How to Choose an LED Driver
Welcome to this guide to choosing a MOONS' LED driver for your lighting application. This guide contains 1. Introduction of LED driver type and its application range. 2. The basic factors to consider when choosing an LED driver. 3. How to purchase a suitable LED driver on MOONS' official website with your requirements. Unlike the industrial switching power supply, LED driver, or LED power supply, is high reliable for LED lighting. The LED driver is a self-contained power supply which has outputs that are matched to the electrical characteristics of the LED. LED drivers convert the input voltage (Typically range from 110VAC to 230 VAC) into a voltage at which the current drawn by the LED's is equal to its drive current. The drive current is regulated for optimum brightness, LED life-span. 
2.2 Power Factor For more information you can refer to this article: Power Factor Correction Basic 2.3 Output Current When using a Constant Current LED driver, observe the current requirements of your chosen LED(s). The CC driver should then reflect that value output. LEDs data sheets state what they require, with the value given in amps (A) or milliamps (mA). 1 A = 1000 mA. There are also variable and selectable output current drivers. They give either a range, for example 0 mA to 500 mA, or stepped values like 350 mA, 500 mA, 700 mA. Your LED must fall within the chosen value(s). LEDs can be run at a lower current to help extend its life expectancy. Using a higher current could wear the LED out a lot quicker. 2.4 Output Power This value is given in watts (W). Use an LED driver with at least the same value as your LED(s). The driver must have a higher output power than your LEDs require for extra safety but not higher than that. If the output is equivalent to the LED power requirements, it is running at full power. It may cause the driver to have a shorter life span. Similarly the power requirement of the LEDs is given as an average. With tolerance added on top for multiple LEDs, you need a higher output power from the driver to cover this. 2.5 Output Voltage This value is given in volts (V). For constant voltage drivers, it requires the same output as your LED's voltage requirements. For multiple LEDs, each LED voltage requirement is added together for a total value. The LED voltage level you frequently find is 12V, 24V, 36V. 2.6 Life Expectancy Drivers will come with a life expectancy in thousands of hours, known as MTBF (Mean Time before Failure). You can compare the level you are running it at to work out the advised lifetime. Running your LED driver at the recommended outputs can help to extend its life span, reducing maintenance time and costs. 2.7 IP Rating How water/dust resistant does your LED driver need to be? If your driver is going somewhere where it may come into contact with water/dust, you could use an IP65 rated driver. This means it is protected from dust and any water projected at it. If you need something water-tight, you might need a driver with an IP67 or IP68 rating. The outdoor lighting application should pay more attention to this factor. The IP rating is given as a number. The first digit represents solid objects and the second is liquids. Here are the definitions: 
1. LED Driver Type and Application Range
All LED drivers are either constant current (CC) or constant voltage (CV), or both. This is one of the first factors you need to consider in your decision making process. This decision is determined by the LED or module you will be powering, the information for which can be found on the LED's datasheet. • 1.1 What is Constant Current? Constant current (CC) LED drivers keep a constant electric current throughout an electronic circuit by having a variable voltage. CC drivers are frequent used for common LED applications like residential lighting, commercial lighting and so on. • 1.2 What is Constant Voltage? Constant voltage (CV) LED drivers are power supplies. They have a set voltage that they supply to the electronic circuit. You would use CV LED drivers to run multiple LEDs in parallel, for example LED strips. CV power supplies can be used with LED strips that have a current limiting resistor, which most do. The voltage output must meet the voltage requirement of the entire LED string. The CV LED drivers are mostly used for architectural lighting or street lighting. • 1.3 What is Constant Current / Constant Voltage? Some LED drivers may feature both options of CV and CC. As standard they run as CV but, when output current passes the rated current limit, they switch to a CC mode. This functionality is suitable for applications which require a flexible LED Driver. MOONS' CP or CLKS series LED driver is constant power LED driver. The output power is constant, and the output voltage is adjustable to matching the LED voltage automatically. That meant CP or CLKS series LED driver have broad working area. This feature is shown in figure 1. (Click the figure to zoom in it.) Besides, those LED drivers are programmable LED drivers that allow for quick and easy configuring and re-configuring between minimum and maximum current or voltage settings. This way, your drivers can adapt to product or application settings and specifications. 2. Basic Factors of Choosing LED Driver
2.1 Input Voltage The input voltage marked on the each LED driver’s label, it is important for you to matching it to native electrical grid voltage. For example, the North American stand electrical grid voltage is 120VAC or 277VAC, Japanese area is 110Vac, and European or Chinese area is 230VAC. The national electrical grid voltage in the world is shown in figure 2 (The figure is from Internet, Click the figure to zoom in it.) 2.2 Power Factor For more information you can refer to this article: Power Factor Correction Basic 2.3 Output Current When using a Constant Current LED driver, observe the current requirements of your chosen LED(s). The CC driver should then reflect that value output. LEDs data sheets state what they require, with the value given in amps (A) or milliamps (mA). 1 A = 1000 mA. There are also variable and selectable output current drivers. They give either a range, for example 0 mA to 500 mA, or stepped values like 350 mA, 500 mA, 700 mA. Your LED must fall within the chosen value(s). LEDs can be run at a lower current to help extend its life expectancy. Using a higher current could wear the LED out a lot quicker. 2.4 Output Power This value is given in watts (W). Use an LED driver with at least the same value as your LED(s). The driver must have a higher output power than your LEDs require for extra safety but not higher than that. If the output is equivalent to the LED power requirements, it is running at full power. It may cause the driver to have a shorter life span. Similarly the power requirement of the LEDs is given as an average. With tolerance added on top for multiple LEDs, you need a higher output power from the driver to cover this. 2.5 Output Voltage This value is given in volts (V). For constant voltage drivers, it requires the same output as your LED's voltage requirements. For multiple LEDs, each LED voltage requirement is added together for a total value. The LED voltage level you frequently find is 12V, 24V, 36V. 2.6 Life Expectancy Drivers will come with a life expectancy in thousands of hours, known as MTBF (Mean Time before Failure). You can compare the level you are running it at to work out the advised lifetime. Running your LED driver at the recommended outputs can help to extend its life span, reducing maintenance time and costs. 2.7 IP Rating How water/dust resistant does your LED driver need to be? If your driver is going somewhere where it may come into contact with water/dust, you could use an IP65 rated driver. This means it is protected from dust and any water projected at it. If you need something water-tight, you might need a driver with an IP67 or IP68 rating. The outdoor lighting application should pay more attention to this factor. The IP rating is given as a number. The first digit represents solid objects and the second is liquids. Here are the definitions: