We all know that artificial lighting is of great importance in our lives. In addition to creating comfort for the eyes, it also performs the functions of zoning the room, which is important, and the implementation of interesting design solutions. That is why it is now very important to use LED strips with a diffuser. After all, well-chosen lighting helps to give the room style and a special personality.
Purpose
LED strip structurally consists of individual LEDs with high brightness, therefore, a diffuser is designed to evenly distribute the light flux. Using it is important not only in terms of aesthetics and beautiful appearance your lighting system, but also to create softness of light in the room.
The figure shows a profile for an LED strip with a diffuser
Principle of operation
The principle of operation of the diffuser for the LED strip is to increase the angle of light distribution due to the special design of the light-refracting material. Its own geometry and location relative to the light source is arranged in such a way that the luminous flux falling on it is effectively distributed over its entire area and passing through the body of the diffuser, provides uniform illumination of the entire room.
The photo shows the LED diffuser disassembled and assembled.
Kinds
Structurally, it is a metal or plastic profile various shapes and, directly, a removable diffuser made of polycarbonate, polystyrene or methacrylate. This is expedient, since these materials are strong enough, but do not greatly burden the structure. The main profile forms that are used are:
- angular;
- p-shaped;
- c-shaped.
The shape of the profile is selected depending on the planned installation site. A tape is attached to the profile, and the diffuser cover itself snaps into place on top. It is of two types:
- matte;
- transparent.
The photo shows matte, plastic, in a corner aluminum profile
Before making a purchase, you need to think about what goals you are pursuing in lighting. If we are talking about showcase lighting in the trading floor, then most likely, a diffuser with a transparent surface is more suitable for you. If you want to give a casual atmosphere to a cafe-bar, then you should give preference to matte.
Flexible
There is also a flexible profile for LED diffusers. It is fundamentally different from the structures described above. This type of accessory product is a silicone tube in which the LED strip is placed.
The photo shows LED strips in different colors in flexible silicone profiles.
For right choice diffuser for LED strip, you need to consider the conditions. This includes examining the surface to which you will mount the system, dimensions the LED strip itself and the climatic conditions of the room (or outside it, which is also possible).
It should be noted that despite the fact that diffusers are often made of fusible materials, there is no need to worry about their toxicity. During operation, the LED emits a very small amount of heat, which practically does not heat the surface of the diffuser.
Fastening
The profile can be fastened overhead to any surface. For this, self-tapping screws, liquid nails or even double-sided tape are used. There are options when special “ears” are attached to the wall, into which, subsequently, both a rigid and a flexible profile are ideally fixed. Recessed installation of the diffuser profile is carried out using a pre-cut groove in chipboard or drywall. In the second case, you can perform a very sophisticated lighting in the furniture. And if you use a flexible profile for an LED strip with a diffuser, then you will not have problems mounting it on curved surfaces, arches, and the like. In any case, all mounting methods are quite simple, and are accessible even to a non-professional.
Application
The potential for application is huge. Backlight bookshelves and kitchen cabinets, showcases and aquariums. Home and office, shop and cafe - use LED strips with diffusers will be appropriate and attractive. And dust and moisture-proof ones allow you to use such lighting for outdoor advertising and any decoration on the street.
Do not forget about the possibility of using strips with LEDs of different colors and those that can change them. This will give a unique atmosphere of celebration and comfort.
How to DIY
I would like to add right away that there is an alternative to buying a ready-made LED diffuser - this is to do it yourself. What to make a diffuser for LED strip? Actually, this is not at all difficult, as a profile, you can use an ordinary plastic box, which is used for laying wires in a shtrab, and polycarbonate or plexiglass as the diffuser itself.
To obtain a matte surface, you can use a mechanical or chemical method. Chemical method consists in applying a special paste to the surface, which will destroy the crystalline structure and give an excellent matte effect, but at the time of application you need to be very careful, as the paste highlights toxic substances. mechanical method much less harmful, since it consists in treating the surface with an abrasive material, for example, emery, but it requires great physical effort.
The video shows a quick, easy and cheap way to create a homemade LED strip diffuser.
The photo shows the interior of the room, using LED strip lighting.
Summing up the above, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the diffuser for the LED strip is an important, multifunctional component. Also, you see that a variety of options for execution, for sure, will be able to satisfy almost any conditions. Comfortable and original lighting is always a huge plus in creating a stylish, themed interior. It could be classic style or high-tech style, minimalism or kitsch, loft or avant-garde - the use of LED strips with diffusers will always emphasize the best design ideas and leave a good impression of the time spent in such a room.
Lighting, properly selected and installed, creates not only comfortable conditions for our eyes, but also able to add a new look to the interior, zone the space. Today, LED lamps are gaining popularity, because such lighting gives the interior a special style.
The function and principle of operation of the diffuser
LED strip consists of diodes, giving very bright and eye-catching lighting with a cold tint. This problem is solved by the LED strip diffuser, which makes the lighting more comfortable and warmer. The essence of the diffuser is to refract light and increase the angle of light propagation. It consists of a light-refracting material, a diffusing film, and when light passes through it, it is evenly distributed throughout the room.
Application of LED lighting with diffuser
This lighting has wide scope, starting from apartments, offices and all kinds of public institutions and up to any street. But this includes not only the lighting of the premises themselves, but LEDs are also used as lighting for cabinets, shelves, showcases and even aquariums. On the street, it can be any decor and advertising. Such a variety in the use of LEDs makes it possible to select and change any colors and shades.
Profile views
To install the LED strip, you need a profile. It has the function of protecting against various damage and also cools the tape. In addition, the profile is completed with a diffuser, due to which the ability to dissipate heat and light is achieved, making it less bright and comfortable for our eyes. A variety of profiles for LED strip with a diffuser allows you to match them to any interior. There are several ways to attach a profile. Main types of profile:
The shape of the profile is"P-shaped", "L-shaped", "C-shaped" and other types. A variety of profile shapes allows you to choose any place for mounting a diode lamp. Currently, a plastic profile for LED strip is often used, and a flexible patch profile made of silicone is also very popular. It is made in the form of a tube, inside which an LED strip is inserted.
The LED strip profile with a diffuser can be successfully replaced with other building profiles, which will help save cash. However, it is the special profile that ensures the safety of the LED strip, dissipates heat and light, and, therefore, this design will last a long time. In stores, you can now find a profile not only by type, size and method of fastening, but also for any interior by color, material.
Diffuser materials
To date Diffuser for LED strip can be made from various materials:
It should be noted that such an indicator as aging resistance, is an important factor when choosing a diffuser. Since LED lamps have a very long period of operation. Diffusion film can extend the life of the LEDs.
When choosing a transparent or matte surface for a lamp, remember that matte will create soft light and a relaxed atmosphere, while transparent will provide bright lighting. What type of lighting is suitable for certain purposes, it is better to decide on this issue before installation. To choose a diffuser for LEDs, first you need to choose a place where the tape will be attached. And determine what the dimensions of the tape will be. And think over the conditions for placing the tape, including the weather.
Fastening
Mounting the LED strip is not difficult, almost everyone can cope with the task. For this purpose, use liquid nails, self-tapping screws, double-sided tape. Alternatively, special brackets can be attached to the surface and the lamp can be fixed in them. Also, the tape can be embedded in the surface. To do this, you need to prepare a groove in the wall in advance. For arches or other curved surfaces, a flexible profile is ideal.
DIY LED diffuser
To make a do-it-yourself diffuser, you will need plexiglass, polycarbonate or a diffuser film and a profile. You can take, for example, a plastic box used for laying wires. There are two ways to achieve a matte diffuser surface:
- It is necessary to carefully and evenly apply a special paste that destroys the crystalline structure. But the method is harmful, since the paste is toxic.
- Treat the surface with an abrasive material, for example,.
The conclusion that can be drawn is this: a diffuser for LED lamps has an important function. Without it, LED lighting will become simply unpleasant for our eyes and will not be able to satisfy a wide variety of requests. And many options for shapes, colors, ways of fastening allow you to embody any design ideas and create a unique style for any room or object.
This design is everything that a super-bright LED needs to fully work as a lamp.
Not so long ago, I discovered for myself super-bright LEDs at a very affordable price. They look like this:
They have a lot of advantages: high brightness of the glow, relatively low power consumption, long term services, small dimensions, resistance to repeated inclusions, etc. Produced with power from one watt and above, they have three different shades of white glow.
But when using them, I ran into some difficulties. First, they get very hot. If you use them at least half the power, they will need a radiator. Secondly, these LEDs have a large scattering angle. That is, if we make the simplest table lamp, then it will shine in the eyes in the same way as on the table. Therefore, the light flux must be focused in the right direction. The following construction helped to solve both of these problems.
A bit of school physics. You can focus the light flux, or direct it in parallel, using a parabolic mirror, if you place a point source of light at the focus of the parabola. Do parabolic mirror at home is an impossible task. But it is possible to make a ceiling lamp that would simultaneously partially focus the light flux and remove heat.
The green line in the figure is a parabolic mirror, the black rectangle below is a super-bright LED, the yellow dot is the LED crystal and at the same time the focus of the parabola. And the rest of the black lines are the body of the future reflector. It is clear that the body repeats the shape of a parabola very approximately, but it will focus a certain percentage of the light. Dimensions, of course, are in millimeters.
The reflector sweep will look like this:
You can make a ceiling lamp from aluminum 0.5-1 mm thick, copper, or even tin from a tin can. In this case, 1mm thick aluminum was used.
In addition, for the lamp you will need a piece of one-sided foil textolite 15x20 mm in size, on which the LED itself will be soldered.
To begin with, a reflector and textolite are cut out, then holes are drilled in them, 4 pieces with a diameter of 1 mm, two more holes with a diameter of 3 mm are drilled in the ceiling, and two holes of 1 mm each for connecting wires are drilled in the textolite. Then the reflector and textolite are twisted together by two pieces of wire. You can also glue them on. The reflector bends, resulting in the following:
It is necessary to bend the reflector carefully so as not to deform seat under the LED, otherwise the LED will overheat. If the reflector is made of copper or tin, then its petals can and should be soldered together. After the reflector is bent, its edges can be processed with a file or sandpaper if necessary.
The final step is to install the LED. Before that, you need to apply a little thermal paste to the place of its installation in order to improve thermal dissipation. The LED leads will have to be slightly bent so that they fit into the holes. After that, the conclusions are unbent to their original state, the LED is pressed against the reflector and soldered. It is necessary to ensure that none of the contacts of the LED touches the reflector in order to prevent a short circuit between the terminals as much as possible.
Reflectors for LEDs make it possible to obtain the most directional flow while increasing the brightness of devices. Modern manufacturers offer very wide choose similar devices, but if you have free time, improvised tools and simple materials, you can try to make reflectors with your own hands.
Where can a reflector come in handy?
Reflectors can significantly improve the basic properties of LEDs, so their scope is not limited to any particular area of lighting technology.
The reflector is equally useful in the following cases:
- when altering turn signals and other types of automotive lamps;
- when assembling or upgrading flashlights of various ranges;
- when improving home lighting.
The debate about the best automotive optics does not subside, and what is better to use - lenses or refractors - everyone decides for himself. Both devices help to achieve approximately the same reflection coefficient, the issue here is rather the complexity of controlling the light beam.
For position lights or other light sources with a large number of LEDs, reflectors are not only more economical option, but sometimes the only possible one. Instead of a huge lens, it is much easier to use a refractor or their system.
What and how to make a reflector?
For the manufacture of a reflector, it is important to determine not only its dimensions. A certain role is played by the number of planes from which the rays will bounce. The main difficulty is just to form them.
Any moderately pliable, but fairly durable material can serve as the basis. There are quite efficient reflectors made of plastic, laminated plywood or fleece. How the fixture will be formed depends on the type of case. Sometimes polyhedral crystals may be required (they can be found in some types of old lamps, and when small sizes reflectors, beads used in the manufacture of jewelry are suitable) to give the refractor the desired properties.
It is important not only to give the material desired shape, but also make it reflect the light that the LEDs provide.
An excellent option for the outer coating can serve as chrome paint, which is sold in cylinders. You can not apply a reflective coating, but entrust this procedure to specialists from a specialized workshop.
When designing any optical system, it is important to maintain a balance between the final cost of assembly and the correct placement of elements. In this case, the following pattern should be taken into account: the higher the efficiency of the element, the greater its sensitivity to the installation site.
The components of the system can be fixed not only with glue and adhesive tape, but also with the use of pins and hooks with fuses that are passed through the board.
What are modern reflectors?
Manufacturers are constantly adding the lineup, significantly expanding the possibilities of light tuning. Refractors are available for a variety of LEDs and their combinations. Now it is not at all necessary to be limited to one shade.
Devices reflect light in the forward and reverse direction, thereby making the distribution of rays more uniform.
The reflectors can be designed to mount with an acrylic rod and will help to neatly hide the LEDs for best use in car rear light mode.
Refractors can correct and redirect LED illumination. They are designed to work at right angles to the axis of the diode. When choosing a reflector, it is important to take into account all the parameters of light sources. Case types and forms of execution are constantly replenished, so you should regularly monitor new items in order not to miss the most interesting options optics.
Reflectors significantly improve the properties of the flow that LEDs give out. They are equally needed for tuning automotive optics and for assembling lamps and lamps. Simple Models you can try to do it yourself, but in some cases it is simply pointless to compete with manufacturers.
Today, many lighting fixtures are equipped with diffusers. With their help, the formation of a luminous flux of the required quality is ensured.
Many lamps that are sold today in stores lighting fixtures are already equipped with such elements. But if desired, anyone can try to make such an element with their own hands. So you will not only spend time with interest and benefit, but you will also be able to equip any home lamps of this kind with an addition. And you don't have to run to the store.
Useless detail
Any lighting fixtures create a luminous flux of a certain level. But it can be changed. For these purposes, a diffuser was invented. With it, you can simulate the luminous flux and make the lighting softer. The diffuser is most often used to modulate the lighting coming from modern economical light bulbs (LED, fluorescent, halogen, etc.) screwed into fixtures.
LED lamp with diffuser
Particular attention should be paid to LED lighting devices. The LED gives a highly focused and pure light. Therefore, it will not be very comfortable to look at him. Therefore, this situation must be corrected with the help of diffusers. This must also be done because such recommendations are spelled out in SNiP.
Note! The only exceptions in terms of modulating the luminous flux to the optimum level are Street lights, as well as illumination of architectural structures.
The diffuser in LED lamps must perform the following functions:
- provide protection for LEDs (or other light source) from environmental influences;
- create for the eyes a comfortable and correct distribution of the light flux emitted by the light bulb;
- increase the durability of the lighting product;
- increase the resistance of the device to various kinds of chemical influences.
As you can see, it is impossible to make the usual replacement of a fluorescent light bulb with an LED light source. Here, it is necessary to additionally install a diffuser. As a result, you will get an economical, modernized and harmless lamp with your own hands, the light of which is suitable for a comfortable stay in the room during its operation.
For many lamps (for example, Armstrong, Opal, etc.), this element is made of plexiglass. From the same material, the diffuser can be made with your own hands at home.
Material for work
Polycarbonate
Today, there is a wide variety of materials from which you can make such an element as a diffuser with your own hands. As a rule, it must be done for LED types of lamps of the brand Armstrong, Opal, etc.
The list of materials suitable for the manufacture of a diffuser includes:
Note! Aging resistance is very relevant for LED luminaires, as this light source also has one of the longest operating periods (over 50,000 hours). Especially often such diffusers are found on Opal and Armstrong lamps.
Polystyrene
- polystyrene. This material also has all the necessary properties for diffusers to be made from.
All of the materials listed above are alternatives to standard silicone glass. They are successfully used as a diffuser for all LED type luminaires (Opal, Armstrong and others). With the right approach, from any material indicated above, you can make a high-quality diffuser with your own hands.
What you need to know
Diffuser installation
If you decide to build a diffuser for an LED type of lighting fixture (Armstrong, Opal, etc.) with your own hands, you need to choose not only the material for manufacturing, but also decide on other parameters:
- color;
- surface structure;
- form.
A do-it-yourself diffuser for fixtures will have various options designs, differing in color, shape and structure.
Matte element
These design elements of the luminaire may vary depending on the type of installation:
- on the laid on lamp housing;
- on false ceilings;
- universal.
In addition, a separate group consists of diffusers designed for installation on headlights of various Vehicle, as well as non-standard lighting fixtures.
The design of diffusers can be as follows:
prismatic structure
- with a matte finish. This is the most expensive model. Their feature is the transmission through themselves of a little more than half of the light flux (about 60%). As a result, the light becomes softer, warmer, which increases its comfort for the eyes;
- with a prismatic structure. Almost the entire light flux (up to 90%) is transmitted here. This is possible due to the corrugated surface and the transparency of the material. As a result, the light is refracted on the corrugated surface, which allows the light to scatter throughout the space of the room.
Now that we've got it all figured out important points structure and operation of the diffuser, you can proceed to the description of its manufacture.
Do it yourself
To make a diffuser, you will need the starting material from the list above. In addition, you will need tools:
- cutter;
- glass cutter;
- nichrome thread;
- drill with a set of drills for working with various types glasses;
- construction dryer.
Note! The choice of material and tools depends on what end result you want to get.
You will also need a constant light source to check the finished homemade product.
The manufacturing procedure consists of the following sequential operations:
Now it remains to fix the diffuser on the lamp. For large lamps, such as Armstrong, this element is attached to aluminum profiles. The frame from the profile can have a round or rectangular shape. The first type is often used for home lamps and car headlights, but the second option is for office space and corridors.
For street lamps it is important to make such a diffuser so that it can withstand the various climatic conditions of the place of its operation.
As you can see, making a diffuser for LED-type lighting fixtures is not so difficult. The main thing here is to decide on the type of source material, as well as the final result, what kind of light you need to make - diffused or muted. After that, the matter remains small.
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