LED driver/transformer - install in a junction box?

[gsf600y]

I'm putting 3 x 5metre strips of LED's into my garage.

I'm going to have the LED driver wired up to a connector block, which will then connect to each of the 3 LED strips.....pretty much like this:

The input connections on the drive are well covered.
The output connections could are accessible with a screwdriver.

My question is, do I need to put the driver and connector block inside some kind of junction box?
The driver instructions always say to keep it somewhere that has airflow, but I'm thinking it should be covered in some way for safety....well, the connector block at a minimum I guess?

Other question is, the lighting cable has an earth in it, but the LED driver has nowhere to connect earth to. Should I just connect it to a single connector block?

THanks!!

 

[bernardgreen]

Should I just connect it to a single connector block?

Yes

The twelve volt output is safe to touch. That is provided the power supply ( the transformer ) has not become faulty.

These electronic transformers do need air flow for cooling as some of them can become hot in normal use.

 

[winston1]

That blue box is not suitable for LED strips as they require DC. That blue box is a SMPS supplying AC.

 

[333rocky333]

For once Winston you may be right

http://www.ledsave.co.uk/drivers-transformers.html


LED Driver


- Ideal for 12V LED bulbs (0-70W)
- Also suitable for 12V Halogen bulbs
- High efficiency
- Built-in safety features
- Simple installation
- NOT FOR USE WITH LED STRIP

£8.00
Price inc. VAT

 

[gsf600y]

Damn, I brought the wrong thing!!
Sigh.

That's very annoying. Oh well.

The LED strip I've chosen uses 21 watts, as measured by my smart plug anyway.

I figured if I'm running 3 in a chain, I'd get a driver around the 70 watt mark, and fixated on that number, missing the DC bit.

I'll get another one ordered. Thanks for spotting that

 

[winston1]

For once Winston you may be right

/QUOTE]

What do you mean "for once"?

 

[ericmark]

This sign

means the device isolates and has overload protection so there is not chance of getting 230 volt on the 12 volt output. The are three types of extra low voltage, separated this must not be earthed, protective this must have one leg earthed, and functional this is up to you if earthed or not all know by the letters, SELV, PELV and FELV for SELV you should see the sign shown on the transformer or other device to get power from the mains.

There is also AC and DC with AC standard transformer with give 50 Hz and electronic transformer could me MHz many LED lamps are marked 50 Hz or 50/60 Hz so can't be used with electronic transformers. DC also has rough and smoothed, in general most LED lamps don't need a smoothed supply, there is a tendency to call the units giving non smoothed supplies drivers, although technically drivers are current regulated devices and the 12 volt power supplies are voltage regulated so should not really be called drivers, however they often are.

Strip lights are normally 12 volt RMS DC they can use non smoothed supplies, because not ripple free, there is a problem using them if over 12 volt in some areas, if ripple free you can go to 30 volt in same areas. To use 12 volt when a white LED is 3 volt approx they use 3 LED's and a resistor and that resistor is the real driver, it limits the current, it is often marked so you can cut every 3 LED's and resistor.

Using a 3 ~ 50 volt driver and up to 16 LED's in series with a current limit to match LED's likely 320 mA would use a lot less power, but not as easy to set up. There are 0 ~ 12 volt at 320 mA true drivers, so you really do need to read the spec.

I think the LED strips can decorate well, but I would not select them for general lighting. I look at them in the same light as Christmas tree lights.

Sign as bottom right on the transformer you have. Two circles overlapping, little box shows overload protection.

 

[ericmark]

Not a clue why sign does not show, this one

is also used.

 

[bernardgreen]

Useful site for the symbols on transformers and electronic transformers

http://www.cycloflow.com/2014/11/markings-and-symbols-on-transformers.html

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Not a clue why sign does not show, this one

is also used.

That's just the logo for VDE - has nothing to do with any electrical characteristics.

 

[stillp]

The site Eric linked to is completely wrong about the VDE mark, so I wouldn't trust it for others either. The TUV one is wrong too.

 

[ericmark]

Thank you for pointing out error

this was the image originally used, from another site, but for some reason did not show.

 

[bernardgreen]

That's just the logo for VDE - has nothing to do with any electrical characteristics.

Not the charactoristics of the operation of the device but a statement about the safety of device and an indication that it meets the standards applicable to the manufacture of the item.

The VDE had and still does have a role very similar to the British Standards Institute ( BSI KiteMark )

https://www.vde.com/tic-en/about-us/the-vde-institute-at-a-glance

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes, I know.

 

[stillp]

Bernard, please don't confuse the Kitemark, which is a mark showing that BSI Product Services (a test house) has tested a product to a British Standard, with the British Standards Institute, which is the UK's National Standards Body. There are links between them of course.