Industrial lighting equipment may not operate directly from the electrical power available at the facility or machine. A power supply can provide an intermediate conversion stage between the incoming source and the LED driver or control electronics.
Power Architecture
Converting Input Power
The electrical system should begin with the actual input available at the installation and the requirements of downstream lighting electronics.
General power supply technologies cover a wide range of power-conversion applications used throughout industrial equipment.
Electrical Load
Match the Supply to the Complete System
The power supply must support the combined demand of the connected drivers, LED modules, controls, sensors, and other loads assigned to it.
Designers should also consider startup behavior, operating range, cable losses, control states, and environmental temperature rather than relying only on a single nominal load value.
Driver Relationship
Power Supply Versus LED Driver
A power supply and an LED driver can perform different functions within the same system. The supply may establish an intermediate electrical bus while the LED driver regulates the operating conditions of the semiconductor light source.
LED Drivers →Adjustable Systems
Programmable Power Supplies
Some development, testing, laboratory, or controlled production systems can make use of programmable power supplies where electrical output is intentionally adjusted as part of the operating or test process.
That does not mean every industrial LED fixture requires a programmable source; the electrical architecture should be selected for the actual application.
Mechanical Installation
Enclosure and Mounting
Power supplies may be mounted inside a lighting fixture, control cabinet, machine enclosure, or separate electrical housing.
Space, cooling, wiring clearance, connector access, contamination, vibration, and service requirements should influence where the supply is installed.
Wiring
Input and Output Connections
Electrical wiring should be routed and terminated according to the system architecture, keeping power conductors protected from mechanical damage, heat, sharp edges, and moving equipment.
Removable connectors can simplify assembly and service where the application benefits from modular electrical interfaces.
Thermal Conditions
Power Electronics Also Generate Heat
Driver and conversion electronics contribute heat to the enclosure. This thermal load should be considered alongside the LEDs, especially when power electronics are packaged inside a compact sealed assembly.
Selection