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LED Academy

Practical, plain-language guides to linear LED: light quality, power and wiring, controls, specification and installation. Written for the people who draw it, specify it and install it.

12 guides

Know your light.

Every guide is written by our applications team around real project questions: why a long run fades at the far end, what a 3-step MacAdam ellipse buys you, how to hide the source in a cove. Start anywhere, or filter by topic.

Light Quality

CRI and TM-30: Reading Color Rendering Beyond the Number

Why a 90+ CRI matters, what Ra leaves out, and how TM-30's fidelity and gamut indices give a fuller picture of color.

4 min read Read
Light Quality

Choosing the Right Color Temperature

2700K, 3000K, 3500K or 4000K? How color temperature shapes a space, and how to pick it room by room.

4 min read Read
Power & Wiring

Voltage Drop and Run Lengths: Planning Even Light From End to End

How voltage drop dims the far end of a run, how to read a 24V wire chart, and how to plan feeds for long lines.

5 min read Read
Power & Wiring

24V vs 12V Tape Light: Why Spec-Grade Runs on 24 Volts

Same watts, half the current. What the voltage of a tape changes about run length, wire size, cutting and efficiency.

4 min read Read
Power & Wiring

Driver Sizing and the 80% Rule

How to total a load, why drivers should run at no more than 80% of their rating, and how Class 2 limits shape a layout.

4 min read Read
Light Quality

Binning and MacAdam Ellipses: Keeping Every Foot the Same Color

Why two 3000K strips can look different side by side, what SDCM steps mean, and how to keep long lines and phased projects consistent.

4 min read Read
Specifying

IP Ratings Explained: Dry, Damp and Wet Locations

What the two digits of an IP code mean, how they relate to UL location ratings, and how to pick the right protection.

4 min read Read
Design

Channels and Diffusers: How to Get a Dot-Free Line of Light

What causes dotting, how LED pitch, cavity depth and lens choice work together, and how to choose a channel for each detail.

4 min read Read
Installation

Installation Best Practices for LED Tape Light

A field-tested checklist for planning, cutting, mounting, connecting and testing tape light, from rough-in to final inspection.

4 min read Read
Controls

Dimming Protocols: ELV, TRIAC, 0–10V and DMX

How each dimming method works, where it fits, and what to check so tape light dims smoothly with no flicker.

4 min read Read
Specifying

Heat and LED Life: What L70 Really Means

How LED life is rated, what LM-80 and TM-21 measure, and why thermal management decides whether tape reaches its rated life.

4 min read Read
Design

Design Tips: Coves, Under-Cabinet and Stairs

Placement, sightlines and detailing for the three most common linear applications, so the light is seen and the source isn't.

4 min read Read
Tools

Put it to work.

Check wire gauge and run length for any FlowLite tape, or follow the step-by-step installation guide.