Is led driver necessary?

LED lighting is increasingly used in businesses and homes. This is not surprising, considering the durable nature of LED lamps. Now, one of the reasons why these lamps are durable is the LED driver. This is a special part of LED lighting that is necessary for the proper functioning of the lamps. Here we would like to tell you more about the importance of these controllers and what possibilities are available.

What is LED Driver?

LED lamps operate at low voltage and need the help of a controller to convert the supplied mains voltage to the correct low voltage for it to work. In addition, LED lamps are more sensitive to surges in the electrical network, so they perform worse in such situations and may even break without the intervention of a controller. Therefore, LED drivers offer some significant advantages, such as longer LED lighting lifespan and increased lamp brightness.

LED Driver Types

LED lighting can be controlled by two types of controllers, a constant current (DC driver) or a constant voltage (AC driver) LED driver:

Constant current LED drivers

These drivers keep the amperage of the lighting system constant and allow the voltage to be adapted to the load of the LED lamp. In this way, one or more fixtures can be connected in series per controller. Therefore, the DC controller provides constant current, ensuring that the connected LED lamps receive a constant current of 12 volts. This driver is suitable for all kinds of LED lamps.

Constant Voltage LED Drivers

These LED drivers require a voltage at which the LED lamp load is added in parallel to the driver’s output so that maximum output current can be achieved. The AC controller uses AC voltage, so it doesn’t provide exactly 12 volts, just a little more or a little less. This means that this driver can only be used for LED lamps that can tolerate this AC voltage.

In addition to these types of LED drivers, there is also a difference between internal and external LED drivers. In case of an internal controller, it sits in the same box as the LED chip. This controller is often found in home lighting because it is easy to replace.

External LED drivers are housed in a separate box and are typically used for outdoor lighting, pathway lighting or commercial lighting. Here again, the aim is to make replacement easier, since the failure of this type of lighting is often caused by a malfunction of the controller. Instead of disassembling the entire lighting, the external controller can be easily replaced.