LED Drivers

Using an LED driver is crucial in preventing damage to your LED(s). The forward voltage of LEDs changes with their temperature; as temperature increases, forward voltage decreases, causing the LED to draw more current. The diode will continue to get hotter and draw more current until it burns itself out, this process is called 'Thermal Runaway'. Using a constant current LED driver prevents thermal runaway by compensating for the changes in forward voltage while regulating and delivering a constant current to the LED(s).

Voltage Input

Constant Current Output

All our LED drivers deliver a constant current output, but it is up to you to understand the LED specs and choose the correct level of current output for the respective LED. Common output currents for our drivers are: 350mA, 500mA, 700mA, 1000mA, 1400mA and 2100mA. On all our LED pages you will find minimum and maximum drive currents. This makes it easy to select a driver with a safe output for the LED you choose.

Dimming LED drivers

Both AC and DC input LED drivers can have dimming options with 0-10V being the most common. DC input drivers tend to provide more linear dimming, have less issues with flicker and provide a wider variety of options. However, we are seeing great results with the new ELV dimming AC input Magtech drivers. These drivers work with trailing edge ELV dimmers that do not require an external 10Vdc source.

Complete Guide to Understanding and Choosing an LED Driver

When choosing the right LED driver you first need to know what you are looking for. It is like finding the right tool for the job, you need to know what you are working with and what you need in a tool (driver). There are always many considerations and questions, like: How many LEDs can I run? And, What do I need for Power? To help make the LED driver selection process easier we published a comprehensive guide to: Understanding LED Drivers and How to Choose the Right One.