What if you find the LED strip too thick for the installation space? This will obviously mess up your lighting plan, as you won’t be able to fit the fixture into the narrow space. So, to avoid such situations, LED strip widths are a crucial consideration.
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LED strips are available in a wide range of sizes/widths. The single-row LED strips usually have widths ranging from 1mm to 15mm. In contrast, the multiple-row LED strips can be as wide as 120mm. Considering the width of the LED strip is essential to ensure proper heat dispersion, flexible installation, etc. Besides, the size of the LED chip or SMD is an important factor for LED strip width.
Here, I have brought you a complete guide on the available LED strip width for different types of LED strips, their power consumption, and more. So, without any further delay, let’s jump into the discussion-
LED strip width or LED tape width refers to the physical width or thickness of the LED strip lights. In these flexible light fixtures, LED chips are arranged on a printed circuit board or PCB, which gives it structure. So, LED strip width basically indicates the width of the PCB. It is usually measured in millimeters (mm) or inches (inch). The width size varies for different brands, yet the most common widths are- 8mm, 10mm, and 12mm. However, based on the width, LED strips can be of two types-
The width of the LED strip is a crucial consideration because it has a direct impact on the heat dispersion process. Besides, there are some other reasons for which you should consider the LED strip width. These are as follows-
Heat Dispersion: LED strips generate heat while operating. Passing this generated heat in the LEDs to the PCB and thus to the surrounding environment is essential to keep the fixture cool. In this case, having a wider LED strip acts as a heatsink to absorb and distribute heat away from the LEDs. Compared to narrow PCBs, wider ones work more effectively. To learn more about this topic, check out LED Heat Sink: What Is It and Why It’s Important?
Size of LED Chip: The size of the LED chip must fit the PCB of the LED strips. SMD numbers determine the chip size. For instance, an LED strip of SMD means the chips have a width of 5.0mm and a length of 5.0mm. So, to fit a 5mm wide LED chip, the width of the PCB or LED strip must be greater than 5mm. If your strip width is smaller than the size of the LED chip, it obviously doesn’t make any sense. Usually, SMD LED strips have a width of 10mm or higher. However, it’s a concern of the manufacturers to take care of the compatibility of the LED chip with the strip wide. Nevertheless, you should have some basic idea of different LED chip sizes as they impact the light output. The point to remember is that bigger LED chips need wider PCBs. Check this for details- Numbers and LEDs: What Does , , and Mean?
Density of LEDs and Circuit Layout: Wider PCBs allow for a denser arrangement of LEDs and circuits. This is particularly important for RGB and RGBW LED strips, which require multiple channels (4 or 5) to operate correctly. A wider PCB can accommodate these additional circuits, ensuring proper functioning and enhancing the overall light output and color mixing capabilities. For more on the principles of RGB LED strips, read What is RGB Lighting?
Installation Space: If your installation space is very narrow, fitting a wider LED strip can be difficult. So, it is essential to check the width of the LED strip to ensure it fits in the space where you want to install it. Besides, for corners or edges, narrow strips are more suitable as you can easily bend them.
Visual & Light Output: Wide LED strips are more visible, especially when lights are turned off and you have not hidden them. This can be visually unpleasant. In this case, you can go for the narrow LED steps that are not very visible.
Using Aluminum Channels: When you are adding aluminum channels or silicone diffusers to your light strip, the width of the fixture is a crucial consideration. Adding aluminum channels provides a soft and even light output, but if the strip width is not perfect, you will face issues while setting it up. In this case, you need to consider the inner width of the channel to the PCB of your LED strip. For instance, you can’t pass a 10mm LED strip to a 5mm aluminum channel or silicon diffuser. For more information about LED aluminum profiles, read Ultimate Guide To Aluminum Profile For LED Strip.
The width of LED strips varies by brand and also depends on the type of LED strip and the size of the LED chip. The common widths for LED strips are 8mm, 10mm, and 12mm. Below are the most common widths available for different categories of LED strips and their corresponding chip sizes (SMD):
1. Single Color LED Strip Width
Single-color LED strips are also known as monochromatic LED strips. These are the most common and basic variants of LED strips. You will find them in a wide range of sizes based on the SMDs. Here are the most common sizes available for single-color LED strips-
2. Tunable White LED Strip Width
If you are looking for color temperature adjustable LED strips, tunable white LED strips are surely your best choice to go for. These strips usually have a 10mm width that offers better heat dispersion. Yet you will find 5mm strips with small LED chip sizes if you want a thinner option. Here are the available wide of tunable white LED strips-
For more information about tunable white LED strips, please read the articles:
3. Dim-To-Warm LED Strip Width
Dim-to-warm lights give you warm color temperature adjustability. These lights are excellent for residential spaces to create a warm and cozy ambiance. The most common width of dim-to-warm LED strips are as follows-
For more information on the principles behind dim-to-warm technology, please read the article “Dim To Warm – What It Is and How Does It Work?“
4. RGB LED Strip Width
RGB stands for red, green, and blue. RGB LED strips can create up to 16 million hues by combining these three primary colors. These chips usually come in wider PCBs, as SMD is mostly used for RGB strip lighting. This is because SMD has three diodes in one housing, which makes them ideal for RGB. However, due to the large LED chip size, the LED density is not much in these chips. If you need a more dense solution, SMD is an ideal fit; it can be as narrow as 5mm.
5. RGBW LED Strip Width
RGBW stands for red, green, blue, and white. RGBW LED strips are special because they have an extra white chip along with the regular red, green, and blue ones. This extra white chip helps create a wide range of colors and a clearer white light. These LED strips usually have a broader base and use a type of LED called SMD. These LEDs are great for RGBW strips because they can fit all four color diodes into one package. However, because these LED chips are bigger, there are fewer LEDs per foot on the strip.
We have two kinds of RGBW LED strips: one with all four colors in one LED (RGBW 4-in-1), and another type where the white and the RGB LEDs are separate (RGB+W). This gives you more options to choose the right lighting for your needs.
6. RGBTW(RGB+Tunable White) LED Strip Width
RGBTW stands for Red, Green, Blue, Tunable White. RGBTW LED strips are advanced due to an additional tunable white chip that allows for adjusting the white light’s color temperature. This flexibility enables the creation of a vast spectrum of colors and more precise control over the white light settings. These strips typically utilize larger SMD LEDs, which accommodate all five diodes in one unit, making them versatile for various lighting needs. However, the size of these LEDs means there are fewer per foot along the strip.
We offer two types of RGBTW LED strips. The first features a 5-in-1 LED, integrating RGBTW into a single chip, enhancing color blending and consistency. The second type, RGB+White White + White, has separate chips for RGB and two shades of white, providing more control over the intensity and temperature of the white light. This variety ensures you can select the ideal lighting for any environment.
The thinnest LED light strip available is the single color LED strip, which has a minimal thickness of just 2mm. Below is a table that outlines the thickness of various types of LED strips for easy comparison:
If you need very slim LED strips, check out our Ultra Narrow LED Strip series. These strips are perfect for places where you want lighting that is barely noticeable but still bright. For more details and to view our products, visit our Ultra Narrow LED Strip Series.
No, LED strip lights come in different widths. Some are very thin for small spaces, while others are wider for more light and color choices.
If you get deep into the internal scheme of LED strips, you will find numerous LED chips arranged throughout the PCB of the LED strip. These chips are the crucial component that emits light. The LED chips come in different sizes, and SMD numbers indicate it. For larger chip sizes, the width of the LED strip also increases. So, if you need very narrow LED strips, go for smaller chip sizes or SMDs. Below, I will discuss the available LED strip width for the most popular LED strips- , , and :
A LED strip light contains LED chips 5mm wide and 5 mm long. These chip sizes are popular for RGB LED strips. However, you can also find them on single-color LED strips or others. As the chips used in these LED strips are wider, the PCBs used in these fixtures are also wide. So, LED strips come in thick sizes. Regarding power consumption, these strips use more energy than the ones with smaller chips. It takes 0.24 watts to run a LED strip of density 60 LED per meter. As an example, a meter LED strip consumes 14.4 watts. The power consumption and width also vary based on the number of rows each strip has. The common width of LED strips are as follows-
LED strips refer to the strip lights that are 3.5mm wide and 2.8mm long. These chips are circular in shape and use less energy than LED strips. This makes them more energy-efficient. However, LED strip lights are popular for monochromatic or single-color LED strips. Besides these chips are also used in RGB LED strips. The available width of LED strip light includes-
LED strips are rectangular-shaped LED chips with 2.8mm width and 3.5mm length. As these chips are small in size, LED strips can be narrow in shape. The thinnest LED strips are 3.5mm wide. These are widely used for medical and thermal applications. However, these LED strips are less heat dispersion friendly compared to and LED strips. To avoid overheating issues, add aluminum profile accessories to enhance LED heat dissipation. The available width for LED strips is as follows-
A wider LED strip doesn’t necessarily mean it will consume more energy. It depends on the LED density, size of the chip, its quality, and power supply. However, bigger LED chips consume more energy. For instance, a LED strip of 10mm consumes more energy than a LED strip of the same width. Again, if the density of two LED strips has the same density and power supply, but one is 5mm and the other 10mm, it doesn’t mean the wider one will use more energy. In this case, the width of the LED strip is not directly related to power consumption.
Yet, as I said before, the power consumption of the LED strip with a bigger chip is more than that of a small chip. But the difference is minimal. For instance, a and a LED strip with a density of 60 LED/meter, the energy consumption is as follows-
The average LED strip’s difference per meter is just over 2 Watts. Though it will affect the power draw, it won’t really show up in long-term cost calculations.
Besides, the density of the LED strip is a major consideration regarding power consumption. The LED strip is highly dense; it has more LED chips to power. As a result, it consumes more energy. That is, an LED strip of 10mm width with 60LED/meter will consume more energy than a 10mm width LED strip of 30 LED/meter.
Depending on the thickness or width, LED strips can be narrow or wide. The narrow LED strips are excellent for accent lighting, whereas wide-width LED strips are best for general lighting. They have versatile applications; these are as follows-
Narrow-width LED strips are the thinner strips that have a slim and compact size. They can be 1mm to 6mm in width. The slim structure of these LED strips works excellent for tight spaces and corner installation. You can use them to enhance the visuals of your interior creatively. The major plus point of using these LED strips is that they are highly energy efficient. But the drawback here is that due to minimal width, the heat is not easily dispersed away from the chip as there’s not much space in the PCB. That is why you should attach the narrow strips to the heat sink, like an aluminum profile or some other heat-dissipating material, to ensure the strips don’t get overheated.
Application
Wide LED strips are the ones with thick or wide PCBs. They can be 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, or as wide as 120mm! The single-row LED strips are not very wide, but there are multiple-row LED strips available that can be very wide. The advantage of using wide LED strips is that they have a good heat dispersion system. The heat produced with the LED chip is evenly distributed throughout the PCB and thus keeps the fixture cool. So, with these LED strips, you won’t face overheating issues that can keep your strip running longer.
Application
When selecting between 10mm and 12mm LED strips, your choice will largely depend on the specific needs of your installation. Below is a comparison highlighting key aspects to help you decide which width is better suited for your requirements:
The width of the LED is essential to ensure your fixture fits the installation space properly. If you have a very tight and congested space to mount LED strips, try our Ultra Narrow LED Strip. They have a width ranging from 2mm-5mm and are highly energy efficient. However, when using these fixtures, you must attract a heat sink or aluminum profile to ensure proper heat dispersion. But with wide LED strips, you won’t need to worry much about this factor.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit 5mm Ultra Thin Flexible Led Strip.
SignliteLED is a manufacturer specializing in the production of LED strip lights, and our extensive experience in the industry has helped us understand the importance of LED selection and quality manufacturing. The LED is the core component of the LED strip, and the choice of a good LED is the key to ensuring the performance and service life of the LED strip product. We choose LEDs with the highest luminous flux (visible light) and the lowest forward voltage, as this ensures that we have LEDs with the best efficiency.
Next, I will take you through the knowledge of SMD LED and focus on how to choose the right LEDs. Because these are all factors that need to be fully considered in the production of LED strip lights. Only by choosing the right one will the product be more reliable and more durable.
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. Its basic structure is an electroluminescent semiconductor material chip, made of semiconductor materials (such as GaN, GaAs, etc.), and emits light through electron migration after power. It is solidified on the bracket with silver glue or white glue, connected to the chip and circuit board with silver or gold wire, and then sealed around with epoxy resin to protect the internal core wire and play a role in earthquake resistance and moisture resistance.
The main types of LED include DIP LED (Dual In-line Package), SMD LED (Surface-Mounted Device), high-power LED, COB (Chip on Board), and Mini LED, which are respectively used in lighting, display, backlight, and other fields, with high efficiency and energy saving, small size, long life, and so on.
The specifications of the LED are like the “ID card,” recording its basic information. These parameters can be tested using the integrating sphere. As shown below:
Size: This is effortless to understand; it is the size of the LED. For example, some LED may be like a small bean, while others may be slightly larger. This size is usually expressed in the form of “length x width” in millimeters (mm).
Power: Power determines the brightness and energy consumption of the LED. The energy consumption is large, the brighter the LED. But at the same time, the more power you may consume, the common power is 0.2W/0.5W/1W, etc.
Voltage and Current: These two are electrical parameters, which you can simply understand as how much “force” (voltage) and how much “flow” (current) the lamp needs to work properly.
Wavelength: This may be somewhat abstract, but you can consider it to be a “color code” for the light emitted by an LED, with different wavelengths corresponding to different colors.
Lumen: This is a measure of the brightness of the LED unit; the higher the lumen value, the brighter the LED. You can imagine that lumen is the LED “brightness index.”
Color Temperature: This describes the color temperature of the LED; you can consider the color temperature to be the “warm degree” or “cold degree” of the lamp bead, such as warm lights make people feel warm, and cold lights make people look refreshing.
Angle: Describes the angle of illumination of LED; the larger the angle, the wider the range of light.
Antistatic Capability: Static electricity may cause damage to the LEDs; the antistatic power of the LEDs can resist static interference and provide a longer service life.
SDCM: Color Tolerance refers to the consistency deviation of the color of the same batch of LED light source, which is reflected in the degree of deviation from the standard value on the color coordinate. The smaller the color tolerance, the higher the color uniformity of the LED, and the more unified the visual experience. SDCM is usually measured in McAdam’s ellipse; the smaller the value, the harder the color difference is to detect with the naked eye. For example, the lamp bead of warm white light color temperature usually requires SDCM ≤ 3, while the LED of cold white light requires SDCM ≤ 5.
LED strip lights with LED types are mainly according to the packaging form, size, and luminous characteristics classification, often using SMD (SMT) device types of LEDs, such as SMD///, and then there are COB (chip directly mounted). The following are common LED types and characteristics:
1. SMD: Size: 2.2mm × 1.6mm. Features: small size, occupy very little space. Applied to small-sized light belts, such as 5mm-wide light belts, because of its slim, flexible characteristics, it can be bent and cut and is suitable for complex shapes usually used for covert installation or space-limited scenes.
2. SMD: Size: 2.8mm × 3.5mm. Features: small size, high brightness, good heat dissipation, often used in high-lumen demand scenes (such as home main lighting or decorative lighting, such as background lights, lights, and so on). Power: single 0.2W-0.5W, light efficiency can reach 80-220 lm/W.
3. SMD: Size: 5.0mm × 5.0mm Features: large volume, can be integrated with multiple chips, often used in RGB color lights or high-brightness scenes. Power: Single 0.2W-0.5W (monochrome), RGB up to 0.6W-1.5W (tricolor chip).
4. COB (Chip-on-Board) Series: Features: no support structure, multiple LED chips are directly packaged on the substrate, uniform light without granular sense, suitable for scenes requiring soft lighting (such as cabinets, showcases). Advantages: High color rendering (CRI > 90), low glare, good heat dissipation. Light efficiency is about 80-120 lm/W.
5. Other Special Types: RGB/RGBW LEDs, functions: Integrated red, green, blue (RGB), or plus white (RGBW) chip to achieve a full-color dynamic effect. Typical models: SMD (RGB).
There are many types of LEDs, and each type is suitable for different scenes. The SMD LED is widely used in various LED products because of its high brightness, high density, and easy installation characteristics; it is the most used LED.
Because of the low brightness, SMD is only suitable for some occasions where the brightness requirements are not high. COB strip light consistency effect is better, and high color rendering is suitable for some high-end places. For some people who want to create a dynamic atmosphere of color, you can choose SMDRGB/RGBW digital dimming and color tuning.
LED brackets are generally divided into iron brackets, aluminum brackets, and copper brackets. According to the electrical conductivity, the order is copper bracket > aluminum bracket > iron bracket. The better the thermal conductivity, the longer the life of the LED.
The LED packaging bracket is mainly composed of plastic, copper, and electroplating, of which the plastic material is crucial for thermal conductivity. PPA, PCT, and EMC are common plastic materials. The quality of the supporting material directly affects the quality of the LED; therefore, choosing the right supporting material is the key to ensuring the quality of the LED.
PPA: high-temperaturere nylon with long-term hhigh-temperatureresistance, low water absorption, good chemical resistance,, and other characteristics, often used in the production of LED reflectionbrackets. The main reasons for using PPA holders for lamp belts include their excellent physical, thermal, and electrical properties, as well as their stability in high-temperature and humidity environments. PPA (polyphthalamide) is a high-temperature-resistant thermoplastic.
PCT: polyterephthalate cyclohexane dimethyl ester (PPCT), another high-temperature, semi-crystalline thermoplastic polyester, whose properties are superior to PPA in some respects.
EMC: The EMC bracket is a highly integrated form of frame formed under the packaging of molding equipment using new epoxy materials and etching technology. EMC (Epoxy Molding Compound), as an LED bracket molding compound, is one of the three main materials (lead frame, gold wire, and molding compound) after the IC packaging process. The EMC bracket has the characteristics of high heat resistance, anti-UV, anti-yellowing, and good airtightness.
Compared with the traditional PPA and PCT brackets, the EMC bracket has been greatly improved and promoted in terms of optical reflectance, thermal expansion coefficient, material connection strength, and other aspects after high-temperature aging and is more suitable for high-quality and high-power LED device packaging.
● The materials of the three scaffolds are different, and the structure and production process are also different, among which PPA is the injection molding process; PCT material fluidity is poor, injection molding is more troublesome, and an additional stamping process needs to be used; the EMC bracket is produced by the die top process.
● PPA and PCT are thermoplastic materials, and the main material of EMC is epoxy resin, which is a thermosetting material. The temperature resistance of EMC is higher than that of PPA and PCT, and the temperature resistance, yellowness, and air-tightness of PPA are not as good as those of EMC and PCT, but the price has advantages.
● Different heat dissipation, PPA, PCT, and EMC to enhance; due to different heat dissipation, the PPA bracket can only do 0.1–0.2W, PCT can only do 1W, and EMC can do 3W.
● EMC support has the advantages of high heat resistance, anti-yellowing, high current, high power, high density, anti-UV, small size, etc. It is currently optimistic about the packaging factory; many packaging companies have opened EMC production lines. However, some in the industry pointed out that the production process of the EMC framework and the PPA framework is completely unique. From the perspective of equipment and facilities, the industry prefers to use PCT. PCT materials are the preferred materials for LED packaging plants because of their excellent color stability and low water absorption.
PPA vs. PCT vs. EMC Bracket Comparison
Can all small-sized LED be used on a flex LED strip light? It is wrong to have this idea, and if you have this idea, you must change it as soon as possible. Flex LED strips must use PPA bracket LED beads. This is very important!
In the composition of the LED strip, the LED, as one of its core components, has a direct impact on the display effect and service life of the LED strip. Therefore, how to choose the LEDs of the LED strip light has become a topic worth discussing.
Here is how to buy LEDs.
Flexible LED strip lights must use PPA brackets; this bracket can be said to be a tailored LED strip. PCT and EMC brackets are not suitable.
1. PPA material is suitable for flex LED strips, mainly because of its excellent heat resistance; in a high-temperature environment, the LED bracket needs to withstand a certain amount of heat without deformation.
The attached table is our heat resistance test of PPA LED. As can be seen from the table, the heat resistance of PPA is better than that of PCT.
2. The high mechanical strength of PPA can provide sufficient support to ensure that LED components are not damaged by external forces during use. PPA materials are softer than PCT and EMC materials, while EMC and PCT materials are hard and brittle. PPA is better able to cope with unexpected pulling without breaking.
3. PPA materials are less hygroscopic than other materials and can be used for a long time under extreme conditions such as outdoor lighting.
In summary, the LED flex light strip selection of the PPA bracket is the most sensible choice.
Choosing a well-known LED brand is the key to ensuring the quality and performance of the LED strip light. Internationally renowned brands such as Lumileds, Osram, Samsung, etc., occupy an important position in the global market with their profound technology accumulation and high-quality products. Chinese brands such as SANAN Optoelectronics, Taihong Optoelectronics, NationStar Optoelectronics, etc., also occupy a large share in the market.
Different brands and types of LED have a large price difference, and their lives are also from thousands of hours to tens of thousands of hours. Choosing high-quality LED, although the initial investment is larger, is more economical in the long run because they have a longer service life and lower maintenance costs.
Founded in , SignliteLED has focused on the development and production of LED strip lights for 14 years and is committed to providing global customers with the best lighting solutions with high brightness, high reliability, energy saving, and environmental protection. Driven by core technology, we have an annual production capacity of more than 5 million meters, and our products are exported to more than 10 countries and regions, serving home, commercial, industrial, and outdoor landscape and other fields, and are the industry’s leading one-stop LED strip light supplier.
Whether you are looking for a standardized product or a customized solution, Signlite Opto-electronics Co., Ltd. will empower your project with a professional team and cutting-edge technology. If you have more questions or want more information about a certain product and whether it is right for you, we are here to help. Feel free to contact us for free samples and exclusive quotes.
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