The relationship between voltage and led strip
We know that the safety voltage of the human body is 36V, and the general working voltage of LED strip lights is 5V, 12V, or 24V. These LED strips are called low-voltage LED strip lights. 36V and 48V constant current LED strip lights are also included in the category of low-voltage lighting strips due to their small potential hazards.
High-voltage LED strip lights usually refer to AC110V LED strip lights or AC220V LED tape lights. The light strips are directly inserted into the socket and use the national voltage. This is the direct difference between low-voltage LED strips and high-voltage LED strip lights – the operating voltage is not the same.
We must know that high voltage is very dangerous to the human body. So AC high voltage led strips are waterproof IP67 grade which are wrapped with glue. In terms of safety in use, the safety hazard of high-voltage light strips is indeed greater than that of low-voltage led light strips. This is where we must pay full attention when using danger high-voltage LED lighting strips.
· Safe Low Voltage : 5V, 12V, 24V, 36V, 48V · Danger High Voltage : AC110V, AC220V
LED light strip running length
Voltage drop is a constant topic when talking about low voltage lighting LED strips and even installations. Why is the voltage drop so important for low-voltage lighting strips? There are various electronic parts on the LED light strip, LED patches, resistors, etc. These parts will cause voltage consumption, and the more parts the voltage flows through, the more voltage is consumed.
For example, the voltage at the starting position is 12V, and after running for two or three meters, the voltage drops to 10V or even lower. In the LED lighting, the specific performance is that the LED brightness is weakened, and if it is a white light LED strip, there will be a color change. Therefore, the longest running length of the low-voltage 5-24V LED strip light is about 15-20m. The solution to the voltage drop is to supplement the power input where the LED strip voltage drop occurs, but it will increase the cost of the low voltage transformer.
The 24V, 36V, or 48V constant current long led strip lights have a constant current IC chip, without led strip voltage drop, so that the brightness and color of the light strip are consistent at any position of the 20-meter long led strip light, and it is a good choice for low-voltage super-long led strips. However, note that the constant current strip light still needs to use a constant voltage power supply.
However, the higher the voltage, the longer the strip runs. It’s like you can only run one lap outdoors when you’re tired, but when you have enough energy, you can run five laps. It’s the same. Therefore, high-voltage LED lighting strips generally have a length of 50 meters or even 100 meters in a roll, power at one end and the LED brightness is almost the same.
Strip Running Length : 5V led strip < 12V led strip < 24V led strip < constant current led strip < AC high voltage led strip
LED strip light installation
Due to the low working voltage, the low voltage led light strip can be cut with one LED light (DC5V), three LED lights (DC12V), and six LED lights (DC24V) at a time, which can be well adapted to your needs of different lengths. However, in order to ensure safety, high-voltage light strips, AC110V or AC220V led strips, are generally cut every one meter, which reduces the installation accuracy.
The use of low voltage led light strips requires a suitable DC power supply. For example, a 12V LED strip light needs to use a 12V power transformer to convert the national voltage (AC110V/AC220V) to 12VDC output. In terms of power supply, low voltage led strips have to purchase the LED transformers than high-voltage light strips, which you must prepare. Whether it is a low voltage RGB LED strip or a high voltage RGB light strip, if you want to change the color of the strip lighting, you must configure a LED controller.
Low voltage light strips can be installed in kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, ceilings, and other household lighting as well as commercial lighting, offices, shopping malls, retail stores, supermarkets, etc. High-voltage light strips need to be installed in places that are difficult for the human body to touch, and are generally used for building outline lighting.
· Low voltage led strip wiring : light strip - (conteoller) - led transformer - outlet · High voltage led strip wiring : light strip - (controller) - outlet
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