Understanding LED Linear Light Specifications: Lumens, Wattage, and More

LED linear lights (long strip-shaped LED lights) are widely used in home, office, and commercial lighting. Their specifications directly affect brightness, energy consumption, and overall performance. Below is a simple and straightforward breakdown of core parameters to help you select the right product quickly:

• Key Function: Lumens measure light flux, which determines the perceived brightness of the light.
   Example: A 30cm LED linear light typically has 500–800 lm; a 1m light may reach 2,000–3,000 lm.
   
• What to Watch For:
   High lumens don't always mean "harsh light"-also check the beam angle (narrow angles are more concentrated, wide angles are more uniform).
   Compare lumens for lights of the same length: higher values mean brighter light (but may consume more power).

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Key Function: Wattage represents power consumption (1 kWh = 1,000W/h).

• Example: A 1m LED linear light usually uses 10–20W, saving over 50% energy compared to traditional fluorescent lights (30–40W).

Critical Formula:

• Efficacy (lm/W) = Lumens ÷ Wattage. Higher efficacy means more energy efficiency.
  High-quality LEDs often achieve 100–150 lm/W (ordinary lights may only have 60-80 lm/W).

Key Function: Color temperature (in Kelvin, K) determines the tone of the light:

• 2,700–3,500K: Warm white (yellowish), ideal for cozy environments (e.g., bedrooms, dining rooms).
• 4,000–5,000K: Neutral white (close to natural daylight), suitable for offices and kitchens (excellent for detail visibility).
• 5,500–6,500K: Cool white (bluish), best for focused tasks (e.g., study rooms, exhibition halls).

Avoid This Mistake:

• Don't mix different color temperatures in the same space (e.g., warm and cool white-they'll clash visually).

Key Function: CRI (up to 100) measures how accurately the light renders true colors of objects.

• CRI ≥90: Professional-grade, essential for clothing stores or art galleries (true-to-life color representation).
• CRI 80–90: Suitable for daily use (homes, offices-colors appear natural).
• CRI <80: Use with caution-may cause color distortion (e.g., food looking unappetizing).

Key Function: The beam angle determines how concentrated or spread out the light is:

• 10°–30°: Narrow angle, focused light (e.g., wall washing, accent lighting).
• 60°–120°: Wide angle, uniform light (e.g., general ceiling lighting, tabletop illumination).

Practical Use Cases:

• To highlight wall textures (e.g., a feature wall) → choose a narrow angle; to light up an entire desk → choose a wide angle.

1. Size and Installation:

• Lengths: Common sizes include 30cm, 60cm, 120cm; some support cutting or customization.

• Mounting: Magnetic (no drilling), clip-in (requires embedding), or screw-fixed.

2. Lifespan (Hours):

• High-quality LEDs last ≥50,000 hours (≈17 years with 8 hours of daily use).

• Poor-quality lights may fail prematurely (≤10,000 hours) due to inadequate heat dissipation.

3. Waterproof Rating (IP Rating):

• IP20: Dust-protected, for indoor use only (e.g., ceilings, cabinets).

• IP65/IP67: Waterproof and dustproof, suitable for bathrooms or outdoors (note: connectors may need extra sealing).

• For Brightness: Prioritize lumens (higher for same length) and efficacy (lm/W for energy efficiency).
• For Ambiance: Choose color temperature (warm for coziness, cool for clarity) and beam angle (narrow for focus, wide for spread).
• For True Colors: Pick CRI ≥80 (critical for tasks like cooking or retail display).
• For Durability: Opt for aluminum heat sinks and IP65+ waterproofing (especially in kitchens or bathrooms).

 Example:

• Kitchen under-cabinet lighting → 4,000K (natural light for cooking), CRI 85+ (realistic food colors), IP54 (resistant to splashes).
• Living room feature wall → 3,000K warm light + 15° narrow angle (concentrated beam to highlight textures).