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LED Strip Driver & Cable Calculator

Calculate LED strip driver capacity, current, cable size, voltage drop and feed arrangement for 12V, 24V and 48V constant-voltage systems.


Saleh Deco Lighting Tool

LED Strip Driver & Cable Calculator

Plan constant-voltage LED-strip load, driver headroom, current, feed topology and preliminary copper-cable sizing for 12V, 24V or 48V systems.

Shared calculation loaded
The saved LED-strip inputs have been restored.
Use verified rated input power from the strip datasheet.
Total metres across all equal-load runs.
Runs are assumed equal in length and wattage.
Reference wattages are planning sizes only; verify the required output voltage and product data.

Cable route

The voltage-drop target applies to the complete driver-to-strip feed route: shared main feed plus branch feed.

One-way metres from each driver circuit to its distribution point. Enter 0 if branches leave directly from the driver.
One-way cable distance from distribution point to each strip feed.
Both-end mode models two equal cable feeds per run with approximately equal current sharing.
Professional checks and project references
Use the manufacturer's maximum continuous strip length per feed arrangement.
Assumed to apply to one strip run/channel.
Temperature adjusts copper resistance only; regulatory ampacity derating is not calculated.
Constant-voltage LED strips only. Cable recommendations use copper conductor resistance plus preliminary current screening. Protection devices, insulation, grouping, installation method, terminal limits, strip-PCB voltage loss and local electrical requirements remain outside this calculation.

Calculation basis

Required driver capacity = the higher of: strip load × (1 + safety margin), or strip load ÷ maximum driver utilization.

Complete-route cable check
The tool searches standard metric copper sizes from 0.50–16mm² and only returns a recommendation when both the selected voltage-drop target and preliminary current screen pass. It does not silently cap an undersized result at 16mm².

How to Use the LED Strip Driver & Cable Calculator

Use verified strip data, define the electrical topology, then review driver headroom, current, cable sizing and feed limits.

1Use verified constant-voltage strip data

Select 12V, 24V or 48V and enter the strip's rated watts per metre. Do not use constant-current spotlight-driver data in this calculator.

2Set both driver headroom controls

The tool calculates both a safety-margin requirement and a maximum-utilization requirement, then uses whichever demands the larger rated capacity. This prevents one setting from weakening the other.

3Enter the complete cable route

Distances are one-way. Cable voltage drop includes outgoing and return conductors and applies the selected drop limit to the combined main-feed plus branch-feed route.

4Review driver-circuit splitting

If one driver cannot satisfy the required capacity or selected current ceiling, the calculator searches the visible reference sizes for a balanced multi-driver arrangement. Cable sizing then uses the worst loaded recommended driver circuit rather than pretending all drivers share one DC output.

5Verify run length, controller and feed points

Use the optional manufacturer maximum run and controller/channel current fields to flag runs that need more feed points, shorter sections or separate channels.

What “smallest passing cable” means

The calculator searches standard copper sizes from 0.50 to 16mm² and chooses the lowest-conductor-volume main/branch combination that passes both the route voltage-drop target and the preliminary current screen. If none passes, it reports that the circuit must be redesigned rather than returning 16mm² by default.

What the voltage result does not mean

Voltage at strip feed point is the estimated voltage where the cable reaches the LED strip. It is not the voltage at the far end of the strip because voltage loss along the strip PCB is not calculated.

What still requires project verification?
  • Strip-PCB voltage loss and brightness uniformity
  • Manufacturer maximum run and injection rules
  • Driver output voltage, thermal derating and enclosure conditions
  • Cable installation method, insulation, grouping and protection
  • Controller, terminal and connector ratings
  • Local electrical requirements and final installation design


What does the LED Strip Driver & Cable Calculator do?

The LED Strip Driver & Cable Calculator estimates the electrical requirements of a constant-voltage LED strip installation. Enter the strip voltage, wattage per metre, total length, number of runs and cable distances to calculate the connected load, current and required driver capacity.
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It also evaluates preliminary copper cable sizing and voltage drop across the complete driver-to-strip route, compares one-end and both-end feeding, identifies when multiple driver circuits may be required, and helps flag long runs that may need additional feed points or power injection.
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Use the result as a preliminary system-planning check before confirming the selected LED strip, driver, controller, cable and installation layout.

Understand LED Strip System Design

Driver sizing is only one part of a reliable LED strip installation. Strip voltage, cable distance, current, maximum run length, controller limits, heat management and power-injection points all influence the final system.

Read the LED Strip Lighting Design Guide →

How accurate is the calculator?

The calculator uses standard constant-voltage electrical relationships to estimate connected load, current, driver headroom and preliminary copper-cable voltage drop. Cable recommendations are based on the complete modelled route from the driver through the main feed and branch feed to the strip connection point.

Actual installations can vary according to the selected strip's PCB resistance, maximum permitted run length, cable construction, terminal ratings, controller limits, ambient temperature, installation method and manufacturer requirements.

The calculated voltage at the strip feed point does not predict voltage loss along the LED strip PCB itself. Long strip runs may therefore still require shorter parallel sections, both-end feeding or additional power-injection points even when the supply cable passes the voltage-drop check.

Need help choosing an LED strip, driver or profile?

Browse Saleh Deco LED strips, constant-voltage drivers and lighting profiles, or contact our team with your strip length, voltage, installation layout and calculator result for product guidance.

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