Maximum Yield USA 2015 November | Page 54

CHOOSING YOUR LED LIGHTING SYSTEM The Driver An LED driver is an electrical device that regulates the amount of electricity delivered to the light or string of lights, similar to an HID system’s ballast. LED drivers respond to the changing needs of the grow lights by providing a constant quantity of power to the LED as the electronic properties change with temperature. The driver also converts the AC from the wall outlet to DC for the diodes. LEDs are low-wattage light sources that require a constant DC voltage to operate optimally. Each LED has a manufacturer’s recommendation when it comes to voltage or current. If the current exceeds the manufacturer’s recommendation, the LEDs