Category Archives: lighting

The online store offers over 600 types of easy, so-called retrofitted LED strip sets. These sets are packages selected from the store’s offerings, so if someone wants to add mood lighting with an LED strip afterward, they won’t need to search for accessories. These kits are designed so that you simply connect the components, stick the LED strip, fix the power connection point, plug the power supply into the outlet, and the LED strip will light up.

Additionally, you can choose from non-switch and about 10 types with switches, dimmers, infrared, or radio frequency remote controls. Options include warm white, cool white, red, yellow, green, blue, purple, or RGB (adjustable color) and RGBW. They range from 1 meter up to 10 meters, in 1-meter increments. If you need a non-standard length, choose a longer strip and cut it shorter in segments of three LEDs, close to the required length. For white LED strips, you can choose from 3 brightness levels, single-color strips have one, and for RGB and RGBW, there are two brightness options. Moreover, in the case of RGBW, the white chip is available in 3 color temperatures.
Continue reading We have assembled easy-to-install LED strip sets →

Not just any profile will do for any strip.
The most important factor is the width of your LED strip because the LED profile must be at least this wide. It is crucial that this width allows for the LED strip to be adhered from the front. This is important to mention because there are wider, rail-like sections within the LED profile, but the LED strip is not threaded in; rather, it is adhered using the self-adhesive tape on the back for better heat transfer. The rail sections can accommodate appropriately wide LED bars, i.e., rigid LED strips.

Another factor is that the connectors and joiners that clip onto the LED strip are wider than the LED strip itself. For example, a connector with mounting pins suitable for an 8mm LED strip is 12.5mm wide and 5mm thick. This means that such a connector will only fit into an LED profile with this internal cross-section. It is also true that LED profiles typically only provide sufficient width for the LED strips or LED bars, not for the connectors or joiners. (There are rare exceptions like THIS, but they are quite rare.) Thus, it is generally true that wiring within the LED profile can only be done by soldering.
Continue reading Should I use a LED profile for LED strips, and if so, which one? →

LED strips typically operate on 12Volt direct current (though there are types that run on 5, 24, and 230Volts, the most common being 12Volts) and are available in 5-meter rolls.
These 12Volt 5-meter rolls can be cut to size at marked locations every 3 LEDs. At the ends of the pieces, at the marked locations (exposed copper surfaces), you can attach connectors or solder wires. It is important to note that in many cases, we cannot use connectors because, for example, the LEDs are too close together and the connector does not fit next to the cut edge. Or a resistor near the cut edge prevents the connector from snapping on. Or we want to stick the LED strip into an LED profile (which is very sensible), but the connector is wider, so it wouldn’t fit into the profile. In these “unpleasant” cases, soldering is the only option.

If you are considering a longer LED strip than one roll, it seems logical to solder the next 5 meters to the end of the first 5 meters, and so on. This seems convenient since it simplifies installation. You have one power supply at one end, and you can simply stick the 10-20-30 meters of LED strip under the ceiling, and voilà, your living room ceiling lighting is done.

DO NOT DO THIS! It can easily lead to disappointment.

Why?
Continue reading What you need to know about connecting LED strips →

LED strips most commonly operate on 12V DC, but there are also versions that operate on 24V and 230V. Sticking with the most common type, you will need a power supply that outputs 12V DC. To find out exactly which one to choose, you can refer to HERE.
Of course, you can also operate a shorter LED strip from a 12V battery as long as the battery lasts, or from an accumulator. However, be careful with the accumulator, as the LED strip does not tolerate overvoltage, and a fully charged accumulator can exceed 14V, which will cause the LED strip to fail prematurely. Therefore, when installed in a vehicle or operated from an accumulator, always use a voltage regulator. Such voltage regulators can be purchased from auto parts stores.

So, if you have a power supply of the appropriate power rating for your LED strip, and the LED strip has a DC Jane power connector, you can simply stick the LED strip in the desired location, plug the connector into the power supply, plug the power supply into the socket, and you’re good to go. If you don’t want the lights on, simply unplug it. This is a simple solution for LED implementation. Naturally, ensure that the power cable at the end of the strip does not pull on the LED strip, as this will cause the LED strip to detach from the adhesive surface. For indoor use, stick it to a dry, well-adhering surface in a moisture-free environment. For higher brightness strips, not only a well-adhering surface is needed but also good heat dissipation. Therefore, and for better appearance, the use of an LED profile might be necessary. The LED profile is mostly made of aluminum with some sort of transparent or semi-transparent cover element. Its essence, beyond aesthetics, is to act as a good heat conductor to dissipate the heat produced by the LED strip. Cooler environments increase the lifespan of LEDs, while heat shortens it. LED profiles are available for simple surface mounting, recessed mounting, corner elements, step lighting, etc.

Of course, the following information is not only valid for LED strips but also for low-voltage LED spotlights, LED star ceilings, or other indicator or guide lights, or even for 12V LED floodlights, but the issue most commonly arises with LED strips.

First, you need to know the voltage, that is, the number of volts, required by the selected LED strip. Most LED strips operate on 12V DC, but there are also LED strips that require 24V or 230V power supply.

First, based on the location and method of application, it is advisable to read the article titled Adapter or LED driver?
There are power supplies called adapters and there are those called LED drivers. Which one is more suitable for a particular place can be found out from the article.
Continue reading How to choose a power supply for LED strips? →

When we want to operate a LED lamp, in most cases, our LED light source works directly from the 230 Volt AC mains. That is, we screw it into the socket, turn on the light, and it works.

As with halogen bulbs, in certain cases, it is more practical or safer to use low-voltage bulbs. These are most commonly seen as 12 Volt bulbs in furniture lighting, desk lamps, and Christmas lights. This is also true for LEDs. There are LEDs that operate on 5, 12, or 24 Volt DC, some that can use both DC and AC, and some that can only be operated with 12 or 24 Volt AC.

Additionally, it is necessary to mention that there are LEDs that require constant current power supplies. That is, the LEDs are connected in series, so the power supply outputs a voltage depending on the number of LEDs connected in series, and the light output of the LEDs can be adjusted by the regulated current. But this is another area; this article is about the power supply of low-voltage LEDs connected in parallel to replace halogens.
Continue reading Adapter or stabilized LED driver power supply? →

COB stands for Chips on Board.

This is a new technology in the packaging of LEDs for lighting purposes. Essentially, many LED chips are integrated together on a single, good thermal conductor substrate without separate encapsulation. When lit, it looks like a continuous light panel without visible individual light points.

The reason for the development of this technology is to ensure that LED light sources with increasingly higher efficiency have a longer lifespan. This is achieved by emitting light over a larger surface area, and since there is no individual encapsulation, the substrate can dissipate heat over a large area and directly. Ensuring a lower operating temperature is the clear key to longer-lasting LED operation.

From a user experience perspective, the advantage of COB LEDs over other LED light sources is that because the light is generated over a larger, continuous area, it is possible to create designs that do not cause glare and yet provide adequate illumination. A traditional LED (DIP LED, SuperFlux, or Power LED, SMD LED) as a point light source can be very glaring. To reduce the glare caused by the strong light point, these LEDs often use optical lenses or etched glass surfaces, which all reduce efficiency. Although for other reasons, such as design, COB LEDs can also use matte finishes, lenses, or etched surfaces, fundamentally, COB LEDs are the least glaring and provide the most uniform illumination among LEDs.

Continue reading COB LED & MCOB LED →

It is more practical to mention the types of LEDs in somewhat chronological order, so those who are immediately interested in SMD LEDs can find them at the bottom of the page.

DIP LED

The most well-known LED form, which is also the oldest type. Originally, it functioned as an indicator light for electronic devices. The industry considers the lifespan of these traditional (usually 3-5mm diameter) epoxy-housed LEDs to be the shortest. If this weren’t the case, as the oldest types, only these would exist, and new solutions wouldn’t have been developed. Of course, these DIP LEDs are also constantly being developed, and they are capable of emitting increasing luminous flux. Moreover, to ensure higher luminous flux, the so-called dual-chip DIP LED was created. This is practically two LEDs built into one, thus capable of emitting double the luminous flux from one spot. This encapsulation of multiple chips has proven to be a successful solution for other types as well. In this case, its peculiarity is that its size remains the same as if there were only one chip in the epoxy housing. Thus, theoretically, we can achieve double the luminous flux from the same spot, but this also comes with double heating, which raises doubts about the expected lifespan.

The industry considers DIP LEDs to have a short lifespan because the light and heat generated in a small area, due to their small size, result in poor heat dissipation, and the continuous oxidation of the epoxy housing, the lens, leads to a decrease in luminous flux. Against the problem of heat dissipation, it is argued that the excellent (in many cases perhaps the highest) efficiency of DIP LEDs results in very little heat generation. Even after prolonged illumination, DIP LEDs are touchable, just warm, not hot, and manufacturers haven’t even installed heat sinks on them. In contrast, the Power LEDs introduced below, and increasingly more powerful SMD LEDs generate so much heat that they are unusable without heat sinks, as they would quickly deteriorate. The advantage of DIP LEDs over other solutions is that practically any lighting angle LED can be manufactured within a 120-degree spatial angle without a separate lens or mirror structure. That is, the head end of the epoxy casing is shaped into a lens form, and the distance between the light source and the lens, as well as the curvature of the head end (i.e., lens), determines the lighting angle. Most commonly, DIP LEDs with lighting angles of 120, 90, 60, 38, 30, and 15 degrees are found.

SuperFlux LED

Continue reading SMD LED, Power LED, SuperFlux LED, DIP LED →

We all experience how different colors evoke various moods in us. In color therapy, we harness the healing and stimulating effects of colors. The healing and mood-improving effects of colors are multiplied with the use of color therapy. It replenishes lost energy, improves memory and resilience, relieves stress, eases digestive issues, invigorates, refreshes, and rejuvenates. Color therapy creates harmony in our soul and can bring us peace.

Hollwich (1964), Tilgner (1967), and Dieckhuss (1974) studied the effects of colored radiation on human water balance, sugar metabolism, the diencephalon and pituitary system, blood composition, hormone metabolism, the autonomic nervous system, and liver metabolism. They proved that colored metals and colored environments also elicit experimentally verifiable reactions in living organisms. Thus, ultraviolet rays enhance performance, and the red color’s effect on increasing blood flow is also evident on skin areas not directly exposed to radiation. Various pathological phenomena caused by exposure to different colored environments have been described.

Colors, with their electromagnetic vibrations, continuously affect us throughout our lives, whether we are aware of it or not. A seaside vacation with the soothing proximity of the vast blue water relaxes and calms us. The green of vast forests soothes and balances us. Colors can be used in many ways for healing. We can linger on a painting, use carefully chosen colored tablecloths and curtains, or even paint the room in colors appropriate for the treatment. Selecting our clothes based on their color can address any issue. We can choose foods that match our mood and health from vegetables and fruits of appropriate colors. But we can also use colored light techniques. However, whatever method we choose, the goal is always to achieve harmony, so we should only use shades that do not conflict with our tastes and aesthetic sense, as we can only hope for healing and good cheer from these!
Continue reading RGB LED color therapy →