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Can the LED power supply be connected to the power supply all the time?

Roxron 31431 43
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Can I leave an RGB LED strip power supply connected all the time so I don’t have to reconfigure the controller after every power-off?

Yes, you can leave it connected all the time; a warm PSU with the LEDs off is usually just its own operating consumption, not a problem for the strip. The LEDs are not affected, but the PSU’s life may be shortened a bit, and if it fails it will more likely just stop working than smoke or explode [#16024273][#16024302][#16024318] If the supply gets very hot when the strip is on, the thread suggests it is a poor-quality or undersized unit and you should replace it with a better 12 V supply with some power reserve [#16026011][#16026181]
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  • #1 16024261
    Roxron
    Level 6  
    Posts: 63
    Rate: 19
    I bought a rgb led strip and I have a question: Can the power supply be connected to the power supply all the time? It's warm even when the leds are off. When I disconnect the power supply, the driver does not save the last color and hence this question so that I do not have to configure each time.

    Thanks for understanding what I think is a stupid question.
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    #2 16024273
    kosmos99
    Level 38  
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    If that's what you want, so be it. The power supply is warm because it draws electricity for its operation, even when it is not powering the receivers.
  • #3 16024293
    Roxron
    Level 6  
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    Will it not shorten the life of the power supply and is it possible for the power supply and LEDs to be damaged?
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    #4 16024302
    kosmos99
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    LEDs are not affected, but the life of the power supply may be shortened.
  • #5 16024316
    Roxron
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    And is there a possibility that such a power supply will start to smoke or explode?
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    #6 16024318
    kosmos99
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    In practice, it rather stops working.
  • #7 16024334
    Roxron
    Level 6  
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    Two more questions: Will such a power supply significantly shorten its life (e.g. to several months)? Is it possible to buy a driver that saves the settings when the power is turned off? I have a 5m SMD5050 tape
  • #8 16024407
    Zbigniew 400
    Level 38  
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    You probably have a faulty power supply, it should not heat up in no-load condition unless it is over 100W.
  • #9 16025004
    CYRUS2
    Level 43  
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    Don't scare people unnecessarily.
    A "warm" power supply, a relative term, does not mean that it is faulty.
    Lifespan shortening is fantasy.
    The life time depends on the quality of the electrolytes that the Chinese put into the power supply.
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  • #10 16025034
    mychaj
    Level 35  
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    Maybe a friend will write what power supply it is or where it was bought then it is easier to "assess" the quality.
    I have a 6m belt built in with the controller and the power supply is not "warm" and is constantly under voltage.
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    #11 16025215
    zlotowa666
    Level 11  
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    Hello, I have a power supply constantly under voltage for 7 years without interruption because the tape is controlled by 12v and I don't think it draws much current in idle state, it has even survived the tape because I recently replaced it and best of all I'm not convinced about this statement but I think maybe it's have a positive effect on the service life of the transformer. I think so because the transformer Sn / nn also does not turn on under load, please tell me wise heads, I'm curious if it's true.
  • #12 16025236
    Anonymous
    Level 1  
  • #13 16025421
    Roxron
    Level 6  
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    Rate: 19
    The power supply is some noname YL-1250.
    Output 12V 5A
    Thanks for the replies, but now I'm worried about the temperature during use. After about 30 minutes of work with the LEDs on, the power supply got quite hot, it even starts to burn when in contact with the hand. Is this normal too? Of course, I turned it off for fear of damaging it. In general, the power supply is light for its size and heats up mainly in one place on a small surface.
  • #14 16025635
    kosmos99
    Level 38  
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    The power supply is 60W, and how much is the tape? It's probably just as warm here.
  • #15 16025664
    Roxron
    Level 6  
    Posts: 63
    Rate: 19
    The tape is 5m, and the auction says that it consumes 4.8W per meter. It is a LED strip with 5050 diodes
  • #16 16025686
    mawerix123
    Level 39  
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    kosmos99 wrote:
    The power supply is 60V


    It has 60 volts at the input or output because the car is giving something else :?:

    Either this power supply is not 60W or the RGB ones are not 24W ;)
  • #17 16025718
    Roxron
    Level 6  
    Posts: 63
    Rate: 19
    The picture shows all the information about the power supply. So is the PSU too powerful?
    Attachments:
    • Can the LED power supply be connected to the power supply all the time? 14777452517211574183896.jpg (360.41 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
  • #18 16025848
    kosmos99
    Level 38  
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    mawerix123 wrote:
    cosmos99 wrote:


    The power supply is 60V




    It has 60 volts at the input or output because the car is giving something else


    The author states that the output, and I meant 60VA, not Volts.

    Added after 1 [minutes]:

    Roxron wrote:
    So is the PSU too powerful?

    The power supply is fine because it has more power than the receiver needs.

    It's weird that it heats up when it's not even half loaded.
  • #19 16025933
    Roxron
    Level 6  
    Posts: 63
    Rate: 19
    Could it be a poor quality power supply? Or maybe the power supply is too powerful and converts a large part of unused energy into heat, hence this temperature? What is the allowable PSU temperature? I'm wondering if I should leave it on for longer and see if at some point it won't get any hotter. Can this damage the leds?

    However, the controller can accept a maximum of 6A.
  • #20 16025939
    kosmos99
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    Roxron wrote:
    Can this damage the leds?

    NO
    Roxron wrote:
    However, the controller can accept a maximum of 6A.

    It says 5A
  • #21 16025957
    Roxron
    Level 6  
    Posts: 63
    Rate: 19
    5A is the output in the power supply, while the LED driver accepts a voltage of 12v and up to 6A, so theoretically the power supply is good. Do you suggest changing the power supply?
  • #22 16026011
    Anonymous
    Level 1  
  • #23 16026181
    mawerix123
    Level 39  
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    kosmos99 wrote:
    and I meant 60VA


    This radically changes the form of things V and VA

    Roxron wrote:
    After about 30 minutes of work with the LEDs on, the power supply got quite hot, it even starts to burn when in contact with the hand.


    So there's something wrong. Once a friend also bought two similar RGB sets on Alledrogo, one power supply lasted a few days, the other over a week and gave up the ghost, buying a solid power supply with a power reserve of 30% made him enjoy colorful LEDs to this day.

    A good move would be to check how much this set really consumes power because, as I wrote, it is impossible that the power supply does not give 5A or RGB consume more than declared by the seller and I would think about the latter, because probably wanting to sell the product, he underestimated the power of the lights ;)
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  • #24 16026255
    Roxron
    Level 6  
    Posts: 63
    Rate: 19
    How can I check how much power the LEDs need? The seller wrote back to me that the power supply heats up strongly and there is no risk of overheating.
  • #25 16026305
    mawerix123
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    An ammeter would be useful.
  • #26 16026789
    Roxron
    Level 6  
    Posts: 63
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    I have a multimeter. Should I set it to scale 10 and connect it with a plus on one side of the tape and a minus to the end of the tape? Probably a stupid question, but I don't want to burn anything.
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    #27 16027065
    mawerix123
    Level 39  
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    Roxron wrote:
    and connect with plus on one side of the tape and minus to the end of the tape?



    The ammeter is connected in series, not in parallel. A colleague described the connection of a voltmeter.
    You need to disconnect one cable from the power supply, plug in the ammeter (select the appropriate pins in the meter, a separate pin is used to measure the current in the range of up to 10A)
    Do not measure from the controller to the tape because the measurement will be incorrect, the ammeter must be connected between the power supply and the RGB controller and gradually increase the light and color power.

    Can the LED power supply be connected to the power supply all the time?
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    #28 16027371
    Block3r
    Level 14  
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    According to the description, this strip consumes 4.8W per meter, but is it when all the colors in the RGB LEDs shine at once?
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    #29 16027420
    mawerix123
    Level 39  
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    Block3r wrote:
    but is it when all the colors in the RGB LEDs light up at once?


    I'm afraid not, and that would explain why the Imax of the controller is 6A, i.e. ... 4.8W * 5mb = 24W * 3 RGB colors gives 72W of the entire system, let's divide it by the voltage of 12VDC and gives 6A :D

    Roxron wrote:
    The LED driver accepts a voltage of 12V and up to a maximum of 6A


    So a 100VA power supply is needed ;)

    The actual maximum power consumption of 1 meter of tape is 14.4 W
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    #30 16027518
    Anonymous
    Level 1  
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Topic summary

✨ The discussion revolves around the safety and implications of keeping an LED power supply connected continuously, particularly for RGB LED strips. Users express concerns about the power supply heating up even when the LEDs are off, questioning whether this could shorten the power supply's lifespan or lead to potential hazards like smoking or exploding. Responses indicate that while the LEDs themselves are not affected, the power supply may experience a reduced lifespan due to constant operation. Users also discuss the quality of the power supply, with some suggesting that a faulty or low-quality unit could overheat. The conversation includes technical details about power consumption, with calculations indicating that a 5m SMD5050 LED strip could draw significant power, necessitating a power supply with adequate capacity. Recommendations for measuring power consumption and considering a higher-rated power supply are also provided.
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FAQ

TL;DR: Leaving a 60 W LED-strip PSU plugged in 24/7 adds about 0.4 kWh / month (≈€0.10) [DOE, 2020]; "it rather stops working than explodes" [Elektroda, kosmos99, post #16024318] Why it matters: Knowing real heat, load and costs lets you choose a safer, longer-lasting supply.

Quick Facts

• Typical standby draw (60 W SMPS): 0.5 – 1.5 W [DOE, 2020] • Safe case temperature: ≤ 70 °C surface [UL, 2019] • 5 m RGB 5050 (30 LED / m) at white: ≈ 72 W [Elektroda, mawerix123, post #16027420] • Recommended PSU headroom: 25 – 30 % [Mean Well, 2021] • 12 V 100 W modular PSU price: €15 – €25 (Allegro listings, 2024)

Can I leave the LED-strip power supply plugged in all the time?

Yes. Users report years of continuous operation without LED damage [Elektroda, zlotowa666, post #16025215] The supply draws a small standby wattage, so energy cost is low.

Does standby heat mean the PSU is faulty?

Mild warmth is normal because control circuitry still works [Elektroda, kosmos99, post #16024273] A case hotter than 70 °C indicates overload or poor quality.

Will constant power shorten the PSU life significantly?

Not if the supply runs within specifications. Life depends more on capacitor quality than on uptime [Elektroda, CYRUS2, post #16025004]

Can the PSU smoke or explode?

Failure usually ends in silence—“it rather stops working than explodes” [Elektroda, kosmos99, post #16024318] Catastrophic events are rare but possible with cheap, unventilated units.

How much energy and money does standby draw?

A 1 W standby load consumes 0.72 kWh/month—about €0.18 at €0.25 /kWh [DOE, 2020].

Why is my 60 W supply hot with only half load?

Cheap units run at 50–65 % efficiency at light load; the wasted power becomes heat [CUI, 2021]. Ventilation and quality matter more than rating.

How large should my power supply be for 5 m RGB SMD5050?

Full-white needs ≈ 72 W [Elektroda, mawerix123, post #16027420] Add 25 % headroom: choose a 90 – 100 W (7.5 – 8 A) 12 V supply [Mean Well, 2021].

Does brightness and colour affect consumption?

Consumption falls with PWM dimming and single-colour use. One colour uses roughly one-third of the white load [Elektroda, mawerix123, post #16027833]

How can I measure the actual current safely?

Use a multimeter’s 10 A range in series between PSU and controller.
  1. Disconnect positive lead.
  2. Insert meter probes inline.
  3. Power on and read amps. [Elektroda, mawerix123, post #16027065]

What surface temperature is safe to touch?

Standards limit accessible parts to 70 °C; above 60 °C feels painfully hot [UL, 2019]. Use an IR thermometer if unsure.

Should I buy a plastic plug-in or metal modular PSU?

Metal modular units dissipate heat better, offer screw terminals, and often include EMI filters. Price difference is small (€5–€10) (Allegro listings, 2024).

What edge-case failure should I watch for?

Dry electrolytic capacitors can raise output to >20 V, instantly overheating LEDs [Texas Instruments, 2018]. Shut down supplies that show rising voltage.

How do I test PSU output voltage?

Set meter to 20 V DC, touch probes to V+ and V–. Expect 12 ± 0.3 V. Variations beyond 5 % mean replacement [Elektroda, Roxron, post #16029266]
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