When choosing the right products for you LED lighting system there are many important factors to consider, from color temperature to brightness level, power consumption, and of course, style. While flexible strips are perhaps our most popular product thanks to both cost effectiveness and versatility, there are certain applications where circumstance or customer preference may dictate the need for a more “finished” looking light panel.
For this reason, Inspired LED offers several different rigid panel products. Among them are our Designer Series and Radiant Edge Series lights.
At first glance there are a number of similarities between these two panels, both are available in warm, pure, or cool white, both feature frosted lenses which diffuse the LEDs into an even beam of light. However, there are a few key differences between these two products which are worth noting.
Profile: The Designer Series panels feature a rounded profile similar to an upside-down “U” which is reminiscent of fluorescent style light tubes. When mounted against a flat surface, the Designer panels stand just 0.75” high. These panels are intended to be discrete enough in size that they can be mounted behind a cabinet lip or light bar without being seen.
By comparison, the Radiant Edge panels utilize a square edged, 3-sided lens. They stand just a bit taller than the Designer panels at 0.85” high. The sleek, modern shape and higher profile make the Radiant Edge panels an ideal solution for applications where the light will be more visible. This product was designed to blend in with its surroundings as seamlessly as possible.
Sizes, Kits, & Customization: The original Designer Series panel was created as an upgrade to our uncovered Pro Series LED panels, and were only available in two standard sizes: 10” and 18”. These were launched in DIY kits, in sets of 3, 6, and 10, including all necessary accessories for a complete system. In order to make this product more adaptable for whole kitchen installs, we soon introduced the custom Designer Series panel, available in lengths as short as 3.5” and as long as 60.5”. These custom panels are made by our manufacturing team using Ultra Bright Flex, with a brightness level equivalent to the Pro Series panels (averaging around 150 lumens per foot).
Radiant Edge Panels, on the other hand are a completely custom product and are not available in standard lengths or kit form. Every Radiant Edge panel is handmade by our manufacturing team to your exact specifications. This means that we can offer not only a wide range of sizes from 4” to 60” but also a variety of colors and brightness levels as well. Since we use “mega bright” LEDs in our Radiant Edge Panels, this means a greater light output of around 200 lumens per foot in warm, pure, and cool white. However, for certain accent lighting projects where color is more important than light output, we have even been able to make these panels in red, blue, or green.
Connector Type: Because the Designer Series panel was built off of our Pro-Series panels, and intended for use in simple DIY kits, this product is only available with standard 3.5 x 1.3mm jacks. As a result, these types of LED systems require use of our standard interconnect cables (available in 4”, 1’, 2’, 3’, 4’ 6’ 12’).
While Radiant Edge Panels are available with standard input jacks for simple plug & play installation, but because they are custom built, they can also be made with screw terminal inputs, allowing for the use of bulk wire, or even with an 18 AWG lead which can be connected directly to cable drops using wire nuts. This makes the Radiant edge panels a bit more versatile when it comes to installation, and may make them a slightly more convenient choice for contractors or electricians.
No matter what your lighting needs, Inspired LED is committed to helping you develop the perfect low-voltage, energy efficient LED system. To learn more about our products, visit our website at www.inspiredled.com, or contact us directly via email at orders@inspiredled.com. Need help with a specific custom lighting project? Take advantage of our Design Services to get a FREE layout and quote from one of our expert lighting designers.
