Near Infrared Light 850nm LED Strip

Yes, they are an excellent choice for this. Using an 850nm near infrared light strip as a soffit light is a common way to flood an area with invisible light that your security cameras can see perfectly. This boosts your camera's night vision range and clarity without creating any visible light pollution, keeping the illumination totally covert.

It's a trade-off between visibility and power. An 850nm IR LED strip gives off that faint red glow from the emitter, but it's more efficient and provides better illumination range for most cameras. Our 940nm IR strips are completely invisible with no glow, but they have about 30-40% less range and require a more sensitive camera. For most jobs, 850nm is the go-to.

It comes down to power and output. The numbers refer to the size of the LED chip. SMD 2835 chips are smaller and more efficient for general-purpose illumination. SMD 5050 chips are larger, draw more power, and produce a more intense infrared output, which is better for applications needing a longer throw distance or higher intensity, like illuminating a large yard.

It's normal for them to get warm, and high-power IR strips can get hot. Infrared LEDs are less efficient than visible-light LEDs, so more energy is converted to heat. This is why we always recommend installing them in an aluminum channel. The channel acts as a heatsink, pulling heat away from the strip and ensuring it lasts its full rated lifespan.

Yes, when used as intended for area illumination, they are safe. However, just like any bright light source, you should never stare directly into the LEDs at close range for any length of time. Even though the light is mostly invisible, it's still concentrated energy entering your eye. Treat it with the same common sense you would any other light.

That's the trick question we get all the time. True infrared light has no color because its wavelength is beyond what our eyes can detect. The faint red you see from an 850nm LED strip is just a visible side-effect of how the semiconductor chip produces the light. The actual infrared energy being emitted is completely invisible.

It's straightforward math. Check the strip's product page for its power draw in 'Watts per meter'. Multiply that number by the total length of strip you're using in meters. Then, add a 20% buffer by multiplying your total by 1.2. This gives you the minimum wattage your power supply needs. For example, a 10m run of 9.6W/m strip needs (10 x 9.6) * 1.2 = 115.2W, so a 120W 24V power supply is perfect.

Absolutely. This is a huge part of our business. Send us your drawing or even just the lengths you need. We can build 850nm strips to your exact lengths, encase them in an IP67-rated silicone tube for outdoor use, and pre-solder waterproof connectors and lead wires. Our engineers will typically send back a full wiring diagram and parts list within 12 hours, with no fee or obligation to order.