In the field of pool lighting, in addition to LED pool lights, some people also use LED strips. This article will analyze the characteristics of these two types of products in detail to help you choose the best lighting solution.
Due to the use of LED process, both pool lights or light strips have the advantages of LED lighting products. For example, they are energy efficient, rich in luminous color, long life, responsive and safe. Both LED strips and LED pool lights for underwater lighting have an IP68 rating. This means they can work properly for a long time in underwater environments.
At present, the light chips of LED pool lights can be selected from COB and SMD. COB (Chip on Board) is a high efficiency surface light source chip. It can adjust the beam angle of the pool light by adding different lenses. Common beam angles are 15°/30°/45°/60°.
SMD (Surface Mounted Device) is the most widely used LED chip, the shape is a small square plate. SMD chip can not be added to change the beam angle of the lens, the beam angle is usually 120°. These chips are small, flexible and suitable for integration into a variety of circuit boards. They can also be used in lighting devices of various shapes and sizes.
LED pool lights with narrow beam angles can be used for accent lighting, and wide beam angles can provide illumination over large areas.
You can broadly categorize LED pool lights into two types: plastic and metal. Manufacturers usually make plastic pool lights of ABS+UV housing and PC lens. This type of pool light is cheap, durable, and the best choice for low budgets.
The face cover material of metal pool lights is usually tempered glass, and the most common housing material is stainless steel. In addition, some manufacturers produce pool lights made of aluminum or brass. Metal pool lights are very durable and scratch resistant and dissipate heat better than plastic pool lights.
There are many types of LED pool lights, and installation methods can vary greatly.
You can surface mount some pool lights to the pool wall. The advantage of this type of installation is that it is simple and easy to install.
Other pool lights require the drilling of holes and the installation of prefabricated parts. This type of installation, although relatively complex, can make the pool light more firmly attached to the pool wall and more aesthetically pleasing.
Repairing or replacing LED pool lights usually requires draining the pool and then disassembling the pool light for repair or replacement. This process can be complicated, but does not affect other pool lights.
Some pool lights have a standard size LED light source. When repairing or replacing an LED pool light, you can replace just the damaged light source instead of the entire fixture. This makes replacement easier and can result in significant cost savings.
LED strips are unique linear lighting products consisting of strip-shaped printed circuit boards with other electronic components. When you connect LED strip lights to LED power supplies, they convert electricity into light energy, causing the LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) to emit light. This design enables LED strip lights to provide bright illumination in a compact, efficient and long-lasting manner.
You can divide LED light strips into two types according to whether they can be folded or not: flexible and rigid. Manufacturers make the circuit board material of the flexible LED strip of flexible PCB (Printed Circuit Board), which makes it bendable. They manufacture flexible led strip by soldering SMD or COB chips to the flexible PCB and applying tape to the back.
Flexible led strips have a wide range of applications. You can bend them into various shapes to fit into complex pool spaces or to realize various unique lighting ideas.
Flexible LED strips mostly rely on thin copper layers for heat dissipation only. They have average heat dissipation capacity and are difficult to accommodate high-power LED components.
Rigid LED strips have LED chips mounted on a metal-core printed circuit board (MCPCB) that cannot bend freely and can only maintain a straight shape. These LED strips have a stable structure and are suitable for linear lighting scenarios where straight lines need to be followed.
Manufacturers typically protect rigid strips with aluminum housings, making them more durable than flexible strips. The MCPCB and aluminum package of rigid LED strips can better dissipate heat, support higher power, and maintain stable light output.
Except for some special products, the beam angle of most LED strips is 120°. LED strips consist of a number of individual LED emitters that provide an even, continuous light over the entire length of the strip. Compared to traditional LED lights, this is the most important feature of LED strips.
You need to have an IP68 rating for protection on LED light bars used in underwater pool environments.
Flexible LED strips can fit into a variety of complex spaces, and you can often easily install them using double-sided adhesive tape applied to the surface. Manufacturers equip some flexible strips suitable for underwater environments with special waterproof tape or other fasteners for installation. Rigid LED strips usually require screws or other fasteners for installation.
Whether you have a flexible or rigid LED strip, maintenance may require removing the entire strip for repair or replacement. If you are experienced in electronics maintenance, you may be able to replace the damaged part using this guide.
The above detailed comparison of the features of LED pool lights and LED strip lights.LED pool lights offer a wide range of beam angles and materials to choose from. Whereas, LED strip lights provide a continuous lighting effect.
Choosing between LED pool lights or LED strips depends on your needs and preferences. If you need accent lighting, brightly lit areas, or a controlled beam angle, you may want to consider installing LED pool lights for your pool. Currently, LED pool lights are still the dominant choice for pool lighting. If you need a continuous, linear lighting effect, to adapt to complex underwater spaces, or to realize more lighting ideas, then LED light strips can be another option for pool lighting or as a supplement after installing LED pool lights.
WAKING Lighting is a professional LED pool lighting manufacturer, if you have any needs, please feel free to contact us.
