Professional 240V continuous lighting is the simplest way to light a long ceiling recess, bulkhead or building outline in one unbroken run. GH 240V Strip Lighting from Greenhse Technologies is fully certified to Australian Standards, the only 240V LED strip light with this certification in Australia. This post explains how high voltage strip lighting differs from low voltage strip, why it is so easy to install, how it is ordered and dimmed, and how to place it in a recess so the ceiling lights evenly.
Why 240V strip beats low voltage strip for long runs
Low voltage strip runs on 12V or 24V, so every run needs a transformer (LED driver). Voltage drop limits each run to about 5 metres, which means a long bulkhead needs multiple transformers, multiple controllers, aluminium channels and long wiring between them. The result is expensive, time-consuming to install, prone to uneven lighting where runs meet, and less reliable, with more parts that can fail and a shorter life span.
GH 240V strip lighting has numerous advantages over low voltage strip. It is very strong, bright and has good LED density, but the biggest advantage is its strength and being very easy to install. A single strip can be up to 30 metres long. All that is required is a plug in the recess connected to a wall switch. No transformers, no joins, no wires, just one plug. The strip is plug and play, installs within minutes and lasts for decades.
Made to size, plug and play
Strip lights are made to size, to the closest metre, with a factory-fitted AC adapter and plug. Ordering is straightforward:
- Measure the total distance of the run around the ceiling or bulkhead (distance A on a plan view, starting from the power point).
- Round up to the closest metre.
- The strip gets made to that size and arrives ready to plug in.
Because the strip carries mains voltage, the power point in the recess and the wall switch must be installed by a licensed electrician. Fixing the strip in place and plugging it in is the easy part.
Dimming, colour and LED density
The strip is dimmable with Triac wall switch dimmers, the same leading-edge or trailing-edge dimmers used for other 240V lighting, so no separate dimming controller is needed. It is available in a number of colour choices, from warm to cool white.
With up to 180 LEDs per metre and high quality LED chips, the strip produces bright, seamless lit ceilings with no visible dots or dark patches. That quality makes it suitable for hotels, shopping centres and high quality homes where a continuous line of light is part of the architecture.
Full colour 240V strip light is also available. It requires an RGB controller, which can work with a selection of colour remotes or with your smart device. Add an optional gateway and the strip can be controlled by voice through Google or Alexa, which is popular for feature ceilings, alfresco areas and festive outlines on the front of a house.
How to place strip in a recess for even light
Where the strip sits inside the recess decides how the light washes across the ceiling. The guide below covers the two most common recess sizes.
Recess around 150 mm wide by 50 mm high
- Wrap the strip around the bulkhead on the back edge (A) of the recess, facing inwards towards the room.
- Do not fix it on the front edge (B). Light from the front edge cannot reach across the ceiling.
- Placed sideways on the back edge, the strip supplies even lighting across the whole ceiling.
Recess around 100 mm wide by 100 mm high
- A deep, narrow recess with the strip mounted flat on the floor of the recess will only light the corner, leaving the ceiling beyond it dark. This is the incorrect placement.
- The solution is to raise the internal height. Install a profile inside the recess to lift the strip closer to the top, then mount the strip on it facing the room. Light then travels out across the ceiling evenly.
Fix the strip with special Permastick mounting tape, available from Bunnings. This double-sided acrylic tape has high bond strength, heat resistance and maximum weather resistance, so it holds the strip on a bulkhead for the long term.
Where 240V strip lighting works best
- Continuous ceiling recesses and bulkheads in living areas, kitchens and hallways.
- Hotel corridors, lobbies and shopping centre ceilings where runs are long and reliability matters.
- Outdoor eaves, alfresco areas and building outlines, particularly in full colour RGB.
- Any project where a low voltage system would need several transformers and joins.
Talk to Greenhse Technologies in Perth
If you are planning a lit ceiling or bulkhead, bring your measurements to Greenhse Technologies and we can size a certified GH 240V strip to the closest metre, advise on dimming and colour, and show you the placement that gives even light. Visit the showroom at 5/1 Locke Lane, Ellenbrook WA 6069 or phone (08) 9297 2969.
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