LED Strip Lights

What are LED Strip Lights?

LED strip lights, also known as LED tape or LED ribbon, are flexible circuit boards with surface-
mounted light-emitting diodes fitted at regular intervals along the tape. When the current from the
circuit board combines with the semiconductor material in the diode light is produced. This lighting
technology differs from filament lighting - which use heat - and fluorescent lighting which relies on
gas discharge. Due to the lower amount of wattage that is required to power LEDs, they require a
much lower voltage supply - usually around 12 volts - and are the most energy efficient form of
lighting.

LED strip lights typically have an adhesive backing for easy installation and can easily be cut to
various different lengths from their 5 meter reels. Thanks to their versatility, LED tapes have
revolutionised the way we light our homes and office spaces; from task lighting to decorative
lighting, backlighting to accent lighting, LED strip lights can transform any space easily and
effectively.

What types of strip lights are there?

Before the recent technological advances of the past 20 years or so, LED lighting had a very
limited range of brightness and colours. Today LED strip lighting is available in the completed
palette of colours, making it more versatile than ever before. They are also available in different
widths and different powers - usually from 5 watts to 25 watts, which determines the brightness of
the light.

When buying LED strip lighting it is important to consider the number of LEDs per meter of tape.
This typically varies from 240 per meter on premium tapes to 60 per meter in the economy range.
The more spaced out the LEDs are the more likely the tape is to produce a spotted lighting effect
rather than a linear one.

Different Types of LED strip include:

Warm White LED strip lights: It is a common misconception that white LED lighting is always
cool with a blueish hue. This may have been the case up until the early 90’s but now white LED
strip lights are available in the full spectrum from warm to cool.

The warmth of a light is measured on the Kelvin scale, with warm white reading around 3000K.
Warm LED strip lights give a yellowy glow and are best suited for achieving ambient, cosy, relaxing atmospheres. 

Cool White LED strip lights: Cool White strips give off a bright, clean, white light and
often read around 6000K on the Kelvin scale. These strip lights are more suitable for office spaces
and areas in the home where tasks are performed due to their similarity to natural daylight and
their ability to improve concentration. 

Neutral White LED strip lights: offer a blend of warm white and cool white (somewhat in the
middle) and are ideal for task lighting in environments such as office spaces for where work is
being done. They typically read around 4000K on the Kelvin scale. Shop neutral white tapes here

Single Colour LED strip lights: LED strip lighting is available in most colours including red, green, blue, pink, purple and amber.

RGB LED strip lights: Short for Red, Green and Blue, RGB LED strip lights have the ability to
combine these three colours to achieve over 16 million different hues of light.

They are often available with a controller so the colour can be adjusted at the touch of a button.
Some can combine these colours to achieve white, but it is not a true white as with RGBW tape.

• RGBW LED strip lights: are the same as RGB strip lights except they also include a white or cool white diode so a true white can be achieved too.
• Ultraviolet LED strip lights: Offer higher frequency light, achieving fluorescent effects.
• Pixel chasing LED strip lights: Also known as pixel tape or chasing LED, pixel chasing LED
  strip lights exhibit a variety of colours along the length of the tape at the same time. These are
  used to create custom lighting effects which our technical team can custom code for you – the
  opportunities are endless!
• High CRI LED strip lights: Short for Colour Rendering Index, CRI measures the ability of a light source to reveal the colours of various objects 
  faithfully in companion with an ideal or natural light source. LED strip lights are therefore best suited for colour-critical applications such as 
  museums, maternity wards and product displays.
• Waterproof LED strip lights: Some LED tapes are available with waterproof capabilities,
  making them suitable for use outdoors or in bathrooms. IP65 strip tapes are considered splash 
  proof, whereas IP67 is fully submersible up to 1 metre dependent on correct installation.
  
• Mains Voltage LED strip lights: LED strip lights are powered directly using mains voltage and 
  can be run in lengths of up to 50 meters from the mains power without experiencing voltage 
  drops or dips in light output. This larger scalability makes mains voltage LED tape best suited for 
  commercial installations where long runs are required. These are becoming increasing popular.

The most popular types of LED strip lights are:

1. Opti-Profile Tape:
   With 240 LEDs per meter, this ‘no spotting’ tape offers a smooth, even brightness and is perfect for recessing into even the shallowest aluminium profile.
   As with all tapes in our premium range, this profile LED tape is made with high quality materials for less light  degradation and come with an unprecedented five-year warranty.
   Premium tapes like this one are the most suitable option for long term installations and are perfect for achieving both ambient and task lighting. 
   It is also dimmable and splash proof and available in warm, cool and natural white. 
   
   
2. Mains Voltage Tape:
   Made using cutting edge technology and high quality materials this LED tape is almost twice as bright as any
   other mains voltage tapes and has the highest possible CRI, making it perfect  for use in commercial installations.
   Thanks to its mains voltage power supply this tape can be run up to 50 meters  without resulting in voltage drops and dips in light output, making it perfect for use in large, demanding commercial installations. 
   
   It also features shorter cutting points at 10cm intervals rather than the standard 1m, allowing more precise lengths to be cut.
   Like all of our mains voltage strips, this mains voltage tape is completely surrounded by an IP67 waterproof casing in order to 
   prevent any danger of electrocution and is fully dimmable.
   However, this tape does not have an adhesive backing, so we would  recommend using the following mounting track.
   
   
3. RGB Tape Kit:
   Although we recommend professional installation with most of our LED strip lighting products, you don’t need to be an electrician  to install our LED tape kits.
   Using plug and play technology and an adhesive backing these easy to install kits are perfect for DIY projects and home improvements.
   This RGB LED strip tape can achieve over 16 million different hues, includingwhite by mixing red, green and blue, and is available as a waterproof option.
   
   Like all our tape kits, this one includes everything you will need to install LED strip lighting in your home, including a 5m run of tape, controller and power supply.

How to Wire and Install LED Strip Lights

Installing LED tape is very straightforward and although some basic wiring may be required
depending on the type of tape you are installing, no prior electrical knowledge is necessary.

1. Basic Single Colour LED Strip

To install LED strip you will need your reel of LED tape, a compatible driver (see our FAQs for more information) and a compatible connector wire.

Step 1: Connect the LED tape to the connector wire by inserting the end of the tape into the clip on
the connector wire, being sure to match the red wire with the ‘+’ sign on the tape and the black wire
with the ‘-‘ sign.

Step 2: Firmly press the back of the connector clip to close the clasp. You may have to remove
some of the backing strip on the adhesive side.

Step 3: Remove the adhesive backing of the tape and press it firmly to stick it to the surface of choice.

Step 4: Connect the other end of the connector cable to the driver.

Step 5: Plug the driver in to the power supply and switch the mains power on.

2. Tagra® Strip range with plug and play technology

The Tagra range of LED strip tapes feature an innovative plug and play system which makes
installing LED tape easier than ever. Each 5m reel of rape comes with a pre-attached super slim-
line clip and connector cabling. To install, simply plug the cable into the driver and the driver into
the mains power supply.

This innovative system allows you to install LED lighting with any connector cable length you
desire, meaning you can install your tape further away from the power supply. If you wish to use a
longer connector cable, simply unclip the included connector wires and use a length of up to 0.75
two-core cabling of your choice.

Another benefit of the Tagra® plug and play system is its super slim-line pre-attached snap clip; it
can be fitted into an end cap when using aluminium channel, allowing for easier profile installation.

3. RGB LED strip with an LED zone controller

To install RGB tapes you will need a compatible driver, an RGB connector cable and an RGB controller bundle.

Step 1: Connect the LED tape to the connector cable by inserting the end of the tape into the clip
on the end of the connector cable. Be sure to align the black wire with the ‘+’ symbol on the LED
tape.

Step 2: Firmly press the back of the connector clip to close the clasp. You may have to remove
some of the backing strip on the adhesive side.

Step 3: Connect the other end of the connector wires to the receiver. This is done by inserting the
copper end of each wire into the corresponding port as stated on the receiver. The black wire
corresponds to the ‘V+’ port, R = red, G = green and B = blue.

Step 4: Flip the receiver over and secure the wires in place by tightening the screws on the back of
the receiver with a screwdriver.

Step 4: Connect the driver to the other end of the receiver.

Step 5: Plug the driver in to the mains power supply and switch on.

Step 6: Within 3 seconds of turning the tape on, press any of the zone keys on the handheld
remote controller to pair the controller with the LED tape. The tape will blink to signal a successful
pairing.

For more information you can watch our “How To” tutorial below

4. LED tape with a dimmer control

To learn more about dimming LED tape read our latest blog on dimming controls here. When installing
dimmers, we recommend professional advice is sought as it is crucial that you choose a dimmer
which is compatible with your dimmable driver and LED tape. Please contact a member of our
team for more information.

FAQs

Do I need a driver?

Transformers, also known as drivers here at Ultra LEDs, are required with all LED strip lights
except the mains voltage tapes which run directly from a mains voltage power supply. This is
because most LED tapes require a low voltage, so our drivers transform mains 240v down to either
12v or 24v to run the tape.

Which driver do I need?

When buying a driver for your LEDs strip lighting compatibility is crucial. Be sure to use a driver
with the same voltage output as is required for the tape you are installing.

If you use a driver with a higher voltage output than what is required for the tape (e.g. a 24v driver with 12v tape) this will
result in a brighter light output in the short term but the LED tape will burn out very quickly. 
If you use a driver with a lower voltage output than what is required the tape will not work at all.

It is also important to consider wattage when choosing a compatible driver for your LED strip lighting.

The stated wattage of a driver is the maximum value that it can supply.
We recommend choosing a driver with a wattage capability that is slightly higher than the wattage required to run the tape in question.

This ensures a longer life span of the driver. For example, if you are looking to install 5w LED tape, we recommend using a driver which is at least 10% higher wattage which in this case would be anything more than 5.5w.

Where can I use my LED strip lights?

LED strip tapes are incredibly versatile and can offer a solution in many different scenarios.
Provided you have a power supply, LED strip lighting can be used to create ambient or feature
lighting in your living room or bedroom as well as more functional task lighting in offices or
commercial spaces.

We recommend waterproof or splash proof options for use in kitchens and
bathrooms or for outdoor use. For longer runs of tape we recommend a mains-voltage option due
to their lower risk of voltage dips.

When installing LED strip lights it's important to consider how far away the power supply will be.
This distance is dependent on the voltage drop over the length of the power cable.

Forinstallations requiring a long power cable we recommend using slightly thicker wiring to mitigate voltage drops.

For more information please contact a member of our technical team.

How do I mount my strip to the wall?

Most LED tapes have an adhesive backing for easy installation. The premium range from Tagra
comes with a super-sticky backing for maximum tackiness on almost all surfaces. To mount the tape, simply peel of the backing and stick to the selected surface.

Some tapes such as our premium mains voltage tapes do not come with an adhesive backing. In such cases we offer mounting brackets for Mains Voltage tape 
which can be installed by being screwed into the surface or by using double-sided adhesive tape.

Can I cut my strips without damaging them?

Yes, when cutting LED tapes it is important to cut them at the assigned cutting points which are
located along the copper dots. They range from as little as 2.5cm to 10cm intervals depending on the tape, which is indicated in the specification on each product page.

Mains voltage tapes typically have cutting points at 1m intervals; however some have 10cm cutting points for more precise length options.

DO NOT CUT MAINS VOLTAGE LED TAPE UNLESS YOU HAVE DISCONNECTED IT FROM THE POWER SUPPLY.

What is the maximum length of LED strip tape that can be used?

The length of tape you can install depends on a variety of factors including the power output of the
driver you are using and the wattage per meter required to power your LED tape.

To calculate how many meters of tape you can install in a single run, simply follow this formula:
Total length of LED tape that your power supply can drive (m) = wattage of the driver divided by
wattage per meter of the LED tape.

With 12v tape we recommend that you only run a maximum of 5 metres before needing another
power source. With 24v tape we recommend that you only run a maximum of 8 metres before
needing another power source. With 240v tape we recommend that you only run a maximum of 50
metres.

Can I use a dimmer switch on my strips? How can I do this?

The ability to dim LED lighting is a relatively recent phenomenon. Due to their low wattage, LEDs
are rarely compatible with dimmers traditionally used for high wattage load incandescents.

However, drivers have been developed specifically for LEDs so they can be dimmed. All our LED
tapes can be dimmed although it is important to note that not all LEDs can be, and compatibility
combining different technologies is crucial.

Radio frequency controllers are a great wireless option for dimming your strip lighting. Using radio
frequency transmission between a handheld remote control and a receiver, they are really easy to
install and sync up. Simply place a receiver between the driver and the run of LED tape you are
installing. Endless receivers can be controlled from one remote and they can be grouped into
‘zones’ which can correspond to rooms in your house.

LED strip lighting can also be dimmed by using traditional rotary wall dimmers in the house or with
a range of diming interfaces such as DALI or DMX systems.

What is the difference between 3528 and 5050 type LED strip?

These numbers refer to the different physical dimensions of the LED chips which are mounted on
the tape. It is measured in millimeters; so 3528 LED tape comprises of chips which measure
3.5mm by 2.8mm. The size of the chip used determines the brightness of the LED.

However, as technology develops chips are becoming smaller and more efficient, so this correlation is not exact.
We recommend referring to the lumen reading of each tape to determine its brightness.
Both these are quite old chip types now and more modern 2835 chips which are more efficient have superseded it.

What colours are available?

LED strip lights are available in many different colours. We have a wide range of white LED tapes
with varying degrees of ‘warmth’ in terms of the hue they emit. This warmth and coolness is

measured in Kelvins. LED strip lighting is available in cool whites of around 6000k to very warm
whites of around 2000k. Neutral white LED tape usually has a Kelvin reading of around 4000k and
looks pure white to the eye.

LED tapes are also available in single colours of red, green, blue, pink purple and amber, or RGB
tapes which combine red, green and blue lights to offer over 16 million different hues.

What other types of strips are there?

LED neon flex is a similar linear lighting product. It is a flexible diffused linear strip that can be used
for displays and signage. Flexible tubes are filled with LED lights to offer a bendable strip of light.
They are typically used in feature and display lighting in the retail sector and are incredibly versatile
in achieving a wide range of effects.