, this can lead to various accidents and injuries, so nearby fluorescent lamps are connected to different phases or high-frequency control gear is used.
With incandescent lamps, the situation is somewhat better, since the filament cannot cool instantly and, as a result, continues to emit light for some time, although not so intensely. Therefore, due to such inertia, the flickering of incandescent lamps is not so pronounced and not so tiring.
The color rendering index of an artificial light source is also a very important indicator, as it affects the perception of the color palette of surrounding objects. If the source has a low color rendering level, then the natural colors of the objects will be distorted and no longer look as natural. The only and unique standard of our world is the light emitted by the Sun: it is continuous and has the most complete spectrum.
For incandescent lamps, the emission spectrum is more shifted towards orange and red, so the colors of objects that have warm shades will be emphasized, and blue and green tones will appear darkened, gray. For inexpensive fluorescent lamps with conventional halophosphate phosphors, the emission spectrum is, on the contrary, shifted towards green and blue, so the colors of objects with cold shades will be emphasized, and yellow, orange and red tones will have an unpleasant "dead" shade. The color rendering index for such lamps does not exceed 70. Modern fluorescent lamps with modern broadband phosphors have a color rendering index of 84 - 90 and higher, but they are naturally more expensive.
The color rendering index of white LEDs is, as a rule, at least 80. Thus, LEDs are not only not inferior to traditional light sources in many respects, but also have some clear advantages and should theoretically be perfect for household lighting.
There is, however, one "but": LEDs are a point and directional light source, and traditional light sources are not. Therefore, it will take a lot to fully replace the LEDs. Let's try to find out, using the example of the LED products we have, how many of them will be needed to fully replace more traditional household light sources - incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps.
To do this, we first need to turn to the concept of effective optical power. The effective optical power of incandescent lamps is a maximum of 5 W of the total lamp power. For fluorescent lamps, this is a maximum of 15 W of the total lamp power. The effective optical power of an LED product is calculated depending on the brightness of the LEDs used, the light scattering angle and the emission spectrum, and it will be different for each product.
In order not to clutter up the text and not bore readers with the details of the calculations, we will immediately present the finished result of the calculations. The table shows the number of different LED products that can serve as an effective equivalent to conventional, traditional artificial lighting sources: 100 W incandescent lamps and 18 and 36 W fluorescent lamps, as well as, for comparison, their power consumption.
| LED equivalent |
Incandescent lamp 100 W, 1 piece, (100 W) | Fluorescent lamp 18W x 1 (22W) | Fluorescent lamp 36W x 1 (45W) |
| 4 diode modules | 78 pcs. (47W) | 42 pcs (25W) | 84 pcs (51W) |
| LED strip PL33 | 6 pcs. (20W) | 3 pcs (10W) | 7 pcs (24W) |
| LED strip PL99 | 2 pcs. (20W) | 1 piece (10W) | 3 pcs (28W) |
| 2 diode smd modules | 52 pcs. (33W) | 28 pcs (18 W) | 56 pcs (35 W) |
| 3 diode smd modules | 27 pcs. (24W) | 15 pcs (14 W) | 29 pcs (26W) |
To complete the picture, let's compare the service life, cost and cost of energy consumption.
Service life of light sources:
- LED products (white light): 30,000 - 50,000 hours
- Incandescent lamps: 1000 hours
- Fluorescent lamps: 12000- 20000 hours
Since the sources of artificial lighting in living conditions work on average about 10 hours a day, the service life will look like this:
- LED products (white light): 8.5 - 14 years
- Incandescent lamps conventional: 0.3 years
- Fluorescent lamps: 3.3 - 5.5 years
Thus, for the entire period of operation of the LEDs, it will be necessary to purchase and replace from 28 to 46 incandescent lamps or 2-3 fluorescent lamps.
Now let's compare the cost of traditional lighting sources and LED. The cost is based on the starting kit "light source + necessary components", that is, "lamp + cartridge", "LEDs + power supply" and "fluorescent lamps + choke, starter and accessories".
| Traditional light source / LED equivalent |
Incandescent lamp 100 W, 1 pc., (25 rubles) | Fluorescent lamp 18 W, 1 pc., (140 rubles) | Fluorescent lamp 36 W, 1 pc., (200 rubles) |
| 4 diode modules | 78 pcs. (4895 r) | 42 pcs (2915 r) | 84 pcs (5248 r) |
| LED strip PL33 | 6 pcs. (2030 r) | 3 pcs (1140 r) | 7 pcs (2480 r) |
| LED strip PL99 | 2 pcs. (2030 r) | 1 piece (1140 r) | 3 pcs (2980 r) |
| 2 diode smd modules | 52 pcs. (5410 r) | 28 pcs (3050 r) | 56 pcs (5770 r) |
| 3 diode smd modules | 27 pcs. (3430 r) | 15 pcs (2030 r) | 29 pcs (3630 r) |
The table shows that the most inexpensive alternative to traditional sources of artificial lighting are sealed LED strips PL33 and PL99, as well as multi-chip three-diode smd modules. Therefore, we will continue further comparison with them.
Let's add to the initial cost of light sources the cost of paying for electricity for the entire period of operation and the cost of light elements replaced over the same period. Since many people doubt that the real service life of LEDs is so long, we will make calculations based on the minimum service life of our LED products, that is, 8.5 years.
So, for example, in a year 2 PL99 tapes (or 6 PL33 tapes) consume 73 kW at an operating mode of 10 hours a day. With the cost of electricity 2.11 rubles / kW, the cost of paying for electricity for 8.5 years will amount to 1309.3 rubles. Add this figure to the initial cost of the same number of tapes and get the total cost for the entire (minimum) period of operation.
Let's do the same calculations for an incandescent lamp. The lamp consumes 365 kW per year, that is, for 8.5 years the cost of electricity will be 6546.3 rubles. + 280 rub. for 28 lamps, which will have to be purchased and changed during this period. The total cost, therefore, will be 6851.3 rubles. After that, we will do the same calculations for fluorescent lamps and LED modules.
In order not to bore the reader, we omit the further detailed description calculations, which, by the way, anyone can repeat at their leisure, and we will offer a table with ready-made results that are convenient for comparison. So, the table shows the total cost of lighting sources for a period of operation of 8.5 years, including their starting cost, the cost of replacing light elements and electricity costs.
| Traditional light source / LED equivalent |
Incandescent lamp 100 W, 1 pc. - 6851.3 rubles. | Fluorescent lamp 18 W, 1 pc. - 1665.2 rubles. | Fluorescent lamp 36W x 1 - 3416.7 rubles.> |
| LED strip PL33 | 6 pcs. (3339.3 rubles) | 3 pcs (1794.7 rubles) | 7 pcs (4051.1 rubles) |
| LED strip PL99 | 2 pcs. (3339.3 rubles) | 1 piece (1794.7 rubles) | 3 pcs (4289.3 rubles) |
| 3 diode smd modules | 27 pcs. (5001.1 rubles) | 15 pcs (2946.5 rubles) | 29 pcs (5333.8 rubles) |
The table clearly shows that, in relation to incandescent lamps, LED strips have a clear advantage in price, and in relation to fluorescent lamps, the price difference is not so great. Considering that fluorescent lamps contain harmful to human health (and to environment also) liquid mercury, as well as the fact that lamps can break from time to time (because they are made of glass), then perhaps the difference will not seem significant at all.
Thus, perhaps, the only argument against the use of LED products for household lighting has been and remains to this day their relatively high initial cost compared to traditional lighting sources. But for how long?
If you are thinking of renovating an apartment, one of the first questions to ask is the choice of lighting equipment. A great alternative to traditional lamps and fixtures is the LED strip. When installing a tape with LED lamps on the ceiling, not only the appearance of the room will significantly change, but great opportunities open up in choosing a design solution. In the article, we will acquaint you with how to install an LED strip with your own hands, as well as the advantages of using this lighting equipment and the features of choosing a particular strip.
Duralight (LED strip) is a plastic printed circuit board in which small light bulbs of various shades are mounted, as well as resistors. The latter play the role of resistance. The printed circuit board (circuit board) has a sticky self-adhesive base, so you can use LED strips in many places: at home, in an apartment, in restaurants, hotels, clubs, bars and other commercial buildings. Due to its features, the LED strip can be freely used to illuminate hard-to-reach places.
Important! LED lamps are usually located on the surface of a conductive thread at the same distance.
LED strip color options
LEDs have different colors of glow:
- Warm white.
- Cold white.
- Green.
- Blue.
- Yellow.
- Red.
- Multicolor.
Standard sizes of LED strip
- Width 8-10 mm.
- Thickness - 2-3 mm.
- The length of the tape in the coil is 1 or 5 m.
Choosing an LED strip - criteria, properties
When choosing an LED strip, it is advisable to immediately determine your requirements, and for this you need to know what kind of criteria the types of lighting filament presented for sale differ. This will speed up the process of buying the right version of the lighting fixture in the planned price range.
We list the main distinguishing characteristics:
- Brightness.
- Type (single color or tricolor).
Important! One-color duralights can be green, white, blue, red, yellow. Multi-color - RGB ribbons are able to change the color of the backlight, thanks to a special controller.
Hue LED lamps depends on the type of crystal embedded inside.
- The number of lamps per meter. The more of them, the brighter the tape, which means that its cost will be higher.
- Base (self-adhesive or not).
- The quality of moisture protection is determined by the IP class.
- Using DIP or SMD. SMD (surface mount) is more commonly used as a cheaper option.
Important! Before purchasing an LED strip, decide on the brightness of the lighting you need, the humidity level of the installation site, as well as the length of the strip you need. When choosing, consider the optimal number of LEDs for the required level of illumination, so as not to overpay for unnecessary brightness.
Advantages of LED strip
Before installing and mounting the LED strip, familiarize yourself with the advantages of lighting equipment. This will make sure you make the right choice.
The main advantages of duralight:
- Low power consumption due to low power.
- Favorable service life, regardless of the type of premises - from 5 to 13 years.
- The possibility of laying along any trajectory is due to the plasticity of the thread.
- Possibility of choice required length duralight, since the cutting ratio is 6-10 cm (after 3-5 LEDs).
- Lighting with such a tape has the highest efficiency. LEDs do not generate heat, electricity is only spent on emitting light.
- No flicker.
- Tolerance to voltage drops in the mains, in particular, the tape continues to function at a reduced voltage of up to 130 V.
- No ultraviolet radiation.
- Possibility to choose your own colors.
- Fire safety.
- Environmental friendliness.
- The quality of the glow throughout the entire period of operation remains unchanged.
- Easy installation - thanks to the use of mounting tape or a self-adhesive base.
- Manufacturer's warranty. All LED products have a long-term warranty, which distinguishes them from conventional incandescent or fluorescent lamps.
General rules for mounting LED strip
When installing the LED strip, follow some rules and requirements to ensure flawless and long-term lighting performance. Most often, the most advantageous for laying the lighting thread in terms of practicality and design are such places in the premises:
- wall or ceiling niches - special boxes are used for this;
- on the surface of walls and ceilings inside plastic corners;
- behind the ceiling plinth.
The technology of connection and installation in all cases is almost the same. General rules are as follows:
Tips for designing a room with LED lighting
To get a really winning interior result, when laying duralight, consider the following recommendations:
Ways of fastening the LED strip
The LED strip is mounted on the ceiling in the following ways:
- Installation of LED strip in the ceiling plinth. This method has a huge advantage - you do not need to rework the ceiling, since the ceiling plinth itself is mounted at a certain distance (8-10 cm) from the ceiling. After installing the plinth, proceed to gluing the duralight: remove the bottom layer of the tape and stick it on the ceiling plinth, like a regular adhesive tape.
- Installing the tape in a cornice made of drywall. This method is much more complicated, but the ceiling will look much more spectacular.
Installation of LED strip on the ceiling
Do-it-yourself installation of the LED strip in sequence:
- Determine the length and type of tape, select the profile.
- Get a controller for controlling the color and brightness of the glow. It smoothly switches colors, and adjust the brightness with a dimmer using the remote control.
- To connect duralight, buy connectors. The connectors can be flat or round, depending on the type of LED strip and the manufacturer.
- Choose a power supply that will act as a step-down transformer - it is not included in the kit.
- Assemble the entire system by successively laying and gluing the thread with LEDs.
- Connect the LED strip to the power supply.
Let's dwell on some points in more detail.
Choosing a power supply
Power supplies come in various capacities - from 6 to 400 watts. Energy consumption depends on the quality of the tape, the density of the LEDs. As mentioned earlier, the power of the block should be at least equal to the power consumption of the tape, plus a margin of about 25%.
Important! Consider the calculation of power on an example:
We have a tape with a length of 5 m and a power of 9.4 watts.
To calculate the power of the power supply: 5 m * 9.4 W = 47. Do not forget about the margin: 47 * 1.25 = 58.75 W.
As you can see, we need a power supply of at least 58.75 watts. Can be rounded up to 60W. This is not difficult to find in a radio parts store.
How to choose a profile?
Profiles for mounting lighting equipment differ in material and device. Let's consider the main ones. According to the material of manufacture, they distinguish:
- Aluminum profile. Such a system is versatile and reliable and will be appropriate in the interior of any style. Profiles of this type are used to create the design of the lighting system as quickly and easily as possible.
- plastic profile. The profile box for lighting equipment is often made of durable plastic. It is transparent or matte. The advantage of this profile: elastic, resistant to mechanical stress, temperature extremes and moisture.
Important! The plastic housing is suitable for the installation of lighting structures in public buildings, in shop window lighting, commercial equipment as well as furniture. Plastic profiles are even used to illuminate ice slides, skating rinks and sculptures.
According to the device, the profiles are:
- Angular. In some cases, the standard profile is inappropriate, and then a corner profile is used, which is suitable for shop window lighting. trading floors, cabinets and is used instead of a ceiling plinth. By choosing this option, show your imagination on the location of the lighting thread. In this case, it is possible to carry out installation even in non-standard places, due to the small dimensions of the fasteners, high speed and ease of installation. For example, to illuminate window frames, floors, linen front door etc.
- Embedded. The built-in metal profile looks voluminous and has a lot of advantages, in particular, it is resistant to aggressive environmental influences. When installing this type of profile, use special glue or fasteners so that the design is of high quality.
- Mortise. The profile of this design is most often used in the furniture industry to illuminate tables, kitchen sets, cabinets. Aluminum construction has the color of silver or gold. The length of the profile is 1-2 m. Often, the mortise profile is equipped with matte light filters so that the light from the tape is scattered. Such filters give an attractive look to new furniture, and new life to old furniture.
Scheme of mounting the LED strip under the stretch ceiling:
Important! After installing the lighting tape, plug it back into the network and check the quality of work. Only after a positive test result can the fabric of the stretch ceiling itself be assembled.
- Before gluing the LED strip, prepare the mounting surface. It should be smooth and fat free. To do this, treat it with alcohol and a clean rag.
- Mount a powerful duralight (more than 10 W \ m) on a metal profile or on an aluminum substrate.
- For convenience, glue the structure on a 3M layer or glue / sealant.
- When mounting duralight on conductive surfaces, such as metal structures, be sure to isolate the tape by placing it in the frame.
- Avoid damage to the conductive tracks during assembly.
- When connecting large lengths of tape, use a parallel connection. In series, there will be an overload of the conductive tracks, which will lead to burnout.
Important! Before you install the LED strip, not only remember all these rules, but also watch the video tutorials. Especially if you are doing this kind of work for the first time and are not confident in your abilities.
Installation of LED strip - video
Conclusion
This is an artificial light source, which is a narrow flexible tape with conductors, up to 5 m long, on which LEDs are installed equidistantly. The LEDs on the tape are divided into groups. Each group consists of several LEDs connected in series and is a complete circuit, which allows you to cut the tape across into segments of any length multiple of the length of one group.
LED strips
LED strips are available in monochrome, luminous only in one color (red, blue, green, yellow or white) and universal (R G B), the color of the glow of which can be changed independently using the remote control remote control, including one of the primary colors or choosing any that exists in nature.
It is also possible to turn on a mode in which the color of the LED strip will change smoothly over the entire range with a given rate of change over time.
R G B led strip
According to the organization of light emission R G B LED strips are of three types.
The first type of tape uses LEDs LED-R-SMD3528 or LED-R-SMD5050 (red), LED-G-SMD3528 or LED-G-SMD5050 (green) and LED-B-SMD3528 or LED-B-SMD5050 (blue) , soldered in three pieces next to each other in repeating triads along the entire length of the tape. Changing the color of the glow of the tape is achieved by group changing the intensity of the glow of the LEDs of each color. Such LED strips are well suited for interior lighting in cases where LEDs are hidden from human eyes. If the LEDs are visible, then changing the color of the glow will be less effective.
R , G and B LEDs of the SMD3528 series have a size of 3.5 × 2.8 mm 2 and emit a luminous flux from 0.6 to 2.2 lumens, depending on the color of the glow. LEDs of the SMD5050 series are larger in size (their size is 5 × 5 mm 2) and accordingly shine brighter, the luminous flux is, depending on the color of the glow, from 2 to 8 lumens. Therefore, by the size of the soldered LEDs on the tape, even without knowing the technical characteristics, it is easy to determine which of them will shine brighter.
In the second type of tapes, R G B LEDs of the LED-RGB-SMD3528 or LED-RGB-SMD5050 series are used. A distinctive feature of these LEDs is that three LEDs are mounted in one housing at once - red, green and blue. Therefore, their luminous flux is much less and is only 0.3-1.6 lumens for LED-RGB-SMD3528, and only 0.6-2.5 lumens for LED-RGB-SMD5050. But due to the fact that the color emitters are located almost at one point, a high efficiency of color gradation has been achieved.
More recently, a new type of LED WS2812B (has four pins) and WS2812S (has six pins) has appeared. Geometrically and appearance these LEDs are no different from the LED-RGB-SMD5050. However, thanks to the installation of the WS2811 PWM controller in the WS2812 LED housing, it became possible to control each of the LEDs installed on the LED strip personally with just two wires.
Thus, designers have the opportunity to change the color of the glow of any section of the tape, regardless of its length, at their discretion. The wide distribution of the LED strip based on WS2812 LEDs is constrained by the high price and the need to use an expensive specialized controller. Without a control signal from the controller to the WS2812 LED, it will not shine.
LED strip marking
LED strips are marked by all manufacturers, as a rule, according to a single international standard. The protection class in the marking is indicated in accordance with the requirements of the IEC-952 standard for protecting electrical equipment from external factors.
| Reference table for marking LED strips | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinal number of the alphabetic or numeric sequence in the marking | Designation in the marking | Deciphering the designation | ||
| 1 (light source) | LED | Light-emitting diode | ||
| 2 (glow color) | R | Red | ||
| G | Green | |||
| B | Blue | |||
| RGB | Any | |||
| CW | White | |||
| 3 (type of pins on the chip) | smd | Leadless chip for installation directly on the printed circuit board | ||
| 4 (geometric size of the light source body) | 5050 | in the example 5 mm×5 mm | ||
| 5 (number of LEDs per meter) | 60 | pieces | ||
| 6 (class of protection against external factors) | IP | The protection class in the marking is indicated in accordance with the requirements of the IEC-952 standard for protecting electrical equipment from external factors. | ||
| 7 (first digit after IP, protection against ingress of solid objects) | ||||
| 0 | No protection | |||
| 1 | From the penetration of bodies with a diameter of 50 mm or more | |||
| 2 | From the penetration of bodies with a diameter of 12 mm or more, a length of not more than 80 mm | |||
| 3 | From the penetration of bodies with a diameter of 2.5 mm or more | |||
| 4 | From the penetration of bodies with a diameter of 1 mm or more | |||
| 5 | It is allowed to ingress dust in an amount insufficient to disrupt the operation of the equipment | |||
| 6 | Dust ingress is not allowed | |||
| 8 (second digit after IP, protection against liquid ingress into the case) | 0 | No protection | ||
| 1 | From vertically falling drops of water | |||
| 2 | From water drops falling at an angle of 15° | |||
| 3 | From water drops falling at an angle of 60° | |||
| 4 | From water splashed at any angle | |||
| 5 | From a jet of water sprayed at any angle | |||
| 6 | From strong water jet (100 l/min, 100 kPa) | |||
| 7 | From water ingress when immersed to a depth of 15 cm | |||
| 8 | From water ingress during prolonged immersion | |||
Consider, for example, how the marking of the LED strip LED-CW-SMD-5050/60 IP68 is deciphered. LED - LED strip, CW - white light, SMD - made on the base without output LEDs, 5050 - LED housing size 50x50 mm 2, 60 - 60 LEDs are installed on one meter of the tape length, IP68 - according to the degree of protection, the tape is designed for long-term operation on depth (for example, to illuminate an aquarium or pool from the inside).
If there is no IP parameter in the marking, then the LED strip does not have any degree of protection, that is, the degree of protection corresponds to IP00.
Moisture resistance of LED strips
According to the degree of protection against moisture, LED strips can be divided into three categories: waterproof, waterproof and moisture resistant.
Waterproof can only be used in dry rooms where there is no high humidity. Moisture-proof are designed for use in rooms with high humidity (bathrooms, baths, building facades, where direct contact with water on the tape is excluded).
Moisture-resistant tapes are designed to work directly in the aquatic environment, such as in an aquarium, they can be placed to illuminate the bottom of the pool.
In the photo, the LED strip is completely sealed with silicone, so the LEDs and resistors are reliably protected from water. Waterproof LED strips can be used without restrictions for outdoor advertising, light decoration of streets and buildings. When choosing a moisture-proof tape, it should be borne in mind that part of the light flux is lost when passing through the silicone layer.
For outdoor decorative lighting, there are special led strips called Duralight, which belong to the waterproof category.
Density of placement of LEDs on the tape
The brightness of the LED strip depends not only on the type of LEDs installed, but also on their number. The unit of measurement is considered to be the number of LEDs installed per meter of tape length. The more LEDs, the naturally, the luminous flux will be greater. Typically, the number of LEDs per meter of strip length for 12 V LED strips ranges from 30 to 120 pieces. For LED strips designed for a supply voltage of 24 V, the number of LEDs can reach up to 240 pieces per meter of length; in such strips, the LEDs are placed in parallel in two rows.
But it must be taken into account that the more LEDs per meter of the length of the LED strip, the more powerful the power supply will be required and the more expensive the purchase will be. The choice of this parameter must be approached from the position of "necessary and sufficient". For example, there are 30 LEDs per meter of tape, therefore, the distance between them is 3.3 cm, which is quite enough in the vast majority of cases.
Choosing an LED strip according to the amount of light output
The main lighting characteristic is the intensity of the luminous flux, which is expressed in lumens per meter (lm / m). The amount of luminous flux is determined by the type and number of LEDs installed on one meter of tape. Knowing the type of LEDs and their number, it is easy to independently determine the luminous flux.
For example, 30 LED-CW-SMD3528 type LEDs (size 3.5×2.8 mm 2 ) having a luminous flux of 5 lm each are installed on a meter of a white light LED strip. We multiply 5 lm by 30, we get 150 lm. Such a luminous flux emits a 10-watt incandescent light bulb. If the tape is made on the basis of 30 LED-CW-SMD5050 LEDs (size 5×5 mm 2) already having a luminous flux of 12 lm, then 12×30=360 lm, which is equivalent to using a 24-watt incandescent light bulb. Everyone has experience in using incandescent lamps, therefore, using the above method, it is easy to determine the type of LEDs installed on the tape, their number and the length of the tape. And if the length of the tape is already determined, then perform the reverse calculation.
Let's do the reverse calculation specific example. You need to make ceiling lighting in a room measuring 5 mx4 m. The perimeter of a room of this size will be 5+4+5+4=18 meters. You want to create soft and not very bright lighting. If you use incandescent lamps, then their total power will have to be about 200 watts, the luminous flux from which will be 3000 lm (15 lm × 200). The length of the tape should be equal to the length of the perimeter of the room, that is, 18 meters. To determine the luminous flux that one meter of LED strip should emit, you need to divide 3000 lm by 18 meters. It turns out 166 lm / m. For our case, a tape with 30 LED-CW-SMD3528 LEDs per meter of length is suitable. The calculation was made without taking into account reflection losses from the ceiling, and they are at least 50%. Therefore, for guaranteed illumination of the room, you need to choose a tape with a twice as large luminous flux. There are two options, either take a strip with 30 LEDs LED-CW-SMD5050, or LED-CW-SMD3528, but already in the amount of 60 pcs. on the meter. The first option is preferable, as it will provide a guaranteed supply.
For R G B and monochrome LED strips, the calculation is performed in the same way as for white strips.
LED strips are not always marked, which makes calculations difficult. But it is very easy to find out the technical parameters of the LED strip if you use the data given in the reference table. In modern LED strips, as a rule, three types of LEDs are used: SMD3014 (super bright) with a size of 3.0 mm × 1.4 mm, SMD3528 with a size of 2.8 mm × 3.5 mm and SMD5050 with a size of 5.0 mm × 5.0 mm. Therefore, by the size of the LEDs, you can determine what type of LEDs are soldered on the tape. By counting the number of LEDs per meter of length, using the reference table below, you can get data on the technical characteristics of the LED strip.
Table of the main characteristics of LED strips
for voltage 12 V
Using the table, it is easy to choose the type and length of the LED strip - an analogue of incandescent bulbs. For example, to replace one 80W incandescent bulb with an LED strip, you need to take 8 meters of SMD3528 (30) or two meters of SMD3528 (120) or SMD5050(60) LED strip.
| The main technical characteristics of LED strips for voltage 12 V | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LED type | LED size, mm 2 | Number of LEDs per meter of LED strip length, pcs. | Power consumption of one meter of LED strip length, watt | Luminous flux of LED strip length meter, lm | Equivalent power of an incandescent lamp, watts |
| SMD3014 superbright | 3.0×1.4 | 60 | 6,0 | 600 | 40 |
| 120 | 12,0 | 1200 | 80 | ||
| 240 | 24,0 | 2400 | 160 | ||
| SMD3528 | 3.5×2.8 | 30 | 2,4 | 150 | 10 |
| 60 | 4,8 | 300 | 20 | ||
| 120 | 9,6 | 600 | 40 | SMD5050 | 5.0×5.0 | 30 | 7,2 | 360 | 24 |
| 60 | 14,4 | 720 | 48 |
How to connect the LED strip to the mains
Connecting the LED strip to the car's on-board network
LED strips are ideal for direct connection to the car's on-board network. The main thing is that the tape matches the voltage of the vehicle's on-board network in terms of supply voltage. For cars you need to choose a waterproof tape designed for a supply voltage of 12 V, for trucks - for 24 V.
At what voltage is the battery installed in the car, at this voltage you need to take the tape. When connecting the LED strip to the vehicle's on-board network, the polarity must be observed; the symbols "+" and "-" are marked on the tape. If the polarity is confused, then nothing bad will happen, just the LEDs will not glow.
Connecting the LED strip to a 220 V household power supply
Unlike electric lamps, LED strips cannot be connected directly to a household electrical network 220 V. They need a DC supply voltage of 12 V or 24 V. The supply voltage is indicated on the tape along its entire length. Voltage converters are used to obtain the required voltage.
While there is no established terminology, they are called differently: drivers, adapters, converters, power supplies, power supplies. All these words refer to one device that converts the AC mains voltage of 220 V into a DC voltage of the required value, for tapes, depending on the type, 12 V (often used) or 24 V (rarely used, as a rule, in RGB tapes).
To select a power supply for an LED strip, not only the value of the constant voltage at the output is important, but also the amount of current that it can deliver to the load. To select a suitable power supply for a particular case, you need to find out the total amount of current that all installed LED strips will consume.
An example of calculating a power supply for an LED strip
For example, let's select a power supply unit (PSU) for the LED strip, which we have chosen above to illuminate the ceiling. Usually, the current consumption of a tape meter is indicated in the accompanying documentation, but if there is none, then it is easy to perform the calculation yourself. It is enough to multiply the number of installed LEDs by the current consumption of each of them.
We chose an LED strip with installed LEDs of the LED-CW-SMD5050 type, the length of the strip is 18 meters, and there are 30 LEDs per meter. The total number of LEDs is 18×30=540 pcs. One LED-CW-SMD5050 (according to the reference table) consumes a current of 0.02 A, therefore the total current consumption of the entire backlight will be: 540 × 0.02 A = 10.8 A.
But we did not take into account that the LEDs at a tape supply voltage of 12 V are connected three in series through resistors, therefore, the calculated current must be reduced three times: 10.8 A / 3 \u003d 3.6 A. But in one housing of the LED-CW- The SMD5050 contains three elementary LEDs, so the resulting current must be multiplied by 3. That is, the resulting current will be 10.8 A. As a result of the calculation, it is determined that a 12 V power supply with a load current of up to 10.8 A is required.
To calculate the power of the required PSU, you need to multiply the voltage by the current: 12 V × 10.8 A = 130 W, it turned out that you need a 130 W PSU. For reliable operation of the PSU, a 20% power reserve is required. As a result, you will need a 156W power supply. In practice, you can use any power supply that meets the necessary requirements.
Device and installation of LED strip
On a flexible plastic tape up to 5 m long there are thin copper conductive tracks of the required configuration. LEDs of the SMD3528 or SMD5050 type and current-limiting SMD resistors of the P1-12 type with a power of 0.125 W are soldered to the tracks. Please note that the size of the LED is indicated in the designation, for example, SMD5050 has a size of 5.0 mm × 5.0 mm. With a supply voltage of 12 V, three LEDs connected in series and one or more current-limiting resistors are installed. The number of resistors is determined depending on the amount of power dissipated on them. The resistor can be placed anywhere in the circuit, on the circuit it is on the plus side, you can install it on the minus side or between any LEDs.
Electrical circuit and wiring diagram
LED strip segment
Resistor marking
The resistor is marked with the number 151. This means that the resistor value is 150 ohms. Deciphering the label is easy. It is indicated by a three-digit number. The last digit in the number tells how many zeros to add to the first two digits. For example, the resistor is marked 153, which means you need to add 3 zeros to 15, we get 15,000 ohms.
For clarity, I gave below the eclectic wiring diagram. A complete LED strip circuit is a large number of such circuits connected in parallel. With a supply voltage of 24 V, the number of LEDs connected in series in the circuit can reach up to 10 pieces. Pay attention to the marking of the LEDs, from the side of connection to the cathode (minus), the corner of the LED body has a cut. Pictured in the lower right corner.
Connection and fastening of LED strips
On the side of the tape opposite the LEDs, a sticky layer is applied, protected by a film. In order to fix the tape on the surface, it is enough to remove the protective film and apply the sticky side to the installation site. When organizing lighting using LED strips, often a length of 5 meters is redundant, so it is possible to cut the strip into segments. The places where the tape can be cut are indicated by the image of conditional scissors and the cut line. The step of cutting the LED strip into segments sets the number of LEDs connected in series. Near the cut line on both sides there are contact pads that allow you to solder wires to them in case of splicing tape segments to each other. You need to solder very carefully with a low-power soldering iron.
The connection polarity and the supply voltage are marked next to the contact pads. There are special clips that allow you to connect LED strips without soldering.
To one end of the LED strip, conductors are usually already soldered for connection to the power supply. Two wires are required to connect monochrome tapes, four wires for RGB tapes: black (common is connected to the positive terminal) and three color wires. The length of the wires is no more than half a meter, and if the power supply cannot be installed next to the LED strip, then the conductors will have to be extended to the desired length.
LED strips are indispensable when you need to provide lighting or illumination over a long distance. Only LED strips that are not protected from moisture can be cut into pieces, that is, only those that are intended for indoor use. It is unacceptable to cut moisture-proof and moisture-resistant LED strips without subsequent sealing.
To eliminate this shortcoming, LED modules have been created that make it possible to illuminate the interior and illuminated advertising easily, quickly and reliably. The scope of LED modules in practice is limited only by human imagination. Particularly useful modules for lighting in the car. It is enough to connect through the fuse to the on-board network and glue or fix the module with self-tapping screws inside the car interior or from its outside.
The design of the LED modules is a shallow crib made of plastic or metal, in which a printed circuit board with LEDs is installed. The top of the board is filled with transparent silicone. Thus, protection against moisture and splashing water is provided. The LEDs are connected in the same way as in the LED strip above.
On the outer side of the bottom of the crib there is a sticky layer, by opening which, by removing the protective film, the module can be fixed on any flat surface. It is possible to mount the modules by the lugs using self-tapping screws. All lighting and electrical calculations given above on the page for the LED strip are also valid for LED modules.
Rectangular LED modules are sold in the form of blocks, in the photo there is a block of 20 modules.
Modules are easily separated from the block one by one or in groups. All modules are already electrically interconnected. It is enough to apply power to any of the extreme ones and the LEDs on all modules will light up. Blocks can be increased in any number by connecting them in parallel.
About the choice of wire cross-section for connecting LED strip
The LED strip consumes little power, and the current consumption with a strip length of one meter, even the brightest SMD5050 (60), is no more than 1.2 A. Therefore, you can not think about the wire cross section when connecting such a piece of tape, almost any available under hand stranded wire.
But when connecting a tape 18 meters long, such as LED-CW-SMD5050 (30), which we selected to illuminate the ceiling of the room above, you should already seriously think about how the total current consumption will be 10.8 A. Unfortunately, I didn’t find it anywhere, what current is allowed on the copper track of the tape itself. But, knowing the power consumption of one meter of the LED strip and the supply voltage, I calculated the amount of current that LED strips of various lengths of popular types would consume, and summarized the results in a table.
| Reference table of current consumption of LED strips for voltage 12 V | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LED strip type | Number of LEDs per meter of LED strip length, pcs | Current consumption (A), LED strip length: | ||||
| 1m | 2 m | 3m | 4 m | 5 m | ||
| SMD3014 | 60 | 0,5 | 1,0 | 1,5 | 2,0 | 2,5 |
| 120 | 1,0 | 2,0 | 3,0 | 4,0 | 5,0 | |
| 240 | 2,0 | 4,0 | 6,0 | 8,0 | 10,0 | |
| SMD3528 | 30 | 0,2 | 0,4 | 0,6 | 0,8 | 1,0 |
| 60 | 0,4 | 0,8 | 1,2 | 1,6 | 2,0 | |
| 120 | 0,8 | 1,6 | 2,4 | 3,2 | 4,0 | |
| SMD5050 | 30 | 0,6 | 1,2 | 1,8 | 2,4 | 3,0 |
| 60 | 1,2 | 2,4 | 3,6 | 4,8 | 6,0 | |
Since LED strips are produced with a maximum length of up to 5 meters, the manufacturer must ensure the necessary cross-section of the tracks that can withstand the current consumption of the LED strip, and you can take its value as a basis for developing an electrical wiring diagram for connecting the LED strip to a power source.
Based on economic considerations, the stock of tracks in terms of load current does not exceed 20%. Therefore, connecting all four of our tape segments in series, soldering the end of one segment with jumpers to the beginning of the next LED strip, is not permissible, since a current three times higher than the permissible will flow through the conductors of the tape connected directly to the power supply.
This will lead to overheating of the first tape, which is fraught with its failure, and a weak glow of those included behind it. Therefore, it is necessary to connect each tape individually with a double wire with a core cross section of at least 0.5 mm 2 directly to the output of the power supply. Below is a typical scheme for connecting LED strips to a power source when organizing room lighting by installing LED strips along the corners of the ceiling behind the cornices.
Since one power supply is designed for a current consumption of 6 A, we had to use two identical blocks, each supplying half the length of the backlight. The switch connects both units at the same time. If you use a double switch, then it will be possible to turn on the tapes in sections. When parallel sections of the tape are connected to the power supply, it will be possible to turn them on individually or all at the same time, changing the lighting design. RGB tapes are connected according to exactly the same wiring diagram. Only instead of two wires, 4 are laid. One common and one for each color.
If one powerful power supply is installed at a considerable distance from the tapes, then it is advisable to stretch a pair of thick wires from the power supply to the LED strips. You can select the required wire cross-section for a given current according to the table. For example, for our case, at a current of 10.8 A, you need a wire with a core diameter of 1.6 mm (section 2.0 mm 2). Put the junction box and already in it with thin wires connect the tapes through the terminal block or by soldering to the incoming wire from the power supply. In each specific case, it is necessary to make an individual decision based on the boundary conditions.
Powerful power supplies are usually large, and it is often more advisable to use several less powerful units, placing them in close proximity to the LED strips.
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