Do LED Strips Draw a Lot of Power?

LED lighting technology has been designed with energy efficiency in mind.  A 24v 10w COB LED strip for example produces 760 lumens of light per metre.  

Key Factors Influencing Power Draw

The total power consumed by an LED strip will not depend on a number of factors.  You will find that the majority of manufacturers and suppliers for LED strips will list the wattage and lumens per metre for this reason.  If your LED strip is 10w per metre a 5m piece will use 50w of power.  This can also be affected by the type strip used (such as COB or dotted LED strip) and the colour temperature of the strip (e.g. warm white or cool white).  This will be confirmed under the manufacturer specifications for the strip.

Comparing LED Strips to Other Lighting

We have put together the above table to demonstrate that LED strips are one of the most energy-efficient types of lighting available, especially when compared to older types of lighting technology.

Practical Considerations for Installation

Power Supply Selection: The LED driver you choose to power your LED strip but be rated for the same voltage and wattage as the LED strip.  The driver can be for a higher wattage but never lower.  We would recommend a safety margin of 10-20% more than the total wattage for the connected LED strip. 

Impact on Electricity Bills: Due to the low level of wattage they use LED strips will greatly reduce your energy bill costs. A 5m run of medium density strip (totalling around 48w)  will use less power than a 60w incandescent bulb.  LED strips will also offer you the flexibility to cover a wider area.