Best Aluminum Channel Depth for COB LED Strips

COB strips need thermal mass. Shallow channel runs 20C hotter and dies in 2 years. For 10W/m use 10mm deep, for 20W/m use 15mm+.

Why Channel Depth Matters

COB strips run at 60-80C in open air. Inside a shallow channel they hit 90C+. Every 10C above 70C halves LED lifespan.

Wattage	Min Depth	Best Practice	Life
10W/m	10mm	15mm	50kh
15W/m	12mm	17mm	45kh
20W/m	15mm	20mm	40kh
24W/m+	20mm	25mm	35kh

Clear = 100% light, frosted = 85-90%, opal = 70-75%. For COB, frosted is the sweet spot.

Never run COB bare on wood. Always use a channel with thermal tape.

RGB LED strip for dynamic color-changing lighting applications.

RGBW LED strip for full-color and tunable white lighting effects.

RGB LED strip for dynamic color-changing lighting applications.

Yes for 10W/m. If it feels hot, go deeper.

Frosted loses 10-15%, opal loses 25-30%.

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