Lighting fixtures offered by the manufacturer on the Russian market are quite diverse. They may differ both in appearance and in the type of emitters installed in them. To date, the most popular devices on LED-elements. However, the problem is that not all of them are able to work without additional equipment. Today we will talk about power supplies for LED strips. You should figure out what types of such devices are found, what they serve for and how to choose them.
What is a PSU for LED strip
A similar device is used to lower the mains voltage and stabilize the current. In fact, the LED strip power supply is a transformer equipped with a rectifier and dressed in a protective case, which can be either simple, not protected from moisture, orsealed. In addition to the listed elements, power supplies are equipped with capacitors that serve to protect against failures and dampen various interferences. The larger its capacity, the better for the LED strip.
An individual power supply is selected according to the parameters directly under the already purchased LED strip or simultaneously with it if there are calculations made in advance. Many believe that the purchase of such a device is a completely unjustified waste of funds, and they make a power supply for the LED strip with their own hands. It is not difficult to do this; a power supply unit from an old computer can act as it. The main thing is that all the necessary characteristics fit.
Types of power supplies by output voltage
To organize the lighting of apartments and private houses, 3 types of power supplies are used.
- 12V output voltage are the most common devices that can be found almost everywhere. Therefore, in the event of a failure of such a unit, it will not be difficult to replace it.
- 24 V - although such devices are found, they are much less common. Due to not too much demand in stores, there are usually a limited number of such blocks. If you need to purchase, there is no guarantee that such a PSU can be quickly found, especially in small cities.
- 36 B is relatively new equipment. To date, the demand for such LED strip power supplies is minimal. This makes one doubt that such PSUs will stay on the market.
Connecting the stabilizing device
The question of how to connect an LED strip to a power supply is quite simple, but it has some nuances. The terminals for connection are indicated on the PSU case - it will be very difficult to make a mistake here. But in the length of the bands and the methods of switching, many are often confused.
The LED strip that is energized should not be longer than 5 m. Otherwise, the conductive paths may not withstand the load and burn out. If you need to connect a longer strip, you can add a second segment. But the connection must be made in parallel. With a sequential one, it will turn out the same as the installation of a whole segment of 10 m, and this is unacceptable.
Today in stores you can find bays of LED strips of 50 and 100 m. Such an LED strip is connected without a power supply and is designed for large areas. Most often, it is dressed in a silicone sleeve to protect against atmospheric precipitation and is quite successfully used in the design of streets, shop windows and other objects. You can learn more about such a strip in the following video.
UPS selection criteria for LED strip
Before buying a power supply, you must carefully calculate the load consumed by all the LEDs that you plan to connect to it. Adding up the power of all segments of the tapes, you need to add 15-20%. If there is no UPS with exactly these parameters on sale, they are rounded up. You should not purchase an LED strip power supply with characteristics that are stronglyexceeding the necessary. This will only lead to unnecessary costs.
The installation location of the UPS plays an important role. If you plan to illuminate the ceiling, walls or furniture in the bedroom, hallway, living room, then you can buy a power supply in an unprotected case. But for the bathroom, bathroom and even the kitchen, you will have to purchase a device with moisture protection. In this case, an ordinary power supply unit will not only not last long, but may even be dangerous. You also need to pay attention to the output voltage: if the tape is designed for 12 V, then the 24 V power supply will simply burn it.
What else you should know about LED strips and power supplies
Such equipment may differ in functionality. More expensive LED strip power supplies are equipped with built-in dimming devices. In this case, a light intensity control system is installed in place of the standard switch. There are also options with a remote control, which is much more convenient. In this case, communication can be carried out both via infrared and radio channels.
Similar devices also differ in compactness. The size of the power supply will depend on its capacity. Therefore, if you plan a large number of segments of the LED strip, do not expect the UPS to be miniature.
Outdoor LED strips and their uses
No city Christmas tree can do without such illumination. But duralight (LED strip 220V without power supply) is used not only for holidays. backlight advertisingbillboards, shop windows, inscriptions made of running lights - you can't list them all.
Such LED strips are designed for operation in rain and snow, as noted in numerous reviews. They are connected directly to the network, but for this there is a diode bridge at the input. The fact that such a connection is convenient is beyond doubt among users, but this is precisely the main problem (no matter how paradoxical it may seem). The diode bridge is not able to provide protection against power surges, which can lead to the failure of LED elements.
Reviews
Judging by the reviews, many home craftsmen appreciated the convenience and practicality of mounting the backlight with LED strip. The main thing here is not to make a mistake in choosing an individual power supply, and only accurate calculations can help in this. But the manufacturer should not be discounted either - Chinese goods are unlikely to please the owner for a long time with uninterrupted operation. It is better to pay a higher price for a brand that has stood the test of time than to change cheap power supplies every 2-3 months.
