Depending on the type of uses Different types of LED lights are available in the market. LED technology is always promoted for its high quality and more energy energy efficiency. Chip LEDs are one of the most energy saving options.
What are LEDs Lights?
Research shows that LED lights use ninety percent less energy than traditional incandescent lights.
In addition, LEDs are sixty percent more efficient than fluorescent lights. As the most popular and beneficial lighting, LEDs are a must-have.
So, what are they? LEDs are lighting fixtures that contain light-emitting diodes. A light-emitting diode is an electrical system that allows electric current to flow forward only.
LEDs have two conductors of electricity that touch each other. When an electric current travels in the diode, the atoms in one conductor receive the energy.
Then, it turns that energy into electrons and releases it into the other conductor to create light.
Unlike incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs that generate heat to make light, LEDs generate light via the explained process. To educate you more on this, we will discuss different types of LED lights.
Miniature LEDs
LED lighting may cost more to install the first time but is more reliable and versatile. Miniature LEDs are some of the highly advanced lighting fixtures. Not only are they tiny in size.
They are also more compact than any other LED lighting option. Miniature LED lights include Pico, nano, and chip.
One factor that differentiates miniature lights from the rest of LED lights is their tiny size and shape.
You will find miniature LEDs in most electronic gadgets you use at home, including your mobile phone, remote control, and calculator.
Miniature LED lights are easy to mount onto a circuit board as you do not need to worry about heat control.
Three kinds of miniature LEDs are standard, low-current, and ultra-high output. The top applications for these are high-tech industries.
Since their current, wattage, and voltage vary widely, miniature LEDs are easy to choose based on your needs.
High Power LEDs
Advances in diode technology led to the birth of high-power LEDs. High powers LEDs generate lighter than any other LED lighting option because they have many lumens.
They produce unique voltage, wavelength, and luminosity. Surprisingly, they can produce higher outputs without overheating.
Nonetheless, this will depend on how you install them. Connect these lights to a material that can absorb heat to avoid burning them out.
Each high-power LED fixture will have a manual guiding the customer on safe temperature levels and more.
Balancing the heat output and heat control is a must even when having the most sophisticated high-power LED.
When you control heat, you minimize the odds of a fire outburst, reduce energy wastage, increase the life of your lights, and make the most of your LED lights.
High Power LEDs produce a lot of heat, but their technology ensures that they are safe. Most automotive industries use these in car headlights and headlamps.
High-power LED lights have less uses at home and more applications in mechanical and industrial environments.
Like miniature LEDs, high powers LEDs have three classifications. First, they offer varied power rating, which comes in a range of 0.5W to 100W.
Secondly, their classification bases LEDs on their luminous decay, which is low or non-low luminous decay. LEDs also vary based on packaging techniques and configurations.
Application-Specific LEDs
Application-specific LEDs are customized lighting options. If you want your LEDs to solve a particular problem, you can order personalized lights.
Application-specific lights can be flashing LEDs, Lighting LEDs, RGB LEDs, Bi-color LEDs, Tri-Color LEDs, or alphanumeric. We will discuss each of these next.
Lighting LEDs
Nowadays, the most common types of lights are Lighting LEDs. You can choose them as your favorite ceiling lights.
Lighting LED lamps for household use is prevalent these days. Some people think of these lights when someone mentions LED. What they do not know is that there are different types of LED lights.
LED lighting comes in all shapes and sizes, including LED bars, illuminators, and lamps. If we compare them to other LEDs in terms of heat generation, these have the same problem.
On realizing this, many manufacturers nowadays use ceramic and aluminum casing around lighting LED bulbs. Due to the fins on the casing, heat can dissipate easily. Hence, lighting LEDs tend to last longer.
Alphanumeric LEDs
One of the different types of LED lights is alphanumeric. If we compare alphanumeric LEDs to other LEDs, they are more conventional.
For that reason, you can find these in older generation digital clocks. As technology around LED lighting increases, alphanumeric LEDs are losing their popularity.
People now prefer energy-saving LEDs to these. You can find four types of alphanumeric LEDs. These are:
- 7-segment – A limited type of alphanumeric, the 7-segment only understands a given set of letters and numbers.
- 14 and 16 segment (star-burst displays) – Star-burst displays cover all Roman alphabets in uppercase. The 16 segment offers a more visually attractive display of numbers because of the split on the top and bottom bars. Both 14 and 16 segment alphanumeric LEDs can read zero to nine.
- Matrix – If you need the most sophisticated alphanumeric LED lighting, choose the Matrix. Versatile light with lower case words, upper case words, symbols, and numbers, Matrix is more advanced.
RGB or Red Green Blue LEDs
Are you asking what an RGB LED is? An RGB is an LED lighting source with three-colored terminals. Usually, it combines red, blue, and green to create one fixture that emits a colorful output.
You can use RGB LEDs for outdoor lighting, making shop displays, home decorations, and designing a stage. RGB LEDs have four terminals including red, blue, green, and cathode or an anode.
RGB is an easy-to-use LED light source because you can manipulate settings to change intensity levels.
As the light produces colorful outputs, you can use it for decorations. Industrial applications include mainly the construction of computer motherboards and hardware.
When installing, follow the order of terminals: red, cathode/anode, green, and blue. As one of the most flexible LEDs, RGB is easy to customize and control to produce any color. You can choose either anode or cathode types of RGB lights.
Anode lights use colored LEDs with a positive terminal that should connect to a positive terminal of the power supply.
A cathode RGB LED has a negative terminal that should attach to a negative terminal of a certain power supply.
Bi-color and Tri-color LEDs
A bi-color LED Light can produce two different colors. One LED lighting fixture can generate two colors, unlike a typical LED light.
There will be a cathode terminal separating the two colored terminals. If you connect it to a positive terminal supply, you can expect to get two colored lights.
Most electronic gadgets use a bi-color LED as an indicator light. Some bi-color products are capable of producing a third color.
If they are red and green bi-color LEDs, they can produce a yellow light also. Thus, the ability to produce a third color is what separates them from a bi-color LED light.
Flashing LEDs
When exploring different types of LED lights, you might come across flashing LEDs. Even if they appear like the typical Lighting LEDs, flashing LEDs are more sophisticated and complex systems.
Regarding how they work, flashing LEDs use an integrated circuit that blinks the anticipated light at the desired frequency.
You can connect these to power directly without using resistors. What’s more, flashing LEDs make excellent auto and bicycle lights. Flashing LED lights are ideal for home decorations and can work as a security light.
Different types of led lights strips
As hinted earlier, the market offers different types of LED lights. One kind that you may have seen before is the LED lights strip.
We can describe this as multi-faceted lighting for commercial and residential use. LED light strips come in different forms, so you can select the best type for your office or room. Available options are:
- AC LED flex strip – One example of these is the AC LED flex strip that is 0.5-inch wide and 0.25-inch long. Installation is easy as you only need to plug it in and use it. As it is a long light strip covering 150 feet, an AC LED flex is a strip you separate with a strip-to-strip jumper. Once you plug in the strip to a 110 to 120V socket, you can run it over the distance you want to cover. Thus, we find it more ideal for outdoor decorations.
- DC LED flex – Another type of LED strip is the DC LED flex strip. Providing 12VDC of power is easy and, the DC strip makes perfect room lighting. You can install it easily and fast because its back has a double-sided adhesive. You will also love the DC strip because it can cover up to 16.4 feet and offer cut lines to let you get creative during installation. If you live in a small house, choose DC LED Flex Strips because they produce less heat. But you need to power the strips with a battery that provides up to 12VDC. You can alternatively choose a different power supply.
- LED Rope Light strip – If you want a more advanced LED light strip, choose the Rope Light design. As the lighting mechanism is inside a rubber-plastic casing, the LED Rope Light strip is water-resistant. You can bend it in any direction and enjoy the light from all dimensions. A typical 120V wall outlet is okay. In places that require dim lighting, choose LED Rope Light strips. They can accentuate the surroundings.
- High Output LED strip – If you need maximum brightness from a LED strip, choose the High Output type. Use it in high places that require bright light, such as your ceiling cove, kitchen cabinet, vehicle roof, backyard, or front yard. The High Output LED Strips are easy to customize using their settings. If you can provide up to 24VDC, choose this strip.
Types of led lights for room
As there are different types of LED lights, choose wisely if you need some for your home. We would say that the best option for lighting your room is LED light strips.
These ribbon lights contain a flexible circuit board with a surface full of LEDs.
You can install them in your room or anywhere else and customize them to fit your ideas. LED strip lights are so bright, so they are ideal kitchen cabinet lighting. People also use them as ceiling lights. You can control light strips using dimming systems or wall switches.
Pros & cons of LEDs Lights
Pros
- LED lights are highly efficient because they save energy and produce less heat based on the type
- LEDs have many applications in industries, commercial places, and homes
- You can expect LEDs to function better and last longer than conventional light bulbs
- LED lighting such as the RGB makes an excellent pick when you want to grab the attention of people
- LED lights respond faster than other lights when you turn them on
- You can use LED lights if you believe in green living because they are eco-friendlier.
Cons
- LED lights are expensive when buying them for the first time
- Can get snow inside during winter and trigger unnecessary accidents
- LED lighting may attract insects
- Replacing LED lights after deterioration is still expensive.
Frequently Asked questions
How do LED lights differ from incandescent and fluorescent lights?
LED lights have a small size than other types of lights. Also, they emit light in each direction to reduce the need to use diffusers and reflectors.
All lights produce heat, but LEDs emit the least amount. Conventional bulbs make light by heating.
What is the most common use of LED lights?
Millions of gadgets use LED lights. From car headlights to computer motherboards, to remote controls, you can find LEDs everywhere.
With applications in industries, homes, and businesses, LED lighting is more dependable. Today, they make the best bulbs for home lighting or holiday decorations.
Are LED lights long-lasting?
Manufacturers of LED lighting state the number of hours their products can last. So, you can expect to find lighting models with up to 90,000 hours of life.
Most LED light models can offer at least 20,000hours. If you use them correctly, LED lights can take a long time to spoil.
Conclusion
We have discussed different types of LED lights. While some lights are ideal for commercial and industrial uses, the LED light strips are perfect household fixtures.
The LED light offers many advantages, but the main one is its durability. If you install them correctly, they will last thousands of hours.
We also appreciate that you have a wide range of choices regardless of where you want to use your LED lights. Even if you pay more money initially, these lights will recover your money over time.
Ensure you have the correct power supply for the type of LED lighting product you want to purchase.