To function, high-quality LED strips—which are often low-voltage LED strips—need to be wired into an electrical outlet. Because it is responsible for powering the LED strip, the power supply is sometimes referred to as an LED driver. To change the mains voltage from 220VAC or 110VAC to a more manageable 12V or 24V, the power supply is also known as an LED transformer.
Current and power output
The most common operating voltages for LED strips are 12V and 24V, so confirm that before proceeding. Verify that the power supply’s output voltage is the same as the LED strip’s operational voltage.
Your next step is determining how much power the LED strip will use altogether. A LED strip’s total power consumption is determined by multiplying its per-meter power consumption by its overall length.
Finally, the 80% rule states that the total wattage of the LED strip must be greater than or equal to 80% of the wattage of the power source. The power supply’s life will be prolonged due to this.
How to connect the DC connector to a power supply
There is a DC female connector on the LED strip and a DC male connector on the power supply.
The term “power adapter” is used interchangeably with “power supply” to refer to this device.
Light-emitting diode tape with a direct current connector
Assuming that the LED strip and the power supply have DC female connectors, you can connect the two using the appropriate plugs.
How do DC connectors work with LED strips?
If your LED strip doesn’t already have DC connectors built in, you’ll need to purchase those separately.
LED strips with exposed wires
What do I need to do to plug in the LED strip after I’ve cut it?
An optional solderless wire connector or DC female connector can link the LED strip.
Plug the AC plug from the power adapter into the socket to power the led strip lights. This is reasonably practical and appropriate for little jobs.
What to do with LED strips that have no wires after cutting?
The LED strip’s wires can be hardwired directly into the power cables.
To join the two red wires, twist them together before covering and tightening the wire nut.
Also, the black wire is just as important.
Remember that the black wire must be joined to the black wire, and the red wire must be joined to the red wire. This is because the LED strip won’t light up if the connections are off.
An alternative to soldering is using a connector that doesn’t require cutting the wires.
LED tape with severed wires
Two options for hardwired LED strips are solderless wires directly to the LED strip or solderless LED strip connectors. The LED strip can then be linked to the source of electricity in the same way, described earlier.
How to set up a power supply that doesn’t have wires?
In most cases, a power supply without wires will be a standard, non-waterproof model with wiring connectors.
Because the terminals are screwed into the wires, you’ll need a screwdriver to utilize this power supply.
- First, use a screwdriver to loosen the screw on the terminal block
- Second, connect the LED strip’s cable to its proper terminal
- Thirdly, after inserting the LED strip’s cables, tighten the screws with a screwdriver and give them a hand tug to see if they’re secure
- Fourth, repeat the process with the AC plug
Can I use the same LED power source to power many LED strips?
Using a single power supply for numerous LED strips is possible, but only if the total wattage of the LED strips is more significant than 80 percent of the power supply’s output.
Serial
Multiple LED strips connected in series might suffer from voltage drop, and the further the strips are from the source of electricity, the dimmer they will be.
Parallel
Because of their uneven brightness, LED strips are undesirable. However, multiple LED strips can be connected in parallel to the power source to avoid this problem.