A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising: a string (ST) including a number of light emitting diode (LED) elements functionally connected with an AC voltage source configured to apply an input voltage (Vi) to said string (ST), wherein the string (ST) comprises a plurality of segments (S1, S2, S3,...), with each segment (S1, S2, S3,...) comprising at least one or more of said light emitting diode (LED) elements , wherein the light emitting diode (LED) lighting system is configured to connect a first segment (S1) in the string (ST) between and driven by the input voltage (Vi) when said input voltage (Vi) is bigger than a first threshold, and to connect the first segment (S1) and a second segment (S2) in the string between and driven by the input voltage (Vi) when said input voltage (Vi) is bigger than a second threshold bigger than said first threshold, wherein each LED element comprises a light emitting diode configured to generate blue LED radiation , said first segment (S1) comprises a second photoluminescent material comprising LED element , wherein the second photoluminescent material comprising LED element comprises (a) light emitting diode and (b) a second photoluminescent material configured to convert at least part of said LED radiation into second conversion radiation in the visible, and wherein said second photoluminescent material only has a decay time of the second conversion radiation smaller than 1 ms, and said second segment (S2) comprise first photoluminescent material comprising LED elements each comprising (a) light emitting diode and (b) a first photoluminescent material configured to convert at least part of said LED radiation into first conversion radiation in the visible, and wherein said first photoluminescent material only has a decay time of the first conversion radiation in the range of 1-500 ms. a string (ST) including a number of light emitting diode (LED) elements functionally connected with an AC voltage source configured to apply an input voltage (Vi) to said string (ST), wherein the string (ST) comprises a plurality of segments (S1, S2, S3,...), with each segment (S1, S2, S3,...) comprising at least one or more of said light emitting diode (LED) elements , wherein the light emitting diode (LED) lighting system is configured to connect a first segment (S1) in the string (ST) between and driven by the input voltage (Vi) when said input voltage (Vi) is bigger than a first threshold, and to connect the first segment (S1) and a second segment (S2) in the string between and driven by the input voltage (Vi) when said input voltage (Vi) is bigger than a second threshold bigger than said first threshold, wherein each LED element comprises a light emitting diode configured to generate blue LED radiation , said first segment (S1) comprises a second photoluminescent material comprising LED element , wherein the second photoluminescent material comprising LED element comprises (a) light emitting diode and (b) a second photoluminescent material configured to convert at least part of said LED radiation into second conversion radiation in the visible, and wherein said second photoluminescent material only has a decay time of the second conversion radiation smaller than 1 ms, and said second segment (S2) comprise first photoluminescent material comprising LED elements each comprising (a) light emitting diode and (b) a first photoluminescent material configured to convert at least part of said LED radiation into first conversion radiation in the visible, and wherein said first photoluminescent material only has a decay time of the first conversion radiation in the range of 1-500 ms. <EOS>