Complete Guide to LED panel lights

Complete Guide to LED Panel Lights

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Understanding LED Panel Lights

LED panel lights represent a sophisticated indoor lighting solution. They create a consistent plane of light through a light guide plate with high transparency. These lights are versatile, easily installed on various surfaces using different accessories like clips, surface-mounted frames, or steel ropes, making them ideal for numerous applications.

Structure of LED Panel Lights

1. Aluminum Frame

The aluminum frame is a crucial structural component, ensuring durability and enhancing heat dissipation. Materials used for the frame include aluminum alloy, steel, PC, A6063, and aluminum-plastic composites. The frame type, such as welding or splicing, style (flat or step), and weight significantly influence the panel light's price and strength.

2. LED Light Source

The light effect of LED panel lights is determined by the type, brand, and number of LED chips used. Popular chips include SMD2835 and SMD4014 from brands like HONGLI, SANAN, SAMSUNG, and Lumileds. Direct-lit panel lights use fewer LEDs compared to side-emitting variants due to the use of optical lenses for light dispersion.

3. Light Guide Plate

Crucial for edge-emitting panels, the light guide plate transforms parallel light to perpendicular light. Made from materials like PMMA, MAS, or PS, the design and quality of the light guide plate significantly affect performance and cost. PMMA offers the best performance but at a higher cost.

4. LED Diffuser

LED diffusers spread light uniformly and diffuse light guide plate dots. Materials include PC, acrylic, PS, and PP, with varying costs and light transmittance properties. Acrylic is efficient and affordable but less durable than PC, which is more expensive and has better aging resistance.

5. Reflective Paper

Reflective paper enhances efficiency by reflecting residual light from the back of the light guide plate. Typically, RW250 is used for this purpose.

6. Back Cover

The back cover, often made of iron, varies in thickness and strength. Direct-lit panels feature a thicker, more robust back cover that may be spray-coated for enhanced reflection.

7. LED Driver

The LED driver's quality and cost depend on the brand, voltage, isolation (safer), and functional requirements like dimming and certification. A quality driver ensures consistent performance and longevity.

8. Installation Parts

Installation parts include suspension wires and mounting brackets, facilitating the fixing of accessories.

Types of LED Panel Lights

LED panel lights come in various styles and types to suit different settings:

1. Based on Lighting Method

• Back-lit Panel Lights: Emphasize high brightness and uniformity, suitable for larger spaces with thicker profiles (over 45mm).
• Side-emitting Panel Lights: Utilize light guide plate technology for uniform brightness, ideal for low-ceiling spaces due to their slim profile (≤15mm).

2. Based on Installation Method

• Recessed LED Panel Lights: Commonly installed on ceilings, they are the most basic and widely used type.
• Surface-mounted LED Panel Lights: Perfect for cement ceilings where installation holes are impractical.
• Suspension-mounted LED Panel Lights: Installed using hanging wires, these lights are highly flexible.

3. Based on Functionality

• Dimmable LED Panel Lights: Work with dimming LED drivers offering multiple dimming options (Triac, 0/1-10V, DALI).
• Waterproof LED Panel Lights: Designed for moisture-prone areas like bathrooms, featuring waterproof structures and connectors. They come in IP ratings like IP44, IP54, IP65, and IP68.

Available Wattages and Dimensions

Our LED panel lights come in various sizes and wattages, ensuring a fit for different needs:

Dimensions: 300×300mm, 600×300mm, 600×600mm, 1200×300mm, 1200×600mm

Wattages: 18W, 20W, 24W, 30W, 36W, 40W, 45W, 48W, 50W, 60W, 80W, 96W, 120W

Note: Backlit panel lights can accommodate higher wattages compared to their edge-lit counterparts of the same size.

Special dimensions like 1200x150mm, 1200x200mm, and 1200x1200mm are also customizable.

How LED Panel Lights Work

The working principles of LED panel lights differ based on the light emission type:

Working Principle of Edge-lit LED Panel Lights

Edge-lit panels include components like a frame, diffuser plate, light guide plate, light bar, reflective film, and back plate. Light from LED chips enters the light guide plate, then reflects off it to emit downward light. The reflective film ensures most light from the LEDs is utilized for illumination.

Working Principle of Back-Lit Panel Lights

Back-lit panels include components like a frame, diffuser plate, light bar, and back cover. Light from LED chips is scattered by the lens and reflected by the back cover directly without a light guide plate.

Applications of LED Panel Lights

Due to their efficiency, versatility, and aesthetic appeal, LED panel lights are used in a wide variety of settings:

• Ceilings (replacing traditional grille lights)
• Walls (for lighting and artistic purposes)
• Decorations (combining practicality with artistic expression)
• Other applications (train boxes, large mobile vehicles, counters, etc.)

Key places include office spaces, commercial areas, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, residential spaces, and parking garages.

Common Quality Issues of LED Panel Lights

1. Dark Areas Around Panel Lights: Typically due to insufficient light guide plate thickness. Solutions include using thicker plates (2.0T, 3.0T).

2. Yellow Light Around Frame: Caused by improper distance between light guide plate and side lamp beads during production. Adjust the distance or use higher-quality lamp beads.

3. Yellowing in the Middle: A prevalent issue in side-emitting panel lights. Refer to the blog "why LED lights yellow change" for more information.

4. Ripple Effect: Occurs with low-end suppliers using foam reflective films, which deform with prolonged heating.

5. Flickering LED Panel Lights: Main reasons include power supply issues, incompatible current and power parameters, or damaged lamp beads.

Choosing the Right Ceiling Panel Light

To choose the ideal LED panel lights, consider the following parameters:

Lighting Mode: Edge-lit or back-lit. Back-lit panels are cost-effective and less prone to yellowing, while high-end side-emitting panels suit upscale settings.

Dimensions and Power: Standard sizes include 1200×300mm, 300×300mm, 300×600mm, 600×600mm, and 600×1200mm, with power ratings like 9W, 12W, 18W, 21W, 36W, 48W, and 72W.

Lumens: Higher luminous efficacy means more energy savings and fewer lamps needed. Modern LEDs can achieve 100lm/W to 150-170lm/W.

Power Factor: The power factor reflects the efficiency of energy consumption, with typical efficiency levels above 85% for qualified LED drivers.

UGR (Unified Glare Rating): Lower UGR values ensure more comfortable lighting, important for settings like classrooms (UGR < 19).

Lifetime: LEDs typically last at least 50,000 hours, translating to over 11 years of use at 12 hours per day.

LED Driver Brand: High-quality brands like Philips, Osram, LIFUD, and EAGLERIES ensure better performance and longevity. The order of quality preference is: brand driver > ordinary isolated driver > non-isolated driver.

Installing LED Panel Lights

There are four main ways to install LED ceiling panel lights:

Recessed LED Panel Lights

Common in offices, shops, and home areas, this method involves removing a ceiling panel, placing the LED driver in the ceiling, connecting the power cord, and fitting the panel light.

Suspended LED Panel Lights

Requires steel ropes to hang the lights from the ceiling, making this method flexible for various heights and arrangements.

Surface-mounted LED Panel Lights

Involves fixing a frame with screws, connecting the LED driver, inserting the panel light, and securing the final frame piece.

Clip Installation

Similar to recessed LED downlights, this method uses clips to secure the panel lights in place.

Hello, customers

My name is Ricky Wang, and I am the business manager at GRNLED. With over 10 years of experience in the LED lighting industry, I am here to assist you with the best service and products. Feel free to contact me at info@grnled.com or WeChat: ledfixture.

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