RGB ribbon, connected to generate red, green and blue colors in the luminaire, is a dynamic lighting system in which the three primary colors create over 16 million shades. The light that is visible to the human eye is called the spectrum. It has blue at one end and red at the other. The rest that we can see are in between. Outside these limits are short wavelengths of ultraviolet, x-ray, infrared and radio waves that are not visible to humans.
The principle of the LED strip
Led-tape consists of a self-adhesive strip and a substrate, on which LEDs are installed at certain intervals, they begin to glow after power is applied. LED lighting is a great addition to any home or office design decor.
Advantages of RGB tape: connecting them is inexpensive, easy to install, can instantly change the mood of people and the appearance of the room. Various brightness levels and color types make LED strips versatile and the applications endless.
Installation locations:
- Kitchen and bathroom.
- Wall panels and skirting boards.
- In ceiling suspension as wall lights.
- In cupboards, display cases and bar counters.
- Around doorways, windows and stairs.
- Under the roof of spotlights.
- In gardens, paths and signs.
- Lighting for Christmas or other special occasions.
- On the back of TVs and speakers.
Selecting a model for mounting
Test the LED strip by temporary installation, turn it on to see the light output, pattern and angle before finally fixing it. Integral stripes are made to match quality color and pattern. Led must be installed by a qualified electrician.
RGB tape has the following characteristics:
- Illumination. For local lighting, a soft glow of color will be enough, for lighting a large project, you need a tape with maximum light output.
- Flexible or rigid design. Any rounded layer will require a flexible tape, while a rigid one will be useful for straight surfaces.
- The color given off by some strips is different from the true white LED. If you want to use it for mass lighting, it is recommended to use a model with true white capabilities.
- The final lighting effect of the RGB strip, the connection will depend on a number of factors: the size of the ice, the number of unitsper meter, tape angle and position, color texture, reflectivity of surfaces and distance from the observer.
Main applications
RGB plug-in strips are the industry standard for industrial and residential lighting, but are becoming increasingly popular in smart homes and allow people to precisely control the quality and quantity of light.
Technology scope:
- IR remotes and controllers: Use light to communicate between remote and controller.
- Radio control (RF) is used to control remote objects using various radio signals.
- DMX Digital Multiplex (DMX) controllers are a great way to control multiple lights at the same time.
- RGB Dimmer creates custom colors on a strip using a slider or dial.
RGB tape key features
Integral low voltage LED strips are rated for 12V DC. They come in 5m drums. The strip can be cut in several ways, but only at special cut points. It is connected using the appropriate driver, the total power must be below 90% of its rated power.
Leds can be dimmed with the appropriate driver and compatible dimmer switch. LED strips are installed on a clean and dry surface. Illumination flow is adjustable by changing the size,quantities and colors of Led on the tape. The use of embedded strips indoors or outdoors, in dry or wet areas, is determined by the IP number of the strip, such as standard (IP33) or silicone (IP67).
IP-rating determines the water and dust resistance of an object. Integral advertising strips rated for IP33 and IP67:
- IP33 - not waterproof. Used for dry and dustproof areas such as shop windows, bedrooms and living rooms.
- IP67 - waterproof. This tape is protected by silicone gel against temporary immersion in water between 0, 15 and 1 m. Ideal for indoor and outdoor use. A typical interior in a bathroom or kitchen, under cabinets, next to showers, sinks, or other areas of temporary water splash. Typical outdoor use on walkways or walls for decorative purposes.
In addition to self-adhesive tape, IP67 LED panels are supplied with fixing clips. IP67 must not be permanently immersed in water. They have an operating temperature range of -25 to +60 degrees Celsius.
Ribbons are available in three options:
- 30 leds/m - kitchen tables, furniture.
- 60 leds/m - staircase lighting, entrance doors.
- 120 leds/m - high ceilings, outdoor lighting, signage.
The size of the Led affects the light output and the pattern. Integral LED strips are available in two sizes:
- 35:28 - 3.5mm X 2.8mm LED. The thin beam is ideal for home or ambient lighting close toobservers.
- 50:50 - 5.0mm X 5.0mm LED - 40% more bright light than 35:28.
Higher lumen output luminaires are suitable for commercial or domestic use over long distances, such as ceilings and outdoor plaza lighting.
RGB strip color ribbon can have the following:
- Warm White is a traditional yellow light, perfect for living rooms, bedrooms and hallways.
- Cool white - combined with blue, perfect for kitchens and bathrooms.
- Red, green or blue are stunning bold colors to add more impact to a space and make game rooms, clubs, bars and restaurants more exciting.
- RGB and RGBW are red, green and blue LEDs that are mixed with a remote control to produce a wide range of colors.
Power source selection
The RGB LED light uses 12 volts and 2.2 watts at 30cm. So if you need to install 4m color changing LED strips, you will need a 28.6W power supply to handle it.
Calculation: 28.6 W / 12 volts=2.38 amps.
Use a source with a maximum load of 20% more than the working load. The above example would require a 4 amp power supply.
The following are the elements of the lighting scheme:
- RGB LED strip color change indicator at desired length.
- RGB LED remote control.
- RGB LED connectors.
- LED power indicator.
- In addition, the circuit must have a power supply for the led strip.
- Intensifiers are applied when the length of the light bar exceeds the maximum single pass.
- Coaxial Proximity DC Connector.
LED connectors and connections
They make it easy to install tapes. While soldering creates the most stable connection for LEDs, solderless connectors provide a fast and strong connection. When properly installed, they should not be loose and must ensure reliable contact. They are designed in such a way that it is easy to connect any lighting designs. Before choosing, you first need to determine which tape will be used, as well as know its width, usually 8 mm or 10 mm.
LED Strip Installation Guide:
- Cut off along the mark line.
- Pull the plastic lock out of the connector.
- Insert the strip into the solder connector, making sure the wider sides are facing up and the ends are fully in contact with the metal joint.
- Insert the plastic lock back to the lock position, make sure the mounting tray is securely closed.
- When installing an LED strip, double check the (+) and (-) markings to make sure which color wire matches each.
- For long-term use, use any bonding material so that the connector is not loosened.
- Make sure the power is off when installing the driver. After the connections are double checked, turn on the power and the remote control to create a color composition.
RGB lamp controller
Depending on the complexity of the built-in RGB LED strip controller, the light can produce more than 16 million color options when the same light can change instantly depending on the action performed.
Most common controllers:
- WS2812 is a programmable DC controller hidden under the 5050 RGB kit. It does not use a standard communication protocol to drive LEDs, adopting a single pass interface along with power and ground to allow LEDs to be connected together, theoretically indefinitely. The WS2812 takes 24 bits of color information data for green, red and blue LEDs and then passes the rest of the data line to the next WS2812 in the strip. Indirectly, this means that the LED database will be buffered in memory and then sent to the strip. All in all, the WS2812b RGB strip connector is a reliable and popular LED controller solely because it works very simply, especially when using Adafruit's NeoPixel library.
- SK6812 entered the LED strip market in 2016, almost like a direct clone of WS6812. It has some minor improvements between the two chips, however, the time "improvement" is not enough to make the chips incompatible with each other, that it is possible to connect SK6812 to WS2812b withoutany real problems. The most significant difference between the two chips is the increased refresh rate.
- APA102C is a comprehensive improvement of the WS2812b LED strip RGB controller. The LED data stream is processed using the standard SPI interface for strip control. The best part about using SPI is that it has the ability to use an LED strip completely independent of the timing that hampered the WS2812b. The module is powered by 12V, which is also used to power the LED strip. RGB models advertised as 144W, RGBW as 192W.
IR keypad for light control
Design light control uses an IR receiver module and code to independently control the LED strip with an easily accessible key transmitter. Along with the 24-Key RGB Tape Remote, 44-Key Remotes are available, making it easy to add IR control to any future project. Description of 24-remote control for 3528 5050 led strips:
- RGB DC 12V.
- Connection mode: common anode (+).
- Input voltage: 12 V.
- Output voltage: 12V.
- Maximum load current: 2A each color.
- Remote control size: 85mm x 52mm x 6mm.
It is available for 5050/3528 RGB SMD Strip Light Remote Control Battery 3V: 1xCR2025.
Faulty indicator lights
The user should know the main reasons for the non-working lamp. Very often, after mounting the circuit, the tape does not light up. The color of the wire when connecting Led does not always matter. Red/black can mean (+) or (-) depending on which side of the LED strip the connector is connected to. Another common problem is that a solderless connector can be installed the other way around. The power supply must be connected strictly on (+) and (-) and correctly sized for voltage, as 12-volt LED strips with a 24-volt power supply will not work.
Most common failures:
- Wrong wiring or reverse polarity, you need to check it with a multimeter.
- Loose wires. A very common mistake, the lack of a reliable connection in the connector.
- Fixing the wire is another common wiring mistake. When working with LED modules, you need to make sure that there are no bare wires at the end of the module string, and they do not touch each other.
- Voltage drop is a problem with LED installation when connected LED installation in series and not in parallel.
The ability to change the luminous flux of Led is made possible by a lighting system where the combination of red, blue and green colors can have a different hue depending on the angle of the wavelength of the spectrum. This capability makes it useful in multi-color light applications used in various occasions and industry.entertainment.
