LED strip PROFI 12 V 600 LED 2835 SMD 9.6 W/m 4000 K RA 90 IP65HS, 5 m

The LED Labs PROFI LED strip is a 5 m reel with 120 SMD 2835 LEDs on every metre, powered from 12 V DC and emitting a neutral 4000 K white. The IP65HS version is enclosed in a heat-shrink sleeve that tightly covers the whole strip together with its board.

How much light and what kind

Each metre draws 9.6 W and delivers 864 lm – roughly what one old 60 W bulb gave, spread evenly along the whole length. The full reel gives about 4320 lm, enough to light a worktop or a long recess. 4000 K is a neutral white with no yellow tint, and a colour rendering index of CRI 90 or higher means that food on the worktop, clothes in a wardrobe or bathroom tiles keep their natural colours.

Power supply and cutting to length

The strip runs on 12 V DC, so a 12 V power supply is needed to connect it to the mains – it is not included. The full 5 m reel draws 48 W, and the supply should be sized from that figure with a margin. For a shorter section, count 9.6 W per metre.

The strip can be cut every 25 mm at the points marked on the board, so it is easy to fit to the length of a cabinet or profile. The board is 10 mm wide – compare this with the inner width of the aluminium profile it is going into. After cutting the IP65HS version, the cut end has to be resealed to keep it watertight.

Build and lifetime

The PCB has a 3 oz copper layer, which reduces voltage drop along the strip – brightness at the start and at the end of a run is more even. On the back there is a double-sided thermally conductive adhesive tape that holds the strip in place and carries heat into the surface, ideally an aluminium profile.

The manufacturer states an L70/B50 lifetime of 35,000 hours and more than 30,000 on/off cycles. The operating temperature range is -20 °C to +45 °C, and the IP65HS sleeve protects the LEDs from moisture and water jets – which is why the strip suits bathrooms, under-cabinet kitchen lighting and outdoor use. The light source has energy efficiency class G.