Now, more and more people are noticing the growing demand for outdoor and humid environment lighting. And waterproof LED light strips have emerged as a part of the choice for outdoor lighting, swimming pool lighting and underwater. Different protection levels and packaging methods will affect their application scenarios and service life. This article will take you to an in-depth understanding of the application differences of various waterproof light strips. And focus on introducing our company’s IP68 swimming pool neon light strips. Also teach you how to choose the most suitable product for your project. More, pls read Porquê escolher o LED Neon Flex para as luzes da sua piscina?
What a Waterproof Light Strips?
Waterproof light strips are made by special processes (such as silicone glue, silicone tube, and silicone filling). To achieve waterproof and dustproof functions based on ordinary LED strip lights IP20.
The purpose of the waterproof light strip process is to protect the LED chip and circuit from external environmental influences. Such as rain, moisture, and dust, thereby extending the service life.
All waterproof light strips used outdoors need to withstand the test of natural weather, such as rain and snow. Finally, in some special application scenarios such as bathrooms, kitchens, and swimming pools. And other high humidity environments, ordinary light strips cannot work properly at all.
The protection performance of waterproof light strips is usually expressed by IP (Ingress Protection) level. The IP level consists of two numbers, the first number indicates the dustproof level (0-6). And the second number indicates the waterproof level (0-8). The larger the number, the stronger the protection ability.
The Difference Between IP65, IP67 and IP68
When we choose waterproof light strips, we need to better understand the meaning of different waterproof levels. Now let’s analyze the three common waterproof light strip levels: IP65, IP67 and IP68, which have obvious differences in protection capabilities.
IP65
IP65 waterproof light strips are completely dustproof and splashproof, and can also be used outdoors. But we recommend installing them under the eaves and in sheltered places.
This level of light strip can prevent water jets from any direction, but cannot be immersed in water. It is also suitable for indoor humid environments, such as areas around bathrooms.
IP67
IP67 waterproof light strip further improves the waterproof performance on the basis of IP65. It can be used outdoors without any shielding.
However, we do not recommend soaking in water or water at this waterproof level. IP67 waterproof light strips can withstand short-term water accumulation or heavy rain, and are suitable for installation in fully exposed outdoor environments such as courtyards, gardens, and building exteriors.
IP68
IP68 waterproof light strips represent the highest level of protection and can work normally after being immersed in water for a long time. Usually, it can continue to work in water up to 3 meters deep. IP68 light strips are truly waterproof products, suitable for underwater lighting applications such as swimming pools, fountains, and water features.
We have an IP68 neon tube light strip specifically for swimming pools and underwater, with single color, dual color, RGB, and RGBW to choose from. It can be used up to 3 meters underwater.
What are the Common Types of Waterproof Light Strips?
The waterproofing process of most companies’ LED strips is called differently. Our waterproof light strips are mainly divided into three types. And they are also the three waterproof levels commonly used by customers.
IP65 Silicone gel Waterproof light strips
Silicone glue light strip is the most basic waterproof treatment method. The waterproof effect is achieved by dripping transparent silicone on the surface of LED lamp beads. About the IP65 vs IP67, pls read Faixas de luz LED IP65 vs. IP67: Qual é a mais adequada para si?
The advantage of the glue-dripping process is that it maintains the flexibility of the light strip. The installation bending is not affected, and the transparent silicone does not affect the light output.
However, we need to pay attention to the fact that due to the thin silicone layer. Long-term use may cause ageing, cracking and other problems, and the waterproof performance will gradually decrease.
IP67 Silicone tube waterproof light strips
Silicone sleeve type light strip puts the whole light strip into a special silicone sleeve. And provides waterproof protection through the sealing of the sleeve. This method can achieve IP67 protection level, and the waterproof performance is more stable and reliable.
The thickness of the sleeve is usually between 1-2 mm. Which not only ensures a good waterproof effect, but also maintains the flexibility of the light strip.
If you need to cut the silicone sleeve LED light strip. You need to pay attention to the sealing treatment of both ends of the sleeve during installation to ensure the overall waterproof effect.
IP67 Silicone filling waterproof light strip
Silicone filling light strips use a complete potting process to completely cover the entire light strip in silicone, thereby forming an integrated waterproof structure.
As a result, the cured silicone layer has a uniform thickness and excellent sealing, and it is able to withstand long-term outdoor work.
However, this process currently only achieves an IP67 rating and therefore cannot be used for underwater or swimming pool lighting.
IP68 Swimming Pool Waterproof Neon Strip
O IP68 swimming pool neon strip, specially developed by us. It represents the highest level of waterproof lighting technology.
This product adopts a low-power design with a power consumption of only 10W per meter, which greatly reduces energy consumption while ensuring sufficient brightness. The product size is 16×16 mm, and the compact design enables it to adapt to various installation spaces.
The core features of the product include a high-flexibility design that can maintain good bending performance even when fully potted, with a minimum bending radius of up to 200 mm.
The full encapsulation process ensures that every detail is waterproof and eliminates any possible water inlet points. The pressure-resistant water immersion technology enables the product to withstand the pressure of 3 meters underwater and work stably for a long time without performance degradation.
You can install it in the swimming pool and underwater. The IP68 neon tube can be installed along the pool wall and bottom. The installation method supports snap-on fixing, aluminum profile fixing or embedded installation. More, pls check Como escolher as luzes flexíveis de néon LED para a piscina?
In the underwater fountain project, the light strip can choose the fantasy color type to match the water flow changes to create dynamic light and shadow effects.
Why is IP68 Neon Strip the First Choice for Underwater?
The main reason why the IP68 protection level has become the standard choice for underwater lighting is its excellent sealing performance. In underwater environments, the challenges faced by lighting equipment far exceed those of conventional outdoor applications.
- The first is the water pressure problem. As the depth increases, the water pressure increases exponentially. Only IP68 products can withstand this pressure without leakage.
- The second is the test of long-term immersion. Water will penetrate through any tiny gaps, and ordinary waterproof levels will fail under long-term immersion.
- Finally, the impact of water quality. Chemicals such as chlorine in swimming pools have a corrosive effect on sealing materials. Only high-level protection can resist these erosions.
IP68 waterproof neon tubes are designed with these extreme conditions in mind, using professional sealing technology and corrosion-resistant materials to ensure long-term and stable operation in harsh underwater environments. This reliability is critical for underwater lighting projects because the cost of repairs and replacements often far exceeds the value of the product itself.
Conclusão
Waterproof LED light strips range from IP65 splashproof to professional IP68 fully waterproof, with different types of products meeting various needs from interior decoration to underwater lighting. When choosing waterproof light strips, the key is to determine the appropriate protection level based on the actual use environment.
If you are looking for durable, beautiful and efficient swimming pool waterproof light strip products, welcome to learn about our IP68 swimming pool neon light strips, which can help you achieve the ideal lighting effect regardless of the size of your project.
Perguntas frequentes
Yes, our IP68 waterproof neon strips can be used in swimming pools and fully submerged for long time. It has excellent sealing properties and can withstand continuous immersion.
The IP68 swimming pool neon light strip produced by our company adopts low voltage 24V design, which is very safe. And its design is completely suitable for outdoor and underwater use.
We need to ensure that the power supply and controller are placed in a dry place and connected with a waterproof connector. At the same time, use a clip or aluminum profile light fixing fixture to ensure firmness.
Our waterproof light strips can be cut. But we do not recommend customers to cut them by themselves. Because they cannot be waterproofed. Especially IP68 neon tubes, we support custom lengths.