

It is expressed either in Watts (W) or Amperes (A). You can find your strip’s power draw on its product description. To calculate how long a battery can last from a fully charged state, determine your LED light’s power draw and your battery’s mAh rating. Using the same example above, if you use a AA battery with a capacity of 2400 mAh instead of the 220 mAh coin cell, it can power the same LED bulb for 120 hours. If you were to use a coin cell battery with a capacity of 220 mAh to power a single LED bulb, it’d power it for 11 hours.Īs mentioned earlier, the higher your battery’s capacity is, the longer the duration will be before it loses power. This means that it can consume 20 mAh (milliamps-hour) in one hour. A typical single LED bulb will have a power draw of 20 mA (milliamps). They don’t take up as much energy from a source. LED lights are incredibly power-efficient compared to incandescents. It’s also rechargeable, which means you can use it over and over. It can have a nominal capacity of 20,000 mAh. Because of its size, it provides the most capacity compared to the others on this list. It can even power an automobile’s electronic system. If you want a power source as big as it gets, a 12V Lithium battery can fit the bill. Though convenient, they don’t last very long, offering only a capacity of 500 mAh. This battery comprises six smaller 1.5V AAAA batteries combined into a single package, similar to the battery box concept. If you need something higher than a 1.5V, you can opt for a 9V alkaline battery. You’re going to need eight 1.5V batteries in a battery case since 1.5V * 8 = 12V.

A battery box can house a number of these batteries so that you can pair them in a series. If you want to connect your strip lights to these batteries, they’re going to need a battery box.

AA batteries have a capacity of up to 2400 mAh, which means they can last much longer. However, since the AAA is smaller, it only has a capacity of 1000 mAh. Though the two differ in size, they both produce the same 1.5-volt output. The more bulbs you place, the shorter its lifespan gets.ĪAA and AA alkaline batteries are the most available types on the market. Coin cells can only supply 3 volts at 220mAh, enough to light one to a few LED bulbs for a few hours. Coin cells are perfect for applications that need little power, such as single-bulb LEDs for props and decorations.

Because there’s not enough space to work with, these LEDs make use of a tiny battery. Many LED lights are compact enough to fit into tight spaces. LED strips will have copper pads, open wires, or DC receptacles. A majority of battery packs will either have open wiring or DC connectors as their output terminals. 2.3 ConnectivityĪnother thing you need to make sure of is the compatibility of your battery and LED strip connectors. A 12V rechargeable lithium battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh can last longer than an alkaline 9V battery that produces only 500 mAh. The higher your battery’s capacity value in mAh, the longer it can last. Your battery’s capacity tells you how long it can provide current (mA) or power (W) before its charge is used up. It measures in watts-hours (Wh) or milliamp-hours (mAh). Connecting a 12V strip to a battery that produces more than 12 volts can permanently damage it.Ĭapacity is the amount of power that is stored in a power source like your battery. NOTE: When choosing your battery, ensure that its voltage level doesn’t go above your strip’s voltage need.In contrast, connecting your lights to a battery with a lower voltage may decrease performance and lower brightness.
Auto 12 volt led lights series#
For a 24V LED strip, you can wire two 12V batteries in a series since 12V * 2 = 24V. Because batteries are compact, you’re going to have to connect them up in a series to match your LED’s voltage requirement.įor example, for a 12V LED strip, you’re going to need eight pieces of 1.5 AA batteries since 1.5V * 8 = 12V.
