For this setup I would use a power supply outputting at least 24VDC. Typically, low voltage drivers like the Mean Well LDD-H work better if you have a small cushion over the voltage they require. With six of these our total voltage in this series circuit would be 18.6VDC. Say we have six Cree LEDs running off of a Mean Well LDD-H driver. For instance, a 12V power supply would be used with our LED flex strips as that is what they require.Īnother common application is using high power LEDs with constant current drivers that require a DC voltage input. LED products with built in current regulators will usually be pretty good about specifying what input voltage should be used. When building an LED fixture or replacing a bad power supply, it is important to first verify that the output voltage is compatible with the LEDs voltage. A 60-Watt (or higher) power supply will suffice for this project. Now we can add the 20% recommended cushion on with 48 x 1.2 = 57.6 Watts. Simply multiplying these will show that our system wattage should be right around 48 Watts. Say for example we have 4 runs of LED strips that run at about 12 watts each. This can easily be done by multiplying your total wattage by 1.2 and then finding a power supply rated for that wattage. Make sure to have a large enough power supply by giving yourself a 20% cushion over the total wattage you calculate from your LEDs. If you hope to run more than one light off of one power supply, you must sum the wattages up to find the total watts used. To get started, find out how many watts your light will consume. First, we should lock down the power we require from our power source. There are many things that factor into finding the right power supply for your needs. So you need some type of constant voltage power supply that can convert your AC household voltage down to a safe DC voltage. But in order to incorporate these strips in homes there is the need for an AC to DC converter that will take the 120VAC standard household voltage and convert it down to 12VDC. The 12V supply from the battery would be totally adequate for your lights. Cars batteries give off 12VDC give or take. If you wanted to install this in your car, you wouldn’t need any power supply. For example, LED flex strips have on-board current limiting resistors (as you can see built onto the flex board base). Nine times out of ten this will not be the case and you will need a power supply to convert your power to a safe DC voltage for your lights. If you are powering from a battery or happen to have a constant DC voltage that is adequate for your lights, then consider yourself lucky. These types of products will typically call for a constant DC voltage. Constant Voltage Power SuppliesĪ constant voltage power supply can be used to power LED lights that have resistors or constant current drivers already within the system. If you don’t have a current limiting device, finding a driver is your first step but if your LED product already has current under control, you can follow this post in finding a constant voltage power supply. If you are unsure whether you need a constant current source, take a look at this helpful post in order to find out. Most finished LED products or LED strip lights (that you would buy straight from the store) already have drivers or resistors built in to regulate the current. If you are building your own LED fixture or working with any of our component star LEDs, you will need a constant current device within your system. This overdraw of current will make LED brightness fluctuate, leading to high internal heat that will eventually lead to failure of the LED light. LEDs electrical characteristics change as they heat up if current is not regulated, LEDs will draw too much current over time. This constant current driver or current limiting resistor is used to regulate current to the LEDs, keeping them running safe and maximizing their lifetime. Most LEDs need a current-limiting device (whether that be a driver or resistors) in order to prevent LEDs from being over driven. This post will go through those many factors and help you select the right power supply for your LEDs!įIRST…Make Sure you have control of the current to your LEDs There are many different factors to consider when choosing a power supply for LED lighting. You will either need a constant current LED driver or a constant voltage power supply (or a combination of both) in order to make your LEDs work properly. Whether you are building your own LED fixture, fixing and retrofitting existing fixtures, or purchasing new LED lights, you will need to find the correct power source for your LEDs.
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