LED 101 / Systems
Power and heat
Circuit count, feeders, and heat load decide whether a wall is cheap to hang or expensive to energize. Spec sheets quote peaks; design for how the wall actually runs.
LED walls draw real power. Peak wattage on a datasheet is not the same as average draw with typical content, but the electrical design still has to cover the peak the wall can ask for. Under-sizing circuits is how projects stall in change orders.
School gyms feel this first. Adding many new circuits late is expensive. Product that runs efficient pixels below their maximum brightness rating can cut the number of circuits without dimming the picture into uselessness. Ask for typical and maximum draw in watts and for the recommended circuit count, not only “nits” on a marketing slide.
Heat follows power. Cabinets dump heat into the room or into outdoor air. Fanless designs move heat through the cabinet structure; fans move more air and need cleaning. In dusty gyms and sealed outdoor boxes, fewer moving parts usually means fewer service calls. Control rooms and quiet boardrooms care about acoustic noise from cooling as well as thermal load on the HVAC.
Plan shutoff. A wall left on overnight wastes life on LEDs and supplies. Tie mains or a sequencer into the room control system so the wall goes dark when the space closes. See Content and control.
Outdoor controller enclosures add their own heating and cooling loads. Size those separately from the LED face. Power quality (surge protection, grounding) belongs in the electrical package with the wall circuits.