How To Choose A Good LED Driver?

  The driving power supply is the core part of the LED lighting products. The excellent LED driving power supply can ensure the long-term efficient and stable operation of the entire lighting system. It is crucial to prolong the service life of LED lighting products, save energy and reduce the maintenance cost. Important role.

1. What is the LED driver?

The LED drive power is a voltage converter that converts the power supply to a specific voltage and current to drive the LEDs to emit light. Generally, the input of the LED driving power source includes high-voltage power frequency alternating current (ie, commercial power), low-voltage direct current, high-voltage direct current, low-voltage high-frequency alternating current (such as the output of an electronic transformer).

In terms of current output, most LED drive power supplies are constant current sources that change the voltage as the LED forward voltage drop changes. The core components of the LED power supply include a switch controller, an inductor, a switching component (MOSfet), a feedback resistor, an input filter component, an output filter component, and the like. According to the requirements of different occasions, there is also an input overvoltage protection circuit undervoltage protection circuit, LED open circuit protection, overcurrent protection circuit and so on.

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2. How to choose LED drive power?

(1) High reliability

Being able to operate stably for a long time is the most basic requirement for lighting products. In particular, the driving power of the LED street lamp is installed at a high altitude, the maintenance is inconvenient, the maintenance cost is also large, and the high reliability can greatly reduce the maintenance cost.

(2) High efficiency

LEDs are energy-saving products that require high efficiency in driving the power supply. It is very important that the power supply is installed in the fixture. The higher the efficiency of the power supply, the smaller the power consumption of the power supply, and the lower the heat generated in the luminaire, thus reducing the temperature of the luminaire, which is of great significance for extending the service life of the LED.

(3) High power factor

The power factor is the grid's load requirements. The high power factor will greatly reduce the load on the power supply line. For example, in urban nights, the amount of illumination is large, and similar loads are concentrated. The high-power LED driver can reduce the load on the power supply line, reduce losses, and ensure stable operation of lighting products. .

(4) Driving method

There are two driving modes currently available: one is a constant voltage source for multiple constant current sources, and each constant current source supplies power to each LED separately. In this way, the combination is flexible, one LED failure does not affect the operation of other LEDs; the other is the direct driving mode for the constant current supply, the LEDs are operated in series or in parallel, which has the advantage of lower cost but poor flexibility. To solve a certain LED failure without affecting the operation of other LEDs. These two forms coexist for a period of time, but the multi-channel constant current output power supply method is superior in terms of cost and performance, and more in line with actual needs, which is the mainstream direction in the future.

(5) Surge protection

The ability of LEDs to withstand surges is relatively poor, especially against reverse voltage capability. Outdoor LED products, such as LED street lights, due to the start of the grid load and the detection of lightning strikes, will invade various surges from the grid system, and some surges will cause damage to the LEDs, so that the power supply and lamps are frequently replaced. Therefore, good surge protection is also a must for an excellent LED driver.

(6) Protection function

The LED driver power supply should also have a series of protection functions, such as overheat protection, short circuit protection, overcurrent/overvoltage protection, etc., to ensure that the LED lighting products operate safely and stably under various emergencies.