Technical comparison
This the inscription is intended for a normal consumer who does not have education in the electronics sector, but is interested in peeking behind the scenes of LED products without advertising phrases.
Led strips the comparison seems simple suddenly. The tapes have been technical data showing the belt power/meter or power/roll. Also voltage, usually 12 V or 24 V. It is also essential for the user to the light tone given by the strip LEDs.
Years then we had a supplier of high-quality tapes. Manufacturer. The problem was the high price and too long delivery time. The starting point was to find equally good quality with faster delivery time and preferably at a lower price by tendering once again to manufacturers Together. I started by ordering a few model rolls from several carefully selected manufacturer who assured that they would sell good quality tapes, one of the announced that it would sell ribbons to other Finnish importers in the past. In my search, it was a 24-volt so-called. high-power strip, 14.4 W/metre in power, used for more demanding lighting. All were also given a requirement to a particular manufacturer of the LED component itself, the intention was to obtain a proper Tape. The stuff started coming and we got tested. The meters looked surprising readings: 14 watts per metre of the promised tape was powered by e.g. 3.7 W/m, 4.3 W/m, 6.3 W/m, 7.7 W/m, 8.9 W/m, the best band was 9.2 W/m. Situation appeared to be prolonged. We had to order more models from different places.
Project with several suppliers. If the product has been paid for the price of 14 watts tape, why should i accept 4 watt power ? The explanation was, among other things, that everyone else sells the tape at the power that the tape heats up too much, the LEDs heat up too much. Yes, that’s why the tape holds glued directly to an aluminium moulding or cooling profile. Again came several quarters that they have resellers in Finland who have distributors who have they buy tapes from them. Who knows even if it’s true, with a lot of online retailers. is a text which says that the technical information is based on a factory declaration and that’s it. Apparently, it’s the buyer’s responsibility to get what he gets. The bottom was 2.2 W/meter. After the battle, the manufacturer admitted that the goods were a wolf and we received 8 W/m. Unfortunately, you couldn’t put it in normal Sale.
The end result of ordering and testing work for one and a half years of model items was that there are fewer than 10 decent tape manufacturers. Somehow acceptable products delivered n. 30 manufacturers. The remaining 60% of the tapes were even unsuitable as promotional products. The standard base band 4.8 W/m gives better light output and much cheaper prices. However, this comparison with a good quality basic band; the same study should be carried out in that power class, the differences in quality are spectacular. The circuit board is on cheaper tapes than serpentine and the LEDs cannot be extended for a very long life. And all this applies to the so-called “LEDs of good quality”. export products. Cheap products intended for the far east’s own market are not even quoted in this comparison. The power readings of the LED strips are the rated power outputs, which are calculated according to the optimal currents given to the LEDs, taking into account a few other factors, resulting in a reading of 14.4 W/metre. E.g. The 5050 LED contains 3 LED chips with a current of 20 mA each. The threshold voltage is approx. 3.5 V and 60 LEDS per metre. 3.5 V x 0.020 A x 3 x 60 = 12.6 W. Already this calculation indicates that the actual LED power is never rated power. A good tape with a 5050 type LED has more than 10 watts/meter, excellent tape 12 W/m. In measuring power, it is also relevant whether a 10 cm, metre or 5 m band is measured. In addition, the tape has many factors, such as front resistors, voltage drop due to the length of the circuit board, etc. further address in this context. The high-performance tape has a significant operating voltage, 12 V or 24 V. 24 volts is by far better and the competitors have also learned it over the years. Ultimately, of course, the light output still depends on the quality and type of the LED. All the same: At 4 Watts of tape, the same light output as a 12-watt tape is not achieved. There is no response to this problem in increasing tape power. Already the current 14 watt tape is cooled well, but the situation is starting to be challenging eg. With 28 Watts of tape power, although the actual power is probably less than 20 Watts in most parts.
Time new LED types will be added to the tapes that will change the situation. Any radical solution should not be expected, light outputs are growing slowly. Situation where the light output of the strips is compared with real watts is maintained. New led types, the old ones slowly enter history and the tape the designer and the manufacturer remain responsible for the usefulness of the tape. The dealer must ensure that the technical information provided by the are real. This requires good electrical engineering and electronics Knowledge.
The illustrations below show the power supply displays with different loads on the 5 m rollers. Compared with a low-quality 12-volt tape and a premium 24-volt tape.
12 V weak tape 5 meters, 12 V x 2.45 A = 29 W
Same comparison with 1 m strips:
In the difference in favour of the 24 V band: one metre away from the power difference is only +30, which is not actually a voltage difference, but with the same tapes on the five-metre roll, the difference is already +93.
Considerations is also that the effect of the tape depends on whether it is installed in a uniform or several shorter snippets with the chest connected. It would be desirable never to tape more than 5 m. Many tape types, 5 metres are already too much.