Power supply or power adapter?

LED strip light power supply or transformer is a very important part in using LED strip lights. LED light strips are low-voltage devices that require a low voltage power supply or LED driver. The right power supply is also important for LED strip lights to achieve the best performance. Using the wrong LED power supply will not only damage the light strips, but will also damage the power supply itself. In addition, too weak a power supply can cause overheating. Therefore, you may follow this step by step guide to choose the right LED strip light power supply.

1. Choose to use LED Power Supply or power adapter.

Both switching power supply and adapter are widely used to LED strip light transformer. The project scale and installation method determine which one to choose. Many people want to find a 10m LED strip power supply or 20m LED strip power supply. Here we need to know that it is not the LED strip length that determines what power supply to buy. It is the wattage of the LED strip. Because LED strip lights are designed different wattage per meter or per foot.

If you need to install more and longer run LED strips, it is better to choose the switching power supply. Why? Generally, the switching power supply is relatively large in power output, suitable to be used as LED strip light transformer that is able to provide enough power for multiple or long run LED strips. Switching power supplies also generally perform better for big projects and are more efficient in power conversion.

2. Use the correct voltage.

LED strip lights have an operating voltage of 12V or 24V. If your strip light is 12V DC (DC stands for direct current), you should only use 12V LED strip power supply. Do not use the 24V power supply, otherwise your light strip will be damaged. If the LED light strip is 24V, only a 24V constant voltage power supply can be used. With a 12V LED strip power supply, the voltage is not enough to drive the light strip.

Another important factor to consider when buying 12V or 24V LED strip light power supply. Current is a factor to consider for LED strip installation and the choice of power supply. For 12V LED strip and 24V LED strip of same wattage, the 24V LED strip draws only half the current as the 12V strip does.

The choice of wires is also different. At 24V, the current of the circuit is small, and the wires can be chosen for smaller gauge specifications.

Our switching power supplies and power adapters have different output power, and also support customization, please feel free to contact us.