HOW TO CHOOSE BEST POWER SUPPLY FOR LEDS

If traditionally the lighting sector was characterized by the use of halogen, incandescent lamps or fluorescent lamps, in the contemporary world LED lighting is spreading on a large scale. What are the factors that lead to the choice of this lighting system compared to the others? Undoubtedly the duration and energy savings, as well as greater reliability. To improve efficiency, it is important to carefully choose the type of LED power supply. Let's see together how to select the right product.

An LED emits light when a voltage is applied to its ends and the current flows inside it. The voltage must be equal to or greater than the direct voltage drop on the LED (usually equal to 2-3 Volts) and the current usually must be 350 mega Ampere for a 1 Watt LED, which is the minimum power size used in the field of 'lighting. But be careful: if the voltage applied is greater than the nominal direct voltage of the LED, the current will increase, also raising the temperature of the LED chips, which could cause the device to malfunction. The voltage supplied by the power supply must, therefore, be adequate for the current required by our LED device.

It is also preferable to choose a constant current power supply. In this way we can set the current to the maximum value, to guarantee the maximum efficiency and the functionality of the product, and, something to be reckoned with, to obtain the correct brightness.

How can we then select a power supply for LED lighting so that it can lead to a good result? We say that in this regard there are several factors that affect the choice, and we will list them in the next paragraph.

The factors that affect the choice of a LED power supply

As mentioned above, there are several variables that determine the choice of a power supply for lighting the LED, among which the following are worth mentioning:

·        The fact that the LED must be used outside or inside a structure: in this case we speak of an environmental factor;

·        The degree of protection required for the power supply, which may be waterproof (or waterproof) or require another specific degree of protection;

·        The adaptation of the power supply to the new safety standards, in particular, the Iec61347 Part 1 at the international level, the En61347 at European level, and the UL8750 valid in the United States. However, in this regard, it must be pointed out that the power supply unit does not always have to comply with the requirements of the aforementioned standards: often an ITE power supply may be sufficient;

·        The type of cooling required for the LED, which may be conduction or conventionally cooling;

·        the power over all that is required, which can be reduced when we are in the presence of single lighting but can increase considerably when we are dealing with a larger and more complex system, which often requires many hundreds of Watts;

·        Finally, among the factors that influence the choice of the power supply, we have the degree of efficiency required for energy saving and the consistency with which this is maintained.

So if we need to feed our 18W LED strip, for example, we can choose a 25W power supply to ensure it works properly.
Also, read about THE RIGHT LIGHTING FOR THE GARAGE WITH LEDS.