LED Strip Pricing

EL Wire/Tape/Panels, LEDs, pixels and strips, LCDs and TFTs, etc products from Adafruit

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clarkdv
 
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LED Strip Pricing

Post by clarkdv »

Hi all, and TIA for the input.

I just purchased PID 357 (Warm white LED weatherproof flexi-strip 60 LED - (1 m)) and PID 887 Cool white LED weatherproof flexi-strip 60 LED - (1 m)

I screwed up and ordered only 1m when I wanted a 5m strip. I saw that it said 1m but I thought that had to be a typo given the price of $24.95 and $19.95 respectively. I have purchased a 5m strip of RGB LEDs, with PSU and remote control, for around $35 so I thought the single color LEDs on Adafruit should cost $24.95 and $19.95 for a 5 m reel, all things being relative between LED strip quality, etc.

My question to you guys is are Adafruit single color LED strips way more expensive than what I might find elsewhere for the same quality? Or does Adafruit carry the really really good ones and the other guys are selling the low price, low quality ones?

I don't mind for a second spending more money for a higher quality product, but I don't want to throw money away unnecessarily.

Thoughts?

adafruit
 
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Re: LED Strip Pricing

Post by adafruit »

thanks for the note, that's the price of the strips based on what we pay, these are tested, supported and dependable strips, there are many places to purchase strips online - if you get a better deal and it's as good quality that's ok with us :)

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adafruit_support_mike
 
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Re: LED Strip Pricing

Post by adafruit_support_mike »

The main questions to ask are:

- Am I getting LEDs that meet published specs, or factory seconds?
- Can I tell the difference?
- What options do I have if the LEDs I got don't work?

Silicon doping is a delicate process. Even with fantastic process control, two LEDs from the same wafer can vary by as much as 50% in terms of current consumption at a given voltage or light output for a given amount of current. Differences of a few atoms can shift the output spectrum one way or another.

All LEDs age through a process of lattice dislocation: the power flowing through them generates heat and pushes the atoms in the direction of the current flow. Over time, that pushes atoms out of the nice, regular crystal pattern that allows carriers to flow freely. The imperfections raise the resistance through the material, so a larger fraction of the current flowing through the LED produces heat instead of light. That additional heat raises the probablility of creating another defect, and so on. The usual single-color LED lasts about 8,000 hours before its light output for a given amount of current drops by half.

To meet published color, output, and lifespan specs, LEDs have to hit certain performance values when they're tested the first few times. Those that don't may still light up, but probably won't survive long enough to keep the fab from getting sued by people who buy large numbers of LEDs and expect them to hit certain performance targets.

Those functional-but-non-spec LEDs make their way into parts bags or low-cost LED strips sold on eBay. The average hobbyist doesn't have the equipment to test color output, and mounting the LEDs in strips makes it hard to tell how much current each one uses. If the time to half-output is as low as 1000 hours, it will still be a couple of months before you notice that a new strip is brighter than one you've had running for a while.

When you buy LED strips from us, you get a promise that we'll replace any that don't live up to the published specs. Since the cost of replacements comes out of our pockets, we won't be happy about having to replace even 5% of the strips we sell (in fact, that would be a nightmare). We've put our resources into making things more reliable for you.

If you know of another vendor who offers the same kind of support at a lower price, by all means buy from them. If you don't need any particular color/output/lifespan for a project, you have more freedom to play the odds on parts quality. If you want all the parts in a single box and a guarantee that they'll all work together, that's what we provide.

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clarkdv
 
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Re: LED Strip Pricing

Post by clarkdv »

So it looks like the answer to my question "... are Adafruit single color LED strips way more expensive than what I might find elsewhere for the same quality? Or does Adafruit carry the really really good ones and the other guys are selling the low price, low quality ones? "

Is....."Yes, ours are better".


Thanks

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adafruit_support_mike
 
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Re: LED Strip Pricing

Post by adafruit_support_mike »

'Better' is a slippery word.. it depends on the context where you use it.

Let's say our LED strips average well. We're willing to bet our reputation on them, and we tilt the odds in our favor by working with vendors willing to do the same. We know how to work with them, we know their quirks, and we're confident that the next batch won't give us a whole new set of quirks to learn.

Confidence is the main thing. Some of the hardware on eBay comes from remaindered inventory, so it's entirely possible to get the best LEDs money can buy for a couple of bucks. Once. The trick is doing it again in six months.

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ynnnad
 
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Re: LED Strip Pricing

Post by ynnnad »

Just to reiterate since I have the same question regarding the pricing of LEDs. I'm looking to purchase a whole roll of LEDs, I was looking at this one - RGB LED Weatherproof flexi-strip 60 LED/m - PRODUCT ID: 346 for $25 (https://www.adafruit.com/product/346). My question is, is this 1m since it doesn't list the lengths anywhere. Am I paying $25 for 1m ?

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Franklin97355
 
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Re: LED Strip Pricing

Post by Franklin97355 »

Yes, $25 per meter. The description has this paragraph:
They come in 5 meter reels, and are sold by the meter! If you buy 5m at a time, you'll get full reels. If you buy less than 5m, you'll get a single strip, but it will be a cut piece from a reel which may or may not have a connector on it. If the piece comes from the end of the reel, the connector may be on the output end of the strip!

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