What Is a High-Power LED?
A high-power LED, unlike small indicator LEDs, is an LED designed for lighting, running at high current and giving very bright light.
Difference From an Indicator LED
While an ordinary LED draws a few milliamps, a power LED draws 350 mA, 700 mA or more and dissipates 1 W to tens of watts. Most of this power turns into heat; so thermal management is critical.
Thermal Management
A power LED must be mounted on a heat sink. An overheating LED quickly loses both efficiency and life; as temperature rises the light output drops (lumen loss).
| Property | Indicator LED | Power LED |
|---|---|---|
| Current | ~20 mA | 350 mA+ |
| Power | <0.1 W | 1-100 W |
| Cooling | Not needed | Essential |
Why a Constant-Current Driver?
Since brightness is proportional to current and an LED is very sensitive to voltage, a power LED must be fed at constant current with an LED driver. Feeding it with a resistor is both inefficient and risky.
Where Is It Used?
LED bulbs, floodlights, street lighting, automotive headlights, flashlights and greenhouse/plant lighting.
Common Mistakes
- Not using a heat sink: the LED overheats and fails quickly.
- Feeding with voltage: constant voltage leads to thermal runaway and burnout.
- Exceeding the rated current: the life shortens severely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a lumen?+
Can I connect it directly to a battery?+
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