Several things you need to know about led track lights

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Speaking of track lights, the LED magnetic track lights that have been very popular recently are definitely indispensable, but today, we mainly analyze conventional LED track lights. If you need to know about LED magnetic track lights, then this blog can help you.

What are Led track lights and the working principle?

LED track lights are LED lights installed on a track. They can smoothly slide along the track rail and allow for adjustable illumination angles. Generally, they are used as spotlights in places where accent lighting is required. It is an ideal light source to replace traditional tungsten halogen lamps and metal halide lamps.

The led track lights must be installed on the matching track rail. Inside the rail, there is a voltage input (usually 110-120V or 220-240VAC, but it can also be customized for low-voltage DC12V-24V). The rail contains conductive metals on both sides, with high-quality materials typically made of copper (while inferior ones are made of iron). Additionally, there are rotatable conductive copper sheets at the joints of the track lights. During installation, ensure that the conductive copper sheets on the track lights make contact with the conductive metal strips inside the track rail. This contact enables the rail lights to be powered on and illuminated.

What is track lighting used for?

LED track lights can be used for many different applications.

• Residential lighting for kitchens, living rooms, and dining rooms.
• Commercial lighting for clothing stores, furniture stores, and other brand stores), car displays, jewelry, star hotels, brand clothing, high-end clubs, museums and cultural relics exhibition halls, chain shopping malls, brand business halls, professional windows, counters, etc.
• Industrial lighting for warehouses, and factories.

What are the advantages of led track lights?

• Green and pollution-free: LED track light uses LED as a light source, LED light source is a cold light source, with no radiation, no heavy metal pollution, pure color, high luminous efficiency, low-frequency flicker, energy-saving and healthy. Ordinary metal halide track lights use metal halide lamps as light sources. The light-emitting principle of metal halide lamps is that the heavy metal element mercury reacts with the two electrodes after gasification to generate light, which has large heat and radiation and must be handled carefully after it is broken. Otherwise, it may pollute the environment (mercury is a heavy metal element, which is harmful to human health).

• Energy-saving: A typical feature of LED rail lights is energy-saving. With the same brightness as LED track lights and ordinary metal halide track lights, the power consumption of LED track lights is only 40%-50% of that of ordinary metal halide track lights.

• Long lifetime: The lifespan of LED track lights can reach at least 30,000 hours, while the lifespan of ordinary metal halide track lights is generally 8,000 hours.

What are the types of led track lighting?

From the light source. LED track lights are divided into high-power LED track lights, COB track lights, GU10 track lights, and PAR track lights.

1. High-power track lights, as the name suggests, the light source is mainly composed of single-section 1W high-power lamp beads. It is the first generation of LED track lights, the power is generally less than 20W, and the common power is 3W, 5W 7W 9W 12W 15W 18W. The color rendering of this kind of lamp is not good enough, the size of the lamp is generally relatively large, and the cost is relatively high. Currently basically been replaced by COB track lights.
2. COB track lights mainly use COB Led chips as the light source, which can improve the brightness of the lamps, the color rendering (CRI>90), and the focusing effect is also better. The maximum power can be 40W-50W. It can better meet the lighting needs of some large commercial places.
3. GU10 track light, mainly composed of track light housing with GU10 bulb holder + GU10 led bulb. Its biggest advantage is that it is easy to repair and replace. The power is generally only 5W 7W, so it cannot be used as the main lighting fixture. It is often used as auxiliary lighting or home lighting in the kitchen, dining room, or aisle.
4. The PAR track light is the same as the GU10 track principle. It is mainly composed of the track light shell + E26/E27 Base + E26/E27 PAR light, including the PAR30 track light and PAR38 track lamp. It is very easy to repair and replace, and the optional power is generally 9W 12W 15W. It is widely used in some clothing stores and retail stores.
5. Magnetic track light. This is the latest solution for the track lighting system, there are many different track light fixtures that can be installed on the magnetic track rails. the magnetic track lighting system is the most popular for home lighting or residential lighting.

From the circuit (phases) or track head point of view, LED track lights include single circuits and 2 circuits (3phases) track lights.

Track lighting rail and head types

In order to distinguish these types of track lights, you need to figure out the track rails and track heads first.

• Track rails are divided into 2-line track bars, 3-line track bars, 4-line track bars, and 6-line track bars. The first three are the mainstream products in the LED lighting market. The “wire” mentioned here refers to the energized conductor wire inside the track bar, the 2-wire refers to the “L, N wire”, the 3-wire refers to the “L, N, and G wire”, and the four-wire is based on the A signal line has been added to facilitate multi-way control of lamps throughout the track lighting system.

• Track head. The track head generally refers to the joint where the track light is installed into the track rail. It is mainly divided into 2-wire rail heads, 3-wire track heads, and 4-wire rail heads according to the specifications of the rail strip. The rail head can only be installed on the corresponding rail strip.

On the basis of the above track strips and track heads, track lamps can be divided into single-circuit track lights and dual-circuit track lights. Among them, single-circuit track lights include 2-wire and 3-wire track lights, while 4-wire track lights belong to 2 circuits track lights, also called 3 phases track lights

In terms of safety, 3-wire track lights will be better than 2-wire track lights. And if you need 0-10V or DALI dimmable track lights, you can only use 4-wire track headers and 4-wire track strips.

Many customer ask me if your lights are suitable for my track rail ? Now you know the anwser ? Track heads are not interchangeable, so before you buying led track lights for your existing rail,get detailed information datasheet from manufacturer. Mixing incompatible track heads with a track system can lead to improper function, damage, or safety hazards.

Track Light Wattages and voltage

As mentioned above, different track light types will be with different wattages

Track light typesGU10 Track lightsMR16 led track lightsCOB LED Track lightsMagnetic track lightsWattages3W 5W 7W3W 5W 7W7W 10W 15W 20W 25W 30W 40W 50W6W 12W 18W 20W 30WInput voltage110/220-240VAC 50/60Hz12VDC or 24VDC110/220V-240VAC 50/60Hz48Vdc or 24VDC

How do you choose a led track light?

A high-quality LED track light usually has the following characteristics. When choosing LED track lights, you can pay attention to these aspects.

• Selection of suitable track heads for led track lights. As mentioned above, there are 2 wires, 3 wires, and 4 wires track lights. If your existing track rail is 2 wires, you have to only purchase the led track light with 2 wires track head.
• Famous Isolated driver. Common high-quality track light drivers include LIFUD, OSRAM, PHILIPS, DONE, etc. These isolated drivers can guarantee the life of track lights in commercial environments for at least 5 years or more, and even up to 10 years.
• High brightness. A good led track light should be with top-quality led chips with high lumens, it will save much energy, and provide more brightness.
• High CRI. Track lights are used as accent lighting fixtures in clothing stores, retail stores, museums, and other places. They are usually used to highlight the characteristics of objects and restore the real situation of objects. Color rendering is particularly important. The higher the display index, the higher the ability to restore the real situation of the object. The CRI of the track light is generally above 90, and it is best to reach 97.
• Beam angle. for led track lighting, the led light beam angle includes 15°,24°, 36° and 50°. For accent lighting, opt for beam angles of 15°, 24°, and 36°. If you need basic illumination, a 50° beam angle is a preferable choice
• Free flicker. When you use your mobile phone to take photos or videos with the LED track light at close range, there is no ripple on the screen, and the light tube will not flicker. Such track lights can best create a lighting environment and reduce the damage to eyesight.
• Low glare value. The best-led track lights generally are with an anti-glare design and a special low-glare value lens. The track light housing should be a deep reflector. The UGR<19 is standard and best to less than 15.

How to do the installation of led track lights?

As mentioned above, LED track lights include 2-wire, 3-wire, and 4-wire track lights, which correspond to the corresponding track bars. Different track lights have different points to pay attention to when installing them. Usually, the installation of LED track lights is the installation of a lighting system, including the installation of track rails, the installation of track lights, and the installation of corresponding accessories such as L shape, shape, and T shape connector adapters. For details, you can watch the following video, or download the installation instructions for LED track lights here.

What are the common quality problems for led track lights?

In commercial places such as supermarkets, clothing stores, or home environments like kitchens, and dining rooms, we can often see some LED track lights appear quality issues. Even after our careful selection, some common quality problems will inevitably arise. Because many manufacturers will cut costs to attract customers with low prices. But these low prices are achieved through the use of inferior materials and craftsmanship, rather than technological innovation, so this has a great impact on the quality of LED track lights. Here, we list a few of those issues.

The problem of the led track light flickering

The flickering of LED track lights generally has the following reasons

1. The LED light board and LED driver do not match. Under normal circumstances, the current of a single 1W lamp bead is 280~300mA, and the voltage is 3.0 to 3.4V. If the lamp bead chip is not full power, it will cause the light source to flicker, and the current is too high. The lamp bead cannot withstand, it will turn on and off, and in severe cases, the lamp beads will be burned. In this case, you need to change a new led driver to match with led chips.
2. The drive power supply is damaged. Just replace a power supply with the same specification.
3. The shell of the lamp does not dissipate heat. The driving power supply has an over-temperature protection function, but the heat dissipation performance of the material of the lamp cannot meet the requirements, and the phenomenon of flashing and flashing will occur when the driving over-temperature protection starts to work. It is hard to do a replacement if the led track light is bad heat performance. So just choose the aluminum body-led track light.

LED Track lights not working.

The common reasons and solutions for LED track lights not working are as follows.

• Positive and negative are reversed. When installing the track, the positive and negative poles on the track bar are not connected correctly, causing the circuit to fail. In this case, just re-connection of L, and N wires for track rails.
• The LED driver burned out. Some low-quality LED power supplies often use cheap raw materials and have a short lifespan. When the ambient voltage used is unstable, it is easy to burn out the power supply. Please choose a brand of indoor LED power supply. Common high-quality drivers include PHILIPS, OSRAM, LiFud, DONE, Eaglerise, Boke, and GS. The life of these drivers is at least 5 years.
• The LED chips are broken. If the parameters of the power supply do not match the parameters of the lamp bead, the lamp bead will be burned out, and it may not light up. Another possibility is that the LED chips are of poor quality, have a short service life, and are easily damaged. Common well-known LED chips include Philips, Bridgelux, Citizen, CREE, Epistar, and Osram in China.

The problem of low brightness

The brightness of an LED lamp determines its energy-saving capability. The lower the power of the lamp with the same brightness, the lower the purchase price and the lower the energy consumption. And some low-end LED track lights often have low brightness problems.

• For a newly purchased LED track light, if its brightness is very low, it may be that the supplier has falsely reported the power of the lamp. Some low-cost LED track lights on the market usually have false reports of power and brightness. For example, the actual power is only 10W, but it is marked as 15W or 20W on the lamp body and packaging.
• If you find that the brightness of the LED track light you are using suddenly decreases, it may be caused by the light decay of the light fixture too much. Some cheap track lights usually use low-quality LED beads with small chips and insufficient heat dissipation. Excessive temperature will greatly reduce the initial luminous flux of LED lamp beads. When installed, the actual output of the lamp is 100lm/W, but when the lamp is used for one month or half a year, the actual output of the lamp will be reduced to 70lm/w, or 50Lm/W.

How many track lights on one circuit/meter?

Typically, track rails are available in lengths of 1m, 2m, and 3m each. Following the track lighting guidelines, each track bar’s conductor can handle a 10A, 220V (or 15A, 120V) lighting circuit, supporting around 2000W. However, to prevent circuit overload, it’s advisable to reserve 20% of the total load power. As a result, the safe capacity of the lighting circuit is approximately 1600W. Based on our practical experience, it’s best to install no more than two track lights for one meter of track strip.

Hello, customers

My name is Ricky Wang, I’m the business manager of GRNLED. I have been in LED lights industry for more than 10 year. Feel free to contact us. I’m happy to provide you the best service and products.

Email:  info@grnled.com | WeChat: ledfixture

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Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are solid-state devices that transform electric energy into colourful illumination. LEDs do not waste energy since they use "cool" light generation technology, meaning that the low heat that is generated is not allowed to build up. What's more, LEDs are designed to be long-lasting and can be recycled as part of normal household waste because they don't contain hazardous chemicals or material.

One important but often overlooked aspect of LED lighting is the power supply required to operate these devices. In this guide, we will explain what LED power supply is and the different voltage options available. We will also discuss how you can determine which power supply you need for your LED lighting. Click on one of the links below to jump to that section:

What is an LED power supply?

An LED power supply can also be referred to as an LED transformer or driver. Drivers are electronic circuits that regulate the power needed to operate LED lights by converting an alternating current (AC) to a direct current (DC). When choosing a power supply, it's important to consider the input voltage of the LED strip to prevent voltage drop or burning out the LED chips. The three most common voltage options available for LED lighting are 5v, 12v and 24v.

• 5v power supply is ideal for achieving dynamic lighting in internal areas and can also be used in boats, gardens and caravans.
• 12v lights can be used both internally and externally and are common in bedrooms, kitchens and driveways. The major advantage of a 12v power supply is its reliability.
• With 24v LEDs, it's important to match this high voltage to the output voltage with a 24v power supply; otherwise, the LED bulbs won't work.

LED power supplies are either constant current or constant voltage. Constant current provides a fixed output current and can fluctuate output voltage. It is often used for LED downlights and strings of LED modules, providing consistent illumination.

Constant voltage provides a stable output voltage of typically 12v or 24v and a maximum output current. It is often used for LED strips and other circuits where multiple LEDs are connected to each other by a DC power supply.

How to choose the right power supply for your LEDs

The operating voltage of the LEDs will be the most important consideration when choosing a power supply. However, there are other factors that you should bear in mind, including:

Size of the power supply

When installing your LED lighting, you should make sure that the power supply fits in the space where it is supposed to be installed. We stock small, plug-style power supplies as well as larger devices for bigger applications.

IP rating

A power supply’s IP rating is an assessment of its resistance to liquid (water) and solid materials (dirt and dust). IP rates are indicated by two numbers: the first number (0 to 6) refers to a device’s resistance to solids while the second (0 to 8) refers to its protection against water. The higher the number, the better protected the casing of the power supply will be. This is especially important for outdoor LED lighting applications.

Maximum wattage

If you want to operate more than one light from a single power supply, add the wattages together to get the total watts needed. Give yourself a 20% buffer over the total wattage to ensure you have a large enough power supply. To do this, simply multiply your total wattage by 1.2 and then look for a power supply qualified for that wattage.

Safety compliance

Your chosen power supply needs to be compliant with international safety regulations for lighting, such as UL1012 and UL8750. This will be referenced in the device’s datasheet and ensures it is up to standard.

LED power supply from WeLoveLEDs

60w 5v PSU

This is a constant voltage, single-output LED driver with an IP67 rating for internal and external use. It offers built-in protection against open circuits, short circuits, overloads and overheating.

192w 12v PSU

This is a universal AC input power supply with an IP65 rating ideal for internal and external applications including street lighting. Its features include a three-in-one dimming function.

8w 12v PSU

This is a small and compact 12v constant voltage, single-output power supply with an IP30 rating for internal use only. It is ideal for applications such as decorative and office LED lighting as well as LED signage.

320w 24v PSU

A heavy-duty device with a slim design, this unit guarantees long-lasting reliability and safety. It offers two parallel outputs totalling a maximum output of 240w. The IP67 rating makes it ideal for lighting LEDs in street lamps, parking spaces and more. Its features include a built-in constant current limiting circuit and fan speed control.

500w 24v PSU

This is a universal AC input power supply that offers protection from short circuits, overloads, overvoltage and overtemperature. It has a slim profile, built-in remote ON-OFF control and a remote sense function.

Frequently asked questions

How do you connect LED strip lights to a power supply?

First, attach the LED strip light to the connector wire by placing the strip’s end into the wire's clip, making sure that the red wire is connected to the '+' sign on the strip and the black wire is connected to the '-' sign. To close the clasp, press firmly on the rear of the connection clip. On the sticky side, you may need to remove a portion of the backing strip. Remove the strip light’s sticky backing and push it firmly onto the desired surface, then connect the driver to the opposite end of the connection cable.

How long should an LED power supply last?

How long should an LED power supply last?

On their data sheets, all LED lights have a predicted lifetime in hours. For high-quality office LED and commercial lighting, 50,000 hours is normal.

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