Complete Guide to LED Panel Lights: A Must-Read!

There was once a prediction that future lamps would have no specific shape, and that they would become a part of the buildings, making it difficult for people to identify them at a glance. And the panel LED lamp, some say, is a significant manifestation of the current lighting industry heading towards this direction.

Application range of LED Panel Lights

LED panel lamps are widely used in offices, schools, hospitals, shopping malls, homes, and other places due to their characteristics of good illumination uniformity, high color rendering index, even and soft light, and comfort. They have become the better product of replacing traditional grid lights in the age ofLEDs.

Structure of LED Panel Lights

The structure of LED panel lights primarily includes components such as the frame, diffuser panel, light guide plate, LED chips, driver power supply, and aluminum substrate.

Frame: Frame Strength Affects Durability

The frame is an essential part of the panel light, and a high-strength frame contributes to the light's durability. Different materials are used for the frame of LED panel lights, and their heat dissipation performance varies. Common frame materials include aluminum alloy, steel, PC (polycarbonate), A6063, aluminum-plastic, and other materials.

Diffuser Panel: Variations in Light Transmission due to Different Materials

The role of the diffuser panel is to evenly disperse the light from the light guide plate and also to act as a diffusion medium for softening the light. The materials used for diffuser panels mainly include acrylic, PC (polycarbonate), and PS (polystyrene).

It's worth noting that acrylic has a light transmission rate of around 92%, PC has a rate of 88%, and PS is approximately 80%. Acrylic material has a higher light transmission rate compared to PC, and it's cost-effective, although it has weaker aging resistance. On the other hand, PC is more expensive but offers better aging resistance.

Light Guide Plate: Material Choice Affects Light Efficiency

The light guide plate's function is to refract light rays parallel to the direction of the diffuser plate into a vertical direction and then reflect the light from the light guide plate to the back of the panel light using reflective paper. During this process, minimizing light decay is crucial. Generally, the light efficiency of the light guide plate depends significantly on the pattern design and, secondarily, on the material selection.

Power Supply: High Efficiency with Constant Current Mode

LED lights have two types of power supply modes: constant current and constant voltage with constant current. The constant current mode is highly efficient, with a high power factor (PF) of up to 0.95, making it cost-effective. The constant voltage with constant current mode is more stable but has lower efficiency and higher costs.

Categories of LED Panel Lights

LED panel lights are divided into two categories: edge-lit (side-lit) and back-lit (direct-lit).

Edge-lit panel lights have advantages such as lightweight, thin design, and easy installation and transportation. However, they are prone to uneven illumination. In contrast, back-lit panel lights offer sufficient brightness, and cost control benefits, but they tend to have glare, dark areas, and a heavier and less convenient design for transport and installation.

Edge-lit LED panel lights are relatively more expensive than back-lit ones. This is due to the complexity of edge-lit LED panel technology, which is determined by the product's structural design. Edge-lit LED panel lights involve more complex technology and manufacturing processes, resulting in challenges related to product quality and uniformity control.

Advantages of LED Panel Lights

Wholesale LED panel lights emit light in a very soft and uniform manner, particularly those that use edge-lit technology. The light emitted from the surface of these lights is exceptionally even and non-glaring. When applied in various settings, they effectively eliminate glare.

LED panel lights, with their good uniformity of illumination, higher color rendering index (CRI), and soft, comfortable light, have gradually become a preferred replacement for traditional grid-style light fixtures in the era of LED lighting. Their potential in areas like schools and other indoor lighting applications continues to expand.