Exploring the Various Types of LED Strip Lighting Systems

Types of LED Strips explained

LED strip lighting systems, also known as LED tapes or LED ribbon lights, have become increasingly popular due to their versatility and energy efficiency. These lighting solutions come in various forms, including flexible LED strips, rigid LED strips, Zhaga LED strips, backlight LED strips, flexible backlight LED strips, and power LED strips. In this article, we will delve into the different types of LED strip lighting systems, discussing their unique features, advantages, and potential applications.

 

Zhaga LumiBar LED strips 

 Professional LinearZ Modules with Toshiba-SSC SunLike TRI-R LED CRI97 +, Plug & Play Zhaga, flux up to 2700 lm/m

Zhaga LumiBar LED strips are a type of rigid LED strip that adheres to the Zhaga Consortium's standards for shape and connection. These standardized specifications ensure that luminaires using Zhaga LED strips can be easily maintained, upgraded, or replaced with future versions or LED strips from different manufacturers. Common standards include the Zhaga Book 7 L56W2 for 56 cm long and 2 cm wide strips, and the Book 7 L28W2 for 28 cm long and 2 cm wide modules. Zhaga LED strips also require a plug-and-play connection and space on the PCB for installation using screws.

Advantages of Zhaga LED Strips:

  1. Easy installation
  2. Compatibility with the latest LED technology, such as SunLike CRI98+, Nichia Optisolis CRI99+, and special spectrum for plant growth Nichia Rsp0A
  3. Future-proof and serviceable, allowing for easy replacement
  4. High brightness

 

Flexible LumiFlex LED strips

  Professional Lumiflex Nichia LED Strips, 100.000 hours lifetime, flux up to 2600 lm/m

 

Flexible LED strips consist of LEDs mounted on a narrow, flexible PCB. They are also commonly referred to as "LED tape light" or "string light". Typically, flexible LED strips are available in 5-meter reels and operate at 24VDC or 12VDC, with a compatible transformer powering an entire reel. To ensure a secure installation, flexible LED strips require a suitable surface, such as glass or metal, to adhere to their back adhesive tape. Aluminum profiles are ideal for use with flexible LED strips, as they provide necessary cooling and convert the strip into a linear lighting fixture.

Advantages of Flexible LED Strips:

  1. Flexibility allows for installation on curved surfaces
  2. Simple assembly with the back adhesive strip
  3. Good thermal conductivity
  4. Seamless lighting up to 5 meters in length
  5. Narrow strips available (from 5 mm in width)
  6. Affordable

 

Rigid MultiBar LED strips

 Professional Multibar Nichia LED Strips, Plug & Play, CRI90+, flux up to 1600 lm/m

 

Rigid MultiBar LED strips use a PCB made of aluminum or FR4, making them easier to install mechanically than flexible LED strips when creating linear lighting fixtures. These strips often have holes specifically designed for securing with screws or holders, allowing for permanent installation on a variety of surfaces or environments, such as wood, plaster, or stone, which may not be adhesive-friendly. Many rigid LED strips also feature a plug-and-play connection system for easy electrical wiring without the need for soldering.

Advantages of Rigid LED Strips:

  1. Suitable for all even surfaces
  2. Permanent fixation with screws or holders
  3. Robust and durable
  4. Easy to connect using plug-and-play systems
  5. Typically made of FR4 or aluminum

 

Backlight LED strip 

 Professional BackMatrix Nichia LED, up to 39,000 lm / square meter

Designed for wide-area illumination or backlighting, backlight LED strips, also known as "LED matrix" strips or modules, feature a uniform LED arrangement in both length and width. These strips can be extended in all directions with additional modules to create large, uniform LED fields, making them perfect for illuminated ceilings, architectural lighting, surface luminaires, and advertising signs.

Advantages of Backlight LED strip

  1. Uniform lighting for large surfaces
  2. Excellent for large area lighting and advertising
  3. Extendable in all directions
  4. Easy to install or replace due to their large module size
  5. Permanent fixation with screws or brackets

 

Flexible Backlight LED strip

  Professional Paper-Flex Osram LED Strips with 35 cm width and 3300 lm per square meter. You can light up 9 square meters at once!

 

Flexible backlight LED strips are an innovative product made possible by plasma direct metallization, a production technique that transforms flexible substrates into electrically conductive and solderable circuit boards. This advancement has opened up numerous new application possibilities in the lighting industry and beyond.

One example of this innovation is the solderable flexible paper, used in products like Paper-Flex, an affordable PCB that is diffusion-friendly and ideal for large-area applications such as wallpaper or advertising spaces. Another example is the solderable flexible PET, which is a cost-effective, strong, resilient, and lightweight plastic used in the incredibly bright Z-Flex980 LED strip.

Advantages of Flexible Backlight LED Strips:

  1. Uniform lighting for large surfaces, even on uneven or curved surfaces
  2. Available in long reels, covering up to 10 square meters with instant light
  3. Easy to transport due to the reel format
  4. Extendable in all directions
  5. Easy and permanent fixation with screws or brackets
  6. Simple to install or replace thanks to the plug-and-play design

 

Power LED strips 

 Professional PowerBar LED modules, up to 11.000 lm / m, white, color and UV light

Power LED strips are compact and ultra-bright, designed for applications that require a high amount of light per square meter. These applications can include plant growth, medical, industrial, commercial, or architectural lighting. Power LED strips usually employ high-power LEDs (at least 1 watt each) mounted on an aluminum PCB.

Advantages of Power LED Strips:

  1. Exceptional brightness per meter by using high-power LEDs
  2. Compatible with lenses for focused lighting
  3. Can be combined with lens systems, radiators, and clamps to create a linear beam projector
  4. Easy to connect with plug-and-play systems
  5. Primarily made of aluminum for better heat dissipation

LED strip lighting systems offer a versatile and energy-efficient solution for various lighting needs. Whether you require flexible or rigid LED strips, Zhaga-standardized products, backlighting solutions, or high-power options, there is an LED strip lighting system to suit your requirements. When selecting the appropriate LED strip type, consider the surface, installation method, desired brightness, and specific application to ensure the best results for your lighting project.

 

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