Led strips and drivers

[cdbe]

I have a 20m roll of led for the kitchen. The kitchen is in 3 separate parts but will be switched together so would I be better with a single driver with 3 radials carrying the 24v or 3 smaller drivers fed from a mains radial?

Just thinking about voltage drop.

 

[Murdochcat]

What do the MIs information say?

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Don't forget that led strip can be driven from the middle or anywhere along the length not just the ends so that might affect choice of driver(s)
that strip is 4.8w/metre so if you use all of it that's 96w and 4A

 

[bernardgreen]

Being pedantic with the aim of protecting the LEDs

LED strips like this require a POWER SUPPLY with an output that is constant voltage

The output from an LED DRIVER has an output voltage that is the voltage necsessary to force the rated current through the LED(s)

 

[ericmark]

My strip (TCP and Lidi) had joining bits, and sockets that allowed it to be cut and joined. I will guess both current and voltage was variable as it can be dimmed, also colour changing, as white no problem, but colour changing hard to get the colours all the same. But the main problem is how to switch the lights on/off, be it a display cabinet or counter top lights, we found rarely used because too much faffing around turning them on/off.

The cure for us was google Nest mini's that since the strip lights were connected to internet, we could use voice commands to turn all kitchen lights on or off. So hands covered in flour did not matter, can still turn the lights on.

Be it a smart power supply, or a smart socket, or a smart switch, or even a smart bulb, one has to consider if you want six sections or one, as the more sections the more it costs. Google does put items into rooms, so I can say turn on kitchen, which will turn on all lights, or turn on fridge which will just switch on one light in that corner of the room. I am sure Alexa does the same.

But be it a 4 gang switch at the door and hard wired, or smart controls, one needs to consider how you will control them before deciding if to cut or not. This is a full Lidi strip 3 meters I think, and 22 watt if at full output, this is well below full output, so you need to consider can you dim them and how to control them.

 

[cdbe]

About 3m on left hand base units, 9m on the tall ones and 3m on the right hand bases.

They will be controlled by one smart/sensor switch.

 

[ericmark]

Personally I got a complete package, then no argument if it fails, which it did and the power supply was renewed FOC. And has worked since without a problem.