FossLED Nano LED Strips

Choosing the right lighting when planning the ambience of your kitchen is very important. In recent times, kitchen designers have opted for the new trend of LED undercabinet lights and they can be seen in almost any contemporary kitchen showroom. Other types of fashionable lighting are still popular of course, for instance, pendant or spotlights are still ‘in vogue’. However, in this article Sparks will ask why it is that LED undercabinet lighting has risen in prominence to the extent that it has. The different kinds of undercabinet lighting There are two main types of under-cabinet lighting to choose from. You can place under-cabinet lamps either inside cupboards and cabinets, or underneath them to illuminate the worktop below. Downlights provide a focused light and are typically installed in multiples - along a straight line over a countertop, for example. Generally, downlights are a good choice for highly positioned cabinets. The Recessed Cabinet Undershelf light from Eterna Lighting is an excellent example of this type of under-cabinet downlight. It has an impressive Energy rating of A+ and its LED lamp has a long life of 25,000 hours. The second type of under-cabinet lighting is strip lights, which run seamlessly and evenly along the length of a cabinet. Sparks went into great detail on cove lighting in this article, which includes many of the upsides of LED strip lights. You can even use strip lighting to illuminate entire surfaces. This means you may choose to have undercabinet lighting recessed into the cabinet itself, which gives it a streamlined look. Alternatively, you could have it surface mounted. Surface mounted under-cabinet lighting is easier to install, as you don’t usually have to disrupt your mains supply to connect it. This 22W/m strip light from FossLED provides a wonderful 3000K of warm white light for your kitchen.Buy LED Strips for Undercabinet Lighting Why is LED undercabinet lighting so popular in kitchens? Safety is key The primary reason that under-cabinet lighting is so common in kitchens is that it allows for safer food preparation. Often, when you are preparing food on a work surface, ceiling lighting can cast shadows which may be obtrusive - especially if you are using the kitchen at night. Traditional exposed fixtures mounted in the ceiling are known to produce harsher radiance and shadows. This can be for several reasons, for instance, the person cooking blocks the light. However, undercabinet lighting shines directly onto the work surface which eliminates shadows and makes it far easier to see what you’re doing. This is especially useful if what you are doing involves cutting food with a large blade! Most under-cabinet lighting have wide beam angles which are designed to reduce (or completely get rid of) shadows. This is a feature that is fairly unique to under cabinet lighting and part of the reason they are considered so ‘chic’ right now among interior designers. Why is LED undercabinet lighting so popular in kitchens? Delightful design Another reason why kitchen designers appreciate under-cabinet lighting is because it can bring ambiance to the room. Any interior designer worth their salt knows that it’s essential to have different types of lights that perform different functions: task, accent and ambient lighting. Accent lighting usually comes in the form of a floor lamp or a wall sconce which highlights the features of your room. An excellent example of a floor lamp that would boost the design credentials of your kitchen is the White Ascoli Floor Lamp. This free-standing floor light features a flexible head for directional lighting, with a rotational adjustment angle of 330 degrees. It has an IP20 rating so should be placed well away from the sink. Ambient lighting is designed to lend a certain mood to a room, and is often controlled by a dimmable switch. Task lighting is where the undercabinet lighting comes in – it succeeds in providing a bright and focused light. However, under-cabinet lighting can make a room look more contemporary and warmer, depending on the colour rendering for the light that you choose. Sparks has a multitude of under cabinet lighting to choose from, manufactured by some of the best LED strip specialists in the world such as Foss LED and Teucer LED.Buy the White Ascoli Floor Lamp Why choose LED under cabinet lighting for your kitchen? There are many advantages in choosing LED undercabinet lights to illuminate your kitchen. LED lighting has long been recognised as the most energy-efficient lamp type, and choosing it to light your kitchen tops is an environmentally friendly move. You only require a low wattage (as low as 5W) to get an adequate level of illumination, which uses less energy and can save you money on your electricity bills. LED lights also produce almost no heat, which means that they won’t cause scorch marks on the worktop or damage the interior of your cabinet in any way. This is an advantage for wooden kitchens where wood can be easily contorted to change shape. LED lamps are more easily manageable than other types of lighting; they are directional, so you can control how much light there is and they are also easier to control (to dim, for instance). This makes them ideal for creating ambience in your kitchen. So the professionals and designers have given their view: LED undercabinet kitchen lighting is the way forward - so why don’t you look at purchasing some today?Buy LED Undercabinet Striplights

Cove lighting is a form of indirect lighting built into ledges, recesses or high up on the walls of a room, and LED cove lighting adds a lovely energy-saving and fully customisable aspect to it. It directs light up towards the ceiling and down adjacent walls. It may be used as primary lighting or as an aesthetic complement, especially to highlight decorative ceilings. Cove lighting previously referred to a row of LEDs placed behind the framework above a window (or plasterboard moulding). However, with the advent in the popularity of LED strip lighting, they are now seen in a wider variety of locations. The resurgence in cove lighting shows that designers are responding inventively to new avant-garde style houses. In this article, we will explore the benefits of cove lighting and whether it may be right for your home or property. Where is it suitable to place LED cove lighting for optimal style and convenience? Cove lighting is now a common feature in dropped ceilings, or the ‘architectural slot’ (a slot usually placed along a ceiling). This slot reaches to within a few centimetres of the wall. Alan Tulla, the technical editor at Lux, believes that the typical modern home is full of suitable locations for cove lighting. He says: Once you start looking… you will find that there are scores of aluminium extrusions of different shapes and dimensions to suit just about any shape of ceiling/wall and room configuration Some cove systems must be plastered in and require skilled builders, while others are very easy to fit yourself. Sparks offers a whole range from FOSS LED who both have a large and most advanced range of strip lights in the UK. Many of the more flexible cove systems will bend in one or two planes, meaning they can be guided in different directions across a surface. This would be ideal, for instance, if you wanted a cove lighting system that began in your living room and then angled off into your open plan kitchen.Buy FossLED LED Striplights Factors to consider when choosing LED cove lighting - practical or aesthetic? A key decision to make is whether your cove lighting will be merely nice to look at, or actually have a practical use. A single faint glowing light across your kitchen will lend it a decorative glow, but will not be bright enough to help you find cooking utensils in the middle of the night. If you take the more practical option, with more optimal light output, then you can illuminate an entire room. This will give enough illumination to actually help you find your way about. Other forms of lighting, such as T5 fluorescent battens can emit well over 2,000lm/m which is bright enough to indirectly light a room. However, unlike cove lighting, they can only be used in straight lines and are limited to fixed lengths.Factors to consider when choosing cove lighting - placement and colour rendering One thing to consider, however, is why should you choose cove lighting as an option in the first place? It is considered a ‘decorative’ kind of lighting so the way in which it is placed is very important. The LEDs in a cove lighting system should not be too bright as to distract or cause glare. However, you can easily overcome this by locating them away from ‘hot spots’, e.g areas which are already well illuminated by other lights. It is wise to place them over matt surfaces which are known to minimise these ‘hot spots’, as opposed to glossy surfaces which will maximise the effect. Colour rendering is an important factor when it comes to cove lighting. LED fixtures can produce illumination in a range of colour temperatures and intensities. This includes the warm tones of incandescent fixtures and pure white tones that are perfect for rendering other colours. FossLED stock brilliantly convenient and powerful strip lighting with high CRI ratings. For example, their 24V Dimmable LED Striplight offers an incredible CRI of 92+.Buy Cove LED Light Strips The benefits of LED cove lighting summarised Indirect cove lighting is decorative illumination at its finest, showcasing the delicate features of any space. These fixtures are available as strip lamps and are easily kept out of sight. The low profile is crucial to their aesthetic appeal because they rely on softer illumination to create a warm glow. This is opposed to traditional fixtures mounted in the ceiling which are exposed, producing harsher radiance and shadows. Cove lighting systems will perfectly blend in with furniture or architectural features - so look into the relevant drivers, connectors and striplights that Sparks has to offer. Cove lighting can subtly complement a classy, modern home without drawing attention - it may be the perfect lighting solution for you.

We were recently speaking about the continual and rapid evolution of LED technology, and the LEDK1RGB LED tape kit is here to confirm it. The days in which you needed an electrician to quote you for an undershelf light or retail color-changing and eye-catching LED lights is over! Now you can install, stick, cut, and customize your LED strip lights, including the color sequence, the frequency, etc - with the possibility of changing this via the remote control! And all this for as low as... £40 + VAT! Truly a revolutionary product. What is this LED Tape / Strip Light? What we are introducing in this article is a do-it-yourself kit - a blister-packed RGB LED tape coming with everything you need to set up your own LED strip lighting. The LEDK1RGB comes complete with instructions and not only: Self-adhesive LED tape which can be cut at 10cm intervals. Total length: 5m LED roll. Multi-adaptor power supply, not only for UK but for the whole world. IR controller: remote control to allow you to change the frequency, the colors, the intensity, etc. Connectors: to connect the bits and pieces as you cut the LED tape. In other words, whether you're a DIY enthusiast who loves to customize his home (both indoors and outdoors), an electrician who needs a low-cost yet solid solution for undershelf/alcove/outdoor strip lighting, or a retail store that needs to draw people's attention to the display window, you do well to pay attention to this LED strip light kit. If you don't like it to change colors all the time that's not a problem - just change it via the remote control!Buy LED Tapes - LED Strips What Can We Use this LED Strip Light For? The "official recommendations" for this LED strip light are to be used for the underside of countertops, under-the-shelf lighting, cupboard lighting, around-the-window frame strip lights, ceiling alcoves, etc. These are only a few of the uses since you can also use this kit for commercial lighting like retail window display lighting, shop lighting, exhibition windows, restaurant and bar lighting, pub lights, etc. The IP65 rating for this LED strip light allows you to use it both indoors and outdoors, or, if needed - even in the bathroom!Where Can You Buy this LED Tape Kit? If you're in London and you want to see how this kit works, or if you're just passing through Archway, Highgate, Camden Town, King's Cross, Tuffnell Park, Kentish Town, Caledonian Road, or Holloway Road, why not pop into our showroom! We have this cool RGB color-changing LED strip light installed, and we will let you try the settings via the remote control! Otherwise, you can visit our website and you will find this LED strip light kit via the LED lighting section.

At Sparks Electrical Wholesalers - together with FossLED - we provide a comprehensive selection of LED strip and rigid board lighting products designed to meet a wide variety of needs across numerous applications. Each product is crafted from premium-grade components, ensuring superior performance, durability, and the highest quality finish. The FossLED LED strip lights are engineered with a minimum CRI (Color Rendering Index) rating of 92+ and up to 97+, delivering exceptional light output and accurate colour representation. In order to help you choose the right LED strip and LED channel, we put together the following Frequently Asked Questions about the LED strip lights at SparksWhat lengths are LED strips sold in?What is the maximum length of LED strip that can be used?Can you cut LED strip?How do you use LED strips around corners?Do you need a profile to house LED strip?Are LED strips waterproof?Are LED strips dimmable?What is CRI?What is the difference between 12V and 24V LED strips?What is FREE CUT LED strip?What lengths are LED strips sold in?We take pride in offering our most popular LED strips in a wide range of lengths to meet diverse customer needs. Depending on the strip model and IP rating, we provide standard lengths such as 5m, 10m, 20m, 25m, 30m, and 50m. Additionally, we offer a customisation service on these reel lengths if you require a specific size or DIY-compatible clips.What is the maximum length of LED strip that can be used? The maximum length of LED strip that can be used is dependent on an array of factors but most importantly the LED strip type and wattage per metre; exceeding the recommended lengths can cause voltage drop as well as damage to the LED driver powering it. Within every LED strip product page, we list the maximum run length each specific LED strip can be powered to.Can you cut LED strip?Yes, you can cut LED strips, but there are some important factors to consider:Cutting points: Standard LED strips have designated cutting points, typically marked with a small line or scissor icon. These points are located between the copper pads along the strip. However, our new Free Cut Series offers more flexibility.Free Cut LED strips: These strips allow you to cut at any point along the length, without needing to adhere to specific cutting marks. Unlike traditional LED strips that are limited to predetermined intervals, Free Cut LED strips provide greater customisation options. This makes them ideal for achieving a precise fit for any project or space, especially when exact measurements are crucial or when traditional cutting points don’t align with your needs.How do you use LED strips around corners?For sharp, precise 90-degree corners, use our LED strip L connectors. For more flexible, less exact applications, our corner connectors are ideal. Be sure to choose a connector that matches the type of LED strip you are using. Compatible connectors are listed on each fossLED strip product page for your convenience.Do you need a profile to house LED strip?Yes, at fossLED we only warrant our LED Strip to 5 years if installed in conjunction with our aluminium LED profiles for the following reasons.Protection: Profiles offer physical protection for the LED strip, guarding it against dust, moisture, and mechanical damage, which helps to extend the strip’s lifespan by preventing physical harm.Heat dissipation: LED strips generate heat, and fossLED profiles, made from a 6063-aluminium alloy, are designed to function as heat sinks. This material effectively dissipates heat away from critical components, ensuring a cooler operating temperature and extending the product’s lifespan.Aesthetic finish: Profiles offer a sleek, professional look by concealing the LED strip and providing a clean, finished appearance. They come in various styles and materials, allowing you to match the profile to your design preferences.Light diffusion: fossLED Profiles are offered with diffusers that help to evenly distribute light and reduce glare, creating a more uniform and visually pleasing illumination.Ease of installation: Profiles streamline the installation process by offering a structured housing for the LED strip, which facilitates easier mounting and alignment. They also provide an optimal surface for the LED strip’s 3M backing to stick to, reducing the risk of long-term detachment and potential product failure due to improper heat dissipation.Best LED Striplights at SparksAre LED strips waterproof?LED strips are available in a variety of IP Ratings (Ingress Protection), and their level of water resistance varies based on their design and rating.Non-Water-Resistant LED Strips (IP20): These strips are not intended for contact with water or moisture. They are best suited for indoor environments with low moisture levels, such as living rooms or offices, and should be avoided in areas with high humidity, like bathrooms or outdoor spaces.Waterproof LED Strips: For applications exposed to water or high humidity, look for LED strips with higher IP ratings, such as IP65, IP67 or IP68. These ratings indicate different levels of resistance. The IP65 rating provides protection against water jets and low-pressure streams of water from all directions. The IP67 rating ensures full protection against dust and allows for temporary immersion in water, up to a depth of 1 metre for a maximum duration of 30 minutes. With an IP68 rating, the device is safeguarded for continuous immersion in water up to 1 metre deep. This level of protection is ideal for situations where the product will encounter substantial moisture, such as underwater lighting or outdoor use in areas prone to heavy rain. Always verify the IP rating of the LED strip to ensure it suits the requirements of your intended environment.Are LED strips dimmable?Yes, all fossLED strips are dimmable when paired with a fossLED mains dimmable driver and a standard LED-compatible UK dimmer, or when used with standard LED drivers and fossLED controller combinations. For more information on further dimming methods, protocols and lighting system integration, please contact us.What is CRI?CRI, or Colour Rendering Index, is a measure of how accurately a light source displays colours in comparison to natural light. It is expressed as a number on a scale from 0 to 100. CRI is a critical factor in assessing the quality of light and its impact on colour perception, with higher values indicating better colour rendering capabilities.What is the difference between 12V and 24V LED strips?The key differences between 12V and 24V LED strips lie in their voltage, wiring, and overall performance, impacting their suitability for various installations. 12V LED strips operate on a 12V power supply and are commonly used for shorter runs, such as in automotive lighting or very small-scale home projects. 24V LED strips require a 24V power supply and are ideal for longer runs. They generate less heat and operate more efficiently, making them better suited for general home and commercial installations.What is FREE CUT LED strip?These strips allow you to cut at any point along the length, without needing to adhere to specific cutting marks. Unlike traditional LED strips that are limited to predetermined intervals, Free Cut LED Strips provide greater customization options. This makes them ideal for achieving a precise fit for any project or space, especially when exact measurements are crucial or when traditional cutting points don’t align with your needs.Buy FossLED LED Strips