March Magnitude Madness Week 3: LinDrive Transformers

It’s time for another March Madness Monday at Inspired LED!

The NCAA tournament continues, with our first few rounds of elimination leaving some key teams out in the cold, while others continue the march to victory.

We’re officially down to the Sweet 16—and this year’s top contenders are being dubbed an unusual mix of everything from “unlikely” to “surprising”. Only two No. 1 seed teams managed to survive the first week of games. Meanwhile Kentucky seems to have finally hit its stride, while Loyola Chicago (perhaps with a little help from a special team chaplain) has claimed a few miraculous victories of their own.

But who doesn’t love an underdog story?

Games continue later on this week, leading down to the final four, when only the brightest teams will shine…

In the world of Magnitude Madness, this week’s product breakdown is certainly an up & comer. It’s newer, faster, sleeker than its rival E-Series or M-Series, first making an appearance on the Inspired LED scene just one year ago in 2017! The LinDrive (L-Series) Dimmable Transformers from Magnitude is a lean, mean, lighting machine.

Magnitude LinDrive LED Driver

Standing at just under 1” tall, this style transformer boasts an even lower profile and lighter weight than the E-Series, making it perfect for mounting under cabinets. In order to accomplish the task of converting 120 Volts AC down to 12 or 24 Volts DC in such a compact space, the Lindrives utilize a highly technical process which actually begins by stepping that 120V AC all the way up to around 400V DC. The current is then switched through a small transformer at a high frequency (similar to the method used by the E-Series), and the output is then rectified and filtered down to a flat DC output.

Unlike other transformers, which dim on the output side by essentially turning lights on and off faster than the human eye can perceive, the L-Series transformers dim using “pulse width modulation” or PWM. Because of the complex electronic components inside, Lindrive transformers are compatible with the same CFL/LED and MLV dimmers as the E-Series model. You can view the complete list of compatible dimmers here.

While the installation is very similar to that of its closest rivals, the L-Series Transformers have an ace formation that gives them a leg up in the game. Each Lindrive features not one, but two removable wiring boxes: one on the input, and one on the output side. Rather than bare leads, these transformers utilize basic screw terminal connections, allowing you to connect wires directly, rather than worrying about wire nuts. The result? A faster, cleaner installation with fewer tools required on the job.

View a video demo of the installation here.
(A reminder for our avid DIYers—due to the use of high voltage lines we always recommend hardwire transformers be installed by a licensed contractor or electrician!)

Magnitude LinDrive Wiring Diagram

In part thanks to this handy wiring solution, the L-Series transformers are ETL listed and compliant with UL 8750 & 1310. This means, like all of Inspired LED’s products, you can install them with the peace of mind of knowing they have been rigorously tested for safety and reliability. Designed specifically for smaller lighting systems (especially when compared to the heavyweight Magnetics) the Lindrives also come with the added benefit of being an exclusively “Class 2” product line.

While the 12 Volt 40W model was first to go on sale last year, we are now pleased to welcome the newest members of the L-Series team: the 12 Volt 20W, the 24 Volt 20W, and the 24 Volt 40W, coming soon to Inspired LED!

Check out our product page for more information on the Lindrive transformer, and be sure to stop by next Monday for our final week of March Magnitude Madness when we’ll be unveiling a brand new addition to our shelves. Don’t forget, there’s only two more weeks to take advantage of our Magnitude sale—buy now and save 10% on the purchase of any Magnitude brand transformer (see specials page for details).

Until then, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the continuing drama of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, and the countdown to the final four!


To learn more about Magnitude drivers and other great products available from Inspired LED, visit us at www.inspiredled.com or contact our award winning customer service team at orders@inspiredled.com. Need help planning your LED system? Take advantage of our FREE Design Services to get a custom layout and quote from one of our expert lighting designers!  

 

References:

Hermann, A. (2018, March 15). Why the world has fallen in love with Loyola Chicago superfan Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt. Retrieved March 19, 2018, from https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2018-03-15/why-world-has-fallen-love-loyola-chicago-superfan-sister-jean

Lopresti, M. (2018, March 16). 16 things to know about this year’s unlikely Sweet 16. Retrieved March 19, 2018, from https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2018-03-19/16-things-know-about-years-unlikely-sweet-16

Paine, N. (2018, March 19). This Year’s Sweet 16 Is Downright Odd. Retrieved March 19, 2018, from https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/this-years-sweet-sixteen-is-downright-odd/