Flat Electroluminescent Light.
Adhesive-Backed or Panel Form.

Standard EL Tape is rated for indoor use. Outdoor-rated (IP68) EL Tape is available on request — this version has a fully sealed construction that can handle moisture, rain, and humidity without ingress damage.

For indoor tape that needs to handle occasional moisture — bar tops, event installs, anything that might get splashed — Edgeguard EL Tape Sealant applied to all cut edges and connection points provides significant protection. It won't give you IP68, but it substantially extends the life of any EL Tape in a damp environment.

Don't submerge standard EL Tape. Even sealant-treated tape is not waterproof — it is moisture resistant at best. If your application needs actual submersion, contact us about fully waterproofed options.

All Parallel EL Tape ships pre-soldered with EZ Snap connectors — plug directly into any EL inverter that uses the standard EZ Snap format, which is the vast majority of EL inverters on the market including all Ellumiglow battery packs and wall units. The EZ Snap connector has been the industry standard for over 20 years.

If you need to cut the tape and reconnect after cutting, you have two options. The easiest method uses Crimp Connectors — punch them through the tape panel, one on each side of the electrode traces, and connect. No soldering required. The Silicone EL Tape Connection Cover keeps the connection protected and is flexible enough for costume applications.

For a more permanent or robust connection — or anything that will see heavy use — soldering is the better choice. See the Cut & Solder services page if you'd prefer to have this done for you.

EL Tape has a rated lifespan of approximately 5,000–7,000 hours at standard brightness. The technology dims gradually over time rather than failing suddenly — by the halfway point of rated lifespan you may notice a roughly 50% reduction in brightness compared to when new.

Brightness can be partially extended by using an inverter that runs at a slightly lower frequency — this reduces output but slows the degradation rate. For permanent installations where longevity matters more than peak brightness, discuss inverter options with us before specifying.

EL Tape is not the right choice for applications requiring consistent high brightness over many years. For those applications, Pixel-Free LED™ or LED strip alternatives are more appropriate. EL Tape excels where the thin profile, flexibility, and even glow are more important than raw brightness.

One of EL Tape's less obvious applications is as a flat frame light source for astrophotography. Astrophotographers use flat frames — evenly lit images captured through their telescope — to calibrate their imaging setup and remove sensor artifacts like vignetting and dust shadows.

The challenge with flat frames is getting a perfectly even, flicker-free light source. EL Panels are exceptionally well-suited to this because they produce completely even illumination across their entire surface with no hot spots, no flicker, and a thin enough profile to sit flat against a telescope aperture.

We offer pre-built Astrophotography Flat Frame Kits in standard telescope aperture sizes — available in the EL Panels collection. If you need a custom size for a non-standard aperture, contact us.