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LED Lights for the Quilt Fabric Storage Area

I need a light system in my wife’s quilt fabric storage area. She needs to shorten and March by overall and small amounts of color. I am thinking of five of these ABSOLUTE SERIES™ LED Linear Module - 99 CRI - 1 ft / 280 mm MCPCBone. One on the ceiling and two down the sides next to the jamb. I am open to other suggestions. I would need to know the other accessories required to string them together. The colors she matches are sometimes hard for me to see. 

Based on the information provided, it does appear that the ABSOLUTE SERIES™ LED Linear Module - 99 CRI - 1 ft / 280 mm MCPCB product could be a good fit for your installation.

Regarding installation instructions, we have a great page on our website which describes the process in depth and includes links for required accessories, which I have linked below.

Assembly Instructions for LED Modules: https://store.waveformlighting.com/pages/assembly-instructions-for-led-modules

As an alternative, you might also be interested in our NorthLux™ 95 CRI T5 LED Linear Light Fixture product. This item features a high CRI, and a low profile, and can be very easily installed without requiring wiring or power supplies.

I like the tube alternative. How long are the connecting wires between the tubes? Can I order another plug wire? Is there a disadvantage to getting the 6500 vs 5000, you are out of stock of the 5000 4’ tubes.

We are happy to confirm that the Linear Light Fixtures can be connected end-to-end using the integrated plugs. Alternatively, you may choose to utilize the included daisy chain cord for connecting the fixtures, which is 30 cm in length.

Though we do not have longer daisy chain cords available, you will likely be able to find a longer third-party option quite easily as these products utilize the standard 2-prong C8 plug.

If a guide for color temperatures proves to be useful in your planning, I have provided a link to a blog post from our website below.

Which LED Light Color Temperature Should I Choose?: 

https://www.waveformlighting.com/home-residential/which-led-light-color-temperature-should-i-choose

Difference Between 5000K and 6500K Bulbs: 

https://www.waveformlighting.com/art-painting/difference-between-5000k-and-6500k-bulbs

Uniformly-glowing Panels with High-CRI LEDs

I'd like to use your high-CRI LED technology to make (or purchase) a panel that emits light similarly to ceiling panels with opal diffusers. The panel should look uniformly bright as if there are no separate LEDs—like if I were looking at a bright overcast sky through a window. The size should be something like 127cm×86cm, CCT 6500K. Could you recommend a way to achieve this? Can I simply use several LED modules and a third-party diffuser and get uniform brightness this way?

We unfortunately do not have an existing product that can achieve what you are looking for, but your idea of using a diffuser to cover the LED modules / LED strips definitely sounds like the right approach!

​You are correct that leaving the LED emitters exposed would allow the individual LEDs to be visible, so the diffuser cover would be essential. One popular method of incorporating a diffuser is to angle the LED modules upwards into a reflective backing, allowing the light to bounce back and downwards. Since the reflected light no longer shows the individual LEDs, this can also improve the light dispersion.

Photon Series Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights for Horticulture

I am trying to order (2)- Photon 2000 Series Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights. I can't seem to find them on your website.

We regret to inform you that the Photon 2000 Series product is currently discontinued.

We, unfortunately, don't have anything similar, but the closest options for horticulture would be our PhotonBlast, PhotonTube and our PhotonPanel products. Please see the product links below:

Service Duty Temperature Range for Absolute Series LED Modules

What is the recommended operating temperature range for the Absolute modules? I can't find any information on this topic on the website.

The maximum ambient operating temperature of the ABSOLUTE SERIES LED modules is 120 degrees F. Generally, as long the LED modules remain below 185 F, there are no significant concerns concerning the longevity or reliability of the LED components.

Is your PhotonPanel™ 100W Grow Light Panel and Dimmer UL listed?

We are planning a growth area and would like to daisy chain 3 panels to be on three separate shelf levels but to have them be dimmable -- and were looking at your PhotonPanel™ 100W Grow Light Panel and the FilmGrade DC Power Supply and FilmGradeTM Flicker-Free LED Dimmer. 

We must have UL-listed components. I have purchased some LED panels to test out with plants, but sometimes it is too bright and so I believe dimmable would be useful. Is there a way to do this with your products? 

Unfortunately, apart from our power supplies, the grow light panel and dimmers are NOT UL listed at this time.

LED Linear Module for Color Rendering Installation

I'm looking for a high CRI (Re) color rendering light (I make copies of paintings). I need to put a certain amount of light above me with a tilted head on a light stand-by. Do you have some suggestions? (product code 7001.50.5P) 

Based on the details provided, it does seem that the LED Linear Module product could be a great solution for your color rendering installation.

We're happy to confirm that the module is designed to be compatible with mounted installations using M3 screws, and can further confirm that we have heard of customers in the past who have installed these products into lighting fixtures.

LED Strip Lights for Copying Film with DSLR Camera

I'm planning on replacing the fluorescent tubes in the 24"x36" light table I use for copying film negatives and positives with a DSLR camera. High CRI is important and I want to stay in the D50 or 5600k color temperature range. Do you have any recommendations or know of customer experiences for this kind of application? I'd like to do some tests with the FilmGrade and Absolute series, but I don't see a sample kit for the Absolute D50 lights.

Our D50 and 5600K light sources with 95/99 CRI sound like a great fit for your needs. While we do not have any specific case studies that we could point you towards, I'm confident that these specifications will optimize for color fidelity and accuracy in image capture.

You mention that the dimensions of the light table are 24" x 36" - in which case, it may not be feasible to fit our 4-ft T8 LED tube lights in the fixtures unless your light fixtures happen to be 48".

As you mention, our LED strip lights may be a great alternative option. While some additional assembly and wiring will be required, our ABSOLUTE SERIES D50 LED strip lights, or our FilmGrade 5600K LED strip lights could be installed into your current fixture and provide you with a nice improvement in color quality.

We unfortunately do not offer a sample kit for the ABSOLUTE SERIES LED strip lights. We do offer a free returns policy, however, so you may want to take advantage of that to test and compare the two products. All we ask is that you keep the LED strips in tact, including keeping the adhesive liner in place.

When evaluating the options for the Absolute LED series the linear modules 5 pack made the most sense for my application, both from a cost stand point and installation in the light table. The listing for the Absolute module 5 pack says they are individually packaged, but they are all on one board. There’s no way to properly compare the FilmGrade strip and the Absolute modules in the light table without separating the modules. Also there’s no information about how to separate the modules.

What should I do? I feel the Absolute linear module listing on the web site is misleading. From the listing I expected to get 5 separate Absolute modules. That would be easy to compare to the FilmGrade by putting two Absolute modules on each side within the light table and running the FilmGrade strip around the perimeter inside the light table. With the 5 modules on a single board it will be very difficult to get even lighting to compare to the FilmGrade strip.

The 5-pack of the ABSOLUTE SERIES are joined together along the long-edge, and can be separated by bending the modules along the score-line. They can be a bit difficult to separate, and may require a bit of force before they begin to loosen a bit.

The 5-pack modules are eligible for return even after they are separated into individual modules, so please feel free to proceed with the installation for testing. Should there be any need to return the modules, we would be more than happy to accept your return.

ABSOLUTE SERIES LED Linear Module 99 CRI Wiring Recommendation

I'm excited to use this led module, but I think I bought the wrong wires to plug into the module. I bought the DC female barrel jack plug adapter and some led connector wires, and the led strip-to-strip solderless connector. Now that I'm visiting your webpage again it seems that I only need Female DC Barrel Jack to Pigtail Wire Cable 4-PACK to make it work. Also, while I'm at it, is there anything you recommend to house the module?

We can confirm that the Female DC Barrel Jack to Pigtail Wire Cable mentioned is indeed compatible with the LED Linear Module, whereas the LED Strip to Strip connector in your previous order is not.

Please note that the LED Linear Module requires a 24V DC Power Supply with sufficient power capacity to operate, regardless of the configuration type selected. In case it proves to be useful, more information regarding the assembly instructions for the LED Linear Module can be found at this link: https://store.waveformlighting.com/pages/assembly-instructions-for-led-modules

Regarding housing units, we, unfortunately, do not have any products which are compatible with the LED Linear Module. However, there may be third-party options available elsewhere.

Absolute Series LED modules for a color matching to a Pantone swatch book and small item product photography.

I am interested in the Absolute series LED modules, I just realized the modules won't fit into the aluminum channels you offer, so I'm not certain what to mount them on or use as a diffuser. Do you have any recommendations? Is the type of diffuser material likely to affect the CRI at all? 

I was also wondering about the brightness - each module produces 800 lumens. 

I am also thinking about getting one of your dimmers, is the panel with 2 modules likely to be too bright to use at full strength? 

I was also thinking about trying the North Lux light bulbs, but wasn't sure about the socket type - I'm in the UK. I noticed the Centric Daylight bulbs have an E27 European option though, are those actually the same bulbs as the North Lux? What is the actual CRI for either of these bulbs? The item page says they have a CRI of 95+, and an R9 of 80+, but the photometric report seems to suggest both of these are much higher. Am I reading it wrong? 

I was planning on getting the D65 modules as I'm used to working with natural daylight color temperatures. The Pantone color bridge I'm using says to use D50 for color matching, is the D65 fine for this? Pantone has further confused me by using M1 lighting for the color bridge guide, but M2 lighting without UV for the online color finder - do the Absolute series modules qualify as M1 lighting (the D50 version anyway)? 

First of all, our ABSOLUTE SERIES LED modules sound like a great option to give you an excellent "building block" for building your own light panel. The 99 CRI is an excellent fit for many color viewing and color-critical applications.

​Whether or not you will need a diffuser will depend on whether there will be any potential for glare. If, for example, you plan on shining the modules directly at the illumination subject, there should not be any issues. For more information, we would recommend our blog article here: https://www.waveformlighting.com/home-residential/aluminum-channels-for-led-strip-lights-are-they-worth-it-an-in-depth-look

​If you do decide that the aluminum channels and diffusers are indeed necessary, you may want to consider our flexible LED strip version of the ABSOLUTE SERIES as they will fit inside the aluminum channels without any issues.

Each module produces 800 lumens. It's a bit difficult to provide any recommendations as to whether this is sufficient or excessive for your needs, but you may want to take a look at our lumen estimation calculator, which you can find here:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/lumen-calculator

​Alternatively, a useful rule of thumb is to remember that 800 lumens are approximately equal in brightness to a 60-watt incandescent bulb.

​Transitioning to our household lamp form factors, the NorthLux is not available in an E27 socket variant, so we would recommend our CENTRIC DAYLIGHT versions instead. For more information on E26 vs E27, you may want to reference our article here:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/home-residential/e26-vs-e27-bulbs-are-they-interchangeable

The CENTRIC DAYLIGHT versions also offer an excellent 95 CRI color rendering at 5000K and 6500K, either of which should work well for you. The only minor difference (as noted by their part number including or not including the letter "D") is that the NorthLux is calibrated to D50 and D65 color standards, which may be of interest to you.

The actual color rendering values will depend on the specific bulb. Our guaranteed values are 95+ and 80+ for CRI, respectively, but depending on the specific bulb, these values may fluctuate. CRI, for example, can be anywhere between 95 and 98.

Since you'll be using the lamps for digital arts (rather than printing and visual assessments) with monitors calibrated to D65, our 6500K or D65 product options sound like the best option for you.

Is there a recommended type of material for this, or will any type of translucent plastic do? Are there any materials that look appropriate but I should actively avoid them due to them compromising the CRI too much? If I use completely transparent clear plastic just for a protective 'lid' over the module, will this affect the color temperature or CRI at all? My gut says no on this last one, but thought it was worth checking in case there's something I'm not aware of.

Unfortunately, all materials will absorb and reflect a small portion of the light energy across the spectrum in slightly different ways. We generally recommend using polycarbonate, acrylic, or glass, as these materials generally alter the spectrum to the smallest extent. Some anecdotal testing on our end indicates that polycarbonate diffusers can affect the color temperature by 200-300K. CRI is generally not affected.

I was hoping you might be able to give me some quick advice on setting up the modules - I've made a basic diagram of my plan, but I don't have much experience with this sort of thing, so I was hoping you could take a quick look and see if it makes sense.

I've reviewed the drawing you kindly provided, and everything looks good and reasonable.

Hopefully, this makes sense, if not, let me know! I will most likely put 3 modules on one panel and 2 on a separate one, but I am making the basic assumption that even if I put all 5 on the same panel using the same power supply, it should be ok, as the power supply is 24v, 60W, 2.5A, which seems to cover the minimum requirements for 5 modules, plus a bit extra - is it ok?  

Yes, the power capacity appears to be perfectly fine for this installation. The only thing to be careful of would be to make sure that the wires used to connect the modules have sufficient thickness. Generally, if you're just connecting a single module, you should be fine with 20 AWG or thicker.

Is it okay to use an inline switch sold as a 12V switch, as long as the amp rating is high enough? I found some that say 2 amp max at 12VDC, and one that says suitable for 5-24V but doesn't mention amps... They're all very basic barrel jack connected on/off switches that look identical, but I've read conflicting information online about this issue, mostly regarding the possibility of arcing with higher voltage, so I thought I'd better ask even though most people say it's ok. I'm guessing the current that will go through the switch will only be the 420mA / 10W for a single module though, given how it will be set up.  

There should not be any significant safety issues here, but we would recommend checking with the switch manufacturer to ensure that operation at 24 volts would be permissible. I believe that both the arc voltage, as well as current ratings, would both be of concern here.

Not too bothered about having to replace the switches if they break, but I don't want anything bad to happen to the LED modules. And I'm assuming that connecting and disconnecting the modules via just unplugging any of the connecting wires between the individual module and PSU while it's all switched on is a bad idea? This sort of thing is generally frowned upon, hence my idea about adding inline switches for each module for some brightness control... Sorry if any of these are silly questions, I'm learning this on the fly! 

There should be no issues with the modules, as long as they are not suddenly flooded with voltage or current.

As for the A19 style bulbs, does the article you linked basically mean it's always unsafe to use E26 bulbs in an E27 socket, even when they are compatible with 240V AC?

That is our assessment based on the dimensions and input voltage levels.

Would it be safe to use a NorthLux E26 bulb with a B22 (bayonet socket) to an E26 adapter at 240V? (E27 to E26 doesn't seem to be a thing...) Given that the product page says it's compatible with 240V AC, I assume I wouldn't have to use a step-down transformer or anything?  

Yes, the product is compatible with global input voltages and will operate with 240 volts AC despite having an E26 base.

Do you know if NorthLux bulbs (the D50 version anyway) conform to the M1 lighting standard at all? 

Unfortunately, our D50 products do not conform to the MIUV metamerism requirement for UV fluorescence. As such, you will see our conformance is limited to ISO 3664:2000 and not any of the later standards.

Do the lights emit anything into the UV range at all, or are they closer to the M2 UV-excluded type lights in that respect? Doesn't help either that the bridge guide uses M1 standards and photoshop uses M2 when the paper the guides printed on is full of OBAs.

All of our products do not emit any UV (defined as < 400nm) except for our realUV products.

Except for our ABSOLUTE SERIES LED products, the LEDs are based on a royal blue 460 nm emitter with phosphor downconversion, so virtually no energy is emitted below 430 nm or so.

I saw the section about white rendering on the Absolute series product page, does this mean they can activate the OBAs in paper and textiles, at least somewhat? 

You are correct that the ABSOLUTE SERIES LED products do have some potential to excite OBAs to improve white rendering. This is due to the underlying emitter being based on a violet emitter which peaks at 420 nm. You'll notice, though, that this is still well within the visible range of the spectrum and does not produce enough ultraviolet energy to provide meaningful improvements to MIUV rendering.

One thing you may want to look into is the realUV LED strip or floodlights​ in combination with our existing visible wavelength range products to improve UV rendering. Unfortunately, we don't have any test data or full solutions here, but this may be worth experimenting with on your end.

What type of connector can I use to daisy chain the PN 2020 that will be spaced 6" apart?

I'm looking to buy (4) PN:2020 lights for some plant shelves I'm building. I want to daisy chain them, but the lights will be spaced 6" apart. What kind of connector can I use so I can run wire between the daisy chain connectors? Also, I don't see a transformer that will drive all four lights on your site. Do you recommend any specific model?

Our PhotonPanel product sounds like a great option for a vertical plant shelf installation. To answer your questions:

The daisy-chain "ports" utilize WAGO 2060 connectors (see here for the datasheet). For variable-length installations such as yours, we generally recommend using low-voltage wire with the maximum thickness permissible for the WAGO connectors (18 AWG).

We do not have any power supplies with sufficient capacity, but we would recommend a third-party manufacturer that has a product of sufficient capacity (we would recommend at least 500 watts for daisy-chaining 4 panels). We generally recommend Meanwell as a reliable manufacturer of power supplies, but it appears they do not have anything higher than 340 watts.

It looks like you can configure a constant current level. Should the constant current be set to 17A to match your spec sheet for four daisy chained PN:2020 panels?

The constant current feature is definitely nice to have and can work very well here to ensure stable operation. The boards are configured to operate via constant voltage without any issues, as long as the voltage level does not exceed 24 volts at any point. Even when staying at or below 24 volts, however, the actual power draw can fluctuate a bit depending on various environmental factors such as ambient temperature (higher temps = higher current draw).​If you are able to keep the current setting fixed via the constant current adjustment, that would ensure that a consistent power draw is achieved, regardless of environmental factors.

How to connect ABSOLUTE SERIES LED modules

I see that the ABSOLUTE SERIES LED Linear Module has connection mechanisms between one another. How does it work, and do I need extra accessories?

ABSOLUTE SERIES LED Modules are approximately 11 inches (280 mm) long, and use the WAGO system. Each module has WAGO 2060 terminal blocks on both ends of each module, one for the positive and one for the negative connection.

All electrical connections to power and between modules is achieved through these terminal blocks. Terminal blocks require insertion of electrical wire (sold separately) between 18-24 AWG, with 0.28-0.35 inches of insulation stripped off.

Alternatively, the modules can be connected end-to-end using WAGO board-to-board connectors shown below:

Additional assembly instructions can be found below:

ABSOLUTE SERIES™ LED Module maximum temperature rating

The ABSOLUTE SERIES™ LED Modules (PN 7001.50 / 7001.65) are pre-built LED circuitboards designed to operate at DC 24 volts constant voltage.

We do not specify thermal resistance or junction temperature limits and instead use a simplified case temperature (Tc) specification.

The case temperature is defined as the surface temperature of the printed circuit board (PCB). Our recommended maximum case temperature is 185°F (85°C). In other words, as long as the PCB surface does not exceed 185 °F, we are confident in knowing that the LED emitters and components are within their thermal limits.

Our internal tests have indicated that the LED modules have similar reliability profiles at 185°F as well as a lower 130°F (55°C) case temperature point. For both temperature points, lumen maintenance at 6000 hours was 96%, and chromaticity shift (Δu'v') was less than 0.001.

Do you sell the 5000K, 99 CRI module but in a remote phosphor variant?

I am interested in your 5000K, 99 CRI module. The light is truly spectacular.

Do you by any chance sell the same thing but in a remote phosphor variant? If not, do you have intentions to create something like that?

Unfortunately , we do not have any plans for a remote phosphor variant at this time. Based on our current material cost structures for the existing SMD design, we would anticipate that the remote phosphor design would be cost-prohibitive due to the much larger amount of phosphor needed to create a remote phosphor sheet or panel.

And one last question, is it possible for a light with the same properties (5000K, 99CRI) to be made more like a point source rather than module with multiple LEDs? 

Yes, this can be accomplished, but we do not have any plans for this at this time.

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