LED driver, which one?

[Kev Liddle]

Afternoon folks,
I've got two LOOX reading lights with two USB ports on, the website states: "In order to make optimum use of the USB charging, a driver with at least 20 W must be used"

I can buy a LOOX branded driver, but at nearly £40 each I feel they're rather over priced!

Can anyone suggest or push me in the right direction as to what to buy instead?

Cheers!

 

[Mud Digger]

@Kev Liddle here's a bit cheaper Loox 12v LED Driver 0-40w with Socket for Switch | SDS London if your running them off the mains hook up ....... you wont need one if your on 12v leisure battery

 

[T6Jay]

Aren't these designed to run from 12VDC anyway?

If so, maybe they mean you need a 240VAC~12VDC adaptor with a 20W rating for use on 240VAC, but if you're running them in a VAN you already have 12V anyway. The question then would be; can they tolerate 14.5V continuously? If they can't, you need a voltage regulator, like this kind of thing; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Voltage-St...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

4A will give you 48W, so should be enough for your two lights and 4x USB sockets.

 

[Mud Digger]

Aren't these designed to run from 12VDC anyway?

If so, maybe they mean you need a 240VAC~12VDC adaptor with a 20W rating for use on 240VAC, but if you're running them in a VAN you already have 12V anyway. The question then would be; can they tolerate 14.5V continuously? If they can't, you need a voltage regulator, like this kind of thing; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Voltage-St...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

4A will give you 48W, so should be enough for your two lights and 4x USB sockets.

From what i can see 14v might shorten the L E D life .... but 25,000 hrs in a camper. So a regulator will prolong the life ........ the Watts is for charging

• Switch with 3 positions - off, 50% light and 100% light.
• Wattage - max. 17 W.
• In order to make optimum use of the USB charging, a driver with at least 20 W must be used.
• 2 x Integrated USB ports - Output voltage: 5 V, Output current: 2 x 1 A.

 

[T6Jay]

From what i can see 14v might shorten the L E D life .... but 25,000 hrs in a camper. So a regulator will prolong the life ........ the Watts is for charging

• Switch with 3 positions - off, 50% light and 100% light.
• Wattage - max. 17 W.
• In order to make optimum use of the USB charging, a driver with at least 20 W must be used.
• 2 x Integrated USB ports - Output voltage: 5 V, Output current: 2 x 1 A.

The light has 3 LEDs (I assume in series), No LED runs on 4V. If the lamp is suitable for a 12V supply, it must already have either
1) an LED driver built in - find out if this driver can accept 14.5V
2) a series resistor - 14.5V will likely shorten the LED life, and/or overheat the resistor

And for the USB sockets, if they run from a 12V supply, they must already have a step down or BUCK regulator of some kind. Again find out if this regulator can accept 14.5V

I'd be surprised if they can't accept 14.5V, but getting the manufacturer to say so is another matter, without this confirmation, you are stuck needing a regulator. I'd be fitting a switch in the feed to the regulator to avoid battery drain.

 

[ched]

One of the online camper conversion suppliers sell these Hafele Loox accessories under ‘camper electrics’ and say something in the description about ‘cutting off the factory connectors/terminals’ to wire into your 12v systems.

I’m not sure a driver is required if your already on 12v supply... you’d just have to make sure your fusing is correct to each accessory.

Not 100% but I think the site I saw the Loox gear on was called ‘Camper Interiors’.

 

[Kev Liddle]

Thanks for all the replies! I did question if I needed the driver as these will be solely ran from the leisure battery, but I had read somewhere that a driver was used to maintain a constant voltage? Excuse my ignorance on this, I’ve the basic knowledge when it comes to electric! if I did fit without the driver and say it did need one, what issues would I encounter?

cheers

 

[T6Jay]

Thanks for all the replies! I did question if I needed the driver as these will be solely ran from the leisure battery, but I had read somewhere that a driver was used to maintain a constant voltage? Excuse my ignorance on this, I’ve the basic knowledge when it comes to electric! if I did fit without the driver and say it did need one, what issues would I encounter?

cheers

They will PROBABLY be ok running on 14.4V. Personally, I would not risk it, without finding out if the internal circuits can take it. Either by asking the manufacturer, or by investigating the circuits. Knowing that some converter, someplace sells them, would not be enough for me.

Worst case I can imagine if you run them on 14.4V is;

The LEDs are driven by a constant current driver, who has a max input of 13.2V (lets say) - driver overheats and damages itself/the fitting/the van (delete as appropriate)
The LEDs are fed through a resistor, carefully chosen to accept a 12V supply, it overheats and...... see above
The USB sockets are fed by a regulator who has a max input of 13.2V (lets say)...... see above

Call me a pessimist if you like

 

[ched]

Thanks for all the replies! I did question if I needed the driver as these will be solely ran from the leisure battery, but I had read somewhere that a driver was used to maintain a constant voltage? Excuse my ignorance on this, I’ve the basic knowledge when it comes to electric! if I did fit without the driver and say it did need one, what issues would I encounter?

cheers

I don’t think you’d have any issues of concern but you might get a bit of flickering on the lights from time to time as other equipment turns on/off plus there may be a small impact on the lifespan of the led bulbs.

I was getting some serious flickering on my ceiling lights when my diesel heater started (and shut down) but this was easily sorted by fitting a small DC-DC converter to the feed for the lights.

It was this one on eBay.

 

[T6Jay]

From the Hafele website;



The one ched found looks good for it. My only concern would be whether it uses any power when the lights are off.

 

[Kev Liddle]

ok, think I’ll fit them with a dc dc converter on each feed. For the sake of £20 I’ll take your advice.

thanks everyone for your input, appreciate it!

 

[ched]

From the Hafele website;

View attachment 113264

The one ched found looks good for it. My only concern would be whether it uses any power when the lights are off.

I don’t think it draws anything when the lights are off — nothing shows up on my Victron battery monitor anyway. I might be wrong, but any draw would be minuscule.

 

[Wills]

I have 2 separate lengths of LED strip lighting with their own dimmer switches both fed off the same 12v supply. They work fine when used separately but when are both on together, they both flicker!.
Do I need to fit a DC / DC regulator / stabiliser?

 

[T6Jay]

I have 2 separate lengths of LED strip lighting with their own dimmer switches both fed off the same 12v supply. They work fine when used separately but when are both on together, they both flicker!.
Do I need to fit a DC / DC regulator / stabiliser?

Could you run a temporary 12v/0v direct from the battery to one of the dimmer/light sets? To find if it’s a wiring issue.

I can’t imagine led lights causing enough supply voltage fluctuation at the battery to cause the issue. I have 5 led strips on 5 dimmers, none flicker.

 

[Wills]

Could you run a temporary 12v/0v direct from the battery to one of the dimmer/light sets? To find if it’s a wiring issue.

I can’t imagine led lights causing enough supply voltage fluctuation at the battery to cause the issue. I have 5 led strips on 5 dimmers, none flicker.

My thoughts exactly. Definitely the simplest and cheapest way to prove.
I’ve added a temporary feed and no flicker so has to be voltage fluctuation caused by the dimmers in parallel. I had it with a couple of cheap dimmers I’d used before.
I understand Hafele use the DC / DC solution when connecting their dimmers up so maybe the way to go?