Heat-resistant LED strip for saunas and baths: features, how to choose an LED strip for a steam room, installation

In the vast majority of baths and saunas, for obvious reasons, there is no natural lighting.
The use of traditional or conventional LED light bulbs due to increased temperature and humidity not only leads to frequent failure, but is also not always safe.

Therefore, to solve this problem, it is advisable to use modern and functional lighting. This is exactly what LED thermal tape is.

Is heat-resistant LED strip dangerous?

Every establishment owner is concerned about the safety of their lighting. Therefore, more and more people are inclined to use heat-resistant LED strips in saunas. The structural elements of the strip are protected from moisture; immersion in water is permissible (the main part, without connection ends).

Power is supplied by low voltage direct current (12 V). Such tension is safe for humans; staying in the steam room will not harm the body.

Conventional light bulbs require grounding when installed. And the LED version, if a stripe breaks down, is not dangerous to humans, electric shock will not occur.

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What lamps can be used?

First of all, pay attention to the dust and moisture protection class of the lamp; the higher it is, the better. The ideal option is for the protection class to be IP68.

The second thing you should pay attention to is the material from which the lamps are made. Such lamps are produced by Lindner; they are in great demand and are regularly used in saunas.

Their body is made of iron, ceramic and glass, which ensures resistance to high temperatures, and is ideal for saunas.

Stay away from lamps made of plastic and other materials that cannot withstand high temperatures!

Mining lamps and lamps for housing and communal services of various variations are also great for a bathhouse. They must be protected from moisture, equipped with sealing gaskets at the joints and have no plastic parts.

Here is an example of a great LED steam room light. In some cases, it is possible to install spotlights in the floor or deck chairs.

Protected bath lamps do not look very aesthetically pleasing. They are often covered with wooden lampshades or sewn up with platband. In any of the described lamps you can install an LED lamp of the appropriate base.

Is it possible to use an LED lamp in a sauna?

All LED lamps have a problem - overheating. High temperature (more than 70 degrees) is the main enemy of LEDs.

To use LED sauna lights, install them behind the bottom shelves or along the floor. Try to lower it as low as possible and move it away from the oven. If you plan to illuminate the heater itself, use fiber optic lighting.

The photo shows the lamps at the opposite end of the room from the heater and under the shelves, where the temperature is much lower.

You know that hot air rises and the temperature under the ceiling can reach a lethal 100 degrees for LEDs. This arrangement will to some extent protect the LEDs from overheating, which (albeit with a stretch) will make it possible to install LED lamps in the steam room.

Features of creating lighting in saunas and baths

When lighting work is carried out, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the room:

The cable footage is calculated with a margin to avoid additional connections.
The wire is pulled through the inside of the open line.

It is better to output power through rooms where there is no high humidity or temperature.

It is necessary to take into account the nuances when choosing an LED strip. It must be heat-resistant, that is, contain a certain coating, IP65, IP68 protection. The steam rooms use a heat-resistant type that can withstand elevated temperatures. And in the rooms where showers are located, the LED strip is sealed, preventing the flow of water.

Installation of LED strip for saunas and baths is easy. In rooms where there is no humidity (rest room, locker rooms), the tape is attached to an adhesive base, and in steam rooms and showers with special fasteners.

What you need to know for proper installation

The sauna has rooms with different humidity levels and temperatures. Therefore, each room can have its own type of LED strips installed. The choice for each room is made based on the following parameters:

humidity;
temperature regime;
power and color of diodes.

You can install products in the dressing room or rest rooms without additional protection from humidity. But in washrooms and showers - with complete protection against moisture penetration inside. Connecting the tape itself is not particularly difficult and does not differ from a similar procedure in any other room. The connection diagram itself looks like this:

Tape connection diagram

You will need:

power cable;
connector;
power unit. It should be installed in places with minimal humidity;

Note! It must be remembered that one power supply can only serve 5 meters. Typically, such products are sold in skeins of 5 meters. If you need to connect a longer product, you will need to connect a second power supply.

plug for the other end of the tape;
RGB controller. It is only necessary in situations where color LED products will be used.

After you have purchased everything necessary for installation, we install the product in the desired room of the sauna or bathhouse. If you do everything correctly, the lighting will definitely be effective and of high quality.

Advantages and disadvantages

People perceive the sauna as a place where they can relax not only physically, but also mentally. Properly designed lighting will help make the procedure complete.

Heat-resistant LED strip has a number of advantages:

Energy efficiency (consumption is ten times less than when using a conventional light bulb, 2 times less in comparison with the fluorescent version).
Ease of installation and connection.
Long operational period.
Great glow.
Variety of shadow designs.
Contains the protection level.
Safety for humans.
Suitable for illuminating underwater space (swimming pool).

Heat-resistant tape, unlike other types, has no disadvantages. A regular LED strip operates at temperatures of -30 – +60 degrees. But in the sauna area, the bathhouse, the temperature is higher, so only a heat-resistant design is applicable. In it, the diodes are coated with two-component silicone, resistant to elevated temperatures.

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Heat-resistant with glass shades

On sale you can find not only glass lampshades, but also plastic ones, and we are talking about very popular manufacturers, such as Harvia. However, even the authority of such a company may not be a guarantee of quality. We came across reviews that said that such plastic products did not last long in the steam room, having melted. Therefore, we still recommend glass , although it is more dangerous when broken.

Heat-resistant lamps for saunas

It was already mentioned above that the heat resistance of the lamp is ensured by the presence of a ceramic base and a glass cap. But even this design is not recommended to be installed directly on the ceiling. Usually in steam rooms the lighting is on the wall.

At the same time, lamp manufacturers offer several options for location relative to the wall. The lamp can be adjacent to the wall (the length of the light bulb is parallel to the base), protruding (the light bulb is perpendicular to the base), or can be mounted at an angle (called “corner”, although it is not intended for mounting in the corner between walls).

Wooden lampshades: grilles and screens

the lamp models described above can be a wooden lampshade, which some companies offer as a complete set.

In general, on our website you can read a whole article, which only talks about bath lampshades , so those who are interested can follow the link.

Wooden lampshades can be found in two varieties: grilles and screens. Creative combinations of them are also possible.

For your information! Based on the type of installation, they are divided into wall-mounted and corner-mounted.

Grilles are structures made of slats or slats, often artistically processed, between which there are slits that allow light to pass through. Depending on the width of the gap, the luminosity may be greater or less.

Screens - the front facade of such a lampshade is a solid sheet of material (thin furniture board, plywood), in which shaped holes are made, covered with a mesh on the reverse side.

Their main function is to dim the light and also protect the glass from excess moisture . Of course, they also play the role of decoration and mechanical protection.

Choosing the correct location of the tape in the sauna

The location where the heat-resistant LED strip is attached in the sauna is determined by the safety of visitors and fire safety measures. Therefore, when installing the wire, you need to consider:

Wire cross-section, which is purchased with a reserve, taking into account the specifics of the establishment.
Avoid soldering areas that could cause a fire.

During installation, in addition to the strip, you will need:

Adapter (installed every 5 meters of strip).
Controller (if it is necessary to switch colors).
A plug that is installed at the end of the ice tape with heat-resistant sealant.
The connector is connecting (fastening is made with heat-resistant sealant).

Installation procedure

Install the tape in the following order:

Calculate the total power of the structure.
Install a power supply with a power reserve of 15-20% outside the steam room and wash room (in the rest room or dressing room). They also put a switch there.
Connect the tape to the controller according to the designations B, G, R, V+.
Clean, degrease and insulate the surfaces for installing the tape.
Remove the protective film and fix the ice tape on the surface. If you need to shorten it, cut it off in the marked places with stationery scissors.
Connect to the power supply, being sure to observe the polarity.

It is clear that installing light in a bathhouse is not difficult. Spend a little time choosing equipment, installation and enjoy the result of your labors for a long time.

LED strip lighting options

The placement of ice strip lighting is available in several options, each of which brings individuality to the room. A cozy atmosphere is achieved by highlighting the shelves and backs with blue and white tape.

It is not recommended to backlight in red; it looks aggressive and annoying.

At the same time, illumination can be carried out with other lighting devices. You just need to take into account that they are also heat-resistant.

Each shade gives the room personality. Just don’t overuse it and hang too many stripes, and even in different shades. This will only frighten visitors and prevent them from relaxing.

Comments:

Sergeich

I don’t understand what relation the temperature in the sauna has to the type of lighting fixture? Is it 400°C in the sauna? Or am I missing something? Which light bulb fails at 80°C?

Oleg

Sergeich, I agree, temperature is a factor that does not affect performance at all. Humidity is, yes, an important element. And LEDs also win here in terms of safety, because... operate on low currents.

Stas

Advice to those who have not yet installed the tape in the steam room - place it so that only reflected light comes from it. There are usually no other light sources in a sauna, and bright LEDs are unpleasant to the eyes. In general, either place a light divider or direct the tape so that it gives diffused light, for example, as in the picture

Lily

Please tell me where is the best place to place the transformer. I think it’s not possible in the steam room itself? There is a desire to highlight a panel made of Himalayan salt.

Arthur

In general, the service life of LEDs directly depends on the operating temperature (this is a well-known fact). When an estimated service life of 15,000 hours or 50,000 hours is prescribed, the temperature regime at which it is achievable is usually indicated - usually 40-50 degrees. So in a sauna the LED will not be as durable as in other less hot rooms. At the same time, the light in the sauna is usually used less, so the service life should still be acceptable. The only thing is, don’t place it in the ceiling, where the temperature is maximum, and make sure that, if necessary, you don’t have to dismantle half the sauna to replace the tape.

Maksim

complete nonsense and not an article, the tape for the sauna should have a special marking “F” and keep the temperature up to 125 degrees

Tips for using diode strips for a bath

If the installation is carried out in accordance with all the rules and regulations, then no additional maintenance is required, and the structure will last a very long time. But in order to increase the operating period, it is worth considering a few tips:

All thermal strips must correspond to the temperature conditions of the room.
Installation is carried out in places that exclude the touch of visitors.
The location should minimize aggressive effects (not near the boiler, ceiling, etc.).