Being that both high voltage and low voltage LED strips have their own unique set of strengths, they are ideally suited to different applications according the requirements of installation needs, safety or power efficiency. High voltage LED strip lights often work with 110V or 220V which means can be connected to regular outlets directly without the need for any extra power transformer. The straightforward installation process with high voltage strips also helps decrease your setup time and will help to reduce labor costs making them great for larger commercial or outdoor projects that require longer runs. Large voltage strips up to 50 meters in length can be realized without a loss of voltages, and this is several times larger than what could have been accomplished through low-voltage alternative (these normally grow to only around 5-10 meters without requiring extra control electrodes).
On the contrary, low voltage LED strips at 12V or 24V as a rule are liked for security extra — in angles with exposure hazards and near connection. For example, the lower voltage LED strips are safer in residential settings or children's bedrooms where it minimizes shock hazards. Many electrical standards suggest a safer, low voltage supply to these decorative lighting applications inside your home where they may be exposed to moisture or metal surfaces.
There are also differences in terms of power efficiency between the two. Short runs are usually more efficient with low voltage strips, which typically use 4 to 15 watts per meter at full brightness and color. This feature is more for smaller, direct lighting applications such as cabinet or accent lighting. The high voltage strips can have longer runs without loss of voltages but consume a bit more energy/meter and give brighter outputs, these are ideal for applications where they need to be highly visible. Such as outdoor architectural lighting or large signage which quite possibly has high voltage led strips in order to keep a vivid yet consistent brightness across long lengths.
And since high voltage strip lights are much more hardy and weatherproof, they often have an IP65 waterproof rating — or higher. Such a design means that they can be used outdoors for applications such as landscape lighting, poolside accents or building exteriors where exposure to rain and dust is an issue. Another study on commercial lighting showed a very positive statement- for long term use outdoor, high-voltage LED strips were 100% functioning with not much Degredtaion of the light and continued to cast their lights over time at the same level without any maintenance (after more than two years) – giving low overall replacement loss which seems less as compared to your common systems over this period was reduced by about 30%.
Heat management differs as well. Since the high voltage strips carry more current, they have a higher potential to generate heat and will require either proper location or an additional cooling option in order not to overheat. Low voltage LED strips generally produce fewer heat, very important for enclosed spaces as well as small ceilings where the original low height may be limited to use with traditional bulbs. And where temperatures are kept low, such as in cold stores, the lifespan of a low voltage strip can reach 50.000 hours thanks to their operating at lower levels than mains voltage.
Part of it is the cost. While high voltage LED strips are very expensive but they do not require such transformers, hence one can possibly avoid transformer and save a little in large project installation cost. The only down side (which can also seem like an upside) of low voltage strips is that they cannot be run longer than say 10 feet or so without adding additional power supplies, which in the end does add to material costs. Still, low voltage choices usually allow for dimming and color changing of light strips, which will reduce control in finer home lighting applications where ambient controls are desired.
So, to wrap up; high voltage LED strip options are great for the long runs (outdoor or very big projects) where durability and ease of install is key while low-voltage's main advantages are in short-run use cases that mostly have a safe power level | Close contact needs. All LED strip types deliver specific benefits to enable the best possible solutions for technical and environmental stresses in a given project.