I want to power LEDs. My LEDs require a total of ~50a. My question is this: should i buy a 60A PSU or can I use a 20A PSU and use all three output terminals (20 + 20 + 20 = 60)?
Do (meanwell, amazon PSUs) PSUs have the ability to output a full 20a load from each output on the PSU or if I’m using all three output terminals is the output from each terminal divided by 3? (20a/3 output terminals)
Hi Snacks!
A 20A power supply can only provide 20 amps total, it doesn’t matter how many screw terminals there are.
You will need either a power supply rated for your load, or multiple smaller power supplies connected together in parallel that combined are equal to or greater than your load.
If you can find a single 60A supply, get that, otherwise three 20A supplies in parallel will work. If you use multiple power supplies, make sure they all turn on and off together. If only one or two were on, they’d be overloaded.
Got it. The problem here is that I am using Powercon connectors that are rated for 20A, so sending 60A through those connectors wont work? I could use all three output terminals and then I would be sending out 20A out of each terminal respectively, correct?
The problem here is that I am using Powercon connectors that are rated for 20A, so sending 60A through those connectors wont work?
Correct, you’d need to parallel three of them to pass 60 amps safely. Roughly 1/3 of the total load should flow through each connector.
I could use all three output terminals and then I would be sending out 20A out of each terminal respectively, correct?
Yes, as long as you use the same size and length wire on each terminal.