It’s important when you purchase a LED driver that you make the right choice, with many different options on the market, at many different price brackets, and with many different manufacturers, it can seem a little daunting. Here at LinearLux we want to help you make the right choice.

WHAT IS A LED DRIVER?

Simply put a LED driver is a self contained power supply, which regulates the power going to an LED or group of LEDs. Think of it like the brains of the operation. If you choose a poorly constructed or low rated LED driver, your array will be inefficient, costing you more money in the long run, and in certain instances be illegal, or even dangerous. Without a LED driver, your LED circuit won’t be able to run, so it’s crucial you get what you are looking for.

WHY WOULD I WANT A LED DRIVER?

It’s common for people looking to get a LED driver to also look at its main competition, known as a conventional power supply. In conventional power supplies, like AC-DC, the output is regulated to provide a “constant-voltage”, however LEDs (which are all about efficiency) work best when provided power through a “constant-current” drive. So conventional power supplies can work with a LED driver, but it won’t offer the efficiency, safety, and fixed output you want. 

NOT ALL LED DRIVERS ARE MADE EQUAL!

SAFETY AND LEGALITY 

It is a common occurrence for me to see LED drivers that have been purchased overseas failing to meet our stringent safety standards. Not only are you getting an inferior product, LED drivers that are not Australian approved (featuring the RCM logo & approval) are actually illegal to sell and operate. For anything electrical your mantra should be to get the best product, not only because they are safer, but because they provide better efficiency, longer returns, and more reliability. At LinearLux we personally recommend LED drivers from uPowerTek, because above all, they meet Australia’s safety standards.

WARRANTY

Generally speaking, if a product has a longer manufacturer’s warranty, it means the manufacturer believes in their product, and if you are dealing with anything electrical that’s exactly what you want. Most brands offer warranties that are five years or less, but uPowerTek offers an industry leading 8 year warranty, and a 100,000 hour lifetime. 

DIMMING

Many LED driver manufacturers cheap out, especially when it comes to dimming. Very few companies offer what is known as ‘pulse-width modulation’ dimming. Most manufacturers utilise analog dimming, which just changes the LED output by adjusting the DC current. It sounds simple, and that’s because it’s pretty old and inefficient technology. Analog dimming is worse than PWM dimming because it loses dimming accuracy (so it never feels just right), and worse brightness and colour levels. PWM dimming does not suffer from this issue. uPowerTek drivers all utilise PWM dimming, so everything can be controlled from one dimmer knob and all the light strips will dim at the same rate.

NO MORE CIRCUIT BREAKER TRIPS 

Naturally, LED drivers have a high current load when they are initially turned on, just like an air conditioner or a motor. In many cases, if your LED driver does not contain low inrush current drivers, there’s a very real likelihood that the circuit breaker will trip each time the lights are turned on. Which is a massive hassle! Thankfully, uPowerTek offers a wide range of low inrush current drivers, so you no longer have to deal with pesky circuit breakers. 

PHYSICAL SIZE 

It’s a common occurrence for many LED drivers to be bulky and inefficiently designed. Which ends up taking more room in your office or commercial space. Sometimes you don’t have a lot of space to work with, so you have to make the room you have count. Compared to its competitors, uPowerTek has the most compact designs on the market, and drivers over 240v are usually ⅔ the size of their competitors.

WATTAGE RANGE 

There is a huge range of wattages that uPowerTek offers, so your life is a lot easier knowing that there is a trusted manufacturer that makes drivers along the entire wattage spectrum. With drivers as low as 50w all the way up to 800w, and with 11 different wattages in between, whatever requirements you have will be covered. 

PRICES

It’s important to factor in the whole equation when purchasing something. Sometimes a product might be cheaper, but that initial saving can be sucked up by an inefficient driver that just ends up being more expensive in the long run. It’s better to get things right the first time than get an inferior product you then later regret. It’s why we recommend uPowerTek LED Drivers over other competitors, because when you look at the bigger picture, they offer the best warranty, the best service, the best price, and ultimately the best product.

THE LINEARLUX DIFFERENCE 

We know a thing or two about LED lightning, and we stand by our products. So whether you are looking for a commercial or residential solution, we have your unique needs covered. It can be a bit daunting at times, so contact us by phone or email if you have any questions. Our friendly team is happy to help you with your inquiries and to make sure you get the right product for the job.