What is the difference between LED and LED module ？

The definition of an LED module for lighting purposes is as follows:

In the standard "IEC 62031 - Safety Requirements for LED Modules for General Lighting" published on January 15, 2008, an LED module is defined as "an assembly containing one or more LEDs as separate entities." According to the latest international standards, a more detailed description of an LED array or module is as follows: "A component comprising LED packages (devices) or chips on a PCB or substrate, which may include optical elements, heat dissipation devices, mechanical components, and electrical interfaces intended to be connected to the load side of an LED driver. However, this device does not include a standard lamp cap for power connection, cannot be directly connected to a branch circuit, and is intended solely for use as a light source."

An LED module is a type of encapsulated unit centered around LEDs and includes more components than a single LED. Its fundamental function is still to emit light, and the purpose of creating it as a module is to facilitate downstream applications of LEDs.

LED modules can be categorized into several types based on their installation methods in lighting fixtures to achieve the desired light distribution. They are classified as follows:

Integrated LED Module: Typically designed as an integral, non-replaceable component of the luminaire.

Built-in LED Module: Generally designed for installation inside luminaires, lightboxes, enclosed objects, or similar devices rather than being mounted externally. These are non-replaceable LED modules.

Standalone LED Module: Designed in such a way that they can be installed or placed separately from the luminaire, auxiliary lightbox, casing and similar devices. Standalone LED modules must have all necessary safety protections based on their classification and labeling. If an LED module installed in the luminaire is self-ballasted, it can be further categorized into integrated self-ballasted LED modules, built-in self-ballasted LED modules, and standalone self-ballasted LED modules based on their structural form.

These different types of LED modules are used in various lighting applications to achieve specific lighting requirements.

The technical requirements for LED modules used in lighting applications, like all other lighting sources, are necessary to ensure the safety and proper use of these modules.

(1) Safety Requirements: IEC 62031 outlines the general requirements and safety standards for LED modules. The primary technical content includes:

u General requirements

u Test instructions

u Hazards

u Markings

u Terminal connections

u Grounding protection devices

u Protection against accidental contact with live components

u Moisture and insulation

u Dielectric strength

u Fault conditions

u Qualification tests during manufacturing

u Structure

u Creepage distances and electrical clearances

u Screws

u Current-carrying components and connectors

u Heat resistance

u Fire resistance and resistance to tracking

u Corrosion resistance, and more.

These safety requirements are essential to ensure that LED modules for general lighting applications do not pose any hazards to users or the surrounding environment. Manufacturers must adhere to these safety standards and provide clear markings and labeling to indicate compliance with these requirements.

Have you conducted audits on LED lighting manufacturers based on the following criteria? If they are manufacturers engaged in standardized production, compliance with these criteria is only one aspect of the audit. We will guide you on how to identify an excellent LED lighting manufacturer, so please pay attention to the following information.

LED modules for general lighting purposes should not pose any harm to users or the surrounding environment when used. In order for users to have a detailed understanding of the product's performance and features, manufacturers should clearly label the following information on the module for both standalone and built-in LED modules:

Origin mark (trademark, manufacturer's name, or seller/supplier name).

Model or manufacturer's type symbol.

Rated power supply voltage or voltage range, power frequency, and rated power supply current or current range. The power supply current is generally provided in the manufacturer's product manual.

Rated maximum temperature (Tc value), which refers to the highest allowable temperature on the outer surface of the LED module under rated voltage/current or current range when operating under normal conditions. If this value relates to a specific part on the module, it should be indicated, or instructions should be provided in the manufacturer's product manual.

In addition to this, the manufacturer should also provide the nominal voltage and markings for the essential connection points and purposes to ensure safe installation, either in a prominent location on the module or in the module's user manual. If there are connecting wires, clear markings should be provided on the circuit diagram. Due to the strong glare produced by LEDs, direct exposure can be harmful to the eyes, so an eye protection symbol should also be included.

For integrated modules, these details should be provided in the manufacturer's technical documentation and do not need to be marked on the module itself.

For wiring terminals, moisture and insulation, creepage distance, and electrical clearances, they should comply with the relevant requirements of IEC 60598-1. Grounding protection devices, protection against accidental contact with live parts, dielectric strength, fault conditions, screws, current-carrying component connectors, heat resistance, fire resistance, resistance to tracking and corrosion should comply with the relevant requirements of IEC 61347-1. Additionally, wood, cotton fabric, silk, paper, and similar fiber materials should not be used as insulation materials.

（2）Performance Requirements: Currently, there are no international performance requirements standards for LED modules. Our laboratory has established specifications for the performance of LED modules, including technical requirements such as power, power factor, electromagnetic compatibility, luminous efficacy, peak luminous intensity, color uniformity, and lumen maintenance, as well as lifespan.

For LED modules without i ntegrated control devices and self-ballasted LED modules, it is required that the actual power consumption, when operating stably at rated voltage/current and frequency, should not deviate by more than 10% and 15% from the rated power, respectively. Electromagnetic compatibility characteristics should meet the requirements of relevant industry standards, and the color standard color coordinates of the modules should comply with the target values specified in industry standards.

As an LED lighting fixture manufacturer, we can manufacture lights in non-standard colors based on customer requirements, but we should provide the target values of color coordinates for non-standard colors. The initial reading of chromaticity coordinates and y should be within 7DCM (color matching standard deviation) of the target values.

The initial rated value of the color rendering index (CRI) for the module is 95, and the measured value should not be lower than 3 units below the rated value. The initial luminous efficacy of the module is divided into three levels based on power and color temperature. If an LED manufacturer claims that "the initial luminous efficacy of modules is divided into three levels based on power and color temperature" is a core technology of their company, I am pleased to inform you that you are fortunate to come across this information on my end. I'm here to help you identify an unreliable supplier because this data is a reference standard from ten years ago. This analysis indicates that the technology employed by this LED lamp manufacturer has remained stagnant over the past decade, as illustrated in Table 5-1.

Please pay attention to the following details:

Table 5-1: Initial Luminous Efficacy of Modules

Type	Rated power/W	Initial light effect/(lm/W)
		RR/RZ	RL/RB/RN/RD
		Level 1 Level 2 Level 3	Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
LED module	1~5	70  55  40	66  51  37
	6~10	68  53  38	64  49  35
	11~15	66  51  36	62  47  33
	≥16	65  49  34	60  45  31
Self-ballasted LED module	1~5	57  44  29	52  37  24
	6~10	58  46  31	54  39  26
	11~15	62  50  35	58  43  30
	≥16	60  48  33	56  41  28

The lumen maintenance of the module should not be less than 92% at 3000 hours of operation, not less than 88% at 6000 hours of operation, and not less than 70% at 70% of the rated lifespan. The average lifespan of the module under rated voltage should not be less than 25,000 hours.

The definition of an electronic control device for LED modules is as follows:

The electronic control device for LED modules, also known as an LED module electronic control unit, refers to a device placed between a power source and one or more LED modules to provide them with rated voltage or current. This device can consist of one or more independent components and may have functions such as dimming, power factor correction, and suppression of radio interference. The design of LED module control devices ensures that they can provide a constant voltage or current at a safe extra-low voltage, equivalent safe extra-low voltage, or higher voltage.

LED module electronic control devices can be categorized in several ways:

1. Classification by Installation Method:

l Standalone Control Device

l Integrated Control Device

l Built-in Control Device

2. Classification by Electrical Protection Measures:

lEquivalent Safe Extra-Low Voltage or Isolation Control Device: This type of control device provides output voltage equivalent to safe extra-low voltage and can operate one or more LED modules. It can replace double-wound transformers with reinforced insulation.

l Autotransformer Control Device.

l Standalone Safe Extra-Low Voltage Device: This control device provides safe extra-low voltage output voltage isolated from the power supply, as specified by IEC 60742, using a safety isolation transformer.

3. Classification by Load:

l Single-Load Control Device: Designed for a specific output power, which can be the power consumed by a single LED module or multiple LED modules.

l Multi-Load Control Device: Designed for controlling a single LED module or multiple LED modules with a total load within the claimed power range.

4.Classification by Output Voltage:

l Control Device with Stable Output Voltage

l Control Device without Stable Output Voltage

5.Classification by Output Current:

l Control Device with Stable Output Current

l Control Device without Stable Output Current

l Please note that these classifications are based on different installation methods, electrical protection measures, load characteristics, output voltage, and output current of LED module electronic control devices.

The technical requirements for LED modules are as follows:

LED modules use DC or AC electronic control devices as lighting control devices, utilizing DC power sources below 250V and AC power sources below 1000V, with a frequency of 50Hz or 60Hz. The output frequency of the electronic control device for LED modules can differ from the power supply frequency, and it should be used in conjunction with LED modules to provide constant voltage or constant current to the LED modules.

(1) Safety Requirements:

The safety requirements for LED modules with DC or AC electronic control devices correspond to industry standards. These safety requirements encompass 21 clauses, including markings, measures to prevent accidental contact with live parts, terminal connectors, grounding devices, moisture and insulation, dielectric strength, heat resistance, fault conditions, transformer heating tests, abnormal conditions, structure, creepage distance and electrical clearances, screws, current-carrying components and connectors, heat resistance, fire resistance, resistance to tracking and corrosion, among others. Except for specific requirements such as markings, measures to prevent accidental contact with live parts, transformer heating tests, abnormal conditions, and structure, the rest generally follow industry standard requirements.

① Markings: Provide important information for user guidance. For LED modules with DC or AC electronic control devices, in addition to the markings required by industry standards, constant voltage control devices should indicate the rated output power, while constant current control devices should indicate the rated output current and maximum output voltage. If necessary, the control device should be marked as suitable only for LED modules.

② Measures to Prevent Accidental Contact with Live Parts: For equivalent safe extra-low voltage control devices, which are easily accessible during use, double insulation or reinforced insulation should be applied to insulate parts that can be touched and live parts.

③ Abnormal Conditions: Constant voltage output control devices and constant current output control devices should be tested under abnormal conditions without connecting LED modules. The control device should be tested with the required number of LED modules or equivalent loads connected in parallel (for current output control devices) or in series (for voltage output control devices) at the output terminal of the control device with the output terminal short-circuited. The control device should not exhibit any safety-compromising faults, smoke, or flammable gas generation during abnormal conditions.

④ Transformer Heating Test: The windings of isolation transformers in equivalent safe extra-low voltage control devices should undergo corresponding tests to demonstrate their sufficient heat resistance.

⑤ Structure: The sockets in the output circuit should be specially designed to prevent the insertion of plugs as specified in IEC 60083 and IEC 60906.

(2) Performance Requirements:

After connecting to an LED module, the control device should ensure the normal operation of the LED module within the range of 92% to 106% of the rated power supply voltage. "Performance Requirements for DC or AC Electronic Control Devices for LED Modules" specifies requirements in the following areas: markings, output voltage and current, total circuit power, circuit power factor, power supply current, audio frequency impedance, abnormal conditions, durability, and others.

Regarding output voltage and current, the requirements state that upon startup or connection to an LED module, the output within 2 seconds should be within 110% of the rated value. The maximum current or maximum voltage should not exceed the manufacturer's specified values. During operation, for control devices with non-stable output voltage, when operating at the rated power supply voltage, the deviation between the output voltage and the rated voltage of the LED module should not exceed ±10%. For control devices with stable output voltage, when the power supply voltage is at any value between 92% and 106% of the rated power supply voltage, the deviation between the output current and the rated current of the LED module should not exceed ±10%.

I'm here to explain some professional knowledge. Do you all know the difference between LED lamps and LED modules?

LED Module — a type of combined lighting source device. In addition to one or more light-emitting diodes, it also includes other components such as optical, electrical, mechanical, and electronic elements that work with a control device. In simple terms: a module is from a structural perspective, while a lamp is from a lighting perspective.

Do you all know what an LED road lamp module is? What is the unique advantages of LED module street lamps ?

Both LED module street lamps and integrated LED street lamps are referred to as LED street lamps, but their structural designs are different. For example, a 150W module street lamp can be divided into three modules, each with 50W. The benefit of this is that if a problem occurs, it's easier to repair! Some common LED street lamps have all the light-emitting diodes soldered onto a single aluminum substrate, and their design and structure are different.

First, let's understand what an LED module street lamp is.

In simple terms, it's like breaking down the integral street lamp into several identical modules, each module is independent of the others. If any one module fails, it won't affect the normal operation of the other modules. This increases the convenience of LED street lamp maintenance without affecting usage. Additionally, modularization of LED street lamps allows for easy assembly and disassembly. Modules can also address issues related to light distribution, heat dissipation, power supply, and protection.

Module-based design refers to integrating multiple LEDs into a module with functions such as light distribution, heat dissipation, and protection at different levels of structure for high-power LED lamps. Depending on the power level, a lamp usually consists of multiple modules. The light source module is a carefully designed module that combines functions such as light distribution, heat dissipation, and protection, and is the core part of the lamp. For protection levels, a seal ring and screws are typically used to meet outdoor requirements. In terms of heat dissipation, modular design disperses the heat source, and through optimized heat dissipation design, it can significantly reduce chip junction temperatures. For light distribution, secondary optical lens design can achieve the desired road lighting effects.

High-power LED lamps are used in functional lighting and need to prioritize efficiency, which is related to the overall reliability of street lamps. At the same time, high-power lamps have requirements for light distribution, as it affects the effective utilization of light.

In 2020, LEDER lighting company and San'an jointly developed a high-power 5050 device and released modules and complete lamps using this device for the first time. The system's luminous efficiency (including the power supply) reached 176.5lm/W, increasing the industry's luminous efficiency level by more than 30%. After several years of continuous innovation and overcoming various technical challenges, LEDER lighting company made significant improvements to the 5050 device and modules, achieving a breakthrough in luminous efficiency once again. According to tests conducted by the National Lighting Quality Inspection and Testing Center, the luminous efficiency of the ultra-high-efficiency LED module (excluding the power supply) reached 216.5lm/W (at 30W power), and when three modules are combined into a 100W lamp, the overall luminous efficiency reached 204.0lm/W under 100W power consumption conditions.

1 Lamp & 281 Degrees of Electricity

High luminous efficiency means greater energy savings. By using higher luminous efficiency LED lamps, energy consumption can be effectively reduced. Taking road lighting as an example, compared to typical 120lm/W LED lamps, when the luminous efficiency is increased to 204.0lm/W, the lamp's power can be reduced from 180W to 110W. This results in an annual electricity savings of 281 kW·h and a cost savings of 196.74 yuan, which is economically significant (calculated based on an average daily lighting time of 11 hours and an average municipal electricity rate of 0.7 yuan/kW·h).

1 Lamp & 12 Trees

The electricity savings from using a single ultra-high-efficiency 110W lamp is equivalent to reducing emissions by 220.62 kg of carbon dioxide annually (compared to 120lm/W lamps). According to research data from the China National Forestry and Grassland Administration, one tree can absorb 18 kg of carbon dioxide annually. This means that each ultra-high-efficiency lamp contributes to the reduction of carbon emissions equivalent to the impact of 12 trees.

The higher the luminous efficiency, the higher the energy utilization rate. According to data from the China National Semiconductor Lighting Engineering R&D and Industry Alliance lighting electricity consumption in China accounts for 13% of the total electricity consumption in society. With the continuous application of higher luminous efficiency lamps, energy consumption will be effectively reduced, making a significant contribution to energy conservation and carbon reduction.

There are not many distinctive street lamps nowadays. I believe that few people will recall the street lamps on a particular stretch of road because they all look the same – with a pole, a flat plate, and a lampshade. As a fundamentally electronic product, LED lighting has the potential to stand out and give each road its unique character.

In fact, from a modular design perspective, whether it's modularizing the light source or the lighting engine, it opens up extensive design possibilities. In the future, different modules can be chosen for designs based on specific application requirements.

We cannot discuss products without considering the market, and likewise, we cannot discuss the market without the products. In this era of LED lighting, our focus should be on how to maximize the advantages of LED street light modules and provide better support to LED engineering companies.

We=LEDER lighting company

LEDER lighting company is committed to becoming a leading enterprise in the comprehensive solution for urban road lighting worldwide. Since its establishment, the company has focused on outdoor high-power LED lighting and has adhered to technological innovation. Every year, the company achieves new breakthroughs in products and technology and has obtained hundreds of patents in China.