Captivating COB lights: What are COB LED strip lights and how to use them

Introducing COB LED lights from HitLights. The newest innovation in LED strip lights are now available from your most helpful LED lighting company, HitLights. If you want to know what COB lights are; how are COB strips different from standard LED strip lights; are COB strips eco-friendly; what does COB mean in LED; or when you should use COB strip lights then you are in the right place. By the end of this post, you’re going to have all your HitLights COB know-how set!

What is the meaning of COB light?

COB stands for chip on board. To the average person (even most LED fans) this won’t explain the COB difference. COB lights are a type of LED strip lights that appear to be one continuous, smooth light source, and the strip emits an alluring glow. The diodes of COB strips are tightly packed together along the strip, and covered with a phosphor coating which gives the COB strip its glow when lit. The COB lights can have a greater light output than standard LED lights, but otherwise share a lot of the benefits boasted by traditional LED strip lights. (Like being cuttable; energy saving; install with double sided tape.) 

To give you a mental picture of the visual difference between traditional LED strip lights and COB strips, standard LED strips have a “polka dot” effect where you can see each diode as a separate light source (the dots.) Thanks to the phosphor coating, COB lights appear the way a glow stick looks: a long, luminous smooth glow where you can’t see the individual diodes of the COB unless it’s dimmed to one of the strip’s lowest output levels. 

Have you ever seen people place diffusers on top of traditional LED strip lights to eliminate the dot look? COB lights have no need for a diffuser because they have a radiant aura already built in. 

Let’s talk chips for a sec. What is the chip that is referred to in the name chip on board? The diodes of LED light strips use semiconductor chips—this is where the electrical current turns into light (in broad layperson terms.) HitLights COB strip lights use what are known as flip chips—a relatively new way to position the semiconductor chips to dissipate heat more efficiently. COB lights are able to pack more diodes into each inch of strip thanks to innovations in chips and placement. More on COB advantages in a moment.

Finally, to close out the basics on what COB lights are, we must address what we know you’re thinking. We didn’t come up with the name “COB” but that’s the name that has stuck in the industry. And when folks talk about these lights it’s “cob” (like corn on the cob; not cee-oh-bee. Who knows? Maybe we can have an LED influencer get a cool new name like LED SuperGlow to stick. We’ll let you know if that happens, but until then… back to business.) 

What is the difference between COB and LED lights?

COB lights are a type of LED light, but with smaller diodes, installed closer together on the strip material, covered with a phosphor coating, appearing as one continuous glowing light when illuminated. COB lights are the latest innovation in LED lighting, which in themselves are an innovation from incandescent lights. Since COB lights are a development based off of LED technology, there are obviously many similarities. But there are also some notable differences, including appearance and style of light output, elimination of “hot spots,” and overall brightness. 

Let’s go a little deeper into some of the differences.

Energy Usage

Attention eco-friendly improvers! If you like to use greener options in your home, office, or business, you can use COB strips and go green, too. HitLights 24 volt COB strip lights are efficient to the tune of 100-110 lumens per watt. We know lots of people come to LEDs for the energy savings, Now you have even more options—like the HitLights COB light strip—without giving up energy efficiency. 

Appearance & Style

Smooth, luminous, glowing, continuous—that’s COB. No spots or dots, just a powerful, uninterrupted glow from the start of the strip, right to the end. If you thought LED strip lights were a pioneering product, COB strips are the next step. Advance the look of your lighting installations with COB. 

Lifespan

You’ve heard the phrase, “for a lifetime.” Well get ready to enjoy HitLights COB strips for a whopping 50,000 hours! If that makes you raise an eyebrow, you can rest assured with HitLights’ better than industry standard 6-year warranty. We believe in our products (manufactured in our own facilities to our rigorous standard) and stand behind every strip we offer.

Other Tech Specs 

Regular LED strip lights have a beam angle of about 140 degrees (the beam angle is the surface of the diode emitting light.) COB lights have a beam angle of a full 180 degrees—this in part is why the COB lights are visibly brighter. We already mentioned just how many more diodes are on COB lights than standard LEDs. How many? HitLights COB light strips offer 155 LEDs per foot. That’s a lot of diodes getting their glow on! 

How are COB strips and traditional LED lights similar? COB lights possess all of the benefits of all the other LED strip lighting you love. Both COB and LED strip lights are flexible, easy to use and install, and provide clear, attractive light in applications that other lights can’t match. COBs are cuttable—even with that continuous flow of light that seems to be unbroken, COBs can be snipped along regular intervals on the strip. Simply look for the cut line and use simple scissors to get your COB strip to your desired length. Can COBs dim? Yes! Just like most other LED lights, COB lights are dimmable (HitLights can supply you with one of the best dimmable drivers in the industry.) For those of you who are drawn to LEDs for their green properties, COBs keep on with that tradition, being eco-friendly, too. 

When it comes to the COB strip light offered by HitLights, you’ll be able to choose from a warm or cool white on our bright, full of light strip (with an impressive output 360-390 Lumens per foot.) HitLight’s COB strip light uses top of the line mounting tape, featuring genuine 3M double sided tape to install the lights. Shop for HitLights 16.4 ft COB strip light now, in warm white or cool white, 24 volts. 

Are COB lights any good?

COB lights are pushing the innovation of LED strip lights to new, better heights. Where are some of the places you might use COB lights instead of traditional LED strip lights? Our first suggestion is to try COB lights where the actual strip will be visible (like lining a window frame or exposed on ceiling molding.) You won’t need a special cover for the strips and you’ll love the contemporary ambiance that emanates from the COB strips. 

If you want a full lighting option, since the light output is so prominent in COB strips, COB might be your choice if you want full room lights where brightness is an asset. 

Do you want to put style to the forefront? If you are trying to create a certain cool, modern, or high-style look with your lighting, COB works in these applications, too. Lighting with an aura like COB radiates creates a look and feel that is of the moment, and maybe even a little futuristic. 

You don’t have to wing it with any of our lights or products—including our new HitLights COB strips in either warm white or cool white. One of our team members is ready to answer any of your specific COB questions. We’re ready to help you plan and achieve all of your COB home improvement projects. Our tech team is ready to talk you through any application of our products.

If you are looking for a COB lighting supplier or custom COB lighting to serve your needs, our PRO team wants to talk to you. Learn more about our PRO Accounts at HitLights and if PRO is right for you and your business.  

COB strip lights are a wonderful option for home use or in your business or commercial locations. We are excited for the future of LED lighting, and our new line of COB lights are a key element of that future. If you are intrigued by the look or performance of COB strip lights, we encourage you to try one today and we know you will love them as much as we do. 

If you’re ready to glow up, get that COB going–call us today. We would love to hear about how you are using these new COB lights. Questions? Call us now at 1 (855) 768-4135. to get the assistance you need. HitLights is ready for COB or any LED projects you have. Ready, set, glow!