Tony Allison, Research and Development Manager at Collingwood Lighting, provides some tips for choosing the right LED strip.
Just about anything is possible with Collingwood Lighting’s extensive and varied range of LED strip lighting. Whether your install is for practical or aesthetic reasons, strip lights often provide the perfect finishing touch or statement piece to your design scheme.
The options for LED strip are endless, so you can really let your creative side run free. LED strip is flexible, self-adhesive and can fit inside, outside or around pretty much any shape you can think of. From practical countertop light in your kitchen, to a full on colour changing conference room, there’s an LED strip that will do the job.
Its versatility means the LED strip is increasingly becoming the ‘go-to’ product in many commercial or domestic projects. But with so many options available, how do you know which strip to choose?
Here are five key points to consider when making that decision.
“From practical countertop light in your kitchen, to a full on colour changing conference room, there’s an LED strip that will do the job.”
What atmosphere do I want to create?
The colour temperature of your lighting can have a big 
impact on the atmosphere and ambience of an environment. In spaces such as living rooms, bedrooms and restaurants, a warmer, more comfortable atmosphere can be created with our warmest white colour temperature, 2700k.
A 3000k colour temperature is slightly cooler, providing a warm atmosphere that is still practical, and is perfect for areas such as kitchens and studies.
For offices and other environments that require light for seeing detail, a crisper, cooler 4000k is closer to natural outdoor light.
How bright should the light output be?
For subtle accents and the highlighting of decorative features, a soft light of 4.8 watts is perfect. If your strip will be task lighting, or the main source of light in a room, opt for a more powerful strip, such as the 14.4 watts.
Do I want a colourful scheme?
For environments that would benefit from a touch of colour, such as bars and function rooms, an RGBW strip allows you to choose from a broad spectrum of colour options. The strip really comes into its own in the hospitality trade where inventiveness and atmosphere are at a premium.
You can completely change the look and feel of a scheme at the touch of a button, using a handheld or wall mounted remote control, or even your phone. For an environment that may need a white light option, the Collingwood RGBW strip can also be set to white.
The RGBW strip was the perfect choice for the function room of The Halston hotel in Carlisle, where the mood can be switched from business conference to funky disco – all at the touch of a button. The colour lights can even be set to match a company’s brand for that extra wow factor on that special day.
Will the strip come into contact with water?
The proximity of your strip to water will impact what type 
of strip you need. Each has an IP – or ‘Ingress Protection’ – rating and it is important to select the right one for your installation.
If your project is in an environment where the light will be at risk from splashes of water, such as in bathrooms or kitchens, near showers, sinks or other splash areas, you’ll need a strip with an IP rating of 44 or higher.
For outdoor environments or places frequently affected by water or rain, an IP rating of 66/67 is needed. Typical outdoor use includes on pathways or walls for decorative or practical purposes.
If you are lighting an indoor space, with no risk of exposure to water, such as in the living room, or around ceiling coving, cabinets or shelving, then an IP20 strip is ideal.
What length of strip do I need?
The distance you need to run your strip along will also impact on the quality of light. For short distances up to 5m such as shelving, the Collingwood Constant Voltage strip is ideal. For distances over 5m, the current controlled strip is perfect. The current is controlled at each LED, which means light does not fade the further down the strip you go. Brightness is maintained all the way along a 20m reel for those big jobs such as bars, restaurants and hotels.
