12V vs 24V for Cabinet and Closet LED Lighting

What is the practical difference between 12V and 24V?

Current. Power divided by voltage gives the current: a 60W strip draws 5A at 12V and 2.5A at 24V. Lower current means less voltage drop along the strip and in the cables, so the far end of a long run stays as bright as the start.

When is 12V the better choice?

Inside LED mirrors, single cabinets and small displays, runs are short and many switches, USB-powered and mirror components are 12V. Keeping everything at 12V means one driver voltage across the product line.

When is 24V the better choice?

For long shelf runs, walk-in closets and kitchen runs fed from one point. Our 24V SMD2835 strip, for example, uses 10 mm PCB for longer runs, and several cabinet switches are rated 100W at 24V against 60W at 12V because the same current carries twice the power.

Do switches and drivers have to match the strip voltage?

Yes. The driver output must equal the strip voltage. Many cabinet and mirror switches accept both 12V and 24V input, but check each model's input range, and check its load rating at the voltage you use.

How do I size the power supply?

Add up the watts of every strip on the supply, then choose a supply rated comfortably above that total. A 12V system with 3 m of 8.64W per metre strip needs about 26W of strip power, so a supply rated above that leaves headroom.

Figures are from our product listings or worked out from them. Check the specific model before installation.