In actual usage, there is absolutely no discernible difference. These are all different names that people in the LED industry call the same thing, yet they all refer to the same thing.
All power supplies (drivers) designed with LEDs are more than just that, even though many people, including electricians, use the catch-all phrase “LED transformers.” This is because not only does an LED power supply step down (transform) the voltage, but it also changes the current from AC mains current to DC mains current.
Some lighting companies call them “transformers” because they turn a higher voltage, 240 volts (mains electricity), into a lower voltage, usually 12 or 24 volts. Some businesses refer to them as “LED drivers” because they drive other types of lighting devices. Also, people often call them “LED power supplies” because they give power to your LED tape lights.
LED lighting could be used when certain features and criteria are needed, like flicker, ripple, reliability, efficiency, surge protection, and dimming.
LED drivers often produce a constant current, albeit this is only sometimes the case. This is because around 95% of LED applications call for a constant current power source.
Almost all transformers have constant voltage.
LED constant voltage drivers are very similar to regular transformers (AC/DC power supplies) when it comes to supplying constant voltage to LED applications like MR16 spotlights (12 V) and LED strip lights (12 V or 24 V). Consequently, 12 V MR16 spotlights and 12 V and 24 V LED strip lights are utilized.
Which should I use, a transformer or a driver for the LEDs?
If you are seeking a solution here, either one will probably work, but you need to be sure you know whether the LED application you are working on requires a power source with a constant current or a constant voltage.
Do LED light strips need an LED driver or a transformer to function?
In most cases, it is completely irrelevant! There is a requirement for a constant voltage supply for 99 percent of all LED strips that are offered. These strips are often supplied with fundamental AC/DC transformers, but it may also supply them with LED drivers (e.g., DALI dimmable)
Only one percent of the LED strips sold use constant current and those that do need an LED driver.
Does an LED driver or transformer need to be used with MR16 LED spotlights?
It makes no difference, that’s for sure! A power supply that maintains a constant voltage is necessary for LED MR16 spotlights. This is usually 12 volts of direct current, but many devices can also work with 12 volts of alternating current.
What is the difference between electronic transformers and LED drivers?
Their primary functional difference is what sets them apart. The power supply drives the LED’s ability to emit light, and it can adjust the LED’s output brightness by adjusting the current and voltage sent to the LED by a dimmer. A high-frequency oscillator comprises parts that use an electronic transformer to change DC back into AC quickly. The primary distinction between the electronic transformer and the LED driver power supply is that the latter produces AC12 at its output while the former produces DC.