12V vs. 24V LED Strip: Is There a Difference?

The LED strip lights have become a fan-favorite product all around the world. Amazingly, the strips have achieved this status in a very short period.

But considering that you may be confused regarding the 12V vs. 24V LED strip lights, here’s a thorough guide. You will be able to decide the most suitable option from the two strip lights at the end of this.

Which one has the better Performance?

We know you weren’t looking for a direct answer to your question this early. But considering there is so much further to elaborate, we should end the debate in the beginning. 

Based on performance, both the 12V and the 24V LED strip lights are amazing following the role they play, respectively. The only major difference between the strips is the distance between the cutting points.

Does Voltage rating affect the Performance?

No, the voltage rating has nothing to do with the performance. You can test it out yourself. Run two different strips of the same length. One strip should be made of 12V LED strips, while the other should have 24V LED strips.

After running both the strips for an equal amount of time, you will see no prominent difference between the luminance. Hence this proves that voltage rating has nothing to do with performance. But yes, under certain conditions, the length of the strip may affect the luminance.

12V vs. 24V LED strip: The one that lasts longer

As mentioned in the above paragraph, the efficiency of a strip light doesn’t depend upon the voltage rating. But yes, some factors influence whether or not the strip light will last longer. In the case of the 12V vs. 24V LED strip, two factors impact the efficiency.

The first one is the quality of the strip light. If a credible brand manufactures the strip light, chances are it will remain functional for longer. The second one is how the strip LED is placed by the user.

What about the Overheating of the Strips?

Although overheating the LED strips is not a very common, one can’t be 100% sure about it. There are incidents reported where the overheating of LED strips caused some serious accidents. But the overheating has nothing to do with the voltage rating of an LED strip.

If we look at the issue of overheating from the perspective of a 12V vs. 24V LED strip, there is no potential evidence proving that voltage rating is related to overheating. A 12V LED strip can overheat faster than a 24V LED strip if the connections are short.

Electronics of 12V and 24V LED Strip connections

From traditional LED bulbs to the now popular LED strip lights, the LEDs are always connected in a series connection. The connection is made to ensure that current or voltage doesn’t affect all the LEDs and breaks at the beginning.

However, some brands also manufacture 12V and 24V LED strips with a parallel connection arrangement. The arrangement is made between multiple strips. This is done to ensure the working of one strip even if the other one is not working.

12V vs. 24V: Are they both reconnectable?

Yes, almost 90% of the LED strips manufactured today are reconnectable. The term reconnectable means that you can reconnect multiple LED strips with the right tactic. But do remember, the connection won’t work if you connect a 12V LED strip with a 24V LED strip. 

The voltage rating is a clear indicator of the minimum voltage required by the strip to work efficiently. That’s why to connect 12V-12V strips and 24V-24V strips, respectively. Also, you need to make sure that the connection between points of the same strip is made through series orientation. But the connection must be parallel if you are connecting two different strips.

Which one to choose? 

Now, this is a tricky question. So far, we have broken the myth that there is a significant difference between the 12V and the 24V LED strips. But still, the question is valid up to some point as there are some aspects in which one is better than the other.

But on average, if you ask for a 12V vs. 24V LED strip, we suggest you choose according to your requirements. The 24V LED strips will require more voltage to operate. But the connection points within the 24V strips will be wider than the 12V strips making them a better choice for reconnection.

Final Note

So, we hope that now you have your winner from 12V vs. 24V LED strips, according to your requirements. Whichever one you have chosen, always give preference to quality over quantity.

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