LED Modules, Drivers and Transformers

Choosing an LED Driver and Module: Power, Voltage and IP Rating

Most failures in LED lighting come not from the light source but from a wrongly chosen power supply. The right driver decides how long the system lasts and whether the light stays free of flicker. This guide is written to help you make the right match within our 111-product collection of LED modules, drivers and transformers.

1. Get the Voltage Right

LED strips and modules generally run on 12V or 24V. On long runs, 24V is preferred: at the same power it draws a lower current, which reduces the voltage drop along the cable and the dimming you otherwise see towards the end of the run. The voltage printed on the product label and the output voltage of the driver must be exactly the same.

2. Size the Power With a 20% Margin

Work out the total load, then add a safety margin. A driver running permanently at peak capacity heats up and its life is shortened.

• Worked example: if you use 5 metres of a strip drawing 14.4 W per metre, the load is 72 W; choose a driver of at least the 90 W class.
• Common classes in our catalogue: 24 W, 36 W, 60 W, 200 W, 250 W, 360 W and 400 W.
• On long runs: splitting the run and feeding it from two points is often more economical than one large driver and a heavier cable cross-section.

3. Set the IP Rating by Location

• IP20: dry interiors — concealed light lines, inside furniture, plasterboard recesses.
• IP65 and above: bathrooms, under kitchen worktops, facades and gardens. Essential anywhere exposed to moisture.

4. If You Are Going to Dim

Not every driver is dimmable. If the light is to be dimmed, both the driver and the control must support the same method; a mismatched pair makes the light flicker or cut out entirely at low levels. When choosing LED remotes and controllers, read the driver label alongside them.

Budget

Our 30 products with a published price run from 0.14 EUR to 159 EUR, with a median of 15 EUR. The width of that range is expected: a single advertising module and a 400 W power supply sit in the same list.