LEDCO v Peknom bývaní 2013 – odborné rady pri výbere LED pásov

LEDCO in Pekné bývanie 6/2013 – LED strips that light up interiors

LED strips are now among the most widely used elements of modern lighting. In 2013, however, the technology was still developing rapidly and customers often made decisions mainly by wattage or price. Even then, LEDCO was pointing out that a good selection process had to go further.

The June issue of Pekné bývanie 6/2013 featured the article “Pásiky, ktoré svietia”, to which LEDCO s.r.o. contributed expert information.

One of our key recommendations was to consider not only the electrical power of an LED strip in W/m, but also its actual luminous flux in lm/m.

That principle still applies more than a decade later.

The technology has changed dramatically, but the technical logic behind selecting an LED strip remains similar.

Watts do not tell you how much light you will get

With LED technology, two basic quantities need to be distinguished:

W/m – watts per metre
indicates the electrical power consumed by the LED strip.

lm/m – lumens per metre
indicates how much light the strip produces per metre of length.

Two LED strips with the same wattage do not necessarily produce the same amount of light.

The difference may be caused by LED chip efficacy, component quality, strip construction, operating temperature or other technical properties.

This is why we were already stressing in 2013 that choosing an LED strip by wattage alone is not the right approach.

One LED strip for atmosphere, another for task lighting

One of the subjects in the original article was selecting LED strips according to the amount of light required.

That remains fundamental today.

An LED strip may provide only a subtle accent, or it may serve as fully functional lighting.

Different requirements apply to:

  • decorative furniture backlighting,
  • indirect ceiling lighting,
  • a line of light integrated into a wall,
  • shelf lighting,
  • a kitchen worktop,
  • a commercial interior,
  • the manufacture of a linear luminaire.

That is why we do not begin a design by asking:

“How many watts does the LED strip use?”

A better question is:

“What does this LED strip need to illuminate, and how much light do we need for that?”

Historical values should not be treated as universal guidance today

In the 2013 article, we also provided indicative luminous-flux values for different applications.

With the benefit of hindsight, these should be understood as technical context from that period, not as universal recommendations for current projects.

LED technology has advanced significantly since then.

Modern strips offer different efficacy, higher LED density, better colour rendering, new COB/COF constructions and much broader control possibilities.

In a current design, luminous flux is therefore selected according to the specific application, the geometry of the space, the distance from the illuminated surface, the profile used and the desired result.

12 V or 24 V?

Supply voltage is another important parameter.

For common fixed LED-strip installations, 24 V DC is now very widely used.

At the same power, a 24 V system carries approximately half the current of a 12 V system.

In simplified form:

I = P / U

For example, an LED strip with a total power of 120 W:

  • at 12 V → approximately 10 A,
  • at 24 V → approximately 5 A.

Lower current helps reduce cable losses and is advantageous in longer installations.

This does not mean that 12 V and 24 V components can be mixed freely.

The supply voltage of the LED strip, power supply and control components must be compatible.

Light colour can significantly change the result

LED strips are not selected by power and luminous flux alone.

Correlated colour temperature – CCT is also very important.

As a general guide:

  • 2700–3000 K – warm, comfortable light suited to residential and hospitality spaces,
  • around 4000 K – neutral white for work and general lighting,
  • 5000–6500 K – cooler light for selected technical or work applications.

We also increasingly use CCT / Tunable White LED strips, which allow the colour temperature of white light to be adjusted.

This makes it possible to use warmer evening light and more neutral task lighting in the same space.

CRI – keeping colours true

For LED strips intended for high-quality interior lighting, the CRI/Ra colour rendering index is another important parameter.

Where accurate colour appearance matters, we prefer quality LED strips with CRI 90+.

Typical applications include:

  • kitchens,
  • residential interiors,
  • retail spaces,
  • furniture,
  • material showrooms,
  • artworks and objects,
  • showrooms.

Two strips may have a similar colour temperature and luminous flux, yet the resulting quality of light can be visibly different.

LED strips need proper thermal management

LED technology produces significantly less waste heat than many older light sources, but heat is still generated.

And it needs to be dissipated.

This is why LED strips are installed in aluminium LED profiles in many applications.

A profile can serve several functions:

  • help dissipate heat,
  • mechanically protect the LED strip,
  • allow a diffuser to be fitted,
  • provide a professional finish to the line of light,
  • simplify integration into furniture or architecture.

It is important to stress, however, that not every profile is suitable for every LED-strip power level.

For higher-power assemblies, the thermal management of the specific solution must always be assessed.

Visible dots or a continuous line of light?

The appearance of LED strips has also changed considerably in recent years.

Conventional SMD strips have individual LED chips positioned at set intervals.

With an unsuitable profile or a very shallow diffuser, individual points of light can remain visible.

Modern COB/COF and high-density LED strips can reduce this effect significantly.

Even here, however, there is no universal rule.

The final uniformity depends on the combination of:

  • LED density,
  • the distance between the LEDs and diffuser,
  • profile depth,
  • diffuser type,
  • viewing angle.

A perfect line of light is the result of the complete system, not the LED strip alone.

The right power supply is part of the solution

An LED strip needs a suitable power supply.

For constant-voltage strips, the basic calculation is:

total power = LED-strip length × power per metre

For example:

5 m × 9.6 W/m = 48 W

The power supply should then be selected with appropriate headroom, taking into account the specific supply type, installation method and manufacturer requirements.

Wattage alone is not the only consideration.

We also check:

  • the correct output voltage,
  • the operating environment,
  • cooling,
  • IP protection,
  • the dimming method,
  • control-system compatibility.

Long LED-strip runs require voltage-drop planning

The longer a low-voltage LED installation is, the more attention must be paid to how it is powered.

With unsuitable wiring, the far end of a strip may be visibly dimmer or its colour may shift.

We therefore assess:

  • the length of individual sections,
  • power in W/m,
  • system voltage,
  • conductor cross-section,
  • distance from the power supply,
  • the maximum recommended strip feed length,
  • whether multiple feed points are required.

This is another reason why an LED strip is not simply a matter of buying a “roll of light”.

From a simple strip to intelligent lighting

The possibilities offered by LED strips are much broader today than they were in 2013.

In addition to single-colour strips, we use:

  • CCT / Tunable White,
  • RGB,
  • RGBW,
  • RGB+CCT,
  • digitally addressable strips,
  • flexible NeonFlex systems.

They can be integrated into different control systems to create lighting scenes, automation or dynamic effects.

Depending on the project, professional installations may use PWM control, DALI, DMX, Casambi or other compatible systems.

The control solution must always match the specific LED-strip type and the electrical architecture used.

We were advising on LED strips as early as 2013

For us, the Pekné bývanie article is particularly interesting as another record of LEDCO’s history.

At a time when LED strips were still a relatively new technology for many customers, we were already explaining publicly that lighting decisions should not be based on power consumption alone.

The amount and quality of light, proper design and the right technical solution are what matter.

Over more than a decade, the product range and the possibilities of LED technology have expanded dramatically.

The basic principle remains the same:

we choose an LED strip according to what it needs to illuminate – not just by price or wattage.

Original article

Magazine: Pekné bývanie
Issue: 6/2013
Article: Pásiky, ktoré svietia
Expert contribution: LEDCO s.r.o.

“View the original article Pásiky, ktoré svietia in Pekné bývanie 6/2013.”

LEDCO – LED strips from components to a complete solution

At LEDCO, we now approach LED strips as a complete system – from selecting the light source through the aluminium profile, power supply and controls to lighting design and implementation.

You can find the current range in the LED strips category in the LEDCO e-shop.

For more demanding applications, we recommend selecting the complete system together. The correct LED strip must be compatible with the profile, power supply, controls and the environment in which it will operate.

Good LED lighting does not begin with the number of watts. It begins with the required result.