Led Drivers

[haj]

Evening chaps, when selecting drivers do we need to allow a margin over the lamp wattage ? Say a 10 w for a 6w lamp or is a 6w OK for a 6w?
Cheers

 

[Richard Burns]

Depends on the make of driver a lot of them are a bit hazy about the number of LEDs or wattage they can drive,
If you are using constant current then it is a match for the current needed and a bit over for the power.
If it is constant voltage and there is no information about the driver capability a 10% leeway should avoid problems, though of course the amount of cooling available will also affect the driver.

 

[haj]

I have a customer who has got 6w mr16 lamps from led hut and has put 6w drivers on them and they are very dim ! They were 3 times as bright on 12v trannies
led hut say they should have a 10w driver so Asked for my opinion. I would have thought 6w driver would have been ok although it's life span would be shortened working at its upper limit.

 

[Richard Burns]

They are probably constant current drivers at 350mA whereas an MR16 LED would want a constant voltage, 12V at 500mA at least.

 

[Octopus]

bin the trannies and MR16 lamps and fit GU10 units

 

[haj]

That's the plan now but he should have asked before wasting his money at led hut !! Will have to change the cans now as they are fixed mr16 lamp holders