How to accurately select  LED drivers?

1. Power and Voltage Matching

When we select a driver, the output voltage must be consistent with the rated voltage of the LED lamp, otherwise it will affect the normal operation of the lamp or even cause damage. For example, a 12V LED lamp should be matched with a 12V LED driver. If the voltage does not match, it may cause overcurrent, light flickering, or failure to light up.

The driver's power rating (W) should be at least slightly greater than the total power requirement of the LED fixture. If the power of the LED lamp is higher than that of the driver, it may cause overheating and frequent power outages, and if the power of the LED driver is too high, it may increase energy consumption. To reduce unnecessary waste, it is usually recommended that the driver power be 10-20% higher than the actual lamp power to ensure long-term stable operation and extend the service life of the equipment.

2. Brightness Requirements

Higher voltage drivers (such as 48V) are usually used for high-power LED lamps and are suitable for applications with higher brightness requirements, such as large-area lighting. And lower voltage (such as 12V) is suitable for low-power, small-range lighting needs.

Select the power of the driver based on the brightness level of the lamp required for the project to ensure that the LED lamp reaches the expected brightness. For example, commercial or industrial scenes have high brightness requirements and high-power, high-voltage drivers are usually selected to meet large-scale, high-brightness requirements.

The driver has a dimming function and can adjust the brightness through PWM or 0-10V dimming to adapt to different lighting needs. It is especially suitable for places where the brightness needs to be flexibly adjusted to achieve energy saving and reduce unnecessary energy waste.

3. Wiring Distance

In long-distance cabling, current loss is a critical factor. Lower voltages (such as 12V, and 24V) will lead to increased current loss during long-distance transmission, thus affecting brightness consistency and system efficiency. In comparison, high-voltage (such as 36V, 48V) drivers have less loss during long-distance transmission and are suitable for outdoor lighting and large-scale lighting projects.

In long-distance transmission, it is necessary to select appropriate cables. The lower the voltage, the larger the cross-sectional area of the required cable. Otherwise, the increased resistance will lead to power loss and uneven brightness. High-voltage drivers can reduce the need for cables and improve wiring efficiency in long-distance transmission.

It is recommended that in large-area projects, parallel wiring be used to avoid the problem of uneven brightness in series connections, and current loss can be reduced through distributed wiring.

4. Environmental Factors

Depending on the installation environment, the IP protection rating of the drive is a very important consideration. Outdoor projects need to choose drivers with waterproof and dustproof properties such as IP65, IP67, or higher to ensure stable operation under harsh conditions such as rain, dust, vibration, etc.

If the drive is installed in a high-temperature or cold environment, you should choose a drive with a wide temperature range to adapt to different temperature changes and avoid performance degradation caused by overheating or low temperature.

High-power drivers usually generate more heat, especially in high-brightness applications, and good thermal design is necessary. For example, aluminum heat sinks or fans can effectively extend the life of the drive. Thermal dissipation is particularly important for drives installed in enclosed spaces to prevent overheating protection from triggering frequently.

5. Security Protection

The driver should have overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, short circuit protection, overheating protection, and other functions to prevent fire and other accidents and ensure the reliability of the system.

6. Cost and energy efficiency control

Avoid purchasing over-specified drives by choosing your drive's power and voltage wisely. Although high-specification drives have stronger performance, they may cause unnecessary cost increases in situations where power requirements are not large.

High-quality drives are typically highly energy efficient (over 85%), helping to reduce energy waste. For long-running projects, especially commercial or industrial projects, choosing high-efficiency drives can significantly reduce operating costs.

8. Applicability to different voltages

• 12V constant voltage LED driver

The output voltage is 12V, usually suitable for low-power LED lighting.

Many LED light strips for indoor lighting are low-voltage lighting. Usually, 12V can meet our lighting needs. For example, our cabinets, corridor lighting, interior decoration lighting, etc. usually have low lighting power and are soft lighting sources. A 12V driver can satisfy. Of course, in addition to home decorative lighting, 12V power supply is also commonly used for ambient lighting in cars, small light boxes at shop doors, advertising signs, and some small portable lighting equipment.

• 24V constant voltage LED driver

The output voltage is 24V, which is common in medium-power LED lighting applications and has good transmission efficiency and distance.

The 24V voltage can effectively reduce current consumption and enable the light strip to maintain uniform brightness over a long distance, so long-distance LED light strips are generally 24V. Suitable for indoor and outdoor linear lighting, such as linear lighting for medium-sized projects such as architectural outline lights, outdoor wall lights, outdoor landscapes, etc. The 24V driver can reduce brightness attenuation and perform stably in medium-power lighting.

• 36V constant voltage LED driver

The output voltage is 36V, suitable for higher-power LED lamps. Compared to 12V and 24V, 36V is less common but has advantages in some applications.

In some industrial scenarios, such as warehouses and workshops, high-brightness fixtures may require 36V drivers to maintain efficiency. Some custom lamps or special light sources require 36V drive to achieve the necessary stability and brightness. In industrial and warehousing projects, 36V drivers are used for lighting equipment with higher brightness requirements, such as industrial high bay lights, industrial and warehousing lighting, and some customized equipment or special lamps (such as agriculture and medical fields) may require higher power. support. In medium-sized outdoor lighting projects, 36V can provide stable power and brightness.

• 48V constant voltage LED driver

The output voltage is 48V, which is suitable for high-power LED applications with low current requirements and good transmission efficiency.

Gu Ming said that large-scale lighting projects such as large buildings, bridges, tunnels, sports venues, and airports all require 48V high-voltage lighting. The current of the 48V driver is small, which can reduce power loss, improve power utilization, and ensure uniform brightness in lighting applications with long transmission distances.

8. Summarize

Choosing a suitable LED driver requires careful consideration of power, voltage, brightness requirements, wiring distance, environmental protection, etc. based on the actual needs of the project. Reasonable selection can ensure the stability of the light, while also effectively controlling costs and extending the service life of the system. When making the actual choice, it is recommended to communicate with professional suppliers to obtain the best solution.