Guidelines For Choosing Power Supplies For Low Voltage Led Lights 12 V Or 24 V

Submitted by: Kristina Korecova

Guidelines for Choosing Power Supplies for Low Voltage LED Lights

12V or 24V

LED lights run at low voltage, so running them at mains directly is not always possible. Low voltage? I need a transformer! but what exactly are the requirements for LED lighting? Why does it so often happen that LEDs simply melt placed into an existing lighting system, and the money paid for it just goes down the drain? Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about LED transformers.

As more and more of us chose LED lights, the latest energy-saving, cool running and long lasting solutions, we will very likely come across the problem of choosing transformers for them. Light emitting diodes run on stabilized, direct current. They are available running at mains and low voltage LEDs, but only low voltage LEDs require transformers.

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LED bulbs running at mains, do not need a transformer, since they include a transformer in the fixture of the bulb. This way the bulb itself with the help of a chip, transforms 220V mains into the DC it requires. With this technology they can simply replace conventional forms of lighting.

LED lights running at 12V require transformers or power supplies for running them at mains. A major criterion for power supplies is their Wattage or performance, but this single figure is not enough on its own to decide what it is exactly that you need.

There are basically two different ways of transforming current: the magnetic / wire wound and the electric transforming. Although the result is the same: a set voltage is created, LED lights are mostly run with traditional magnetic transformers. The reason why electric transforming is not suitable for LED is that electric transformers do not contain a fuse. This way they are a less stable way of transforming voltage and have too much fluctuation.

Another figure of transformers is whether they are constant current or constant voltage. Most LEDs need constant voltage, but always check what you need with your LED distributor, since this feature depends on the LED s making. The performance of the transformer you need is simply the total amount of LED lights running at it though it is advised to have somewhat bigger transformers than that.

Always check whether your power supplies are water proof, or it is protected against overload, over voltage and over temperature. With the help of the adequate fuse, these features can protect both your transformer and LEDs.

All in all, it is best to purchase transformers made particularly for LED, and even then, because of the wide variety of power supplies available on the market.

LED technology has been around us for a long time used as signal lights in electronic appliances, calculators or watches. Its first forms have been coloured version, and the technology took a long path to get to white lighting and today s light intensity.

LED lights are one of the hottest technologies recently becoming available in household lighting. LED technology, however, has been invented at the beginning of the 20th century, but was not suitable for household lighting purposes.

About the Author: Kristina Korecova works at

LEDcentre.uk.com

, a company that offers a wide range of low and main voltage, eco-friendly, energy efficient and cool running LED lights, like LED GU10, LED MR11, LED MR16, G4 LEDs and B22/E27 light bulbs and flexible water proof LED strip lights ideal for homes, offices,

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