Typical applications for LED power supplies
LED power supplies are used in virtually all LED projects:
- LED strips (single-color, COB, RGB, RGBW, addressable)
- Furniture and kitchen lighting
- Indirect ceiling lighting
- Commercial lighting (shopfitting, displays)
- Industrial and machine lighting
Depending on the application, there are different requirements for power, design and protection class.
What makes LED power supplies special?
LED power supplies are specially designed to meet the requirements of LED lighting and offer:
- Constant output voltage (Constant Voltage) for LED strips
- High efficiency and low heat generation
- Protection functions (e.g. against overload, short circuits, overvoltage)
- Reliable continuous operation
Unlike standard power supplies, LED power supplies are optimized for long-term use in lighting applications.
Buying guide: What to look for
To ensure your LED project works reliably, you should consider the following points:
Voltage (12V vs. 24V)
- 12V → for shorter distances and smaller installations
- 24V → ideal for longer distances → less voltage drop
Important: The power supply and LED strip must always have the same voltage.
Power (Watts)
The power of the power supply must match the total power of your LED strips.
Recommendation:
- Calculate total consumption (Watts per meter × length)
- Plan for approx. 10-20% reserve
This prevents overloading and extends the service life.
Protection class (IP)
- IP20 → indoor use
- IP65/IP67 → wet rooms or outdoor use
Design
- Compact power supplies → for small installations
- Switching power supplies in metal enclosures → for higher-power applications
- Slim power supplies → ideal for furniture or tight installation spaces
Dimmability
Not every power supply is dimmable. Depending on the application, there are different options:
- Dimming via a conventional dimmer switch
(e.g. TRIAC / leading-edge or trailing-edge dimming) - Dimming via control signals
(e.g. 0–10V or PWM) - Dimming via radio, app or smart home
(e.g. in combination with controllers or integrated solutions)
Important: Many modern LED power supplies combine several dimming methods.
Typically, for example:
- TRIAC dimming on the input side (230V)
- PWM dimming on the output side (low voltage)
This means:
The power supply detects the dimmed input signal and internally converts it into a PWM signal, which is used to control the LEDs efficiently.
Advantage:
- compatible with conventional wall dimmers
- clean, flicker-free LED control at the same time
Important: The power supply, dimmer and LED strip must always be compatible with each other, as not every combination works without problems.
