RGB LED strip lights have been on the market for a while now and have been a great solution for previously unheard of accent lighting features. RGB strip lights have opened the door to creative and colorful LED installations. These LEDs strips give customers a wide range of customizable color for completely unique lighting installations. Due to the popularity of RGB LED strip lights, a new tape light technology is now available! RGB+W LED strip lights takes the existing RGB and pairs white LED diodes to the mix. This article addresses the differences between RGB and RGB+W LED tape light and why/when you may want one over the other.
Armacost Lighting’s RibbonFlex RGB LED Tape Light uses a 3-in-1 5050 LED chip that is made up of red, green, and blue LED diodes. These LED strips can produce a wide range of colors by mixing the three, including an almost white look when LED colors are at full brightness.
The RibbonFlex RGB+W LED Tape Light features red, green, and blue LEDs, but adds a dual LED chip design that features a white 2835 LED that is paired with each of the RGB diodes. With the additional white LED chip, the RGB+W LED strip light can produce a wide range of vibrant colors, along with soft-bright (3000K) white, or a combination of white and RGB.
While RGB can produce color that is close to white, the dedicated white LED chip provides a pure white tone that is better for task and accent lighting, when color is not needed. The extra white chip also allows the LED strip to produce a unique mix of RGB and color lighting.
RGB+W tape light is undoubtedly a much more flexible option than standard RGB LED strips. The 24 Volt RGB+W tape light is slightly more expensive than RGB but is better for a broader set of installations and improved functionality. 12 Volt RGB tape light is generally more cost effective. This is a good lighting option for those looking for vibrant colors, where pure white would not be necessary or for customers with budget constraints.
RGB and RGB+W LED strip lights use slightly different controls. RGB has four outputs (red, green, blue, power), while the RGB+W (red, green, blue, white, power) tape has five outputs.Armacost Lighting’s ProLine and SlimLine wireless switch controls are offered in both RGB and RGB+W options. They are available in traditional wireless controls and in Wi-Fi / smart controls.
The RGB+W LED controls will work with RGB tape light by simply not wiring the W connection. However, RGB controls will not work with RGB+W strip lights.
Both RGB and RGB+W LED tape light are low-voltage and require an LED driver or power supply (as well as a controller) to operate. They are very popular for undercabinet lighting.
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I assumed its sri to be 180 degrees which would make it ~2000lm total for 45W.
Given your assumptions ≈2,000 lm would be correct. What you do not have is the efficacy (lm/w) and you did not include the losses due to current regulation or light bulb diffuser transmission loss.
which states an approximate 2.1cd of luminous intensity for its combined RGB output.
Not sure where you got 2.1 cd.
Assuming I get 5m of 30LED/m strip, that would be 315cd total.
Using the average cd values I get 3.05 cd (0.900 + 1.250 + 0.300) per LED. 150 LEDs would then be 457.5 cd.
The problem here is they do not state at what current or view angle theses values are valid. The safe assumption is between 20 and 50 mA.
Converting candela to lumens requires the apex (view) angle of the spectral radiation distribution.
I assumed its sri to be 180 degrees
High and Mid Power Lighting LEDs are typically rated at a view angle of 120°. The RGB LEDs used in this strip are likely indicator LEDs where the angle is much less like maybe 10° (like those shown below).
180° may be the correct apex angle, maybe not.
Using 120°
457.5 × (2π(1 - cos(120°/2))) = 1,437 lm
Using 12°
457.5 × (2π(1 - cos(12°/2))) = 15.7 lm
LINK: cd to lm calculator
You datasheet is only for the LEDs and not how the manufacturer of the tape used them (e.g. LED resistor values).
Using the tape wattage use a loss of 46% for the resistors. The blue and green lose 40% to their resistors and the red 60%.
At 20 mA the LEDs would use about 14 watts, and the resistors 6.44 watts or 20 watts. So if your strip is 45 Watts the LEDs are drawing about 45 mA. If this is true the resistors would be about 45Ω.
The roundabout average output of a 10W white LED bulb is 900lm
This presents another problem. Incandescent light bulbs are isotropic (360°) and LEDs are directional. Usually 30° is subtracted for the base obstruction. Even though LED bulbs are not isotropic their luminosity is measured the same.
Bottom Line
There is NO WAY you can compare the efficacy of these RGB LEDs to white LEDs used in a quality light bulb.
You have insufficient data to guesstimate the lumens.
Even if you had all the data, you could still only guesstimate.
You would also need the transmission loss in the light bulb's diffuser cover.
The best way to determine the luminosity of the tape is to light up a dark room with the tape then light up the room with a light bulbs and compare perceived brightness.
FYI
Everybody knows that the white LED cobs in bulbs are far more efficient than incandescent bulbs
Most light bulbs use mid-power LEDs because they have been more efficient than CoBs. The highest efficacy LED currently available is the Samsung LM301B @ 229 lm/W. OSRAM just announced, in the past month, the highest efficacy CoB @ 201 lm/W. Currently available highest is a Samsung COB-D Gen3 @ 182 lm/W.
I removed the disffuser covers from some light bulbs I use around my house.
Notice the heatsink the CoB bulb uses.