The answer to the question above is definitely no! LED panels are composed of numerous components, and the quality of these parts plays a crucial role in determining the performance, longevity, and ultimately the cost of the LED panel itself.
Many LED suppliers often make unfounded or even false claims regarding their LED panels. In fact, most of these suppliers aren't even aware of the specific brands of LED chips used in the panels they're selling!
We believe that it's essential for customers like you to fully understand how LED light panels are constructed and how this construction impacts their performance and reliability. This knowledge will also help you grasp why there are such significant price differences among various models.
If you're considering commercial LED lighting and think LED panels might be suitable for your needs, we've decided to break down each component used in the construction of an LED panel light to help you identify what to look for.
An Exploded View of a Typical LED Panel
[Image description: An image showing the exploded view of an LED panel with all its components labeled.]
The Aluminium Frame
The frame serves as a critical structural component of the entire LED system, including the LED chips. It should not be overly lightweight or poorly constructed to the point where it bends or twists easily.
Moreover, the frame also functions as a heatsink, effectively cooling the LED chips. A well-designed frame ensures proper cooling of the LED chips, extending their lifespan and minimizing lumen depreciation (as measured by LM80/LM79).
The Diffuser
The diffuser plate is intended to ensure that the light emitted from the LED panel is spread as evenly as possible while minimizing glare.
This diffuser plate is typically made from polystyrene, which is flammable. To reduce the risk to our customers in case of a building fire, the diffusers in our panels are tested by an independent UK laboratory to BS 2782-0:2004 Annex B (Method 508A) to ensure they meet a minimum requirement of Tp(b).
The Light Guide Plate (LGP)
The Light Guide Plate (LGP) is a key component of the LED panel. It distributes the light emitted from the LED chips across the front of the panel and guides it downward and outward.
Unfortunately, this is an area where manufacturers and suppliers can cut corners since it’s nearly impossible to inspect without dismantling the panel. Poorly made LGPs not only fail to distribute light evenly across the panel but can also develop a "yellowish tint" unevenly over time.
We’ve encountered several cases where LED panels supplied in the UK began showing signs of LGP yellowing within a year! You’ll be glad to know that our LED panel store exclusively uses high-quality Japanese LGPs, which do not suffer from this issue.
Reflective Paper
One might assume that this seemingly simple component of the LED panel system would be hard to mess up. However, many manufacturers attempt to save a few pennies here.
The reflective paper should be of high-quality, highly reflective material that won't degrade within the expected lifespan of the panel and must be held firmly against the back of the LGP. Improper installation of this paper or using poor-quality paper leads to uneven light distribution from the LGP onto the diffuser plate, resulting in "wavy light patterns" across the LED panel.
The Back Plate
The final part of the LED panel construction is the back plate.
A well-fitted metal back plate acts as an additional heatsink, ensuring the long and efficient life of the LED chips. The back plate also adds to the rigidity and durability of the panel.
Some manufacturers cut costs by using plastic for their back plates. However, plastic is a poor conductor of heat and contributes little to the panel's rigidity.
In addition, the back plate seals the rear of the LED panel. Poor sealing causes light leakage, reducing the total lumen output and efficiency of the LED panel. This happens because some of the light intended to exit the front of the panel escapes from the back instead.
The LED Chip Set
There are significant variations in LED chips and their quality.
Most suppliers don't know the details of the manufacturers and encapsulators of the LED chips used in their panels. We do! The chips in our LED panels are produced by a publicly listed corporation with whom we have over four years of experience.
All LED chips lose some light output over time. This can be tested, and the results are known as the LM-80. Many LED panels are sold using chips that haven't been tested this way. The reason they haven't been tested is that they are cheap and therefore of poor quality, leading to a rapid decline in light output over time. All of the LED panels we sell use LM-80 certified chips.
LED lighting is meant to be efficient, but some are more efficient than others. Cheap LED panels sold in the UK today have a chip lumen efficiency of between 70 and 80 lumens per watt. Our LED Panels have a much higher efficiency of 100 lumens per watt.
In simple terms, this means that a cheap LED panel running at 54 watts will produce around 4050 lumens. Our 40-watt LED Panel will produce around 4000 lumens.
This is a saving of 14 watts for just one LED panel. While it may not seem like much, it represents a 35% saving in electricity costs and has the added benefit of requiring 35% fewer panels to be installed!
Some manufacturers have been 'overclocking' the chips. Overclocking provides a higher lumen output by running the chip at a higher current than recommended. Over time, this results in very rapid light decay even from LM-80 certified chips. Our LED chips are run at below the maximum allowed current, ensuring low light decay and a longer lifespan.
The PCB
The Printed Circuit Board (PCB) holds the LED chips in place and conducts the electrical current to them. It is also the first stage in conducting the heat away from them.
Manufacturers of cheap, low-quality LED panels use fiber PCBs, which don't conduct heat well. High-quality LED panel manufacturers always use aluminum PCBs, which have excellent heat-conducting properties. This ensures that heat is quickly removed from the LED chip and transferred into the aluminum frame, keeping the LEDs cool and maintaining high light output throughout the life of the panel.
The LED Driver
The LED Driver is arguably the most important part of the LED panel system, as the panel won't even light up if the driver fails.
Some LED panel manufacturers design and build their own drivers to save money. Others use cheap drivers made by obscure companies that specialize solely in designing and manufacturing LED drivers. None of these options are ideal because creating a high-quality LED driver is not a task that many companies can accomplish successfully. The best solution is to only use high-quality LED drivers from reputable manufacturers.
We only use 5-year warranty LED Drivers from LIFUD and AGT, two of the most well-known driver manufacturers in the world. (LIFUD and AGT offer both 5-year and 3-year warranty drivers, but since replacing the driver not only involves purchasing a new one but may also require the services of an electrician, we play it safe and always supply our panels with a 5-year warranty driver.)
So, if you're interested in getting top-notch LED panels from LED Save, browse our full range today. Trade customers can also sign up to take advantage of wholesale prices. Don't hesitate to reach out to our team if you have any questions or need guidance.
[Date updated: January 12, 2023]
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