What LED Driver Do I Need?

How to install LEDs with the appropriate driver

Compatibility is essential when picking the correct LED driver. The improper driver could cause failure and possibly damage to the system's components in an LED setup. Our helpful technical staff at BENWEI is here to provide you with advice on all things LED and assist you in locating the product that is best for you. We are one of the major suppliers in the UK and industry specialists. Here is our guide to drivers, including the crucial inquiries to ask when buying them and our best advice for effectively installing them.

Who are drivers?

The electricity needed to 'drive' runs of LED strip lighting is controlled and supplied by devices known as LED drivers. They convert mains voltage alternating current (240v AC) to a lower voltage in a manner akin to conventional transformers. LED drivers, however, also convert mains voltage current into the steady, direct current (DC) that LEDs need. Drivers control the power provided to the LEDs so that it is a constant and typically either 12v or 24v of DC. They do this by altering their output in accordance with the electrical properties of the LED strip which change as it heats up.

All LED systems—aside from those created particularly to be controlled by mains voltage power sources, such mains voltage tape or LED bulbs—need LED drivers since LEDs require a constant DC of 12 or 24 volts. To purchase an appropriate driver from BENWEI, simply respond to these 5 straightforward questions:

1.What voltage is it?

All LED strip lights' specifications specify that they must be powered by either 12 volts or 24 volts. Make sure the driver you purchase has the output voltage the tape demands. The LEDs will initially shine brighter when 12v tape is used with a 24v driver, but the higher voltage will eventually wear out the tape. The LEDs won't light up at all when 24v tape is used with a 12v driver.

2. How many watts?

Depending on its length, LED tape uses a different amount of power. The amount of power used by a tape per metre is measured by its watts. Simply multiply the tape's wattage by the number of metres you are running to determine the number of watts your run of tape requires. You can select a suitable driver after you know the run of tape's wattage.

A driver's wattage provides information about its maximum output capacity. To ensure a longer lifespan, we advise selecting a driver with a wattage capability that is at least 10% higher than the wattage the LED tape requires.

For instance, 30 watts are needed to power 5m of 6w LED tape. To power this cassette, a driver with an output capacity of 33 watts or higher is advised.

3. Is a water-resistant driver required for your vehicle?

Use a water resistant driver when putting your LED strip lighting outside, in a kitchen or in a bathroom. Check a driver's Ingress Protection, or "IP" rating, to see whether it is water resistant. Splash-proof drivers are best used in bathrooms and kitchens because they have an IP rating of 65. Waterproof drivers are best used outside and have an IP rating of 67 or higher.

4. Do you desire the option of dimming your LEDs?

Buy a driver with dimming capabilities if you want to be able to dim your LEDs. There are two types of them: leading edge dimmable drivers, also called TRIAC drivers, and trailing edge dimmable drivers, also known as ELV drivers. They both function by lowering the amount of power provided to the LED. Click here for additional information on the differences between the two distinct dimming technologies.

5. Professional or Plug & Play?

If you're doing your own LED lighting installation, we recommend our standard line of LED drivers because they include a wire and mains voltage UK plug already attached, making installation simpler than before.

We offer our Professional range of drivers for persons with electrical knowledge who need access to the driver's ports or are searching for a driver for a more demanding circumstance, such as in a retail or commercial environment. There is no need to be concerned about failure because of their exemplary dependability history, high-quality internal components, and industry-leading 5 year warranty. Additionally, they include many terminals allowing installation that is more adaptable but necessitates hard wiring.

100ah Lithium Battery

Feature

● Longer Service Life: Our 100ah lithium battery provides 2500 - 7000 cycles & a 10 years lifetime compared to 200 - 500 cycles & a 3 years lifetime in typical Lead Acid chemistry.
● Also supports expansion up to 2 batteries sequenced in series at 24V 100Ah, or max. 4 batteries in parallel at 12V 400Ah.
● Efficient Power: Our 100ah lithium battery’s flat discharge curve holds above 12V for up to 95% of its capacity usage providing astronomical boosts in run-time compared to only 50% in Lead Acid.

Specification