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Safety first! This isn’t just a trite saying, it is the guiding principle for any electrical product, including high quality LED strip lights from HitLights. Decerning customers often ask us if our HitLights LED strip lights bear the UL mark. We know there is a lot of confusion about what that familiar UL in a circle means (especially for your next LED strip light project.) ALL HitLights LED strip lights are safe to use, so what is the big deal about UL Listing? Here’s a deep (but safe!) dive into everything you need to know about the benefits of UL Listed LED strip lights from HitLights.
What do Volvos, Johnson & Johnson Tear-Free Baby Shampoo, and UL Listed products all have in common?
They are known and trusted for safety. (Hopefully you think “safe LED strip lights” when you think HitLights, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.) Volvo makes safe cars, Johnson & Johnson makes safe-for-baby washes, and UL Solutions lets consumers know which products can be absolutely trusted for safety. How do they do that? UL evaluates products in light of certain specific manufacturing standards, giving the “UL Mark” to products that test against their rigorous standards. That way, consumers — like home improvement pros, independent contractors, interior designers or homeowners — can choose products that have an extra level of assurance. Chances are you’ve seen the UL mark inside a circle on a tag on electrical plugs and many other places.
But what does UL Listed mean? Do all products have to be UL Listed? And what’s the benefit of using a UL Listed LED Strip Light?
If you’re wondering about UL Listings and HitLights LED Strip Lights, you’re in the right place.
What does UL Listed mean?
To understand what UL Listed means, it’s important to know that UL Listed is a transfer of trust from a testing laboratory to the consumer. If a product boasts the UL Listed mark, you can be confident that the product met or exceeded rigorous safety standards. UL Listed is one of many marks. The others are UL Certified, UL Recognized, UL Classified, or UL Performance Verified. These are all published by a company with more than a century of experience under its belt: UL Solutions.
UL Solutions, which previously operated under the name “Underwriters Laboratory,” started off as a nonprofit in the late 1800s. Today UL is a global safety standards company. By the way, a common misconception is that it’s a government agency (like OSHA) but that’s inaccurate.
UL Listed Products Go Through Testing
In order for a product to be UL Listed, it has to be thoroughly tested against standards. If it meets or exceeds those standards, the UL Mark is printed on the product and communicates a safety certification to manufacturers, regulators and consumers. Today, there are more than 20 billion UL marks on products worldwide!
UL is a testing lab. They’re what’s known as an NRTL — a Nationally Recognized Testing Lab. There are multiple NRTLs approved by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, but UL tends to set the bar and be known by consumers.
How Do Safety Standards Get Established?
Just like new product offerings change marketplaces, UL responds to market changes and industry advancements with new standards. When a new standard needs to be developed, UL will put together a committee whose role is to develop an adequate standard. Once the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approves it the standard becomes nationally approved, available to be tested against in any of the NRTLs. When a product passes a safety standard, you’ll see the UL Listed Mark.
A UL listing means it has evaluated a product to the entirety of the standard. There could be a number of tests within a standard that a product may or may not comply with. When a product is listed, that product passes the entire scope of the standard.
UL Listed is one of the highest standards a manufactured product can reach. When you use HitLights UL Listed product offerings, you know you’re going above and beyond in investing in a standard that will bring both you and your client peace of mind.
Are LEDs UL Approved?
Are LED Strip Lights UL Approved? Great question. No products can be UL Approved! That’s because UL Solutions is a Nationally Recognized Testing Lab (NRTL) that tests products and systems against certain standards. They do not approve or disprove products or systems. To say that a product is UL Approved misrepresents the process that has taken place. Over a long time, a product is tested for certain safety requirements. That can look like testing against shock or fire.
UL test products against standards. These standards are developed as safety mechanisms, and once developed, UL can then test to that standard. However, UL is not a government agency that can approve a product—UL only tests for safety.
Do LED lights need to be UL listed?
Depending on your municipal or building codes, and your clients' preferences, you may need to select LED products that are UL Listed. If this is the case, head on over to the HitLights source for UL Listed LED Strip Lights.
Are LED strips a fire hazard?
As we’re thrilled to have said before, when installed correctly and appropriately, LED lights are safe for so many applications, including for home, office, garage, and commercial use. HitLights LED Strip Lights can be safely installed indoors or outdoors.
Do light bulbs need to be UL listed?
In commercial building codes, fixtures and systems are almost always required to be UL Listed. The UL mark would mean that these electrical products would be tested to ensure no safety hazards or malfunctions take place. While individual private clients may not require UL Listed products in their jobsite, installing products with these marks often brings greater ease of mind.
The Bottom Line on HitLights UL Listed LED Strip Lights
Here at HitLights, we see ourselves as the LED strip lights partner to the independent contractor, handman, electrical professional, interior designer, and homeowner DIYer. And sometimes, you just want the product that has gotten that extra seal of safety for peace of mind, municipal code regulations, or building code requirements. That’s why we’ve invested so much of our time and resources into testing so many products through UL — and you can find those and so many more right here. From power supplies, to strips to dimmable drivers and in multicolor and single-color options, for interior, exterior and water applications we've got the UL Listed, NEC-approved products you need.
Not sure exactly what UL Listed LED Strip Light will meet your project’s needs? We have a team of brilliant HitLights representatives who geek out over electrical codes, premium lighting, and transforming spaces. So don’t hesitate. If you’re curious about the standards, testing, or anything else, reach out today. By the way, our UL Listed products come with a 6-year warranty as well. We look forward to speaking with you!
What is the difference between UL Listed and UL Certified?
UL Listing refers only to products that were tested against the NRTL’s safety standard, recognized by ANSI, in a specific equipment category. On the other hand, UL certification is an overarching term that includes UL Listed and UL Recognized.
What is the difference between UL Listed and UL Recognized?
Here’s the cheat sheet on UL Listed versus UL Recognized:
- Listed is for individual components;
- Recognized is the mark that represents entire systems
HitLights LED Light Strips can be UL Listed, and internal ac-dc power supplies can be UL Recognized.
Do products have to be UL Listed?
When you’re on a job, how do you know if a product has to be UL Listed? What about personal and client preference? Some of these things are cut and dry—like low-voltage landscape lighting. There, the NEC requires UL Listed products, so make sure you check Section 411. But in client homes and offices? It’s not so straightforward. The good news is that all of HitLights products are safe. To go above and beyond, investing in UL Listed products can give you and your client extra peace of mind.
How long does it take to get UL Listed?
From prototype to market, it can take six months to a year to attain the coveted UL Listing. Plus, the process is complex and expensive. Our hope is that our customers recognize how seriously we take their wants, needs and safety concerns when they see that HitLights has invested in getting our products UL Listed.
How do you know if a product is UL Listed?
Your UL Listed products should carry the UL Mark. To find the mark, look for the letters U and L inside a circle, with the word “Listed” either to the side or immediately beneath the circle.
HitLights is proud of its UL Listed products. These above-and-beyond LED Light Strip applications undergo rigorous testing—and there are plenty of nefarious online companies trying to pull the wool over would-be customers' eyes with fake UL Listings. Unfortunately, low quality manufacturers would love to sell lesser quality, unsafe products to unsuspecting buyers.
To make sure a product has actually been UL Listed by UL themselves, contact UL directly, or call HitLights representatives (1 (855) 768-4135) to learn about our product offerings and the testing they’ve gone through.