As with many other businesses, the key to running a successful grocery store is to sell high quality, attractive products while maintaining low operating costs. Installing LED strip lights for commercial refrigeration and food display helps increase profit margins by increasing product appeal while also lowering operating costs. Visual merchandising is known to have a strong effect on customer buying behavior, as shown in a study published by the International Journal of Engineering Science and Innovative Technology. The study found that 85% of customers sampled felt that attractive colors and lighting make them more likely to spend more time in a store. According to the researchers, respondents mentioned that effective lighting in particular helped them to “select the right products, reduce the time wasted and to feel relaxed” during their shopping experience. If you want customers to buy food, you must make the food look appealing. Many conventional forms of artificial light fail to accurately reveal colors as they would appear under natural sunlight — but LED lighting is not a conventional source of light. LED lighting: color as it was meant to be Advances in LED technology have vastly increased the level at which LED lights can faithfully reproduce colors. Think about the decision that goes into buying a fresh mango. If the lighting source renders the colors of the fruit drab and lifeless, it’s going to be a tough sell to get customers to fork over the cash for this pricey delicacy. However, imagine those mangos under bright, natural looking, evenly distributed LED strip lights, which reproduce the fiery reds and energetic oranges in the precise manner they would be rendered by tropical daylight. LEDs also make great accent lights to spotlight high-margin fresh food displays. Adding LED lighting to fresh produce displays...

Flexfire LEDs customer Don Bickley recently installed our ColorBright™ Natural White LED strip lights to provide task and ambient illumination in his unique travel trailer. Pleased with the product quality and service he received, Mr. Bickley felt inspired to write a rather thorough review on his blog. The review is part of a longer piece in which he provides great detail of his travel trailer LED strip light installation. We’ve excerpted some of it for you here below; head over to Explore With Don for his full review. Review Of Colorbright™ Natural White LED Strip From Flexfire LEDs, Inc.   I was creating a map board in my travel trailer (TT) and I needed much better lighting than what I currently had. This is a review on an LED light strip that I chose.   I installed the strip lighting under a cabinet for map board illumination in my TT cargo bay, and I installed 3 separate strips on the ceiling for general “room” lighting. At the bottom of this page is a link to my article detailing how I did this upgrade.   I never much thought of using LED strip lighting before, but I’m now solidly sold on the idea. The install went easily, quickly, and I’m very satisfied with the results.   There are many LED sellers out there, but I found FlexFireLEDs.com’s LED Lighting Specialist Ruy Lopes very informative and pleasant to deal with. Never once did he make me feel like I was wasting his time. He answered my questions, gave me advice, and guided me along.   After much research (as always), I decided on FlexFire LEDs’ Colorbright™ LED strip light; based on Ruy’s recommendation, but also on the specs. They have light strips for nearly any type of application, whether that be for recreational, household, outdoor, or commercial needs.   Other facts that persuaded me:...

Until relatively recently there was no such thing as a commercially available ultraviolet (UV) LED light. But as LED technology continues to develop and power densities increase, UV LED lights are expanding into the market and replacing more traditional alternatives. Ultraviolet (UV) light is an invisible form of electromagnetic energy (light energy) that travels at a higher frequency and carries more energy than visible light. UV lightwaves were originally called “chemical rays” when first discovered in the 19th century because of their ability to cause certain substances to change at the molecular level. Here are a few examples of the many applications for UV LED lighting:   Industrial and Cosmetic Curing UV curing is a process that uses UV light to instantly cure (or “dry”) inks, coating and adhesives through cross-polymerization of photosensitive materials. UV LED technology is emerging as an ozone gas- and mercury-free option for chemical curing with both industrial and cosmetic applications. Nail polish cures have traditionally been done using unregulated UV lamps, but controversy arose earlier this year over a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology which reported a potential danger of skin cancer. The study found that LED lamps were much safer for this application, due to the lower frequency of UV light they emit. Analytic Tools Due to UV lighting’s ability to make certain materials visible to the human eye, it has been used for quite some time as an analytic tool. One common use for ultraviolet light sources is checking UV watermarks to validate currency, or identifying bodily fluids in forensic crime scenes. Scientific and Biological A 2012 study published in Applied Entomology and Zoology showed that UV LED lights were an effective method for dealing with the West Indian sweet potato weevil. This disagreeable insect...

Straight from the pages of science fiction, a team at King’s College in London has reversed paralysis using stem cell neurons treated with blue LED light. The trials took place in April of this year, during which scientists were able to restore muscular function in the formerly paralyzed legs of mice. The Wall Street Daily recently followed up with a report confirming the vital role that LED light played in this experiment. Additional testing is now being done to create a usable model for human trials, and time will tell if indeed LED light beats paralysis for good. The team used stem cells that contained neurons with a unique twist – a light sensitive gene that has the same biological structure as marine algae. These specially engineered cells were implanted into the exposed nerves of a paralyzed mouse, and then things really got interesting. The cells were exposed to blue LED light, and this triggered a connection between the nerve and the muscle, which essentially reverses paralysis. Scientists were able to adjust the intensity of the muscle’s contraction simply by varying the duration, intensity, and frequency of the LED light flashes. This procedure shows promise for restoring muscular function in individuals who suffer from spinal cord injuries and motor neuron diseases. Further, it is a dramatic improvement over existing paralysis treatments that use electrical stimulation, which are often painful and cause rapid muscle fatigue. In practice, this will basically be a tiny optical pacemaker that has a blue LED light built into it. The implanted pacemaker will consistently flash light onto the special neurons, thus allowing normal muscular function. The team at King’s College plans to develop this pacemaker within the next five years....

“LIGHT reveals the glories of the external world and yet is the most glorious of them all. It gives beauty, reveals beauty and is itself most beautiful. It is the analyzer, the truth-teller and the exposer of shams, for it shows things as they are.” Edwin D. Babbitt, Principles of Light and Color While interior design plans give plenty of attention to wall paint and floor colors, lighting plays a critical role that is too often overlooked. Color and lighting influence our psychological functioning and well-being on a day-to-day basis, and understanding these influences is important when creating “human-centric” spaces. Designers have been using advanced color knowledge in this way for years, and the customizability of LED lighting now allows them to do the same with light. Let’s take a closer look at LEDs and the psychology of light and color. Humanity’s fascination with color has been with us since the dawn of civilization, with different colors used to symbolize and express various moods in ancient artwork spanning from Greece to Tibet. Color theory can be somewhat subjective, as certain colors elicit varying reactions in individuals based on personal preference and cultural backgrounds. It’s a truly interesting scientific field, and a great deal of thought has gone into exploring the psychological effects of color. One way of comparing colors in the visible spectrum is to divide them into “warm” and “cool” categories. The warm colors include red, orange, and yellow—think of the sun setting on the beach, or maple leaves strewn across the yard in early fall.  These colors generally convey passion, positive energy, enthusiasm and happiness. In contrast, the cool colors include green, blue and purple—think of a solitary walk on a full moon night, or the depth of the ocean sea beneath a sleeping fisherman’s boat. Those colors convey...

How would you like an LED lighting system in your home that matched your body’s natural rhythms, optimizing your mental and emotional well-being? Or how about LED strip lights connected to motion sensors that guide you to the bathroom in the middle of the night? With home automation LED lighting systems, these are fully feasible options for today’s 21st century home owner. A home automation system uses wireless networking technology to program and remotely control common household systems including lighting, appliances, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), or the locks of gates and doors, among other common home necessities. Rightfully so, there has been quite a bit of attention given to home automation in recent years. Home automation LED lighting systems, for instance, are more convenient, more energy efficient, and ultimately more exciting than traditional home lighting systems. Such systems exemplify the use of technology for real human benefit, in contrast to many convoluted technological “solutions” that make things even more difficult. Simplicity is a tremendously important feature as the world looks to reduce its carbon footprint through the automation of routine tasks. How do home automation LED lighting systems work? Imagine your home with a full network of LED lights that you can control with an app on your phone or computer. Not quite sure what that would look like? Here are a few examples of the kind of control you would have: Motion sensors turn on/off and dim automated LED lights when you enter or leave rooms Turn off all the interior lights in your home with a simple click of an app button Use your smartphone to remotely monitor and adjust the lighting in your home while away on vacation An intelligent lighting system that turns on the lights at sunset and turns them off...

When shopping for LED strip lights, you’ll regularly come across numbered terms such as 3020, 3528, and 5050. So what do these numbers mean, and why are they important in your buying process? This simple explanation will help you in understanding the different numbers used in LED strip lights. First, a basic understanding of how the strips themselves are constructed. The LED chips are mounted onto a thin, flexible metal strip that acts as a heat sink, drawing heat from the light chips and allowing them to remain cool during operation. This construction accounts for the “SMD” you’ll often see in strip light specifications, which stands for Surface Mount Device. The four-digit designation refers to the dimensions of the chip itself, in millimeters. A 3528 chip, for example, measures 3.5mm by 2.8mm, while a 5050 chip is 5.0mm by 5.0mm square. These different sizes dictate how many chips can be placed on a strip, which in turn determines its particular light qualities. Each has its benefits, so let’s break them down one at a time. The 5050 chips that Flexfire LEDs uses are actually composed of 3 light diodes, a construction sometimes referred to as a tri-chip. With 3 diodes, a 5050 chip will be brighter than other chips with one individual diode. But while a tri-chip is theoretically three times brighter, their larger size means fewer of them will fit onto a strip’s PCB (Printed Circuit Board). It also means they will generate more heat, requiring a thicker PCB to act as a heat sink. Finally, a tri-chip can be constructed with different types of diodes in the same chip, generating unique visual results. The three diodes can be combined to create millions of different color combinations, making them an excellent choice for...

Under cabinet lighting is one of the most common applications of LED strip lights. This relatively easy installation is a fantastic addition to any kitchen, office, or work bench area that would benefit from high quality direct task lighting. To illustrate this installation, we’ve put together this step-by-step tutorial on how to install under cabinet LED strip lighting. For this tutorial, we reached out to a customer named Owen in Toronto, Canada. Owen was seeking bright, usable light in his kitchen that could be hard-wired to a standard wall dimmer, and told us he had been, “scouring the web off and on for three years” in search of the perfect solution. In the end, he chose Flexfire LEDs UltraBright LED strip lights in natural white after viewing some of our online installation videos and feeling comfortable with our product quality. It’s important to note that for this installation, Owen enlisted the help of a licensed professional electrician. This is something we recommend for all installations, as it ensures code compliance and avoids potential injuries due to improper handling. Here is a “before” photo of his kitchen, using only the existing overhead lighting. And now, onto the installation! In order to achieve proper brightness and even light distribution, he used our solderless connectors to run two parallel sections of LED strip lights under each of three cabinet sections. In the end, he felt that one single strip would have been more than enough, and this parallel run wasn’t actually necessary. Also, note that the strip lights are very thin and low profile – the strips themselves are only actually visible when viewed from below as photographed here. As Owen says, “The low profile design means I don’t even have to rush to add a valence.”...

We take pride in helping customers complete all sorts of LED lighting installations. From restaurants and hotels to basic kitchen redesigns, each project has a unique story. For this reason, we are always eager to see photographs of completed projects using Flexfire LEDs strip lights. To this end, we encourage you to participate in the Flexfire LEDs Spring 2014 Photo Contest. Every Entry Wins! We now have two separate contests, and everyone who submits a qualifying entry will win! Our standard photo contest awards prizes in each of three categories, while our new “Step-by-Step Tutorial” contest rewards those who share thorough details of their projects. Furthermore, everyone who sends us a qualifying submission for either contest will receive a coupon for $30 off any reel of Flexfire LEDs strip lights. Below you’ll find details for each of our two contests. Contest 1: Photo Contest Send us a high-resolution photograph of your completed project using Flexfire LEDs products and we’ll reward you with a coupon for $30 off any reel of Flexfire LEDs strip lights. One winner will be selected in each of these three categories: 1. Best Residential Installation (kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, basically anywhere in your home) 2. Best Commercial Installation (retail stores, bars/restaurants, offices, signage, etc.) 3. Best Hobby/Creative Installation (past examples include terrariums, Halloween costumes, and a flying wingsuit!) The winning project in each category will receive a FREE reel of Flexfire LEDs ColorBright strip lights. Again, please be sure to send us a high-resolution photograph, as blurred, low-quality images will not be considered. Contest 2: Step-by-Step Tutorial Contest Many of our customers see these great project photos and wonder, “How did they do that?” We’d love to share your step-by-step installation story on our blog. Everyone who submits a qualifying “Step-By-Step Tutorial” entry will receive a...

CRI, or Color Rendering Index, is the latest buzzword in consumer lighting circles. With the current phasing out of traditional incandescent bulbs, many consumers are scrambling to understand their remaining choices. Savvy lighting manufacturers understand this, and have invested a great deal in educating customers about things like color temperature, lumens, and now CRI. So how does CRI work? Basically, take a light bulb and shine it onto a few bright, colorful items. How natural do their colors look? Color Rendering Index is a mathematical measure of this, where a light source is tested and given a score from 0-100. Any light bulb, tube, or strip that measures greater than 90 is typically considered “High CRI”, and thus very effective at rendering natural-looking color at a given color temperature. As a point of reference, many of the fluorescent or other types of lighting that people consider “harsh” or “artificial” measure in the 50-70 CRI range.   Take a look at the two photos above. In the first photo, under lights rated at CRI 57, the orange bell pepper has lost much of its natural color, appearing almost yellow. Similarly, the green apple, red bell pepper, and yellow marker appear dull and lifeless. In the second photo, under CRI 93 lighting, the colors are much more alive in comparison, down to the white board on which everything is placed. Testing for CRI requires special machinery designed specifically for this purpose. During this test, a lamp is shone onto eight different colors (or “R values”), termed R1 through R8. The lamp receives a score from 0-100 for each color, based on how natural the color is rendered in comparison with how the color looks under a “perfect” or “reference” light source at the same color temperature...

A unique project in coastal Florida uses LED lighting to help young hatchlings avoid danger and find their way to the ocean. Led by the Sea Turtle Conservancy, the installation addresses a long-standing problem that has grown steadily worse over the past 30 years. This latest project joins human-centric and grow lights on an expanding list of fascinating biologic applications of LED lighting. As first reported in Scientific American, the installation specifically helps new sea turtle hatchlings find a direct path to ocean safety. Hatchlings typically emerge from their eggs in late afternoon or early evening, crawling up through sand from about 50 centimeters below the beach surface. They instinctively head for the soft lights on the ocean horizon, guided by moon and star reflections on the water. But this natural light is now eclipsed by the hotels, homes and restaurants that dominate today’s beachfront zones. The young turtles quickly become disoriented, often heading in the wrong direction. It’s a fatal mistake, as they can easily die of dehydration, get run over by cars or be eaten by inland predators. The situation is a significant threat to the survival of at least three endangered sea turtle species. Florida is home to 90 percent of sea turtle nesting in the U.S., and it is estimated that tens of thousands of hatchlings are lost each year. The Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) has thus targeted this coastal area for a series of lighting retrofits aimed at reducing disorientation. So far, numbers prove that this LED lighting installation is helping save baby sea turtles. The retrofit has other benefits as well: LED lighting uses a fraction of the energy consumed by other lighting technologies, and lasts for several years with little to no maintenance costs. Further, residents and business...

Joining similar agricultural studies around the globe, Japan’s Shizuoka University recently found that exposure to red LED light delays aging in broccoli. Researchers from the school’s Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences examined the effects of exposing broccoli to red and blue LED lighting  just after harvest, and the results suggest the possibility of both extending the vegetable’s life and improving its nutritional quality. Specifically, exposure to red LED lighting was shown to delay the yellowing process, suppressing ethylene production and reducing ascorbate (AsA). Blue LED lighting did not significantly delay broccoli aging in this way. The full results were originally published in Postharvest Biology and Technology. So what does this mean for a potentially vegetable-optimized future? Will the supermarket produce section soon become a literal red light district? Might red LED kitchen lighting be the next design trend for health-conscious homeowners? Stay...

In keeping with its commitment to providing innovative LED lighting solutions, California-based Flexfire LEDs has announced its new UL Listed UltraBright™ High CRI Series LED Strip Lights. Designed to meet today’s higher lighting quality standards, this new line measures >93 on the color rendering index, fortifying the company’s reputation for delivering cutting edge technology at consumer-friendly prices. CRI, or color rendering index, is the standard measure of a luminaire’s ability to accurately render a specific color spectrum in comparison with a perfect reference source at a given color temperature (i.e. daylight). Simply put, if you direct the light onto a particular object, how natural do its colors look? Testing for CRI is a complicated process, requiring specialized machinery designed specifically for this purpose. Lamps are tested in terms of how they render eight basic colors (or “R values”), termed R1 through R8. A score from 0-100 is given for each color, and these eight numbers are then averaged to determine the lamp’s overall CRI rating. Those measuring above 90 are generally considered highly effective at rendering natural color; for a practical understanding, many of the traditional fluorescent lights that people consider “harsh” or “artificial” measure in the 60-70 CRI range. LED lighting is the established industry leader in energy efficiency, and advanced technological development means LED products are now available at dramatically lower prices than even just a few years ago. This dynamic is driving a worldwide shift to LED lighting, one that is further accelerated by government regulations such as those found in California’s Title 24. Established by the State’s Energy Commission, Title 24 addresses a number of energy efficiency standards, particularly those having to do with lighting. To be classified as “High Efficacy” and thus qualify for utility rebates and other advantages,...

As both amateur and professional plant enthusiasts have discovered, energy-efficient LEDs are highly effective in virtually any grow light application. The benefits are immediately apparent: LED lights are long-lasting, use very little energy, and will not produce plant-wilting excess heat. As a result, many are installing LEDs in terrariums and other indoor garden applications. One of our customers did just that using UltraBright™ strip lights from Flexfire LEDs, and we asked him to share his experience in order to create a simple tutorial. Follow these steps and learn how to build your own terrarium grow light using LED strip lights. First, a combination of Flexfire LEDs 12v Design Series and 24v Architectural Series UltraBright™ strip lights were mounted onto aluminum bars and channels. This allows custom configuration, and the aluminum acts as a heat sink for the LEDs, helping them perform better and last longer. These aluminum bars are inexpensive and easy to find at any home improvement store. Adhesive pads were attached to the end of each bar; these pads rest on the rim of the terrarium. The power connection was soldered to the LED strip light, and a nylon tie was used to secure the power cables and protect the solder joints from any jarring movement. Finally, a blob of silicone was applied to insulate the solder points.           The above process was repeated for the aluminum channels, also easily available at any home improvement store.    Below left, a smaller aluminum channel was bolted onto two sides of the terrarium. Right, a view from below showing all the illuminated channels.    Below left is a view from above one of the bars, which was painted black. The lights are on the underside, directed down at the plants. Also, a close-up...

If your company has a physical office or storefront, chances are you’ve at least looked into commercial signage at some point. If you already have a sign, chances are equally high that you’ve dealt with increased maintenance and energy costs as well as burnt out bulbs and tubes. As many business owners are discovering, these issues are now being addressed thanks to the versatility of LED signage lighting. Because of their tiny size, LED chips can be aligned and configured in a variety of ways to illuminate infinite shapes of indoor and outdoor commercial signage. Flexfire LEDs strip lights, for instance, are perfect for this sort of installation. They are thin, flexible, and come with adhesive backing, meaning they can be applied to follow various angles such as those found in channel lighting. With optional IP weatherproofing, LED strip lights are also resistant to water and dust. It’s important to note that unlike other lighting technologies, LEDs produce direct, precise illumination, a big part of why they’re used in televisions and smartphones. For this reason, LEDs are a perfect backlighting source for letters and company logos in box sign applications as well. Additionally, improved technology means that the initial cost of LED lights has been dramatically reduced over the past few years, removing what has been the main barrier for many business owners. There are four main advantages to using LED lighting for commercial signage as opposed to fluorescent or neon tubes: energy efficiency, durability, safety, and overall light quality. Let’s start by addressing energy efficiency, as it directly affects your company’s bottom line. Energy Efficiency High quality LED and fluorescent signage products are both capable of producing in excess of 100 lumens per watt, meaning they will produce a great deal of light...

One of our customers created dramatic LED staircase lighting in his home using Warm White ColorBright™ strip lights from Flexfire LEDs. The strips were inserted into a routed channel along the staircase, and attached to a Honeywell programmable timer switch to enable automatic on/off at specific hours of the day. This installation adds aesthetic flair to staircases in both homes and commercial spaces, carrying increased safety benefits as well, particularly for the elderly and small children. In fact, according to a 2012 study published in Pediatrics magazine,  a child under the age of 5 is admitted to U.S. emergency rooms every six minutes as a result of staircase accidents. Smart, safe, and great looking – a winning combo for your home or office!   Choose one of our convenient Flexfire LEDs strip light kits to suit the appropriate brightness, length and color of your LED display case lighting project:                 ...

As one of its many artistic and technological innovations, the award-winning film Gravity employed an original solution to simulate the extreme lighting conditions found in outer space. Gravity’s unique LED Light Box was created by visual effects supervisor Tim Webber alongside director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki, and was critical in earning the 2014 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Standing 20 feet tall and 10 feet across, the Light Box featured 4,096 LED bulbs spread across 196 two-by-two foot panels. It was capable of casting nearly infinite lighting and color conditions, and images could be projected onto its walls. This served the dual purpose of properly lighting the actors inside, while also providing them with a visual reference for what their characters were seeing. In addition to providing stunning imagery, this innovative solution apparently helped enhance the actors’ performances. The film’s star, Sandra Bullock, spent a great deal of time acting alone inside of the Light Box, surrounded by projections of the sun, moon, and planet Earth. In a Digital Trends report, Bullock explained that being in the box was a creative stimulant that actually helped convey her character’s solitude. Where will LEDs turn up...

LED strip lights deliver extreme versatility in a compact, low profile package. Their customizability is popular with creative lighting professionals everywhere, and this popularity promises to expand greatly as LED prices continue to fall. Obvious applications for flexible strip lights include above cabinet and under counter lighting, and the list continues to grow thanks to increased product development and innovation efforts. Here, therefore, is a quick checklist of the top 5 concerns for lighting designers to compare and choose among different LED strip light products.   1. Lumens Per ____? Every project is different, so determine what matters most before comparing overall lumen output. Lumens per watt, for instance, is most important for LEED and energy-efficient installations, while others may be more concerned with lumens per foot, meter, or reel.   2. CRI Customizable LED chips can be configured to produce a wide variety of lighting conditions. High quality LED strip lights are now capable of producing a color rendering index of 90 and above, rivaling the top lighting options found anywhere on the market today.   3. Certification Choose products that are UL or ETL Listed (U.S. and Europe, respectively), and provide the appropriate LM testing information from the Illuminating Engineering Society to certify claims regarding things like luminous intensity and CRI.   4. Dimming Capability Whether through a simple wall switch or smartphone mobile app, clients want the ability to adjust their lights using a dimmer. Professional grade LED strip lights should be compatible with desired dimming options.   5. Quality of Components LED chip design, heat sink, and PCB quality are among the factors that differentiate one LED strip light from another. These affect light quality, degradation and longevity, not to mention product safety. Look for a supplier who stands by his...

This is just one of many fascinating questions being addressed at Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lighting Research Center. It’s one of a growing number of similar ongoing studies around the world that are exploring the links between lighting and human health. This latest study in particular focuses on how light affects the body’s circadian system, which governs sleep and wake phases. The LRC’s Mariana Figueiro recently discussed the project on NPR Radio. The generally held theory is that bright white light with a bluish tinge is more stimulating, mimicking daylight conditions. Warmer, golden-tinged light, on the other hand, is more calming and prepares us for bed. Working with a geriatric psychiatrist, the researchers used this theory in an attempt to help sleep-deprived Alzheimer’s patients at New York’s Albany County Nursing Home. They fitted a tabletop with a flat TV screen emitting bright bluish light, hoping to simulate the effects of prolonged daylight exposure. This produced positive results, as patients spending significant time at the table are now back to regular sleep patterns, with an accompanying improvement in mood and behavior. On balance, light therapy experiments such as these are showing great promise for all sorts of human health concerns. The results will only improve as we move toward improved lighting technology and increased understanding of how it affects the human...

In one of the more creative LED strip light applications we’ve seen to date, one of our customers purchased and placed Flexfire LEDs on a remote control helicopter used for aerial photography, the Single Rotor 700 Class Photoship. The lights are used for orientation, to help determine which way the camera is pointed. This video details the use of Flexfire LEDs UL Listed UltraBright™ Strip Lights  in bright white, illustrating that they can easily be seen from up to 1,000 feet away even in bright daylight.  Importantly, our customer mentions having tried several different LED lighting products in the past, noting that Flexfire’s were the first to achieve the desired light quality and brightness. Check the video below to see it in action! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wpZQFIhAgE   Choose one of our convenient Flexfire LEDs strip light kits to suit the appropriate brightness, length and color of your LED display case lighting project:        ...

Based in Tamuning, Guam, Source Lighting and Electric  contacted us about installing LED display case lighting for a client in the duty-free shop at Guam International Airport. In principle, retail display cases are ideally suited for LED strip lights. Small, thin, and flexible, “strip” or “tape” lights feature adhesive backing and can be hidden away while still providing high quality illumination that presents products in their best light. There are, however, several different brands to choose from, with corresponding differences in quality and durability. The Source team immediately raised this concern, as they’d achieved mixed results with LED strip lights in prior installations. After some initial testing, they were impressed with our overall product quality and chose Flexfire LEDs UL Listed UltraBright™ Strip Lights in Warm White for this retail display case. The client is extremely happy with the results, and several other vendors in the duty-free shop have since inquired about similar installations.   Choose one of our convenient Flexfire LEDs strip light kits to suit the appropriate brightness, length and color of your LED display case lighting project:        ...

Nearly a decade ago, governments around the world began mandating a move away from traditional incandescent light bulbs as a way to help meet broader energy management goals. At the time, those curly white compact fluorescent bulbs seemed like the best alternative, but further research has revealed the dangers of fluorescent lighting in any form. All fluorescent lights – from industrial tubes to the spiraled household bulbs – contain mercury, and this is the main concern. Mercury is a heavy metal that is highly toxic in even tiny amounts, a serious deterrent to the adoption of fluorescents on a widespread consumer scale. Exposure to mercury is associated with a whole range of major health concerns, from neurological and behavioral disorders to liver, kidney, and central nervous system problems. Mercury exposure is thus an unavoidable concern with this technology, driving many towards complete replacement of fluorescent lights. Aside from the environmental effects of mining and manufacturing, there’s of course the danger associated with product breakage. As we all know, accidents happen, and when a fluorescent bulb or tube breaks, a small amount of mercury vapor is released. This small amount is so dangerous that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has filled an entire page on its website with detailed instructions on what to do should this happen to you. Several important steps should be taken immediately, a tall order given most will not have these steps available at their fingertips. Worse, liquid mercury can also be released, finding its way down through carpet fibers and cracks in concrete flooring. This liquid eventually evaporates into the atmosphere, causing local contamination and substantially increased health risks. Even if we manage to avoid breakage, there’s still a major problem when it comes time to dispose of fluorescent bulbs...

Use bright, durable, and energy-saving LED walkway lighting to illuminate indoor staircases, garden paths, office hallways, and other dimly lit traffic areas. In your home or office, having illuminated stairs is a dramatic aesthetic improvement that will also increase safety, especially for seniors and small children. Despite its benefits, this improvement has traditionally been overlooked due to concerns about increased energy consumption and difficult installation. LED walkway lighting can be used to illuminate your staircase while avoiding these concerns – Flexfire’s UL Listed LED strip lights use 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, generate virtually no heat, and are easy to install with versatile products such as UltraBright™ and ColorBright™ series LED strip lights. Further, high quality LED lights last up to 50,000 hours, meaning they’ll brighten your day for more than a decade. These benefits apply when using LEDs in other sorts of high traffic areas as well. LED walkway lighting can be used to beautifully accentuate home garden paths, office hallways and outdoor corporate plazas, with multiple color and brightness options to choose from. Wherever you go, use LEDs to light the way.   Choose one of our convenient Flexfire LEDs strip light kits to suit the appropriate brightness, length and color of your LED walkway lighting project:      ...

We are often asked about the difference between Flexfire LED strip lights and those found on discount or auction sites such as Amazon and Ebay. To illustrate the many differences, we purchased LED strip lights from Ebay to compare them with the premium LED strips from Flexfire LEDs. The video below reviews some of the key reasons why we think you should avoid cheap LED strip lights. To summarize, here are a few of the key factors to look for when shopping for LED strip lights: Lumens – This is a measurement of the brightness each strip emits. If lumen level is not mentioned, it is best to call and ask, or avoid the seller altogether. Safety Certifications – It is difficult to verify a seller’s safety claims using Amazon or Ebay alone. Check the UL Listing or RoHS registry to make sure the LEDs are safe and do not contain lead or other hazardous materials. Material Quality – Product performance and longevity is determined not just by the quality of the LED chips, but the thickness and materials used in the PCB board, resistors, wires, and soldering. Test Reports – Ask for test reports to verify claims of brightness and longevity. These may include LM-79 testing, IES reports, etc. Warranty, Customer Service, and Installation/Design Assistance – We are here to help design your project, no matter what the size. Our LED strip lights represent the highest quality found on the market today, and will be lighting your project area for many years to...

Based in Oklahoma, USA, Acura Neon is a commercial signage company that serves a wide range of customers across several U.S. states. With several casino clients, they asked about using Flexfire LED strip lights as internal slot machine lighting. In essence, they were seeking a lighting solution that was brighter, less expensive, and longer lasting than what they’d had before. We helped Acura Neon retrofit several slot machines with our UltraBright™ Architectural Series LED strip lights in Bright White, and the results were spectacular. These machines are significantly brighter than surrounding competitors, and are simply unavoidable for those passing by.   Choose one of our convenient Flexfire LEDs strip light kits to suit the appropriate brightness, length and color of your LED casino lighting project:          ...

Joining major cities all across Europe, the United States and Asia, London has announced plans to upgrade 35,000 city streetlights with LED luminaires. It’s the first phase of a plan that will ultimately see 52,000 streetlights converted to LEDs over the next ten years, consistent with the city’s goal of a 60% reduction in carbon emissions by 2025. The plan was announced by the Transport for London (TfL) transit authority in conjunction with the mayor’s office, and represents the largest such investment in the city’s history. The first phase alone is expected to reduce emissions by 9,700 metric tons each year, while generating GBP1.85 million in savings for the TfL. Further savings are expected with the addition of a networked adaptive control system to this London LED street lighting installation, which will be programmed to control light levels according to traffic flow and overall road usage. The system will also automatically detect maintenance needs, saving money in both the short and long term....

If you want to run LED strip lights in a long, continuous section, you will need to use amplifiers. Fortunately, LED amplifier installation is a simple, do-it-yourself installation that is explained in the video...

An American family living in a lake float house in Tennessee, USA wanted an aesthetically pleasant lighting solution that would improve safety and visibility during nighttime swimming activities. Their main safety concern is that it’s difficult for nearby boat operators to see people swimming in the lake. The family worked with us throughout the entire process, ultimately choosing Flexfire LEDs ColorBright RGB outdoor strip lights with waterproof protection. They lined their swimming platform with 20 meters of RGB 5050 IP68 LEDs, setting the strips on a continuous color-changing loop. The clients are extremely happy with the results, and often receive compliments on the striking exterior of their home. Best of all, they are now able to safely swim in the lake and fully enjoy the perks of their location during warm summer evenings. Choose one of our convenient Flexfire LEDs strip light kits to suit the appropriate brightness, length and color of your LED dock lighting project:      ...

Under counter LED strip lighting is an attractive, energy efficient way to add beautiful indirect light to your home, office, or retail space. At home, illuminate your kitchen or dining area with under counter LED strip lighting to create a warm, inviting atmosphere that draws family and friends to the heart of your home. This attractive upgrade is also extremely safe, as strip lights stay cool to the touch and contain no breakable glass or dangerous chemicals. Offices and retail spaces can also benefit from installing indirect LED lighting under counters. Bars and restaurants, for instance, are always searching for inexpensive ways to upgrade their visual appeal for both customers and employees. Flexfire’s UL Listed UltraBright™ and ColorBright™ series LED strip lights come in a variety of colors and light temperatures to suit any space, as well as offering a significant reduction in energy and replacement costs. LED lights last up to 25 times longer and are 75% more energy efficient than traditional incandescent lighting. Choose one of our convenient Flexfire LEDs strip light kits to suit the appropriate brightness, length and color of your under counter LED strip lighting project:      ...

Thanks to falling prices and greater product diversity, LED lighting continues to gain in popularity for all sorts of residential, commercial, and industrial applications. LED strip lights are certainly benefitting from this – in addition to lower energy consumption, they are extremely versatile thanks to 90 degree flexibility and a smaller physical footprint. But before you decide to use them in your next project, be sure you’ve considered the important role of LED strip light thermal management, which is essentially temperature control. LED lights are of course known for producing higher lumens per watt over an exceptionally long lifetime – many products claim 50,000 hours of use before falling below 70 percent lumen maintenance levels. But this lifetime is dramatically reduced when LEDs are exposed to elevated temperatures. The Lighting Research Center tested two identical LEDs for 10,000 hours, each driven at the same current but with an 11°C difference in junction temperature. Extrapolating the data out to 70,000 hours, they found that the higher temperature reduced estimated useful life by more than 50%. It’s therefore important to consider all sources of excess heat in any LED lighting application – not just the environmental temperature, but the quality of components used in the LED product itself. This is especially important when using LED strip lights, as multiple independent factors along the strip can affect operating temperature and resulting longevity. Perhaps most important is the product’s thermal path, which is the combination of components specifically designed to remove excess heat. In measuring one product’s thermal path against another’s, this means evaluating the quality of the heat sinks, overall chip design, and even thickness of the strip’s circuit board. Thankfully, there are testing agencies and certifications you can look for to ensure product quality. UL and...