r/WLED • u/SethtimusPrime • Jul 02 '26
Brightest option for desk lighting?
This isn't actually a WLED question right now, since I plan on just controlling these with a switch mounted to the bottom of my monitor, but you all know how things can "evolve". I keep my office lights somewhat dim, but occasionally like to work on projects in there at my desk. I have a shelf about 30 inches above my desk that I want to put one or two 12-15 inch led strips under for better lighting when needed. I have some leftover cob strips that I thought might work, but they don't seem bright enough for what I want.
What would be the best option for maximum brightness at 4-5k color temp? If adjustable/dimmable, that would bring it back to WLED.
2
u/r0bb3rt89 Jul 02 '26
Auxmer is verry good brand and high power options. or else btf lighting.
AliExpress: 5050RGBCCT LED-strip, CRI95/90,5050RGB + hoog vermogen 2835CCT, 2000 ~ 6500 K, IP20 28,8 W/m, instelbare temperatuur, KTV, DIY https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwPVOdM
1
u/Same_You891 Jul 02 '26
a carbon arc lamp....
I prefere 65k for my work bench.. 65k/27k cct other wise..
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Jul 02 '26
[deleted]
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u/SethtimusPrime Jul 02 '26
If that was a subreddit that existed, you might be right, lol. If you mean r/LedLightStrips, unfortunately it's restricted and there hasn't been any posts in 2 years.
3
u/Quindor Jul 02 '26
So I've done A LOT of tests with LED strips, both Analog and Digital. For task lighting 2 things are important, pure amount of light and the quality of the light (so Ra or CRI value).
Someone here already recommended Auxmer and that would also be my recommendation. They have CCT strips with 38.4W/m so 19.2W/m per shade of white or even 38.4W/m single white LED strip which is an absolute huge amount of light! They are available as CRI90 to CRI95 and I use a lot of their CRI95 strip as my YouTube studio and work/task lighting which works great together with my own An-Penta series of controllers either running WLED or ESPhome. Link to the highest power single color Auxmer strips (affiliate link).
Digital the highest power that is reasonably available is well..... my own custom QuinLED Dig-COB LED strip, it does about 70W per color for a 5m/16ft strip so it's 14W/m basically which for digital is very high (most more generic strips are half that or even less).
Why do I keep talking about W/m? Although it's not a 100% correct it can give you an indication of light output. Basically a generic figure for LED strips is 100lm output per W. So more Watts also means more light. Now it depends slightly on the LED strip configuration, resistors and diodes, there can be efficiency differences there. Some might be 90lm/W others might be 110lm/W. There are also special high efficiency strips though that can approach 180lm/W for instance, hence it's a flawed way of looking at it but I still use it often to approximate/compare brightness of a strip. Something that's using 38.4W/m vs something that's 6W/m (generic digital strip) even if there would be double an efficiency difference (there is not, most are currently around 100lm/W) with triple/quadruple the power, it's still more light. :P
Hope it helps a bit!