How To Choose The Quality Of LED Modules? Look At These Points
As the core component of advertising signs, LED modules are also core components for lighting projects and are also a key part of the display screen. Whether the selection is correct or not directly plays a decisive role in the final effect. When many people choose it, they only focus on the price comparison at the beginning. However, if they do this, yellowing will appear soon after installation, dead lights will occur, and there may even be short-circuit and burnout problems.
In fact, the quality of LED modules is not difficult to grasp. The key lies in the few rigid measurement standards. As long as you understand these, you can also choose items worthy of trust.
Is the waterproof level really able to withstand the test of the outdoor environment?
In outdoor scenes, waterproofing is always a key factor that attracts attention. People often think about whether the declared waterproof level really means that the product can be safe in various complex outdoor conditions and can truly resist water erosion? This covers many aspects of consideration, from daily rain intrusion to possible sudden heavy rains, from wet grass to water-logged roads, etc. Whether the waterproof level marked on the product can ensure that it can function stably and reliably in the outdoor environment is a question worthy of in-depth exploration.
The waterproof grade mark of the product seems to be quite clear, but in actual outdoor performance, there may be many different variables. Different outdoor scenes have different degrees of water influence. In this way, can the protection capabilities corresponding to the waterproof level accurately adapt to these various outdoor conditions? For example, if a product that has only reached a certain waterproof level standard can maintain good performance and avoid water intrusion or damage when it is exposed to high humidity outdoor environments for a long time or is frequently exposed to different forms of water. These need to be further discussed and verified in order to determine whether the waterproof level can really withstand various outdoor challenges.
When using outdoor signboards, the most feared situation is water leakage and dust entering. Many modules on the market are often marked with IP65, IP67 and other protection levels. However, the actual performance varies greatly. Some modules are only filled with a thin layer of glue. At first glance, they seem to be well sealed. However, once exposed to the sun, the glue layer will crack. As a result, rainwater will penetrate along these gaps and the lamp beads will soon be scrapped.
In contrast, outdoor modules with practical value will use full-adhesive technology to completely wrap the entire circuit board in silicone, and even the connectors will undergo double waterproofing measures. You can perform a simple test: immerse the module in water and turn it on for 24 hours. Only if the brightness and color temperature do not change significantly will the module be judged to be qualified. In other respects, the thickness of the heat-dissipating aluminum substrate is still very critical. If the aluminum substrate is too thin, its thermal conductivity will be poor, and the heat will be focused on the lamp beads, which will cause the light decay rate to increase significantly. The brightness may drop by half in less than half a year of operation.
Constant current drive can avoid flickering and dead lights
When purchasing a module, many people only pay attention to the number of lamp beads, thinking that the more lamp beads there are, the brighter the light emitted by the module will be. However, this is not the actual situation. In fact, the driving method is the key factor that determines the life of the module. Those cheap modules use resistors to reduce the voltage. Once the voltage fluctuates even slightly, the current will increase and decrease accordingly. Like this, the performance of the lamp beads will be extremely unstable. Either the light will be too dark and cannot achieve the expected brightness effect, or it will be directly burned out, greatly reducing the normal use time of the module.
In sharp contrast, high-quality modules use constant current ICs for driving. No matter how the voltage changes, it can ensure that the output current is stably maintained at the set value. In such a stable working environment, the lamp beads can continue to emit light continuously, and their service life is the same as the adoption of the constant current IC. Cheap modules that use resistors to reduce the voltage can extend the time by two or three times. After you get the module, you can use a simple method to initially determine whether the current is stable. That is, use a mobile phone camera to shoot a video at the lamp bead. If flashing stripes appear on the screen, it means that the current is unstable. Using such modules with unstable current conditions will not only cause damage to the eyes over time, but also easily cause the entire batch of modules to break. Although constant current modules are generally slightly more expensive than ordinary modules, in the long run, the cost of repairs and lamp replacements they can save far exceeds the price difference between the two.
