LED strip lights offer an easy and versatile way of lighting and they are available in RGB color changing types too. The LED strip lights can be used for lighting and decorating areas such as stairs, trees, pathways, cabinets, and many more locations. These lights are very energy efficient and they have good Lumens rating too. The low power LED lights, especially those of 12V are also very efficient and they can provide bright light without costing much. The 12V LED strip lights are now increasing in popularity because of the ease of installation and versatility. Following factors are necessary to consider before choosing the 12V LED strip lights:
Table of Contents
Lumen (Brightness)
Lumen value is the amount of brightness perceived by the viewer. LED lights have introduced the concept of Lumens to measure brightness because for incandescent lights, only Wattage was considered as a measure of brightness. If you’re going to buy the LED strip lights, you must consider the Lumens because that will determine the brightness. You can go for the LED lights with high Lumens value and if you feel they are too bright, you can use dimmers for them too.
Correlated color temperature
The correlated color temperature of a light is the temperature rating and it is measured in Kelvin. The color temperature determines how the light will appear to the viewer. This includes the cool white light and warm white light color temperatures and all of them between them. A light source with a CCT of 2000 K to 3000 K will deliver warm white light and will look like yellow or orange. The cool white color temperatures are those which appear bluish or purplish to the eyes. You can choose any CCT depending upon your preference.
Color rendering index
Color rendering index helps you differentiate between the colors under a light source. If a light source has a low color rendering index will make it difficult for you to differentiate between a yellow object and an orange object. LED lights with CRI more than 80 are considered as acceptable for a comfortable illumination. Lights more than a CRI of 90 are bright enough and they are mostly used at commercial locations such as retail locations and for photography, art, and filming.
Wattage
The wattage of the LED strip lights determine how much power the lights consume. This will determine the amount you’ll be paying for electricity bills. It is important to choose the correct power for your LED strip lights as it will help you in the long run. However, it is important to consider the wattage per foot or per meter before buying the strip lights.
Size or number of LEDs on the strip
Most of the LED strip lights are available in 5 meters length. The LED strip lights are available in various different sizes and it all depends on the requirement. Before buying the LED strip lights, the area for installing these lights must be measured and then it should be bought accordingly.