How to Choose LED Strips? Part.1

LED strips are flexible light sources, and can be used in a variety of ways. They consist of a flexible substrate (printed circuit board or PCB) backed with self-adhesive tape and evenly inlaid with a row of light-emitting diodes. The LEDs are positioned at regular intervals, typically 60 or 120 LEDs per meter, sometimes 128, 420 or 700 LEDs, to give a smooth effect when they are illuminated.

LED strip lights are available in a wide range of colors, including some selectable whites as well as color-changing RGB/RGBW/RGBWW strips, which allows to you mix any shade of any color when connected to an LED controller.

Due to several factors such as simple operation, low cost and multiple variations, linear strip lighting has become very popular and is becoming an affordable option for commercial and residential lighting applications. Purchasing LED strips may seem quick and easy,but there are many things you need to consider to ensure you get the right type of light for your needs. Read this article and you will learn what's important to LED strip lighting and how to choose the right LED strip for yourself.

1.Brightness 

If you're buying LED lights, the wattage-based method of determining brightness is outdated. What you need is to look at the lumens of the LED strip light. What is lumen? It is a measurement of the amount of light produced by a light source. The brightness of an LED is measured in lumens. Depending on how you use your LED strip, you may need a certain level of lumens. So be sure to pay attention to lumens/length and LED/length as this will have a strong effect on light quality.

Different projects or applications require a certain level of brightness to achieve their purpose. YUJILEDS advice is to always choose the brighter option and add a dimmer. Here's a helpful guide on lumen requirements:

• Accent or mood lighting – 150-350 lumens/ft.
• Under cabinet lighting – 175-525 lumens/ft.
• Task lighting with low distance from light source – 300-450 lumens/ft.
• Task lighting with higher distance from light source – 350-700 lumens/ft.
• Bedroom & cove Lighting – 180-500 lumens/ft.
• Industrial & tube replacements – 500-950 lumens/ft.

 2. CCT

CCT (Correlated color temperature) refers to the color temperature of light, and is measured in Kelvin (K). Different temperatures on the Kelvin scale represent different colors. For example, light at 1800K-3200K looks more orange/yellow and is called warm white, and as temperature increases in Kelvins, color changes to more of a “paper white” known as natural or neutral white (between 4000K and 5000K) and finally becomes a bluish white known as cool white (5600K-6500K).

So, how should we choose the color?

The picture below shows a same indoor scenario lit up with warm white, neutral white and cool white strips. Notice how color temperature of a strip light affects the look of the entire application area? It all comes down to personal preference and the overall style and feel you want the room or space to give off.

Warm white (1800K-3200K) creates a warm and comfortable area. It is generally used in rooms where everyone gathers to visit or relax (living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, etc.).

Neutral or natural White (4000K-5000K) creates a natural daylight effect. This is the best-selling strip as it mimics natural light and can be used comfortably anywhere in the home.

Cool white (5600K-6500K) casts a bright and fresh glow. Cool white is great for task lighting as it is a brighter and more focused light. The cool bright colors are used the most in bathrooms, kitchens, and workspaces.

3.CRI

Color rendering index (CRI) is a measure of how accurately an artificial light source replicates natural light. It is reported as a number from 0-100.

A CRI greater than 80 is acceptable for most applications. A CRI greater than 90 is considered high CRI and is mainly used in retail, art, film, or photography. Some of the best quality LED strips have a CRI of 97-99.

YUJILED lights have Ra values all above 90 and show superior testing results for the recently developed CQS (Color Quality Scale) as well.

High CRI LED lighting also has other applications in areas such as hospitals or textile industries where color differentiation is crucial in work performance. High CRI LEDs are ideal in locations where savings in energy consumption are desired, yet quality of light must be maintained.

We will continue to introduce how to choose LED strip products from other aspects, such as efficacy, led quantity and quality control. Stay tuned to our following blogs.