The benefits of LED lighting are widely accepted. What many people don’t realise, however, is the vital role LED drivers play. Russell Parr, CEO at PowerLed, highlights the importance of quality drivers, and how to ensure you choose the right product and supplier.
A driver is a crucial component that converts, regulates, and supplies the appropriate electrical power to LEDs, and which significantly influences the performance, reliability, and lifetime of LED lighting. However, as there is a range of technical and quality-relevant properties and features to consider, drivers are not one-size-fits-all.
Because LEDs must operate failure-free in a variety of conditions, the drivers that power them should be durable, reliable, stable, and efficient. As such, there are several factors to consider when selecting drivers to ensure optimal performance. These include voltage and current ratings, power capacity, dimming capability, compatibility, efficiency, and reliability.
In fact, higher-grade components should not be ‘non-negotiable’, as the quality of the components used to manufacture drivers has an immense impact on power factor – the ratio of real power used compared to apparent power into the circuit or more simply put, how efficiently the electrical power is consumed. A low power factor indicates an inefficient product as it draws more current into the circuit than is utilised by the load.
Ultimately, LED drivers built with premium components will help to achieve the optimal performance, safety, longevity, and sustainability of a LED lighting system.
Solution and supplier selection
The range of available LED drivers can make it challenging to choose the right solution – and the right supplier. This is further complicated by the fact that not all manufacturers provide the same quality or depth of technical information on their products, leaving electrical contractors unable to make accurate comparisons.
To best assist their customers, electrical wholesalers should look for best-in-class solutions from accredited suppliers with a reputation for honesty and excellence. They should also look for suppliers who comply with the Energy-related Products (ErP) directive, which is intended to encourage manufacturers and importers to provide products that are more energy and resource efficient.
PowerLed has been trading for nearly three decades, offers an extensive range of intelligent commercial LED lighting options and prides itself on the manufacture of dependable ‘fit and forget’ products.
PowerLed’s products feature quality components which enable its solutions to be utilised across a wide spectrum of applications, from retail and industrial to offices, galleries and beyond. The company incorporates premium LED driver technology and chipsets which, coupled with its long history in finished product production, has resulted in a range of high-quality fixtures with an extended life, offering dependable 50,000-hour lighting solutions.
Its range of LED power supplies is suited to both indoor and outdoor installations and, in addition to standard features such as power factor correction, high efficiency, compact size and isolated or non-isolated design, boasts unique advantages – PowerLed’s LED drivers are CE approved, meet stringent safety certification as detailed by UK European and International safety agencies, and offers a warranty of up to five years. It is also an official Tier 1 MEAN WELL partner, providing access to the more than 4,000 products of one of the largest switching power supply manufacturers in the world.
PowerLed’s expertise in power technology and mass production translates well into innovative, constantly evolving LED products with continuously improving efficiency and reliability. Despite its ongoing product development and commitment to innovation, the company’s solutions provide an excellent return on investment.
The ErP compliant company’s UK-wide network offers expert advice, bespoke technical design support, as well as premium LED drivers and lighting solutions for a range of residential, commercial, and industrial projects. All its products meet both environmental and performance criteria while offering value for money.
For more information, click here
