Are super bright LED strip lights available in 12V, or do you need 24V?
12V super bright LED strip lights exist, but they are short-run products: at 20 W/m a 12V board pulls 1.7 A per metre, so the far end visibly dims after 2-3 m. For architectural work DENO builds the wide high-output boards in 24V and 48V, where the same wattage draws half or a quarter of the current and one feed covers 5 m or 10-15 m respectively. Keep 12V for vehicles, furniture, showcases and 12V-native fixtures, and feed each section separately.
Why current, not voltage, sets the run length
Voltage drop is current times track resistance. Doubling the supply voltage halves the current for the same power, and drop falls with it — which is why a 24V board reaches roughly twice the usable length of a 12V board and a 48V board roughly four times. Copper weight is the second lever: 2 oz copper halves the track resistance of a 1 oz board of the same geometry.
Constant-current IC boards change the question entirely. Each segment regulates its own drive current, so brightness stays flat until the supply falls below the IC dropout — the run ends abruptly instead of fading, and the usable distance is far longer than a plain resistor-limited board of the same voltage.
Choosing the platform
Pick from the installation geometry rather than habit:
- 12V — short showcase, furniture and vehicle runs under 3 m, or 12V-native fixtures
- 24V — the architectural default: 5 m single feed, 10 m with both-ends feeding
- 48V — long perimeters, warehouse and facade runs of 10–15 m from one feed
- Constant current at any voltage — where zero visible fade along the run is required
Industry references and standards
- Metrology & laboratories — NIST Optical Radiation Measurement — Traceable photometric and spectroradiometric measurement references.
- Metrology & laboratories — ANSI/IES TM-30 Colour Rendition Method — Rf / Rg fidelity and gamut metrics quoted throughout our spectral data.
- Energy & compliance — ENERGY STAR Lighting Program — North American efficacy and lumen-maintenance benchmarks.
More wide PCB answers
- What are the brightest LED strip lights you can actually buy?
- How many lumens per metre and per foot does a high lumen LED strip give?
- How many watts per foot does a high power LED strip use, and how hot does it get?
- Are the brightest LED strip lights available waterproof for outdoor use?
- Is a double row LED strip brighter than a high density single row?
- Can I get custom width bright white LED strip lights made?