How to Determine a Sufficient Power Supply
The power supply, also known as a transformer or driver, is one of the most important components of an LED system. Using the wrong type of power supply can not only damage your LED product but can also be a very dangerous fire hazard. It is also important to know your input AC Voltage and be certain that it coheres with the products requirements. Determining the proper power supply is fairly simple when you follow these few steps.
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The DC voltage of your LED product is a key element in determining the correct power supply that you need to purchase. Here at Ecolocity LED all of our LED transformers are constant voltage style, meaning that they are not dimmable and must constantly remain at the products DC Voltage. This does not mean that our lighting products are not dimmable, it simply means that the power supply cannot be dimmed, dimming is only achieved through PWM dimmers which can be found in a wide variety on under our LED Lighting Controls category page. We sell 5VDC, 12VDC, and 24VDC power supplies. We carry a small amount of LED Modules that require 5VDC, all of our LED Strip Lighting as well as most of our LED Modules require 12VDC with some new 24VDC strip light additions, and all of our Wall Washer LED products require 24VDC.
After you have determined the voltage of the LED Product that you would like to use, you must then calculate the total distance of your project. Be as precise as possible to avoid any complications further along in your installation.
On each of our product pages you can find a specifications table that list the DC Voltage of the product as well as the wattage that the product needs in order to function properly. LED Modules specs are listed per module, LED Strip Lighting is listed as wattage per foot, and all other products are listed per product. If you know the amperage and voltage of the product you can simply multiply the two to figure the wattage.
The next step in determining the correct transformer to use would be some simple multiplication and addition. Once you know the length or amount of product that you will be using. Simply multiply that variable by the products wattage spec and then add an additional 10-15% on top of that in order to not overdrive the power supply. Once this number is determined you can choose from any power supply that is greater than that variable. Note: it is not possible to under drive a power supply.
After you have determined the sufficient amount of wattage that you will need to power your LED lights, then you can consider what style of power supply that you would like to use. Below is a list of the different types of power supplies that we carry here at Ecolocity LED.
We have a variety of wall plug style transformers in both 12VDC and 24VDC, intended for indoor use only. Our wall plug power supplies range from 12W to 60W making them great for smaller projects. Another advantage to this style of power supply is that they are simple to use, just plug them into your existing 100-240VAC electrical outlet and hook them up to your single color LED Lights, or LED Light components using any of our barrel connector products.
If you are planning on hard wiring your LED power supply directly to your 100-240VAC power source then a hard wire style transformer would be necessary. We carry a variety of hard wire style power supplies, including many that are water-resistant. Be aware of which power supply that you are purchasing as some contain special mounting instructions as well as cooling fans in order to operate properly.
If you have an outdoor job or are mounting your power supply in a place that is exposed to dust and moisture, then one of our water-resistant power supplies would be the correct choice. All water-resistant power supplies come with an IP66 or IP 67 outdoor rating. Note: These power supplies are non UV Proof and non submersible.
Other Related Categories
LED Applications
There are plenty of Home LED Applications that can be done by any do it yourselfer. From under cabinet LED Lighting using our LED Strip Lights or LED Modules to Indoor and Outdoor incandescent replacements, LED Lighting conversions for your home are not only easy to do but will also save you energy and replacement costs as LED Lights are earth friendly, low energy, and long lasting.
12VDC Constant Voltage LED Power Supplies
A variety of 12VDC power supplies capable of transforming a wide range of AC power input to 12VDC power output for usage with 12VDC LED products only. Choose from our high quality Mean Well brand 12 volt plug in, indoor and waterproof styles as well as our 12VDC indoor and outdoor rated Magnitude brand dimmable power converters. Click the links below for quick access to our different types of power supplies.
DIY LED Projects
DIY projects using LED Modules and LED Light Ribbon for easy to do and energy efficient, Do It Yourself lighting. These products can be used many different ways including under cabinets, under counters, cove lighting, in crown molding and even under stairs. These are some of the projects that we've done, if you would like to show us some of your projects we would love to see your ideas and input.
24VDC Constant Voltage LED Power Supplies
A variety of 24VDC power supplies capable of transforming a wide range of AC power to 24VDC power for usage with 24VDC LED products only. Use our Mean Well and Magnitude brand 24 volt transformers for powering our 24V LED strips, 24V LED fixtures, 24V Wall Washers, 24V controls and accessories.
5VDC LED Power Supplies
5VDC power supplies for transforming your 100-240VAC power source to 5VDC power for usage with 5VDC Constant Voltage LED products only.
Customer LED Projects
Here you can see all of our customer's amazing LED lighting projects that were created using Ecolocity LED products and LED Lighting accessories. From LED Strip Light Projects to LED Wall Washer projects, our customer's have done it all. Browse these great finished projects to get some ideas for your next LED Lighting design.