Technical Guides And Tutorials | InspiredLED Blog

Jan 08, 2016

Inspired LED 101: LED Terminology

In the world of LEDs, as with any new technology, there are a lot of new terms which need to be mastered in order to properly understand the features and elements of the system. Rather than focusing on the specific terms for Inspired LED products, as we have done in previous blogs, this week’s lesson will focus on more general industry terms. The more you understand about these common LED words, the better equipped you will be to have discussions and make decisions regarding LED technology. Lumen: [\ˈlü-mən\] Noun, Plural- Lumens, Abbreviation- lm The unit of luminous flux, equal to…

Nov 11, 2015

Inspired LED 101: How to Hardwire

Using one of Inspired LED’s many popular plug & play kits, it is easier than ever to add a bit of low-voltage lighting just about anywhere. But often, when dealing with a high-end application, such as a new business or home remodel, customers prefer to have the sleek, seamless control of a standard wall switch or dimmer. This is where the benefits of a hardwired dimmable transformer come into play. While a switched outlet will allow your LED lights to be turned on and off using a standard plug-in system, or dimmed using an in-line switch, it is the hardwire…

Oct 05, 2015

Inspired LED 101: The Dos and Don’ts of Design Requests

While our Pro Series Panels and Cut & Connect Kits are a great DIY solution for simple lighting projects, when it comes to brightening up your newly remodeled kitchen or office, chances are you’ll want something a bit more tailored to your specific needs. This is where Inspired LED really stands out from the competition with our free Design Services! By simply submitting photographs or diagrams along with a few specifications, one of our skilled Design Team members can quickly and easily create a custom LED system especially for you. (Turnaround time for a completed design typically takes just 24-48 hours!) Pending your…

Aug 13, 2015

Six Myths About LEDs

Six Things You May (Or May Not) Know About LEDs Myth #1 “LEDs aren’t as efficient as other lights.” LED’s may be little, but they pack a powerful punch! The average 40W bulb gives off around 450 lumens, that’s the equivalent of just 1.5 feet of our Ultra Bright flex. And for the equivalent of 40 watts, you could run an entire system of 20 feet of Ultra Bright LEDs. That’s enough to light you’re entire kitchen in exchange for the power of a single incandescent bulb. Myth #2 “LED lighting has blue undertones.” This is true and false. LEDs come in a variety of…

Jul 10, 2015

Inspired LED 101: Minimizing the “Dot Effect”

Welcome to the latest installment of Inspired LED 101. Today’s lesson- how to minimize the reflection of LEDs on glossy surfaces. I spoke with a customer recently who had spent the past three months completely remodeling her kitchen. She had dedicated evenings and weekends to finding just the right cabinets and counter tops, perfecting every last detail of her kitchen’s style and color scheme, down to matching the grout to the baseboards. When the project was near completion, she realized that LEDs would be the perfect way to shine a little light on all of her hard work, so she ordered one of Inspired LED’s Hardwire Pro Series Kits.…

Jun 12, 2015

Inspired LED 101: Color Matching with LEDs

The way LED lighting interacts with the color of your walls, cabinets, and furniture can make a tremendous difference in the overall look of your home. The specific type of lighting that you select can go a long way to bring out certain color schemes in your design. While certain tones may complement one another nicely, others may clash. Here are a few lighting design tips to consider when planning your next lighting or decorating project. In order to determine which colors will pair well with others, there are two things that need to be taking into consideration: how much…

Jun 02, 2015

Inspired LED 101: Part 2- How to Bend LED Flex Strips

Welcome to the second edition of our educational mini-series Inspired LED 101: A Quick and Easy Guide to Inspired LED Products! In this segment we will provide an overview of how to deal with tricky turns and angles when installing LED flex. Inspired LED’s flexible LED strips are a versatile lighting solution, perfect for almost any accent or task-lighting application. Adhesive backing allows these LEDs to mount easily to flat surfaces, however, the installation process often requires the strips to be bent around curves and corners. For best results, use these simple techniques to make the most of your LED lighting… *Please Note: The…

May 15, 2015

3 Easy Steps to Selecting the Ideal Color Temperature

There is an overwhelming amount of information that needs to be taken into consideration before purchasing new LED lighting. “Which product do I need? How can I hard wire? What color temperature do I want my lights to be?” Before your head starts to spin, here at Inspired LED we do our best to provide straightforward guides, to ensure that those hard to digest materials are consolidated into a clear and accessible format for everyone! Let’s take a deeper look into color temperature, and the three most important features you need to know. 1. Understanding “Color Temperature” Correlated color temperature,…

Jan 23, 2015

Inspired LED 101: Part 1- Components of an LED Strip

At Inspired LED we strive to help our customers find the best lighting option to suit their needs, but we understand that not every Do-It-Yourselfer has time to become an LED expert! In lieu of taking courses in electrical engineering, we are happy to offer the following multi-blog miniseries; Inspired LED 101: A Quick and Easy Guide to LED Products. Part 1: Components of an LED Strip Let’s begin with a basic overview of what makes an LED system work. The individual LEDs, as you might expect, are responsible for distributing light, but like any lighting system, they rely upon a…

Jan 05, 2015

Tutorial: Lighting Around Your Kitchen Appliances

From fridges and dishwashers, to ovens, cook tops, and microwaves, kitchens are home to some of our most useful household appliances. When adding under cabinet LED lighting to a kitchen, however, the placement of some of these appliances (specifically microwaves and range hoods) can sometimes pose an issue. Let’s take a look at a few scenarios for maneuvering around these appliances to ensure that your kitchen gets the full seamless lighting system it deserves. Y Cable The teal cable in the diagram to the left is a Y cable, aptly named for the shape of the split. This type of…

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