COB LED strips: what are they and when should you use them?
Do you want to highlight a corner of the room? LED Strips are famous for their ability to frame spaces and follow specific shapes, to give them a special prominence. In fact, when used correctly, they can completely transform a space to create very attractive effects.
However, there are some cases where conventional LED strips do not achieve the desired effect, as the points that make up the strip can be seen on a surface where it is reflected, even if a diffuser is used. For these cases, COB LED strips are an ideal option.
What is COB LED?
COB is the abbreviation of Chip on Board, which means chip-on-board packaging technology, a light-emitting body in which multiple COB LED chips are integrated and packaged on the same substrate.
COB led light source is a high-efficiency integrated surface light source technology in which the LED chip is directly attached to a high-reflectivity mirror metal substrate.
The light-emitting area and external dimensions of the light source can be designed according to the product shape and structure such as round or square.
The led light emitted by the chip undergoes refraction, reflection, and interaction with phosphors in the encapsulating gel, and the gel uniformly emits light of different light colors and color temperatures.
Main advantages and disadvantages of COB LED strips
In which cases is it advisable to use COB LED strips? Similar to LED strips, this format allows to have a continuous light and an enveloping aesthetic in the space where it is used.
There are occasions when we want to illuminate a surface where the light is reflected. If we choose a conventional LED strip, we will see the points that are marked on the strip. To avoid this irregularity and to achieve a uniform space, it is advisable to use COB LED strips, in which these dots are not detected.
Another advantage of COB LED strips is that they can simultaneously reduce consumption by approximately 30-40%, or with the same consumption they can achieve a luminous contribution of more than 30%.
In addition, one of the main advantages of continuous light is that it can be used more frequently with a transparent diffuser. Standard LED strips, on the other hand, are usually used with opal diffusers to avoid marking spots.
In summary, these are the main differences compared to other types of light:
- LED continuous line.
- They usually have a lower consumption and higher light contribution.
- Their useful life is longer.
- They are more environmentally friendly, as they do not contain mercury.
- Can be used more frequently with a transparent diffuser.
On the other hand, its main disadvantage is that as it is made up of more chips per metre, its cost tends to be higher. It is up to you to decide whether you want to achieve a totally enveloping ambience, in case you work with reflective surfaces.
Different types of COB strip lights
COB led lights have the basic characteristics of led strip lights, have an adhesive backing, can be cut, can be connected, long life, safe to touch, environment friendly, and is easy to install.
There are many types of COB led strips, different voltages, different widths, different densities, different light colors and color temperatures, and COB LEDs all have high CRI.
- Voltage: 5V / 12V / 24V
- Density(chips/m): 160, 320, 400, 384, 480, 512, 576, 840, 768, 864, 1056
- Flexible PCB width: 3mm | 4mm | 5mm | 8mm | 10mm | 12mm
- White light color temperature: 2200K / 2700K / 3000K / 4000K / 6500K
- Color: Amber, White, Ice blue, Pink, Yellow, Orange, Red, Green, Marrs green, Blue, CCT, RGB, RGBW, Addressable RGB
- CRI(Ra>): 90+
Are COB led lights better?
Comparing COB led strips and other led strip lights, we can see that COB light strips are indeed slightly better. And the advantages are expressed in the following aspects.
Bending resistance, good flexibility, 180-degree light-emitting
Led strip lights are limited in flexibility, which only can be bent to align the lights horizontally and bend to the back of the strip.
But, COB led strip lights are available to be wound, twist, and bend. The COB strip is more flexible than led strip lights.
The light-emitting surface of the COB strip light can reach a light-emitting angle of 180°. However, SMD led strip lights only can reach 120 degrees.
Energy-saving, high light efficiency
Compared with traditional led strip lights, under the same density, the power of COB led lights is much smaller and only accounts for about 50% of the traditional led strips.
And COB led light can achieve high luminous efficiency while saving energy.
Low heat, good heat dissipation
The COB light strip directly fixes the chip on the PCB, reducing the heat conduction channel, and the high-density technology makes the current on each chip doubled, the heat dissipation performance is qualitatively improved, and the light attenuation of the COB light strip is smaller and longer life.
Uniform light effect, soft, no glare, no light spots, no graininess
Due to the structural characteristics of the COB led light, the light-emitting surface is a linear colloid. The structure of the SMD light strip is a luminous lamp bead.
Therefore, the light emitted by the COB light strip should be much more uniform, linear, and there is no light spot.
Multicolor, dimmable
Led strip lights have various colors and color temperatures, and the COB led strips are as the same. You can choose your preferred color and color temperature, 3000K warm white or 6000K pure white? Single color or RGB color changing COB led strip?
The brightness of led strip lights doesn’t always make us pleasant. If the strip light can be adjusted the brightness, it will be great to set up the comfortable brightness.
Ultra-thin, high density, high CRI
Since the COB led chip is directly attached to the PCB board, the thickness of the PCB is ultra-thin. If you want to hide the led strip, ultra-thin strip lighting is a good choice.
The high-density COB led light strip achieves perfect linearity from point to line to surface, which is more in line with the current designer’s design concept of not seeing the light, and the application field will be broader.
High CRI means that the light source can restore more colors to the objects. COB led strip lights with high CRI make your senses more intense and easier to distinguish different colors.
A good led strip light cannot do without good color rendering. You can imagine you are in a garden, and there are many beautiful flowers. With high CRI, you can see the beauty of the garden, and you will feel a variety of bright colors.
But with low CRI, everything you see will be grayscale, like the black and white movie. And all it says is that a high CRI is necessary.
How to cut COB led strips?
To cut the COB strip, you only need a pair of scissors. Of course, use a ruler to measure the length you need before cutting it.
The PCB board of the light strip has clearly marked the places that can be cut, and it can be cut along these lines. The unit length of the cutting line of the LED light strip is different, which is determined by the circuit design inside the PCB (print circult board ).
The small units before each group of cutting lines are connected in parallel, so they can still be used normally after cutting.
For the specific instructions for cutting and installation, you can refer to another article by YIFORD led lighting Blog.
Here is a detailed explanation of how to install the COB light strip, 8 steps, step by step tech you:
- Prepare the LED light strip/power supply/controller and related tools,
- measure the required length
- cut the LED strips as needed
- how to quickly connect the power cord
- Test the strip before installation
- how to paste the strip lighting to the desired position
- connect the led power supply and led controller or led dimmer
- last time test and adjust to your favorite color.
how to install cob led strip lights to your projects
Cut at the designated mark, the led strips can be used normally, what will happen if it is not cut at the designated mark?
For example, you will find that several lights at the end are not on.
The way to solve this problem is to cut off the rest of the uncertain lights, remember to cut along the cutting line.
the cutting unit lengths of some COB strips
12V and 24V COB LED Strips Lights cut length
You may have found that, In general, the cutting length of 12V and 24V is the same，such as white cob led strip lights, and single color led light strip. but for the tunable COB light strips, RGB addressable led strip lights, 12V COB led strip lights, 24V COB led strip lights, each cut length is different, this is because the PCB design is different, the length that can be cut is the same as It is determined by the density of chip set lamps, the number of lamp beads distributed in each segment, and the current setting.
Can COB led lights use aluminum channels?
The role of the led aluminum channels is to protect led strip lights and to emit a better light effect. If you don’t want to see the led strip light naked, you can install an aluminum channel to hide the light strip. The use of aluminum channels can also make the installation effect more beautiful.
The use of light troughs for COB led lights can solve the visual flaws of reflective particles. Whether it is an office, a commercial shop, or a leisure space, the linear light style can bring visual extra points to the space when providing lighting.
If you need help or have doubts about the led strip light please contact us.