Does LED efficiency increase with lower drive currents?

The arrangement makes a difference. If you have only three strings of LED &#;strips&#; in parallel, then each string will take 1/3 of the current pushed out by the constant current LED driver, regardless of how many &#;strips&#; are in the string (assuming you have the same number of strips in each string).

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If you wanted each strip to run at 1A, then you need an LED driver which will output 3A and it would have to produce nearly 160V to guarantee that they turn on, since each strip will require 19.6 volts and there are 8 of them in series. In this case, since each string is 1A, the power used by each strip is 1A x 19.6V, or 19.6W, and the total power is 24 x 19.6W = 470.4W. You could also figure it out by looking at the total voltage of each string and multiplying that by the current through that string, so 156.8V x 1A = 156.8W, and since there are three strips, the total is 470.4W &#; same answer.

On the other hand, if you arranged them in 6 parallel strings of 4 strips per string, your LED driver would have to be able to output 6A to give each string 1A (6A / 6 strings = 1A per string). Since you only have 4 strips in each string in this arrangement, the voltage required would be nearly 80V (19.6V x 4 in series = nearly 80V). The total power of all of the strips will be exactly the same doing it this way. Each strip will have 1A passing through it and it will take about 19.6V, for a total of 470.4W.

You can get the same light output a number of different ways. You can put all of them in parallel, but then you would need a supply which output 24A at 20V (not available), you could put them all in series and use a 1A, 480V supply (not available, and dangerously high voltage), or any number of options in between these two extremes (2 x 12, 3 x 8, 4 x 6, 6 x 4, 8 x 3, 12 x 2). As long as you can find a driver that can output the appropriate current and voltage for the arrange you choose, you will get the same light output and will use about the same power.

So, what, exactly is your goal with these questions? Are you trying to get the most light out of 24 of those strips? Are you trying to figure out how to best arrange them for a particular power supply, or what?

LED strips, unfortunately, are not as simple as traditional incandescent light bulbs when it comes to installation and set up. Because they run on low voltage DC, they require a power supply device that converts 120V/240V AC (depending on your location) into the voltage signal that LED strips can use. Below is our simple, no-stress, 3-step guide that will help you select a power supply.

As an example, let's suppose that you've found the following LED strip product:

Step 1: Determine the LED strip voltage

The first step is to figure out what the voltage of the LED strip is. The majority of LED strips available on the market run at 12V DC. Others are primarily at 24V DC.

In the case of WenTop's product, we find it listed in the product description:

...as well as the specifications listed further below:

If you still aren't sure, another way to confirm this is to look at the product photo. Most LED strips will have a mark showing 12V or 24V.

Now, check if the voltage on the power supply specifications matches the LED strip. In this case, the power supply is also 12V, so we are good to go.

Also confirm that the input voltage on the AC side matches your country's voltage (120V for North America, etc).

Bonus tip: if you have a power supply lying around at home, for example, you can also check the backside label and see if the voltage is listed there.

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Step 2: Determine the power draw of the LED strip

Next, look for either a wattage (W) or amperage (A) specification for the LED strip. This could be listed as either W/m or A/m, or simply W or A.

The LED strip lists the total wattage as 24 Watts, or 4.8 Watts per meter. This checks out, because there are 5 meters per reel, and 4.8 Watts/meter * 5 meters = 24 Watts.

Although it's not listed here, we can calculate the amperage using the formula P = V x A, where P is the wattage, V is voltage and A is amperage. To solve for A (amperage), simply plug in 24 for wattage and 12 for voltage, and calculate:

24 = 12 x A

A = 2.0 Amps.

In electrical terms, we now know that at 12V, this LED strip will draw about 24 Watts per reel (5 meters), or about 2.0 Amps.

Now, let's check the power supply.

We see that it has a rating of 36W, or 3A. Again, if we use the formula P = V x A, this checks out, because it is a 12V power supply.

What this means is that this power supply is capable of supplying up to 36 Watts, or about 3.0 Amps.

Because the power supply's capacity is higher than the LED strip's power draw, we can safely conclude that these two products can be paired together.

Power supply wattage and amperage ratings can confuse and even scare some people. It isn't unreasonable to assume that a power supply that pumps 36 Watts into a 24 Watt LED strip would cause damage. Furthermore, what if you decided to one day cut that LED strip in half, turning it into a 12 Watt LED strip?

This is why we emphasize capable and capacity above. Just because a power supply has a rating of 36 Watts does not mean that it will necessarily supply that much power. On the contrary, the power supply will actually supply as little as is needed, and match the power draw based on what is hooked up to it. If the power draw exceeds the power supply capacity, however, then the power supply can experience abnormal operation and damage.

Therefore, this power supply can be used to power any LED strip that draws between 0 Watts and 36 Watts.

Step 3: Determine the connection method

The power supply will likely come with a power connector as shown below:

You will likely see this specified as 5.5 mm x 2.1 mm. Be careful as 5.5 mm x 2.5 mm may not work with LED strip plugs.

Find out if the LED strip reel comes with a DC plug like this:

If so, it should be compatible with the power supply plug, and you can directly plug the power supply into the wall on one end, and into the LED strip on the other end.

On the other hand, if you are looking to cut up your LED strip into multiple segments, or if the entire reel comes with just two bare wires (typically red & black) like this:

In this case, you'll need to

 

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LED strips, unfortunately, are not as simple as traditional incandescent light bulbs when it comes to installation and set up. Because they run on low voltage DC, they require a power supply device that converts 120V/240V AC (depending on your location) into the voltage signal that LED strips can use. Below is our simple, no-stress, 3-step guide that will help you select a power supply.As an example, let's suppose that you've found the following LED strip product: WenTop Waterproof Led Strip Lights SMD   and want to see if this power supply will work with it.The first step is to figure out what the voltage of the LED strip is. The majority of LED strips available on the market run at 12V DC. Others are primarily at 24V DC.In the case of WenTop's product, we find it listed in the product description:...as well as the specifications listed further below:If you still aren't sure, another way to confirm this is to look at the product photo. Most LED strips will have a mark showing 12V or 24V.Now, check if the voltage on the power supply specifications matches the LED strip. In this case, the power supply is also 12V, so we are good to go.Also confirm that the input voltage on the AC side matches your country's voltage (120V for North America, etc).Bonus tip: if you have a power supply lying around at home, for example, you can also check the backside label and see if the voltage is listed there.This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission.Next, look for either a wattage (W) or amperage (A) specification for the LED strip. This could be listed as either W/m or A/m, or simply W or A.The LED strip lists the total wattage as 24 Watts, or 4.8 Watts per meter. This checks out, because there are 5 meters per reel, and 4.8 Watts/meter * 5 meters = 24 Watts.Although it's not listed here, we can calculate the amperage using the formula P = V x A, where P is the wattage, V is voltage and A is amperage. To solve for A (amperage), simply plug in 24 for wattage and 12 for voltage, and calculate:24 = 12 x AA = 2.0 Amps.In electrical terms, we now know that at 12V, this LED strip will draw about 24 Watts per reel (5 meters), or about 2.0 Amps.Now, let's check the power supply.We see that it has a rating of 36W, or 3A. Again, if we use the formula P = V x A, this checks out, because it is a 12V power supply.What this means is that this power supply isof supplying up to 36 Watts, or about 3.0 Amps.Because the power supply'sis higher than the LED strip's power draw, we can safely conclude that these two products can be paired together.Power supply wattage and amperage ratings can confuse and even scare some people. It isn't unreasonable to assume that a power supply that pumps 36 Watts into a 24 Watt LED strip would cause damage. Furthermore, what if you decided to one day cut that LED strip in half, turning it into a 12 Watt LED strip?This is why we emphasizeandabove. Just because a power supply has a rating of 36 Watts does not mean that it will necessarily supply that much power. On the contrary, the power supply will actually supply as little as is needed, and match the power draw based on what is hooked up to it. If the power draw exceeds the power supply capacity, however, then the power supply can experience abnormal operation and damage.Therefore, this power supply can be used to power any LED strip that draws between 0 Watts and 36 Watts.The power supply will likely come with a power connector as shown below:You will likely see this specified as 5.5 mm x 2.1 mm. Be careful as 5.5 mm x 2.5 mm may not work with LED strip plugs.Find out if the LED strip reel comes with a DC plug like this:If so, it should be compatible with the power supply plug, and you can directly plug the power supply into the wall on one end, and into the LED strip on the other end.On the other hand, if you are looking to cut up your LED strip into multiple segments, or if the entire reel comes with just two bare wires (typically red & black) like this:In this case, you'll need to find an adapter that can connect the power connector from the power supply to the LED strip. You can then wire the loose wire ends into the adapter, which in turn plugs into the power supply.This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission.

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