Powering LED strip from mains, where connect ground?

Thread Starter

sharevari

Joined Aug 18, 2011
8
I'm trying to make a wall lamp out of an old plastic (with metal back) letter from an advertising sign. The neon tube that was originally in it was broken so I thought I'd use an LED strip.

I have bought a 5m LED strip, and this driver for it:

http://www.ezd24.com/epweb/xpicsc/ezbu251c.jpg

It has two inputs for 230V mains AC and two outputs for 12V DC going to the LED strip. But nowhere to connect the ground coming from the wall.

My question is thus, would it be OK to connect the ground from the wall directly to the metal casing of the letter while the other two wires go into the driver?
 

LDC3

Joined Apr 27, 2013
924
I'm trying to make a wall lamp out of an old plastic (with metal back) letter from an advertising sign. The neon tube that was originally in it was broken so I thought I'd use an LED strip.

I have bought a 5m LED strip, and this driver for it:

http://www.ezd24.com/epweb/xpicsc/ezbu251c.jpg

It has two inputs for 230V mains AC and two outputs for 12V DC going to the LED strip. But nowhere to connect the ground coming from the wall.

My question is thus, would it be OK to connect the ground from the wall directly to the metal casing of the letter while the other two wires go into the driver?
Yes, if you also connect the ground to the case of the driver. In case a short develops inside the driver case.

Think about potential damage to the equipment. The power cord may wear and break as it is entering the old case, which may electrify the case, so you will want to ground the case. The same is true for the driver case. Although it is not as likely since the wire is not moving as much. It is better to be safe.
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
...would it be OK to connect the ground from the wall directly to the metal casing of the letter while the other two wires go into the driver?
that's how I would do it. Any shorts to the case (which is the part you can touch) is made safe by providing a better path then your body. Hopefully such shorts make the house circuit breaker open.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I thought strongly about locking this thread, then I saw the LED driver. In spite of what the title says, the OP is not connecting the LEDs directly to mains, but is using a commercial product. The product may be flawed, I have no way of knowing.
 
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