Making a glowing backlit logo. What is diode lighting: characteristics of LEDs and their areas of application General information about LEDs

Your license plate so you can see it in the dark. In addition, some motorists strive to stand out from the crowd and use room lighting for tuning. Today it is possible to install lamps of any color to highlight your individuality. We will tell you how the license plate illumination is done and whether there is a traffic police fine for it.

Room lighting methods

There are two main ways you can use lighting:

• replacement of license plate lighting lamps (standard devices for LEDs);
• installation of additional lighting.

Changing incandescent bulbs to LED

If you chose the first method, you just need to unscrew the cover and replace the incandescent lamp. In order to remove the cover, you will need to remove the saber (chrome strip) from the bumper. Try to unscrew the standard bulbs as carefully as possible, since the small holder on the body is very simple and easy to break. Disassemble the shade in half, starting from the middle, using a thin flat screwdriver and a sharp knife. Before installing the bulbs, the plafond must be degreased with a solvent.

The modern market offers us options for white, blue, red, green room lighting. They look very interesting and unusual. We recommend that you buy powerful LED bulbs that shine brightly. It is best to give preference to products with lenses. Although this lighting lamp is more expensive, it will illuminate the rooms well. Note also that LED lamp are economical and safe.

Plexiglass backlight

The second option works by speakers and buttons with LEDs. You will need a small piece of plexiglass with diodes built into it. Its thickness should be three millimeters. There must be at least eight LEDs inside to provide bright lighting.

The back of the glass and the end should be sealed with foil, which will act as a reflector. Now direct the LEDs to the corners and fill with sealant. This will prevent moisture from entering. Remember that the diode lens does not need to be filled. At the end, connect the two wires to the backlight itself or to a separate button.

LED strip lighting

You can also create from LED strip. It is sold in various sizes and shades. The installation of the LED strip, as a rule, is carried out directly in the car. Cut off the required amount of material with regular scissors at the cut points. Next, start soldering. Choose a soldering iron with a low power and prepare pieces of wires (length - 20 cm, cross-section - 0.75 mm). Strip the ends of the wires and tin with rosin, then carefully solder to the diode tape.

Single-color ribbons are connected directly to the on-board network: plus to plus, and minus is displayed on the body. A multi-color tape is connected in the same way, but you should install the controller between the battery and the device itself. The voltage is supplied to the battery. To attach the tape to the car body, use special plastic clips or install it in the standard cover. Some LED strips have an adhesive backing for easy attachment.

In the video, do-it-yourself LED strip lighting:

Is there a penalty

Backlighting is possible only on back car. It must be of a standard color; you cannot use diodes of yellow, red, blue and other shades. Otherwise, you can lose your rights for six months or a year, and the state numbers of the traffic police will be removed along with the lighting devices. V best case you will get off with a fine. Remember, only white or pale yellow bulbs are allowed by law.

Having installed LED room lighting, you need to check how it works. If you have done the job correctly, the license plates will be illuminated quite brightly. In accordance with the law, they should be seen as clearly as possible. We do not recommend backlighting around the edges of the rooms. Although she looks much brighter, she can also be fined for it.

Please leave your comment on the article below! We are interested in your opinion.

Since the invention of electric lighting, more and more economical sources have been created by scientists. But a real breakthrough in this area was the invention of LEDs, which are not inferior in luminous flux to their predecessors, but consume many times less electricity. Their creation, from the first indicator element to the brightest Cree diode for today, was preceded by a huge amount of work. Today we will try to make out various characteristics LEDs, we will learn how these elements evolved and how they are classified.

Read in the article:

The principle of operation and the device of light diodes

LEDs are distinguished from conventional lighting devices by the absence of a filament in it, a fragile bulb and gas in it. This is a fundamentally different element from them. Scientifically speaking, the glow is created due to the presence of p- and n-type materials in it. The former accumulate a positive charge, and the latter negative. P-type materials store electrons in themselves, while holes (places where electrons are absent) are formed in n-type materials. At the moment of appearing on contacts electric charge they rush to the pn junction, where each electron is injected into the p-type. From the side of the opposite, negative n-type contact, as a result of such a movement, a glow appears. It is caused by the release of photons. However, not all photons emit light visible to the human eye. The force that makes the electrons move is called the LED current.

This information is of no use to the ordinary man in the street. It is enough to know that the LED has a durable case and contacts, which can be from 2 to 4, and also that each LED has its own nominal voltage required for glowing.

Good to know! The connection is always made in the same order. This means that if a “+” is connected to the “-” contact on the element, then there will be no glow - p-type materials simply will not be able to charge, which means there will be no movement to the transition.

Classification of LEDs by their field of application

Such elements can be indicator and lighting. The former were invented earlier than the latter, while they have long been used in electronics. But with the advent of the first lighting LED, a real breakthrough in electrical engineering began. The demand for this type of lighting fixtures is growing steadily. But progress does not stand still - all new types are invented and introduced into production, which are becoming brighter, without consuming more energy. Let's take a closer look at what LEDs are.

Indicator LEDs: a little history

The first such red LED was created in the middle of the 20th century. Although it had low energy efficiency and emitted a dull glow, the direction turned out to be promising and development in this area continued. In the 70s, green and yellow elements appeared, and work on their improvement did not stop. By the 90th year, the strength of their luminous flux reaches 1 Lumen.

1993 saw the introduction of the first blue LED in Japan, which was much brighter than its predecessors. This meant that now, by combining three colors (which make up all the shades of the rainbow), you can get any. In the early 2000s, the luminous flux already reaches 100 Lumens. Nowadays, LEDs do not stop improving, increasing brightness without increasing power consumption.

The use of LEDs in domestic and industrial lighting

Now similar elements are used in all industries, whether it be machine or automobile construction, lighting of production halls, streets or apartments. If we take the latest developments, we can say that even the characteristics of LEDs for flashlights are sometimes not inferior to the old 220 V halogen lamps. Let's try to give one example. If we take the characteristics of a 3 W LED, then they will be comparable to the data of an incandescent lamp with a consumption of 20-25 watts. It turns out that energy savings are almost 10 times, which, with daily constant use in an apartment, gives a very significant benefit.

Why are LEDs good and are there any disadvantages?

A lot can be said about the positive qualities of LEDs. The main ones are:

As for negative sides, then there are only two of them:

• They work only with constant voltage;
• It follows from the first - the high cost of lamps based on them due to the need to use (electronic stabilizing unit).

What are the main characteristics of LEDs?

When choosing such elements for a particular purpose, everyone pays attention to their technical data. The main thing to pay attention to when purchasing devices based on them:

• consumption current;
• Rated voltage;
• power consumption;
• color temperature;
• luminous flux strength.

This is what we can see on the label. In fact, there are much more characteristics. Let's talk about them now.

LED current consumption - what is it

The current consumption of the LED is 0.02 A. But this applies only to elements with one crystal. There are also more powerful light diodes, which can include 2, 3 or even 4 crystals. In this case, the current consumption will increase in multiples of the number of chips. It is this parameter that dictates the need to select a resistor that is soldered to the input. In this case, the resistance of the LED does not allow the high current to instantly burn out the LED element. This can happen for a reason high current networks.

Rated voltage

The voltage of an LED is directly related to its color. This is due to the difference in materials for their manufacture. Let's consider this dependence.

Light diode resistance

By itself, the same LED can have different resistances. It changes depending on the inclusion in the circuit. In one direction - about 1 kOhm, in the other - several megohms. But there is a nuance here. LED resistance is non-linear. This means that it can change depending on the voltage applied to it. The higher the voltage, the lower the resistance will be.

Light output and luminous angle

The luminous flux angle of LEDs can vary, depending on their shape and material of manufacture. It cannot exceed 120 0. For this reason, if more diffusion is required, special reflectors and lenses are used. This is the quality of "directional light" and contributes to the highest luminous flux, which can reach 300-350 lm for a single 3 W LED.

LED lamp power

LED power is a purely individual value. It can vary from 0.5 to 3 watts. It can be determined by Ohm's law P = I × U , where I - current strength, and U - LED voltage.

Power is a pretty important indicator. Especially when it is necessary to calculate which one is needed for a given number of elements.

Colour temperature

This parameter is similar to other lamps. The temperature spectrum is closest to LED fluorescent lamps. The color temperature is measured in K (Kelvin). The glow can be warm (2700-3000K), neutral (3500-4000K) or cold (5700-7000K). In fact, there are many more shades, the main ones are indicated here.

Chip size of LED element

It will not be possible to measure this parameter on your own when buying, and now the respected reader will understand why. The most common sizes are 45x45 mil and 30x30 mil (corresponding to 1 W), 24x40 mil (0.75 W) and 24x24 mil (0.5 W). If translated into a more familiar measurement system, then 30x30 mil will be equal to 0.762x0.762mm.

There can be many chips (crystals) in one LED. If the element does not have a phosphor layer (RGB - color), then the number of crystals can be calculated.

Important! You shouldn't buy very cheap Chinese-made LEDs. They can be not only of low quality, but their characteristics are often overstated.

What are SMD LEDs: their characteristics and difference from conventional

A clear decoding of this abbreviation looks like Surface Mount Devices, which literally means "surface mounted". To make it clearer, you can recall that ordinary light diodes of a cylindrical shape on legs are recessed into the board by them and soldered on the other side. In contrast, SMD components are fixed with paws on the same side as they are. This installation makes it possible to create double-sided printed circuit boards.

Such LEDs are much brighter and more compact than conventional ones and are elements of a new generation. Their dimensions are indicated in the marking. But don't confuse the size SMD LED and a crystal (chip) of which there can be many in the component. Let's take a look at a few of these LEDs.

LED SMD2835 parameters: dimensions and characteristics

Many novice craftsmen confuse the SMD2835 marking with the SMD3528. On the one hand, they should be the same, because the marking indicates that these LEDs are 2.8x3.5 mm and 3.5 x 2.8 mm, which is the same. However, this is a delusion. The technical characteristics of the SMD2835 LED are much higher, while it has a thickness of only 0.7 mm versus 2 mm for the SMD3528. Consider the data of SMD2835 with different wattage:

How can you understand specifications SMD2835 can be quite varied. It all depends on the quantity and quality of crystals.

5050 LED Characteristics: Larger SMD Component

Quite surprisingly, with its large dimensions, this LED has a lower luminous flux than the previous version - only 18-20 lm. The reason for this is the small number of crystals - usually there are only two of them. The most common use for such elements is found in LED strips. The density of a strip is usually 60 pcs / m, which gives a total of about 900 lm / m. Their advantage in this case is that the tape gives a uniform calm light. In this case, the angle of its illumination is maximum and is equal to 120 0.

Such elements are produced with a white glow (cold or warm shade), one-color (red, blue or green), three-color (RGB), as well as four-color (RGBW).

Characteristics of SMD5730 LEDs

Compared to this component, the previous ones are already deprecated. They can already be called even super bright LEDs. 3 volts, which power both 5050 and 2835, give out here up to 50 lm at 0.5 W. The technical characteristics of the SMD5730 are an order of magnitude higher, which means they need to be considered.

Still, this is not the brightest LED of the SMD components. More recently on Russian market there were elements that literally "stuffed into the belt" all the others. We will talk about them now.

LEDs "Cree": characteristics and technical data

Today there are no analogues of Cree products. The characteristics of the ultra-bright LEDs produced by them are really amazing. If the previous elements could boast of a luminous flux of only 50 lm from one crystal, then, for example, the characteristics of the XHP35 LED from "Cree" speak of 1300-1500 lumens from one chip as well. But their power is also greater - it is 13 watts.

If we summarize the characteristics of various modifications and models of LEDs of this brand, then you can see the following:

The luminous flux of SMD LED "Cree" is called a bin, which must be affixed to the package. V recent times there were a lot of fakes under this brand, mainly made in China. When buying, it is difficult to distinguish them, but after a month of use, their light dims and they cease to differ from others. At a rather high cost, such an acquisition will be a rather unpleasant surprise.

We are offering to you small video on this topic:

Checking the LED with a multimeter - how to do it

The simplest and in an accessible way is "dial tone". Multimeters have a separate switch position specifically for diodes. By switching the device to desired position, touch the probes to the LED legs. If the display shows the number "1", you should change the polarity. In this position, the multimeter's buzzer should emit sound signal and the LED is on. If this did not happen, then it is out of order. If the light diode is working properly, but it does not work when soldered into the circuit, there may be two reasons for this - its incorrect location or the failure of the resistor (in modern SMD components it is already built-in, which will be clear during the "dialing" process).

LED color coding

There is no generally accepted world marking of such products; each manufacturer designates the color as it suits him. In Russia they use color coding LEDs, but few people use it, because the list of elements with letter designations is quite impressive and hardly anyone wants to memorize it. The most common letter designation, which many consider to be generally accepted. But such markings are more often found not on powerful elements, but on LED strips.

Decoding of the LED strip marking code

In order to understand how the tape is marked, you need to pay attention to the table:

For example, let's take the specific marking of LED CW SMD5050 / 60 IP68. From it you can understand that we have a white LED strip for surface mounting. The elements installed on it have a size of 5x5mm, in the amount of 60 pcs / m. The degree of protection allows her to work under water for a long time.

What can be done from LEDs with your own hands?

This is a very interesting question. And if you answer it in detail, then it will take a very long time. The most common use of LEDs is to illuminate suspended and suspended ceilings, a kitchen work area, or even a computer keyboard.

Expert opinion

Engineer-designer of ES, EM, EO (power supply, electrical equipment, interior lighting) LLC ASP North-West

“For such elements to work, you need a power stabilizer or controller. You can even take it from an old Chinese garland. Many "craftsmen" write that an ordinary step-down transformer is enough, but this is not so. In this case, the diodes will blink. "

Current stabilizer - what function does it perform

A stabilizer for LEDs is a power supply that steps down voltage and equalizes current. In other words, it creates conditions for the normal operation of the elements. At the same time, it protects against an increase or decrease in voltage on the LEDs. There are stabilizers that can not only regulate the voltage, ensuring smooth fading of the light elements, but also control the color or flicker modes. They are called controllers. Similar devices can be seen on garlands. They are also sold in electrical stores for switching with RGB tapes. Such controllers are equipped with remote controls remote control.

The scheme of such a device is not complicated, and if desired simplest stabilizer you can make it yourself. To do this, you need only a little knowledge in radio electronics and the ability to hold a soldering iron in your hands.

Daytime running lights on the car

The use of LEDs in the automotive industry is fairly common. For example, DRLs are made exclusively with their help. But if the car is not equipped with running lights, then purchasing them can hit the budget. Many car enthusiasts get by with cheap LED strip, but this is not a very good idea. Especially if the strength of its luminous flux is small. A good solution may be to purchase a self-adhesive tape based on Cree diodes.

It is quite possible to make DRL with the help of those already out of order, by placing new, powerful diodes inside the old cases.

Important! Daytime running lights are designed precisely to make the car noticeable during the day and not at night. It makes no sense to check how they will shine in the dark. DRLs should be visible in sunlight.

Flashing LEDs - what is it for?

A good option for using such elements would be a billboard. But if it shines statically, it will not attract the attention it deserves. The main task is to assemble and solder the shield - this requires some skills, which are easy to acquire. After assembly, you can mount the controller from the same garland. The result is flashing ads that will clearly grab attention.

Color music on light diodes - is it difficult to make it

This job is no longer for beginners. In order to assemble a full-fledged color music with your own hands, you need not only an accurate calculation of the elements, but also knowledge of radio electronics. But still, its simplest version is quite within the power of everyone.

You can always find a sound sensor in electronics stores, and many modern switches have one (light on cotton). If you have an LED strip and a stabilizer, then you can achieve the desired result by running the "+" from the power supply to the strip through a similar cracker.

Voltage indicator: what to do if it burns out

Modern indicator screwdrivers consist of a light diode and resistances with an insulator. Most often it is an ebony insert. If the element inside burns out, it can be replaced with a new one. And the color will already be chosen by the craftsman himself.

Another option is to make chain continuity. This requires 2 penlight batteries, wires and light diode. Having connected the batteries in series, we solder one of their legs of the element to the plus of the battery. The wires will go from the other leg and from the minus of the battery. As a result, when closed, the diode will light up (if the polarity is not reversed).

LED connection diagrams - how to do everything correctly

Such elements can be connected in two ways - in series and in parallel. In this case, we must not forget that the light diode must be located correctly. Otherwise, the scheme will not work. In conventional elements with a cylindrical shape, this can be determined as follows: a flag is visible on the cathode (-), it is slightly larger than the anode (+).

How to calculate LED resistance

The calculation of the resistance of the LED is very important. Otherwise, the element will simply burn out, unable to withstand the magnitude of the network current.

This can be done using the formula:

R = (VS - VL) / I, where

• VS - supply voltage;
• VL – rated voltage for LED;
• I - LED current (usually 0.02 A, which is equal to 20 mA).

Anything is possible if you wish. The scheme is quite simple - we use a power supply from a broken mobile phone or any other. The main thing is that it has a rectifier. It is important not to overdo it with the load (with the number of diodes), otherwise there is a risk of burning the power supply. Standard Charger will completely withstand 6-12 elements. You can mount a colored backlight for a computer keyboard by taking 2 blue, white, red, green and yellow elements. It turns out pretty nice.

Useful information! The voltage that the power supply provides is 3.7 V. This means that the diodes must be connected in series in parallel in pairs.

Parallel and serial connection: how they are performed

According to the laws of physics and electrical engineering, with a parallel connection, the voltage is distributed evenly across all consumers, remaining unchanged on each of them. With sequential installation, the flow is divided and at each of the consumers it becomes a multiple of their number. In other words, if you take 8 light diodes connected in series, they will work normally from 12 V. If you connect them in parallel, they will burn out.

Connecting 12V LEDs as the best option

Any LED strip is designed to be connected to a stabilizer that produces 12 or 24 V. Today, a huge assortment of products from various manufacturers with these parameters is presented on the shelves of Russian stores. But nevertheless, tapes and controllers of exactly 12 V predominate. This voltage is safer for humans, and the cost of such devices is lower. We talked about independent connection to the 12 V network just above, but there shouldn't be any problems with connecting to the controller - a diagram is attached to them, which even a schoolboy can figure out.

Finally

The popularity that light diodes are gaining is good news. After all, this makes progress move forward. And who knows, maybe in the near future new LEDs will appear, which will be an order of magnitude higher in characteristics than the existing ones.

We hope our article was useful to the dear reader. If you have any questions on the topic, please ask them in the discussions. Our team is always ready to answer them. Write, share your experience, because he can help someone.

Video: how to connect the LED correctly

License plate illumination is not only a peculiar kind, but also a compulsory one for road users. According to the legislation, at night the license plates of the car must have full lighting and be clearly visible from a distance of twenty meters. In the absence of lighting or installation of inappropriate lighting devices on the vehicle, the traffic inspector has the right to issue a fine.

If you want your room to be perfectly visible in any weather and in any light, then, of course, additional LED lighting is necessary.

Additional lighting can only be installed for the rear license plate. In this article, we will consider options for mounting lighting fixtures on a rear license plate, installation methods and their compliance with legal regulations.

Variants and methods of installing LEDs for license plate lighting

The most popular among motorists today is license plates. And this is not surprising, because it has significant advantages over other types of lighting elements. This is the quality of the luminous flux, and low energy consumption, long service life and resistance to various aggressive conditions of use. There are two ways to illuminate the license plate on your car using LED lighting elements.

The first method involves replacing typical lamps with diode lighting elements. The second method is based on the installation of auxiliary LED devices. Services for the installation of lighting devices on cars are provided by virtually every service station, however, this task can be dealt with without.

Do-it-yourself replacement of standard lighting elements with diode

To replace typical bulbs with LED bulbs, you need to remove the cover and put diode bulbs in their place. To remove the cover with a screwdriver, the chrome strip is unscrewed from the bumper of the car, the standard bulbs are unscrewed as carefully as possible in order to avoid damage to the delicate holders on the body. The plafond is disassembled into two parts using a sharp knife. Next, you need to degrease the plafond and install LED products. Similarly, everything is assembled in reverse order.

For quality lighting, choose powerful bulbs, preferably with lenses. Their price is higher than conventional diode ones, however, and the quality of their luminous flux is better.

DIY tuning LED license plate lights

Additional illumination of license plates is carried out by car owners when they are insufficiently illuminated by standard devices, or as a way to improve their car with tuning parts.

Most often used for tuning. Let's consider further how to make your own room highlighting.

The first method is characterized by fixing the lighting elements to the car body. Before installation, it is necessary to purchase a diode, preferably three-matrix tape, which can be directly connected to the on-board network without additional resistors. The required length of the tape is cut with the number of LEDs in multiples of three. The wires are connected to the LED product by soldering using a soldering iron. Solder points are insulated in order to protect them from moisture and oxidation. Then you can proceed directly to the installation of lighting elements on the body. For fastening, plastic clamps, double-sided tape or professional glue are used at your discretion. Connect wires observing polarity. The minus is displayed on the car body, plus is connected to the permanent plus in the car.

The second method involves installing an LED strip in a standard lamp to illuminate the room. To do this, it is necessary to design a diode strip in the same way as in the previous method. Then the lantern is removed, all the contents are extracted from it. It is advisable to mount LEDs not on safety glass, but on specially prepared pieces of metal or plastic of the appropriate size. The wires are connected directly to the standard wiring, butt joints are insulated. The operation of the device is checked and the lamp is installed in place.

There is also a variant of an independent additional lantern using plexiglass and foil. In this case, similar to the previous options, we attach the wires to the diode tape. We select glass of the required size and thickness of about three millimeters, place LEDs on it and cover it with foil, which serves as a reflector. The edges must be filled with sealant, a new diode lamp must be installed and connected. The wires can be connected either directly or to a separate button.

1. Operate the car only if it is in good working order. You can independently install additional lighting only on the back of the machine.
2. By law, every car must be equipped with lighting lights for the rear license plate. White and pale yellow lanterns are allowed. It is forbidden to use backlighting in red, blue, orange and other colors, which are often used by motorists to improve their vehicle. This threatens with penalties.
3. An exception to the rule is cars that are not equipped with standard lights to illuminate the rear numbers. If this fact is indicated in the technical documentation, then the penalties for the lack of backlighting do not apply to the car owner.
4. Inappropriate illumination of the front sign threatens with deprivation of rights for a period of six months to a year. For an identical violation with respect to the back number, a pecuniary penalty is threatened.

Let's sum up

As you can see, putting the LEDs in the backlight of the license plate is not a very difficult task, which every car owner can cope with on his own. The main thing is to install the backlight that only meets legislative standards, this will save you from trouble when meeting with a traffic police inspector on the road.

Many who have their own store or publish DIY videos may be thinking of a beautiful backlit logo. We decided to help you if you are also thinking about getting such a logo. So, we present the material on creating a logo.

First of all, let's get acquainted with the video

Now let's consider what exactly we need:
- LED strip along with the power supply;
- Wall Clock;
- screwdriver;
- paper;
- a printer;
- glue gun;
- Super glue;
- PVA glue.

First, we note that the author of the homemade product uses the so-called RGB LED tape that comes with a control panel that allows you to adjust the color rendering of LED bulbs.
Let's start by creating a logo. To do this, you need to draw it in any graphic editor on a computer and print on a printer. You can use plain A4 paper for this. As for the printer, depending on the logo and your own preferences, you can use either color or regular black and white.

After that, we take a screwdriver, since it is necessary to unscrew the screws on the back of the watch box.

We disassemble the box. Remove the back plastic cover, after which the protective glass and go to the logo.

We apply the glass exactly in the center of the logo, and then outline it with a marker or pencil.

Cut out the outlined logo with scissors.

We put PVA glue on the watch dial and glue the logo.

Now you can go to the LED strip. First of all, we measure the approximate length in the inner part.

Cut off the resulting piece.

We take a clerical knife to make a small hole on the side of the watch box for the wires.

We push the LED strip through this hole.

We glue the tape on the inside.

Since over time, in some places, the LED strip will peel off, since the double-sided tape used in the manufacture of such tapes is not very reliable. Therefore, it is best to use super glue, with which we additionally glue the tape after 2-3 cm.

At the end, we carefully put everything back. We fasten the screws into place.

We connect the LED strip controller and glue it in place of the batteries with a glue gun.

This is an artificial light source, which is a narrow flexible tape with conductors, up to 5 m long, on which LEDs are equidistantly installed. The LEDs on the tape are divided into groups. Each group consists of several LEDs connected in series and is a complete circuit, which allows you to cut the tape across into segments of any length multiple of the length of one group.

LED strips

LED strips are available in monochrome, glowing in only one color (red, blue, green, yellow or white) and universal (RGB), the glow color of which can be changed independently using the remote control, including one of the primary colors or choosing any that exists in nature ...

It is also possible to turn on a mode in which the color of the LED strip will smoothly change over the entire range with a given rate of change over time.

R G B LED strips

According to the organization of light emission R G B, LED strips are of three types.

The first type of tape uses LEDs LED-R-SMD3528 or LED-R-SMD5050 (red), LED-G-SMD3528 or LED-G-SMD5050 (green) and LED-B-SMD3528 or LED-B-SMD5050 (blue) , soldered in three pieces next to repeating triads along the entire length of the tape. Changing the color of the glow of the ribbon is achieved group change luminous intensity of LEDs of each color. Such LED strips are well suited for interior lighting in cases where the LEDs are hidden from human eyes. If the LEDs are visible, the color change will be less effective.

The R, G and B LEDs of the SMD3528 series have a size of 3.5 × 2.8 mm 2 and emit a luminous flux from 0.6 to 2.2 lumens, depending on the light color. LEDs of the SMD5050 series are larger in size (their size is 5 × 5 mm 2) and, accordingly, shine brighter, the luminous flux is, depending on the color of the glow, from 2 to 8 lumens. Therefore, by the size of the soldered LEDs on the tape, even without knowing the technical characteristics, it is easy to determine which of them will shine brighter.

In the second type of tapes, R G B LEDs of the LED-RGB-SMD3528 or LED-RGB-SMD5050 series are used. Distinctive feature of these LEDs is that three LEDs are mounted in one case at once - red, green and blue. Therefore, their luminous flux is much less and is only 0.3-1.6 lumens for LED-RGB-SMD3528, while LED-RGB-SMD5050 has only 0.6-2.5 lumens. But due to the fact that the color emitters are located almost at the same point, a high efficiency of color gradation is achieved.

More recently, there is a new type of LEDs WS2812B (has four pins) and WS2812S (has six pins). In terms of geometric dimensions and appearance, these LEDs do not differ from LED-RGB-SMD5050. However, thanks to the installation of the WS2812 PWM controller in the case of the WS2812 LEDs, it became possible to control each of the LEDs installed on the LED strip personally using only two wires.

Thus, designers have the opportunity to change the glow color of any section of the tape, regardless of its length, at their discretion. The widespread use of LED strip based on WS2812 LEDs is constrained by the high price and the need for an expensive specialized controller. Without a control signal from the controller to the WS2812 LED, it will not light.

LED strip marking

LED strips are marked by all manufacturers, as a rule, according to a single international standard... The protection class in the marking is indicated in accordance with the requirements of the standard for the protection of electrical equipment against external factors IEC-952.

Consider, for example, how the LED-CW-SMD-5050/60 IP68 LED strip marking is deciphered. LED - LED strip, CW - white light, SMD - made on a base without output LEDs, 5050 - LED case size 50x50 mm 2, 60 - 60 LEDs are installed per meter of strip length, IP68 - according to the degree of protection, the strip is designed for long-term operation depth (for example, to illuminate an aquarium or pool from the inside).

If the IP parameter is absent in the marking, then the LED strip has no degree of protection, that is, the degree of protection corresponds to IP00.

Resistance of LED strips to moisture

According to the degree of protection against moisture, LED strips can be divided into three categories: moisture-proof, moisture-proof and moisture-proof.

Moisture-proof can only be used in dry rooms where there is no high humidity. Waterproof ones are designed for use in rooms with high humidity (bathrooms, baths, building facades, where direct ingress of water on the tape is excluded).

Moisture resistant tapes are designed to work directly in the aquatic environment, for example in an aquarium, they can be placed for illumination at the bottom of the pool.

In the photo, the LED strip is completely sealed with silicone, so the LEDs and resistors are reliably protected from water. Waterproof LED strips can be used without restrictions for outdoor advertising, illuminated decoration of streets and buildings. When choosing a waterproof tape, it should be borne in mind that part of the luminous flux is lost when passing through the silicone layer.

For outdoor decorative lighting, there are special LED strips called Duralight, which belong to the waterproof category.

Density of placement of LEDs on the tape

The brightness of the LED strip depends not only on the type of installed LEDs, but also on their number. The unit of measurement is considered to be the number of LEDs installed per meter of tape length. The more LEDs there are, the naturally greater the luminous flux will be. Typically, the number of LEDs per meter of strip length for 12 V LED strips ranges from 30 to 120 pieces. For LED strips designed for a supply voltage of 24 V, the number of LEDs can be up to 240 pieces per meter of length; in such strips, the LEDs are placed in parallel in two rows.

But it must be borne in mind that the more LEDs per meter of the length of the LED strip, the more powerful the power supply will be required and the more expensive the purchase will be. The choice of this parameter must be approached from the position of "necessary and sufficient". For example, there are 30 LEDs per meter of tape, therefore, the distance between them is 3.3 cm, which in the overwhelming majority of cases is quite enough.

The choice of LED strip according to the value of light output

The main lighting characteristic is the luminous flux intensity, which is expressed in lumens per meter (lm / m). The luminous flux is determined by the type and number of LEDs installed on one meter of tape. Knowing the type of LEDs and their number, it is easy to independently determine the luminous flux.

For example, 30 LED-CW-SMD3528 LEDs (size 3.5 × 2.8 mm 2) are installed per meter of white light LED strip, each having a luminous flux of 5 lm. Multiply 5 lm by 30, we get 150 lm. This luminous flux is emitted by a 10-watt incandescent light bulb. If the strip is made on the basis of 30 LED-CW-SMD5050 LEDs (size 5 × 5 mm 2), which already have a luminous flux of 12 lm, then 12 × 30 = 360 lm, which is equivalent to using a 24-watt incandescent light bulb. Everyone has the experience of using incandescent lamps, therefore, using the above technique, it is easy to determine the type of LEDs installed on the tape, their number and tape length. And if the length of the tape has already been determined, then perform the reverse calculation.

Let's do the reverse calculation using a specific example. You need to make a ceiling light in a 5m × 4m room. The perimeter of a room of this size would be 5 + 4 + 5 + 4 = 18 meters. You want to create soft and not very bright lighting. If you use incandescent lamps, then their total power will have to be about 200 watts, the luminous flux from which will be 3000 lm (15 lm × 200). The length of the tape should be equal to the length of the perimeter of the room, that is, 18 meters. To determine the luminous flux that one meter of LED strip should emit, you need to divide 3000 lm by 18 meters. It turns out 166 lm / m. For our case, a strip with 30 LED-CW-SMD3528 LEDs per meter of length is suitable. The calculation was made without taking into account the reflection losses from the ceiling, and they are at least 50%. Therefore, for guaranteed illumination of the room, you need to choose a tape with a twice as large luminous flux. There are two options, either take a strip with 30 LEDs LED-CW-SMD5050, or LED-CW-SMD3528, but already in the amount of 60 pcs. by the meter. The first option is preferable, as it will provide a guaranteed stock.

For R G B and monochrome LED strips, the calculation is performed in the same way as for white strips.

LED strips are not always labeled, which complicates calculations. But learn technical specifications LED strip is very simple if you use the data given in the reference table. Three types of LEDs are commonly used in modern LED strips: SMD3014 (super bright) 3.0mm × 1.4mm, SMD3528 2.8mm × 3.5mm, and SMD5050 5.0mm × 5.0 mm. Therefore, by the size of the LEDs, you can determine which type of LEDs are soldered on the tape. By counting the number of LEDs per meter of length, refer to the reference table below to obtain information on the technical characteristics of the LED strip.

Table of the main characteristics of LED strips
for voltage 12 V

Using the table, it is easy to choose the type and length of the LED strip - an analogue of incandescent bulbs. For example, to replace one 80W incandescent light bulb with an LED strip, you need to take 8 meters of SMD3528 (30) or two meters of SMD3528 (120) or SMD5050 (60) LED strip.

How to connect an LED strip to the mains

Connecting the LED strip to the vehicle's on-board network

LED strips are ideal for direct connection to the vehicle electrical system. The main thing is that the tape matches the voltage of the vehicle's on-board network in terms of supply voltage. For cars, you need to choose a waterproof tape designed for a supply voltage of 12 V, for trucks - for 24 V.

At what voltage is the battery installed in the car, at this voltage and you need to take the tape. When connecting the LED strip to the vehicle's on-board network, it is necessary to observe the polarity; the markings "+" and "-" are marked on the strip. If the polarity is confused, then nothing bad will happen, just the LEDs will not light up.

Connecting the LED strip to a 220 V household power supply

Unlike electric lamps, LED strips cannot be connected directly to a household electrical network of 220 V. They require a supply voltage direct current 12 V or 24 V. The supply voltage is indicated on the tape along its entire length. To obtain the required voltage, voltage converters are used.

While there is no established terminology, they are called differently: drivers, adapters, converters, power supplies, power supplies. All these words refer to one device that converts the mains voltage alternating current 220 V DC voltage of the required value, for tapes, depending on the type, 12 V (often used) or 24 V (rarely used, as a rule, in RGB tapes).

To choose a power supply for an LED strip, not only the amount of constant voltage at the output is important, but also the amount of current that it can supply to the load. To select the appropriate power supply for a particular case, you need to find out the total amount of current that all installed LED strips will consume.

An example of calculating a power supply for an LED strip

For example, let's select a power supply unit (PSU) for the LED strip, which we chose above to illuminate the ceiling. Usually, the current consumption of a meter of tape is indicated in the accompanying documentation, but if there is none, then it is easy to perform the calculation yourself. It is enough to multiply the number of installed LEDs by the current consumption of each of them.

We chose an LED strip with mounted LEDs of the LED-CW-SMD5050 type, strip length 18 meters, and 30 LEDs per meter. The total number of LEDs is 18 × 30 = 540 pcs. One LED LED-CW-SMD5050 (according to the reference table) consumes a current of 0.02 A, therefore the total current consumption of the entire backlight will be: 540 × 0.02 A = 10.8 A.

But we did not take into account that LEDs with a supply voltage of a tape of 12 V are connected three in series through resistors, therefore, the calculated current must be reduced by three times: 10.8 A / 3 = 3.6 A. But in one LED-CW- LED case The SMD5050 contains three elementary LEDs, so the resulting current must be multiplied by 3. That is, the resulting current will be 10.8 A. As a result of the calculation, it was determined that a 12 V power supply with a permissible load current of up to 10.8 A.

To calculate the power of the required power supply unit, you need to multiply the voltage by the current: 12 V × 10.8 A = 130 W, it turned out that you need a power supply unit with a power of 130 W. For reliable operation of the power supply unit, a 20% power reserve is required. As a result, a 156W power supply is required. Almost any power supply unit that meets the required requirements can be used.

Device and installation of LED strip

On a flexible plastic tape up to 5 m long, there are thin copper conductive paths of the required configuration. LEDs of the SMD3528 or SMD5050 type and current-limiting SMD resistors of the P1-12 type with a power of 0.125 W are soldered to the tracks. Please note that the LED designation contains its size, for example SMD5050 has a size of 5.0 mm × 5.0 mm. With a supply voltage of 12 V, three series-connected LEDs and one or more current-limiting resistors are installed. The number of resistors is determined depending on the amount of power dissipated on them. The resistor can be installed anywhere in the circuit, in the circuit it stands on the plus side, you can install it on the minus side or between any LEDs.

Electrical circuit and wiring diagram
segment led strip

Resistor marking

The resistor is marked with the number 151. This means that the resistor is rated at 150 ohms. It is easy to decipher the marking. It is indicated by a three-digit number. The last digit in the number tells how many zeros to add to the first two digits. For example, the resistor is marked 153, which means you need to assign 3 zeros to 15, we get 15000 Ohms.

For clarity, I gave below an eclectic wiring diagram. A complete LED strip circuit is a large number of such circuits connected in parallel. With a supply voltage of 24 V, the number of LEDs connected in series in the circuit can reach up to 10 pieces. Pay attention to the marking of the LEDs, from the side connected to the cathode (minus), the corner of the LED case has a cut. In the photo, the lower right corner.

Connecting and fixing LED strips

On the side of the tape opposite to the LEDs, there is an adhesive layer protected by a foil. In order to fix the tape on the surface, it is enough to remove the protective film and apply the sticky side to the installation site. When organizing backlighting using LED strips, the length of 5 meters is often excessive, therefore it is possible to cut the strip into segments. The places where the tape can be cut are indicated by the image of conventional scissors and the cut line. The step of cutting the LED strip into segments is set by the number of LEDs connected in series. Next to the cut line on both sides there are contact pads that allow soldering wires to them in case of splicing tape segments together. You need to solder very carefully with a low-power soldering iron.

Next to the contact pads, the polarity of the connection and the value of the supply voltage are marked. There are special clips that allow you to connect LED strips together without soldering.

To one end of the LED strip, conductors are usually already soldered to connect to the power supply. To connect monochrome tapes, two wires are required, for RGB tapes - four wires: black (the common one is connected to the positive terminal) and three colored ones. The length of the wires is no more than half a meter, and if the power supply cannot be installed next to the LED strip, then the wires will have to be extended to the required length.

LED strips are indispensable when you need to provide lighting or illumination over a long length. Only LED strips that are not protected from moisture can be cut into parts, that is, only those that are intended for indoor use. It is unacceptable to cut waterproof and moisture-resistant LED strips without subsequent sealing.

To eliminate this drawback, LED modules have been created that allow interior lighting and illuminated advertising to be carried out easily, quickly and reliably. The scope of application of LED modules in practice is limited only by human imagination. Modules for lighting in a car are especially convenient. It is enough to connect through a fuse to the on-board network and glue or fix the module with self-tapping screws inside the car or from the outside.

The design of the LED modules is a shallow bed made of plastic or metal, in which a printed circuit board with LEDs is installed. The top of the board is filled with transparent silicone. This provides protection against moisture and splash water. The LEDs are connected in the same way as in the LED strip above.

There is a sticky layer on the outer side of the bottom of the crib, opening which by removing the protective film, the module can be fixed on any flat surface. It is possible to attach the modules to the lugs using self-tapping screws. All lighting and electrical calculations given above on the page for an LED strip are also valid for LED modules.

Rectangular LED modules are sold as blocks, pictured is a block of 20 modules.

The modules can be easily separated from the unit one at a time or in groups. All modules are already electrically connected to each other. It is enough to supply power to any of them and the LEDs on all modules will light up. Blocks can be built up in any number by connecting them in parallel.

About the choice of wire cross-section for connecting LED strip

The LED strip consumes little power, and the current consumption with a strip length of one meter, even the brightest SMD5050 (60), is no more than 1.2 A. hand stranded wire.

But when connecting a tape 18 meters long such as LED-CW-SMD5050 (30), which we selected to illuminate the ceiling of the room above, you should already think seriously about how the total current consumption will be 10.8 A. Unfortunately, I have not found it anywhere. what current is allowed along the copper track of the tape itself. But, knowing the power consumption of one meter of the LED strip and the supply voltage, he calculated the amount of current that will be consumed by LED strips of different lengths of popular types, and summarized the results in a table.

Since LED strips are produced maximum length up to 5 meters, then the manufacturer must provide the required cross-section of the tracks that can withstand the current consumption of the LED strip, and you can take its value as a basis for developing the wiring diagram for connecting the LED strip to the power source.

Based on economic considerations, the load current reserve of tracks does not exceed 20%. Therefore, it is not permissible to connect all four of our tape segments in series, soldering the end of one segment with jumpers to the beginning of the next LED strip, since a current will flow through the conductors of the tape connected directly to the power supply, which is three times higher than the allowable one.

This will lead to overheating of the first tape, which is fraught with its failure, and a weak glow of those included behind it. Therefore, it is necessary to connect each tape separately directly to the output of the power supply with a double wire with a conductor cross-section of at least 0.5 mm 2. Below is a typical diagram for connecting LED strips to a power source when organizing room lighting by installing LED strips along the corners of the ceiling behind the cornices.

Since one power supply is designed for a current consumption of 6 A, we had to use two identical blocks, each supplying half the backlight length. The switch connects both units at the same time. If you use a double switch, then it will be possible to turn on the tapes in sections. When parallel sections of the tape are connected to the power supply, it will be possible to turn them on separately or all at the same time, changing the lighting design. RGB tapes are connected in exactly the same way wiring diagram... Only instead of two wires are laid 4. One common and one for each color.

If one powerful power supply is installed at a considerable distance from the tapes, then it is advisable to stretch a couple of thick wires from the power supply to the LED strips. You can select the required wire cross-section for a given current according to the table. For example, for our case at a current of 10.8 A, a wire with a core diameter of 1.6 mm (section 2.0 mm 2) will be needed. Put the junction box and already in it with thin wires connect the tapes through the terminal block or by soldering to the incoming wire from the power supply. In each specific case, an individual decision must be made based on the boundary conditions.

Powerful power supplies are usually large, and it is often more expedient to use several less powerful units, placing them in close proximity to LED strips.