Nowadays we have next to LED strip lights plenty of other LED light products. We have a selection of black and white coloured products. Could be a bithday present or just for yourself at home.
Black
White
Reef light
A piece of nature in your own home: A dream for many of us, like me. Warm colored tropical fishes and plants. And even pieces of coral could be part of an aquarium reef.
Aquarium coral
But it is fortenately strongly prohibitted to take any coral from sea. If you have a reef at home you probably are a real nature lover so keep of your hands of the real nature. Cann´t you have coral at home then? Since a few years different zoos has developed coral. With newer techniques it has become possible and easier for a hobbyist. But it requires a very careful approach. Not only the the construction, but especially the treatment during the growth must be very careful. There is nothing more important than creating a natural habitation.
Aquarium conditions
Depending on the reef species it is very important to choose the most natural conditions:
- Water conditions, like salt concentration, temperature, fluid and oxygen content
- Vegetation (for oxygen and as food)
- (Other) food
- Light conditions
Natural conditions are very important and has to be created and tested very carefully. The light influence is often underestimated. More information you can find in books, like the nano reef handbook.
Aquarium light conditions
Especially coral is very sensible for water conditions and light. Special attention goes to the light. Why to choose LED lights?
- LED lights are sustainable (it has a lifespan of about 50.000 hours)
- You can save energy (see also article about different light sources)
- And so lower operational costs
- LEDs are very compact and waterproof
- It could create a spectacular 3D light effect
- Combining different LEDs in a strip
- Multi colored LED for bringing the natural color of fishes and corals to life
Combination of LED colors
One of the advantages of LED is the possibility of combining LEDs in a strip. Another aspect, developed in the last years, is the multi colored LEDs in a strip provide the same spectacular color rendering fluorescent lamps. They bring in this way the vivid iridescent colors of the fish and the coral to life. And these LEDs provide a more natural color rendering than other LEDs.
Next to a tropical aquarium LED lighting can be applied in temperate climate aquaria and deep water aquaria. For reefs there are three types of lights necessary (combining different multi colored LED lights):
- Tropical light
- Day Light
- Marine blue
Tropical light
Improving the warm red color of fish, plant and coral without making the iridescent blue hues of tropical fish dull.
Day light
Spectacular color rendering with a high color temperature, for both freshwaterand saltwater aquariums for suitability.
Marine blue
A combination of deep blue, light blue and violet in LED results in a photochemical moon light color, ideal for saltwater aquariums.
As written above it is required to apply the combination of these three types of light. Use a timer to alternate the light and create a natural situation. I say once again, there is nothing is more important than creating and maintaining natural conditions.
Combining light and pump
Like combinations of light there are complete packages with water pumps. If you like to have a complete system, pay attention to check both quality of the pump and the light.
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LED Xmas lights
Snow is upon us, so it is Christmas time: The most festive tradition of the year with much decoration. It is also an expensive time for many of us. And that’s not just the pricey gifts or gourmet dinner. No, what is clear: We spend a great deal of money on lighting consciously or unconsciously. And the costs are mainly in the energy use of Christmas lights. Many make use of energy-guzzling light sources namely: Incandescent light bulbs in the x-mas tree and halogen strips around the house.
Indoor
A household with inside Christmas decorations consumes approximately $ 40 per year. That is so much that the payback time is less than five years if you replace it by LED lighting. So it is already cheaper after five years of Christmas. In addition, LED lights’ lifetime is up to 20 times higher than incandescent bulbs. And finally, but maybe not least: If you will replace your old fashioned bulbs you are doing something good for the environment.
Outdoor
A household with outdoor Christmas decorations also consumes approximately $ 70 extra per X-Mas. The total energy for the very light (including insite) costs $ 110 per year. That is even so much that within three years LED strip lights are already cheaper. In addition, LED lights up to 10 times longer than halogen. And together with replacing you do something good for the environment. The only downside is that you must do now as an investment. But the investment of today is the Watt for tomorrow!
You can make a difference and invest in the future or choose to keep it the way it is. It is up to you.
We wish you a nice ambiance Christmas and a very lightful Newyear
Info Team LEDStripLights.info!
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Undercar lighting
We have set up a 10 step installing manual for bottom sided car lighting. The description is drawn for American cars. It could also be used for car pimp in the rest of the World, but there are some different details. Before pimping your car or even purchasing the lights it read the next warning in step 1.
Step 1: Know what you are getting
1.1 It requires some knowledge of lighting, electronics and car mechanics. Misuse can cause short circuit what can lead to fire, electrocutation and even tank explosions. So be aware of that.
1.2 This might involve loss of warranty on your car, or parts of it.
1.3 Last but not least: In some states, municipalities and countries it is illegal to embed non-signal lights on your vehicle in the traffic. Check the laws at your local authority.
Time consuming: It takes about three to six hours, depending on your experience.
Costs: Approximately around $25 – $45. It depends on if you like to have pulse effects or just continuous light and the type led strip lights. The item details can be found in the next step.
Step 2: Preparing the work
There are complete underglow kits to enlight the area under your car. You can also purchase the seperate items. In general a set is cheaper than buying each item separately.
2.1 Required materials:
- One or a few waterproof 12 Volt LED strip lights (measure the length you want to install the led strip lights)
- Many wires: Two-strand polarized is prefered (red (positive pole) – black (negative pole) or maybe white-black)
- A SPST switch
- A 555 timer*
- 10,000-15,000 uF worth of 10 Volt capacitors (you can string them in parallel to add the capacitance)*
- Three capacitors: 47, 100 and 0.1 uF (u stands for mu / micro)
- Two resistors: 1.1 kOhm and 1.5 kOhm (the bigger the resistance the slower the pulse)
- A Project box
- A piece of metal plate or a thin medium-density fiberboard (MDF) from the scrap heap
- Epoxy glue
- Electrical tape
* Only required for pulse effect
2.2 Required tools:
- Screwdrivers
- Soldering solder and iron
- Power drill
- Wire strippers
- Needlenose pliers
- Several size drill bits
- A hot glue gun
Step 3: Ready for take off the console
3.1 This job is easier said than done. The purpose is to remove sufficient panels to approach the wiring of auxiliary power or cigarette lighter. This will be the power line for your led strip lights.
3.2 You need to find a suitable and practical location to place the switch. If available you can use blank buttons. These are often located near the head light controls. You have to drill a hole of the switch. It is advisable to do it while the car is partly disassembled.
3.3 In the firewall under the steering tube you have to look for an unused plug. It is usually located near the fuse box. You have to pop up the plug and lead it to the zone near the left wheel of your car. Keep the plug, because you will need it later in step 7.
Step 4: Adding auxiliary extension
4.1 Take the usually red or white positive power line (suitable for 12 Volt). You have to put this wire into the housing of the cigarette lighter socket.
4.2 Find the ground cable. It is usually a black (or green-yellow in Europe) wire attached to the outside metal of the socket.
4.3 Expose or cut the insulation from as well the power as the ground wires. Splice the two wires from the double strand. Shorten the wire for a right length to connect it to the switch. If it is not long enough you can use a connector and another wire.
Step 5: Installation of the switch
5.1 Take the positive wire and connect it to the switch terminals.
5.2 After doing this add about 6 feet of double-stranded wire to this (positive to the switch and negative to the other black wire). This will later connect to the controller circuit.
Step 6: Affix LED strip lights strands to the bottom of your car
6.1 It is up to you where you like to put your strands: front – back and right – left. Create two MDF (or metal sheets) per strand of 2 feet squares. To each end you have to epoxy one strand and let it cure.
6.2 Pick up some suitable spots under your car to place the strings. The parts of the chassis are ideal. Be aware to put it away from the engine and exhaust line. These zones become to heat. Measure the required strip length and resize your strip to the desired size.
6.3 Attach the led strip lights to the bottom side of your car. If you like to create a temporary attachment you can use hot glue (not epoxy or J-B weld) instead of solder iron.
Step 7: Wiring the LED Strip lights strands
7.1 You need now the hole in the firewall of step 3. If your car does not contain such a called piggyback, you can drill your own one.
7.2 You have to connect the wire from the cabin to the bottom of your car. This wire is two stranded, but you can also embed it into one cable. Since every car is different, you have to be inventive. Usually it would be a hole near the left front wheel (and for right sided driver seat cars near the right front wheel). Connect a loop of a string with the end of the double-strand wire. Then put the wire through into the hole. It is in general visible if you look under the hood
7.3 Pull the loop and so the wire through the hole. A tool like a coat hanger can help you with it. Take off the loop and attach the wire at the bottom of the car very well.
7.4 Seal all thoroughly to prevent from rust.
7.5 Connect a wire from each of the LED strip lights strands. Wire the LED strip lights in parallel (so connect the same colored strands: red connected to red and black connected to black). Then solder all contact points. It is recommended to use electrical tape as well, to prevent the system leakage currents. Once again, keep away from the parts that can heat. The buffer zone should have a minimum length of 1.5 feet.
(Step 8: LED strip lights in the circuit (Only for a pulse effect))
8.1 If you are familiar with system board, you can also create a pulse effect. Otherwise it is a complex job. You can use a 555 timer. The frequency can be customized by using this timer.
8.2 The capacitor which could be used (between 10,000 and 15,000 uF), for example 12,000 uF is in fact a bundling 12 Volt capacitors. It depends on number of LEDs and the type of LED strip lights how many capacitors you will need to create the desired effect.
8.3 It is advised to test it once before testing it in the boxing state: On a breadboard connected to the car’s electronics.
8.4 Then connect put it onto a PCB.
8.5 Test it in the final situation.
Step 9: Installing the project box
9.1 Attach two screws on both the power and ground wire ends for the lights. Make sure there is enough space for the twisting the screw. The screws has to be almost completely tightened when solder it.
9.2 Find a suitable spot under the console to put the project box. Screw down the wires to their corresponding contact.
9.3 Finish the box by taping it securely.
Step 10: Enjoy
10.1 Enjoy your LED strip lights car pimp at romantic night scene.
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 | Cartuning-guide.com. tuning site |
Power supplying your strip
There are several ways to supply a led strip light power a led strip light. Mainly three different options:
- Plug in power
- Solar cells (possible for mobile usage)
- Batteries (possible for mobile usage)
There are mainly two voltages for LED strips: 12 volt and 24 volt. To supply the strip 24 volts you could use batteries three 9 volts batteries (wit a total of 9 x 3 volts = 27 volts). So you have an overload of 3 volts. The batteries must be wired in series. The positive poles must be connected with the negative poles to create a circuit. But it is a time-consuming job, but there is an inventive alternative.
A LED is a light emitting diode. This means the current is limited to one flow direction and the power must be adapted to AC. So we need an output of 24 volts AC (batteries are in general AC). The current is also the limited factor of a LED (more about that in the article about resizing strips). It could not be higher than 80 milliampère = 80 mA = 0.08 A.
We can use a basic law of Ohm:
E = I x R (in which E = Voltage, I = Current in Ampères and R = Resistance in Ohms) and rewrite it to:
R = E / I; This gives gives us
R = 3 volts / 0.08 A = 37.5 Ohm
But a 37.5 Ohm resistance is hardly available. We can go upto the next standard Ohm resistance. This is 40 Ohm.
The power in Watts is determined by the formula:
P = I x E (P = Power in Watts and again in which E = Voltage and I = Current in Ampères)
P = 0.08 A x 3 volts = 0.24 Watts
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Energy consumption compared
There are many ways of lighting nowadays: the incandescent light bulb, the saving bulb, halogene, natrium light, fluorescent tube, LED lights and more. Many households have a standard of the incandescent light bulb. A saving bulb has become a more saving alternative. But is it really more saving and how much does it saves. And how about LEDs?
In this article is the energy consumption of the different types of lighting compared. Good to know if you do not: Lumen is the entity of lightintensity. The higher these lightintensity per watt the higher the rendement of the concerning lamp. To enlight an average table in a dining room you need about 900 lumen (or 60 incandescent light bulb Watts).
• incandescent light bulb: 15 lumen per watt
• halogenespot: about 20 lumen per watt
• modern energy saving bulb (15 watt): 60 lumen per watt
• modern commercial available white LED: 100 lumen per watt
• fluorescent tube: about 100 lumen per watt
• natriumlamps (for streetlighting): 150 lumen per watt
For example: Replacing an old fashioned bulb by a LED bulb will save about 80% energy for that light source. A fluorescent lamp also does.
The fluorescent tube has namely circa the same rendement as LED lights. But the disadvantage of fluorescent lamps is that it contains toxic gas (fluor). Furthermore it could flicker which may lead to short circuit.
The natriumlamps have even higher rendement than LED lights, indeed they have. But the lifetime of a this tube shaped lights are about 18.000 hours and the lifetime of LED light is about 50.000 hours. So the lifetime of a LED is almost three times longer. So if you consider natrium lamps or LED lights, have the lifetime of the product in mind.
There is not an ideal way of lighting. Some sources are cheaper, some more safing and some emit more natural or warm light. It depends on the situation which light source is better or not. The main questions to ask yourself in considering a type lighting:
• Is there is an connection to the power net?
• Is the light suitable for the atmosphere?
• Is it possible for outside use?
• And could it be deviced safely?
• How much do you want to spend to regain the investments cost of any light source?
For LED lights, the answer on these questions, are mainly positive. An electric source is due to the low energy consumption easy connectible to solar cells. The most critical point is the warmth of the light for home lighting. But there are more and more warm LED lights available nowadays. And it is still developing. Further is the price of the LED quite unattractive. Sometimes almost ten times the price of a incandescent light bulb. You can buy a new lamp by only considering the purchase price. If you like to save money directly or use the lamp hardly it probably is the best option. But in long term thinking, it could not be unwise to consider the energy consumption.
An arithmatic for example: A light source in a living room which shines every day three hours over a time of 5 years. So it shines:
3 years x 365 days a year x 5 hours per day = 5475 hours
The intensity is about the lightintensity of the dining table: 900 lumen. A kWh is about 0.25 US dollar, but depends on electricity supplier.
• A incandescent light bulb costs 3 US dollar
Energy consumption:
5475 hours x 60 Watt = 328,500 Wh = 328.5 kWh
Total costs (purchase plus energy consumption):
$ 3 + 328,5 kWh x $ 0.25 (per kWh) = $ 85.-
• A saving bulb costs 15 US dollar
Energy consumption:
5475 hours x 15 Watt = 81,250 Wh = 81.25 kWh
Total costs (purchase plus energy consumption):
$ 15 + 81.25 kWh x $ 0.25 (per kWh) = $ 35.50
• A LED light costs 30 US dollar
Energy consumption:
5475 hours x 9 Watt = 49,275 Wh = 49.275 kWh
Total costs (purchase plus energy consumption):
$ 30 + 49.275 kWh x $ 0.25 (per kWh) = $ 42.50
So the difference in price between the incandescent light bulb and LED light on the other hand is a factor 2. And of a saving light even more. But the price of the electric energy is rising and the lifetime of LED is about 4 times longer than saving bulbs. For the environment is the LED light much better.
In other circumstances a bulb is not always embeddable, due to heat or space. LED lights are hardly destructible, can emit every light color (warm or/and bright). And partly because of the low electric currents chances for dangerous situation are relatively low.
For strip lights there is no choice for bulbs. It offers many advantages in comparison to other types lighting.
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conventional bulb, efficiency, energy consumption of light sources, energy saving, energy saving bulb, fluorescent lamps, fluorescent tube, halogene light, incandescence, incandescent light bulb, led light, lifetime, lifetime of a LED, light bulb, light consumption, light sources, lumen per watt, lux, natrium light, replacing light
How to resize a light strip?
Resizing LEDs is a quite simple but a responisble job. Working with electricity is working with a dangerous element. Do not connect anything to the power net before finishing a job completely. Because of the danger resizing is recommended to be done exclusively by electricians.
First Step: Cutting the strip
Flexible LED strips could be resized in two steps. First it has to be cut at marked intervals. This mark is for 12 volt LED strips after every three LEDs and for 24 volt LED (dc) after every six LEDs. More about it in “How about the voltage?”.
Second Step: Reconnecting the strip
Secondly it has to be rejoined. This could be done in two different ways: One option is soldering wires between marked solder points. Another option is using compatible quick connectors. Keep in mind to read the enclosed instructions before proceeding. LED strip lights and especially flexible strips are easy to use, to adapt and to embed.
How about the voltage?
The voltage of the network is higher than the voltage a LED and also a series of LEDs can tollerate. The voltage in the United States is 110 – 120 Volt and the European standard is double of the American, so about 230 Volt. This is in general to much for a LED of series of LED lights. The voltage through the LED has to be reduce. This could be done by adding a transistor, simple resistance or using an adapter. Standards voltages for led items, like strips are 6, 12 and 24 Volt.
A LED is a kind of resistance. Every LED takes a bit of the voltage of the line. The power on the connected line will be uniform devided over all LED lights. The voltage of a LED is between 1.1 Volt for a infrared LED and 3.5 Volt for a white LED. So 4.0 Volt is always enough for supplying a single LED. If you know the voltage you can calculate how many LED you can connect in one serie. Excessive voltages with such low voltages will not cause over-heat. Too high currents on the other hand does. More about acceptable currents in the next paragraphs.
How about the current?
Else than the conventional bulb the critical factor is the current. The current can vary, depending on the connected electronics in your household. Therefore you have always to define the maximum current through the line and create a constant current.
The current through the LEDs may not be to high. Excess current will dissipate and can cause short circuit and even fire. So please read the instruction before connecting a LED strip or another series of LED.
In general there is information attached to the LED or series about the maximum tollerated current. The standard of a single LED is 20 mA (milliAmpère) and could be between 10 and 30 mA. The current is uniform in every LED, but not devided. The input current is the same as the output. The adapter gives information about this current. The current has to be equal to the required current.
Finally a brief instruction movie:
Attaching the strip
Next week there will be information about how to attach the strip to the wall or embed it. There will also be specific information about LED under a cabinet and embedding it in the interior and kitchen.
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Different types of LED strip lights
Around house and swimming pool
There could be made many choices in considering LED strip lights. Firstly we have a look at the different lamps:
Various LED options
- standard
- miniLED
- dimmable
- high power LED (HPLED), cooled by a cooling box
- color changing
- RGB LED
And there are also various options for the strip.
Various Strip options
- Choice between flexible (LED ribbon or embedded in a rope/tube) and rigid (for example to attach under a cabinet)
- Embedded in ropes (also called tubes) or loose strips
- Choice in length (customization is possible nowadays at extra cost) Standards are 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 meter.
- Waterproof strips (for outside use, kitchens or other liquid circumstances)
- Choice in all colors of the rainbow.
Voltage
It depends on the type LED lights, colors and the quantity if the strip requires 12 or 24 volt. You need an adapter to adapt the voltage to required voltage. If you connect the right resistance (adapter), you do not have to care about it anymore. If you resize or create your own strip you can read more about it by clicking here.
Applications
There are many appliances of strips, but here is only a selection of it: traffic lights, streetlights, spotlights, digital information panels, under cabinets, televisions and other flat screens, even disco lights, car lights and of course last but not least the LED strip lights. The strips could be applied in several places. LED light strips could for example be used for:
| Banisters lighting | Stair steps lighting | Façade and panel lighting |
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Click on the pictures to enlarge.
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Choice in colors
The wavelength of the released energy depends on the material contained in the lamp. The color of light emission depends on this wavelength. So colors could be formed by using specific materials. For that reason not every lamp is available for the same price and so it is also for LED strip lights. Some materials are quite expensive, like diamond.
• aluminium gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) gives us red / infrared
• aluminium indium gallium fosfide (AlInGaP) gives us deep red / red / red-orange / amber
• gallium arsene fosfide gives us red / orange / yellow
• gallium nitride (GaN) gives us green
• gallium fosfide (GaP) gives us green
• zinc selenide (ZnSe) gives us blue
• silicium carbide (SiC) gives us blue
• indium gallium nitride (InGaN) gives us green / blue / ultraviolet
• Diamond (C) gives us ultraviolet
For example blue light LEDs contains gallium nitride. This was invented by Shuki Nakamura in the years ’90 of the last century. The first blue bulbs were very expensive and had a moderate brightness. Improvement of this LED and its manufacturing leaded to a brighter and payable blue light. Nowadays manufacturing of almost every color is possible.
Even more colors possible
Nowadays A bunch of different colored LEDs let us apperceive another color. For example: Green en red lights together in a bundle let us show yellow light and combining blue, green and red together shows us white light. In LED light strips it is hard to achieve that. But there are also two colored LEDs. Simply by combining two colors in one lamp the apperceived color is different. In some cases this solution is more lucrative then a conventional one.
Did you know: The housing of the LED does not determine the color it emits. A transperant lamp can emit red, blue, green or yellow light? A transperant lamp can emit different colors. For that reason many lamps itselves are transperant.
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LED: A lighting revolution
Introduction to the Light Emitting Diode
A light emitting diode, aka LED, is an electronic component, semiconductor to be exact. It could emit light when an electric current is sent through in the right direction (forward biased). The electrons in the current lose part of their energy when they come in contact with electron holes contained in de bulb. The released energy in the form of photons results in light.
Discovery of the LED
Russian scientist Oleg Vladimirovitsj Losev invented LED light by using radio receivers. He discovered in 1927 the diodes in these receivers emit light when there is an electric current due to a radio signal. He patented his invention as “light relay” and wrote articles in different European journals. Yet it took another 35 years until the technique developed further. In the year 1962, American scientist Nick Holonyak Jr. created the first practical visible LED after Robert Briard and Gary Pitmann found that gallium arsenide emits infra red light. Initially, after invention of applicable LEDs, there were only infrared ones. These were especially applied to control panels and is still today. The improved version of infra red LEDs is still in many remote controls today. As more research was done to conduction through different materials there were more colors available.
| Oleg V. Losev | Radio with receiver | conventional component |
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Click on the pictures to enlarge.
Nowadays LED lights are many applied for different purposes. It is mainly caused by improvement of the rendement of this hardly destructible lamp. Furthermore are all the colors of the rainbow available and even changing lights. On the other hand it is quite an investment to buy good quality LED lights and not every LED color is for sale for the same price. But researches lead to improvement of brightness and cheaper manufacturing of lamps and it still does. There are only plenty of different LED lights. Below a list of the main differences. These are only differences for the LED light; for the LED strip lights specific there are more options described in another article.
Light options
- high power LED (HPLED)
- choice in colors
- changing colors
- choice in angles
- miniLED
- dimmable light
High Power LED
A major breakthrough for the development was the introduction of the high power LED (HPLED). And so it was for the LED light strips. These work in the same way as conventional ones, with the main difference that these can be feeded by a high electric current. Because the power is concentrated on a relatively small surface it will heat more. For that reason the lamp contains a cooling body. It is easy to use without requiring an extra installed cooling unit.
Choice in colors
Today every color of the rainbow in light is available. That does not mean that every color is available for the same price. The main factor of the price of LED is the material contained in it. Maybe you thought that every LED could be made of the same material. The shell indeed does. It is generally made of carbon which gives the LED its solidity. But the material which it contained is different and depends on the color you like to have. There are also bi-colored and even tri-colored LEDs. You can read more about colors in a specific article about colors by clicking here .
Changing Colors
Not only different colors, but ideed also changing colors is possible for LED strip lights. Just for a trendy bedroom or for a party at home, the switching colors could make a difference.
Choice in Angles
Varying viewing angles could make also a difference. This is the dimension in which it emits light. A wide angle emits in different directions. A small angle LED it is a very concentrated brighter light. 60° is the angle of standard LEDs, but there areo others which have a narrow beam of 30° or even less.
MiniLED
The conventional LED has not such a degree extent to make a smaller version. But the miniLED have many advantages, for example, to be applied in flat screens.
Dimmable Light
Bright light or just some less light for the atmosphere. There are LED lights that can be adapted to the light intensity you like to have.
So today there are plenty of different lamp types and strips types. Now we talked about the different LED lights we will be more specific about LED strip lights in the next article. This website is indeed about that.
Different strip options
Finally there are many strip options. Click here to read more about the different types.
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