FAQs

LightTape® is the brightest, longest, widest and most flexible electroluminescent lamp in the world. Available in almost any length, from thin strips to wide panels, Light Tape is the thinnest and most versatile light source in the world, perfectly suited for accent lighting, backlighting surfaces, safety and theatre lighting, as well as branding and outdoor advertising. Electroluminescence (EL) is the conversion of electrical energy into light by the activation of a phosphor layer by an alternating current. In other words, when the low electrical current passes though the phosphors, they become excited and vibrate producing light.

A layer of light emitting phosphor is sandwiched between two very thin flexible electrodes. One is opaque and the other is transparent to allow light to escape. When a high frequency switching AC current is applied, the phosphors become excited and begin to rapidly charge and discharge, resulting in the emission of light.

Light Tape®’s one-of-a-kind chemistry is protected by numerous patents. Our material layers are bonded at a chemical level, producing brighter and more durable lighting source, a true solid state system. Other EL is produced via a printing process with the rear electrode glued to the surface, which easily separates with flexing or temperature changes, leading to premature failure. Our formulations combined with our process, produce a much more efficient and brighter lamp. Rather than batch processing, and glue small pieces together to try and make longer lengths. Manufacturing Light Tape® is a roll to roll process, the only one in the world. We have developed proprietary manufacturing processes utilising the latest technological advancements in state-of-the-art machinery, allowing us to produce the longest lengths of EL in the world.

There are numerous advantages over other antiquated lighting technologies: • Light Tape® Provides uniform lighting over large areas. • Complete dimming control. • Can be customised to suit virtually any bespoke design. • Generates no heat. • Extremely easy to install. • Consumes less power (up to 93% less power). • Thin and flexible (typically 0.254mm - 0.305mm thickness). • No glass to break or gas to escape. • Available in multiple colors. • Can be conform over curved surfaces. • Can be controlled via 0 -10 VDC or DMX 512. • V60 and 5VA burn rating for industrial applications. • No maintenance required.

Light Tape® has been proudly developed and manufactured in the USA for nearly two decades. Highly quality controlled manufacturing processes, combined with in-house cutting edge technology make manufacturing Light Tape® in the USA the logical decision.

Absolutely, Our patented formulas have a built-in moisture barrier, in addition to this, our exterior rated Light Tape® is encapsulated in a fluoropolymer barrier film to further protect against the elements and has an IP67 rating. We recommend a channel extrusion for outside to allow for surface expansion and contraction, this can be easily clipped into place for efficient installation. Light Tape® is designed to stand up to the worst environments. UV Protection Our proprietary chemistry which binds our coating layers have built in UV protection. We also utilize specially formulated laminating films that further protect the phosphors from sunlight. We do however recommend controlling the power supply with a PE Cell so that it remains switched off during daylight hours, as the lifespan of the phosphors can be reduced if they are energised when exposed to direct sunlight.

Light Tape® does not come standard with an adhesive backing, but if required we can apply adhesives to suit a specific application. Click here for more information on adhesives and protective sealants.

Yes! Electroluminescence is used, especially in egress and safety lighting, because it emits light at a specific wavelength. Due to its clarity and lack of glare, the light is able to penetrate through fog, smoke, snow, haze and other normally poor visibility conditions.

NASA did a study for the Air Force to determine Light Tape® could be utilized to identify runways and planes. Their planes were able to mark Light Tape® from distances over 5 miles. The Air Force uses electroluminescent technology today on their planes.

Light Tape® is an accent light, with brightness measured on the surface for visibility versus cast for task lighting. The light output is measured in a unit of measure called foot lamberts or candelas per meter squared. Light Tape® has a light output range of 22 to 120 foot lamberts. The average surface brightness is 120 Candelas per Meter Squared.

Light Tape® consumes significantly less power when comparing to LED's. For accent lighting, 1" (25.4mm) wide lengths of Light Tape® will use only 1.1 watts per meter, whilst LED Strip will typically consume between 7.2 - 14.4 watts per meter. When backlighting, Light Tape® will use approx 44 watts per meter, compared to LED's which will typically consume 60 watts per meter when edge lit, or 100 watts per meter when backlit with a lightbox. Click here to download energy consumption specifications.

Light Tape® only illuminates from one side, however because it is less than 1mm thick, two lamps can be used “back to back” so the light emits in opposite directions. We recommend that a separation between the two lamps of 1/16" (1.6mm) or more be created by using Plexiglass or any other non-conductive barrier.

Our lamps have no glass, gas or filaments to break. They do not “burn out”, and will only have some brightness loss over long periods of time. In most applications, our lamps typically last 5 to 10 years. However, in areas where the lamp is lit at low brightness levels such as egress lighting, the life can reach 10 to 20 years before the lamps output levels become noticeably reduced.

Absolutely not, Light Tape® has a capacitive load and not a resistive load. Therefore, the brightness remains unchanged over the full length of the lamp. Light Tape® lamps generate zero heat, that is why our lamp is so efficient, since heat is a form of energy loss.

Light Tape is heavy load capable, vibration and impact resistant. Able to withstand high physical impact and still illuminate. The lamp can be bent, curved and flexed, however care must be taken not to crease or create a hard fold as this might break the seal of the protected outer lamination. If it is accidentally punctured, it will still light, however the puncture must be sealed with Edge Guard™ end seal tape. Please note, LightTape® is designed for compressive loading only, tensional and shear loads must be avoided to avoid damaging the layers of the lamp.

Light Tape® is powered by our Smart Driver™ systems. We offer a variety of solutions depending on your input energy source and total illuminated surface area. International AC inputs as well as common DC inputs are no problem.

Light Tape® is available in 14 different colors, and in lengths ranging from 0.25" (6.35mm) up to panels 30" (762mm) wide, available in both internal and external finish grades. Contact us or check out our Design Guide in our Technical section of our website for more details about specific sizes!

Absolutely, no shape is impossible to illuminate, regardless of the size. Light Tape® is the most versatile lamp in the world, suitable for any kind of bespoke design, it can be cut into just about any shape and size whilst maintaining its uniform illumination. Simply let us know the details of your design and we can do the rest. Click here for more details.

Our standard lead-time for orders is usually one to two weeks for standard widths. Custom widths and shapes can be longer depending on complexity and needs to determined on a case by case basis. In some cases we can deliver overnight where required. Let us know, we wont leave you in the dark!

Our systems consist of: 1) Light Tape® EL Lamp/s, 2) Smart Driver™ Power Supply, 3) Interconnecting Electric Wires between the Lamp and the Power Supply. 4) We also offer other accessories to suit specific application requirements, such as housings, adhesives and protective overlays.

With Light Tape® no bulky light box is necessary! Light Tape® can be mounted anywhere using Velcro or double sided tape/panels. It can also be sandwiched between Plexiglas panels or run inside a clear extrusion. You can overlay your digital image directly on top of Light Tape®. The close proximity and uniform light will really make your image POP!!

No, our power supplies work on total surface area. You can have as many strips or panels as you want, Just make sure that the cumulative area is within the specified range of the power supply, as detailed in our

The area, length multiplied by the width of the lamp determines which Smart Drivers™ is required. Our Smart Driver™ systems are designed to illuminate specified areas. For instance, our DSD 200 can power 1-200 in2 of Light Tape®. Refer to our Smart Driver™ Power Supplies catalogue.

We do have the ability to customize colors. However, we are limited to commercially available filters. If you have a filter you would like us to use, we can purchase and apply to the Light Tape. We can also send you our natural blue and extreme blue green colors along with a filter color swatch to use as a base to test other filters on site. Once you have found something you like, we can order a sample roll (or rolls if multiple colors) of the filter and create samples for approval. Once approved, we can purchase enough filter to complete the project. Development and roll costs will be invoiced along the way.

The most popular Accent lighting widths are 1” (25.4mm) and 2” (50.8mm). For Step lighting, the most popular width is 0.25" (6.35mm). For Backlighting, we commonly make panels using 6" (152.4mm) - 30" (762mm) widths at 6ft (1.83m) lengths.

We custom cut a lot of specialized and custom shapes for different clients. Our laser cutter can accept .plt, .dwg, and .ai file formats.