High Temp Rated LED Strip Lights?

[AKDALLOS]

Hello All--New to the Forum, hopefully this thread is in its proper place..

I work in a smaller family run lighting/electrical/signs company in the CA Bay Area--and recently we are increasingly needing to install and retrofit lighting in saunas and steam rooms.

My question is if anyone knows of an LED strip light product that can withstand high temperatures? We have been having a hard time finding a reliable product rated that high, most are rated for 45 C or 60 C max--we were hoping for something closer to 90 C (a lot of the rooms are capable of up to max 180 F). Any help is much appreciated in advance!

 

[James L]

This one says high temperature but it doesn't give a number. Says it's good for saunas.

Sauna IP68 LED Strip Lights - High Temp and Water Submersible

Although, it is simply a 2835 LED.

 

[AKDALLOS]

This one says high temperature but it doesn't give a number. Says it's good for saunas.

Sauna IP68 LED Strip Lights - High Temp and Water Submersible

Although, it is simply a 2835 LED.

James I appreciate the reply--Its funny, we actually just ordered these a month ago to test since it claimed that:

The strongly bonded material has a high UV resistance, which means your strips aren't going to yellow or crack. The TPU material will stand up over time and in extreme conditions with a -30° C - 90° C operating temperature, plenty hot enough for high-temperature applications like steam room or sauna lighting.

Upon receiving them however, the physical bag label claimed a more conservative operating temperature rating of -40 C to 60 C..

Nonetheless, we installed it in a dry sauna last week as a trial run, should they fail prematurely we will of course warranty and hopefully have found a couple backup products by then to replace with.

 

[James L]

Upon receiving them however, the physical bag label claimed a more conservative operating temperature rating of -40 C to 60 C..

Well, I wondered since it's using 2835 diodes. I've never seen those in a high-temp environment. Doesn't mean I've seen it all, though.

I've seen somewhere that Cree makes a 5050 diode that is rated 100⁰ C but I'll scour a bit to see if I find anything

Not sure if you're familiar with different sizes of SMDs but a 5050 is actually three 3528 diodes together. Not to be confused with the 2835 size in the one I posted, which you bought.

 

[AKDALLOS]

Well, I wondered since it's using 2835 diodes. I've never seen those in a high-temp environment. Doesn't mean I've seen it all, though.

I've seen somewhere that Cree makes a 5050 diode that is rated 100⁰ C but I'll scour a bit to see if I find anything

Not sure if you're familiar with different sizes of SMDs but a 5050 is actually three 3528 diodes together. Not to be confused with the 2835 size in the one I posted, which you bought.

I only have a surface level knowledge of the different SMDs/diode size/configurations--Its definitely something i'll need to look into further, since I do know each have their +/- in respect to their properties.

Now you have me wondering if on the component level, looking at each diode, which of them fare the best in high temp and/or heat dissipation (although in a sauna/steam room--if the ambient air temp is higher than the temp produced by the diode, I would think that dissipation would be a moot point?)

End of last year I did pull 2835 diode flexible strips from one of the saunas (mind you, these are gym chains, running the sauna all day 6x days a week) and the facility manager said they were installed 5-8 years ago. Thats when I first started searching for suitable like-for-like replacements-- It just seemed odd to me that in this newfound LED age its so difficult to find anything actually tested and rated for high temps so far in my searching.

Thanks again, much appreciated

 

[retirede]

(although in a sauna/steam room--if the ambient air temp is higher than the temp produced by the diode, I would think that dissipation would be a moot point?)

This is not a correct understanding of thermal properties. The LEDs produce heat, not temperatures. In order to dissipate this heat, the temperature of the LED must rise to a higher temperature than whatever/wherever the heat needs to flow to. If the ambient temperature is higher than the maximum rated temperature of a device, it is destined to fail prematurely.

 

[James L]

This is not a correct understanding of thermal properties. The LEDs produce heat, not temperatures. In order to dissipate this heat, the temperature of the LED must rise to a higher temperature than whatever/wherever the heat needs to flow to. If the ambient temperature is higher than the maximum rated temperature of a device, it is destined to fail prematurely.

Sounds like he might have meant what you said.

 

[James L]

Now you have me wondering if on the component level, looking at each diode, which of them fare the best in high temp and/or heat dissipation (although in a sauna/steam room--if the ambient air temp is higher than the temp produced by the diode, I would think that dissipation would be a moot point?)

I think that's the way to go. That way you have some basis for comparing claims of high-temp suitability

End of last year I did pull 2835 diode flexible strips from one of the saunas (mind you, these are gym chains, running the sauna all day 6x days a week) and the facility manager said they were installed 5-8 years ago. Thats when I first started searching for suitable like-for-like replacements--

Sounds like they got a decent life out of those.
Most strip lighting I've seen claim 30k - 50k hours. Which would 4 - 6 years round-the-clock.

It just seemed odd to me that in this newfound LED age its so difficult to find anything actually tested and rated for high temps so far in my searching.

That's valid.

 

[retirede]

Sounds like he might have meant what you said.

Perhaps, now that I read it again.

 

[Kansas Mountain]

https://www.solasray.com/wp-content/uploads/Solas_Ray_High_Ambient_Temp_Lights_At_A_Glance.pdf

 

[synchro]

So as would be expected, the lower wattage versions dissipate less heat and therefore can stand a higher ambient temperature if they are in a similar housing (because they'd have approximately the same thermal resistance to ambient). I doubt you would need or want the high lumen ouput of the larger wattage versions in a sauna, and so the version circled by the lighting professional Kansas Mountain sounds appropriate.