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2024-10-11

How to choose the right voltage for LED Strips: 5V, 12V, or 24V?

The difference between 5V, 12V and 24V LED LED light strips

  • Voltage

The most significant difference is that the voltage is different, one is 5V, one is 12V, and one is 24V. Therefore, when you install LED strip lights, you need to pay attention when choosing the power supply. For LED tape light 12V, choose 12V LED power supply, for 24V LED tape, choose 24V LED driver, and for 5 volt LED strip, the strip LED tape can be powered by a 5V power adapter or a 5V power bank battery. Remember, please do not use 24V LED power supply to light up 12V LED tape light, otherwise your light strips will burn out immediately. Similarly, a 12V LED transformer cannot light up 24V LED tape light.

  • Different Cutting Distances

Usually 12 volt LED tape lights is a set of 3 lamps, and LED tape 24V is 6 lamps. The minimum length that can be cut is longer than 12V LED strip lights. For example, the cuttable length of a SMD2835 120leds/m  LED strip is 25mm for 12V and 50mm for 24V strip light. At present, we have developed high-efficiency LED strip, usually a set of 7 lamps, a set of 8 lamps, and sometimes a set of 9 lamps, with a light efficiency of up to 200Lm/w. Therefore, if you need a LED striplight with a smaller cutting length, the 12V strip light is a good choice. If you need to create a more energy-saving environment, choose LED tape 24V.

  • Brightness

For the same LED strip type, there is no difference in the brightness of 12V and 24V strip light. The brightness of LED strips has no direct relationship with the voltage, but has a lot to do with the power, the number of LEDs, and the quality of the LED light strips.

  • Current

When the power of LED lighting strips is the same, the current of LED 24V strip lights is half of the current of 12 volt DC LED strip. The larger the current, the more heat the circuit generates, the more energy is wasted in the form of heat energy, and the less energy is used to emit light. Generally, strip lights circuit has resistance and generates heat. The heat dissipated is part of the wasted energy. If the power of the two light strips is the same, the lighting strips that consumes less heat will be brighter because it can use more power to emit light. Therefore, the luminous efficiency of 24V strip LED is higher than that of 12 volt LED strip.

  • Voltage drop

The voltage drop of band LED is caused by the influence of circuit resistance and transmission distance on the longer LED tape light. Generally speaking, there is a voltage drop when 12V LED strip light exceeds 5 meters. When the plug is too long, the voltage at the end will drop, causing the brightness to drop. Overall, the closer LED tape lighting is to the plug, the brighter it is, and the farther it is, the dimmer it is. The lower the voltage, the higher the current, and the PCB board of LED tape lights is a strip. The voltage and current will slowly decrease as the power is turned on. This is the reason for the current resistance of the PCB when the current is too large.
Since 24V strip LED requires a lower current to achieve an equivalent power output, its voltage drop is correspondingly smaller. The usual length limit of 12V LED strip light is 5m (powered from one end), while LED strip 24V can run farther. Therefore, if your project is a long-distance space, we recommend that you use 24 volt LED strip.

  • Service Life

For the same quality of strip LED, the service life of 12V and 24V LED strip lights is the same. The service life is determined by the quality of the LED. ADLED provides best quality LED strip and provides a 3-5 year warranty.

  • Price

Perhaps you have seen that some 24V LED  light strip of the same quality from the same company on the market are more expensive than LED strips 12V. As a professional LED strip light manufacturer, we are very responsible to tell you that the price of 24VDC LED strip lights and LED strip 12V is the same. Please rest assured that we guarantee the same level of quality.
I believe that after reading the above article on strip LED  lights, you have a general understanding of 5V 12V 24V tape lights. You may have questions. The common voltages of LED light strips are 5V 12VDC and 24VDC. Which one should I choose? Today I will explain to you to avoid choosing the wrong tape light. Everyone must avoid a misunderstanding.

In fact, we choose LED strip lighting based on the application scenario, not the characteristics of strip lighting.

Different flexible LED strip have different usage scenarios. Choose the right one, not the expensive one. Now let’s get into our topic today. What are the different application scenarios of 5V 12V 24V LED strips?

Common 5V LED strip light application scenarios

The biggest feature of the 5V LED tape is that it has a USB interface, which is very convenient to use. For example, behind the TV background we often see, or where the computer has such a USB interface, it is very convenient and can be used directly by plugging it in. For example, in some outdoor use scenarios, such as going out for camping, this USB is very convenient. It can be connected through several dry batteries or mobile power supplies or power banks. The above are some use scenarios of 5V LED strip.

Common 12V LED strip lights waterproof application scenarios

The 12V LED strips waterproof is usually a group of 3 lights with a small cutting spacing, so it is suitable for home decoration. Because the voltage drop of waterproof 12V LED strip is more obvious, its use distance cannot be too long. If it is too long, the light will become dimmer and dimmer. The closer to the end, the more obvious the difference in brightness and darkness, so it is more suitable for use in the process of home decoration with a shorter distance. LED strips 12V waterproof are widely used in cars and boats.

Common 24V DC LED strip application scenarios

The most common use of 24VDC LED strip is for lighting in engineering projects. Because of 24V DC, its voltage drop is not so obvious, so it does not need to be recharged so frequently. The lighting distance of a stripe LED can be made very far, which is beneficial for engineering lighting that requires a large number of such light strips to connect, which will save a lot. When you need high light output, 24V DC LED strip lights are an ideal lighting choice.
If you are confused about choosing the right best LED strip lights, please feel free to contact our professional team. Whether it is shop fitting, display furniture, or other lighting project requirements, we will provide you with the most professional and suitable suggestions to ensure that you choose the best quality LED strips. In short, ADLED is your best partner for purchasing high quality LED light strips to meet all your needs!
contact ADLED for LED Strip
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