[chbot] Tape for securing LED strip

[Volker Kuhlmann]

On Sun 05 Aug 2018 21:20:39 NZST +1200, Neil Stockbridge wrote:

> Does the thermal conductivity of the tape matter at all?  The LEDs in
> some of my strips are no longer as bright as some of the others in the
> same strip and I wonder if it's partly because they got hot.

Probably. The typical 50,000h life expentency of lighting LEDs are
usually specified for a junction(!) operating temperature of 25°C, so
you're being taken for a ride right there. Even with a very big heat
sink they'd run at at least 3 times that. The LEDs on those plastic tape
PCBs have basically no cooling at all. And, of course, cheap stuff from
China has the chapest non-brand backyard knockoff LEDs on them. Early
failure is not surprising...

I'd run the strip at 1/3 rated power, or less, or whatever makes it run
warm, but not hot. Use more strips, it's cheap. That also increases
power efficiency noticably - fewer losses in the pathetic plastic strip
conductors, LED efficiency drops lots towards max rated power and
somwhat with increased temperature.

Volker

-- 
Volker Kuhlmann
http://volker.top.geek.nz/	Please do not CC list postings to me.