# Power supply rating

**URL:** <https://rpi-rgb-led-matrix.discourse.group/t/power-supply-rating/129>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [February 20, 2021, 1:34pm UTC](https://rpi-rgb-led-matrix.discourse.group/t/power-supply-rating/129 "2021-02-20T13:34:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![flidais](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@flidais](https://rpi-rgb-led-matrix.discourse.group/u/flidais)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 1:34pm UTC](https://rpi-rgb-led-matrix.discourse.group/t/power-supply-rating/129/1 "2021-02-20T13:34:46Z")

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I don’t have any experience with RGB panels yet and unsure about the power consumption.  
Bought 4x 64x64 with this rating:

- max 1200W/m2
- avarage 400-500W/m2

Now all panels are 0.1024m2 which results in max 123W and ~51W.  
My question is, do I really need a power supply with \>123W? It seems so much for just 4 panels.

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**Author:** ![wrldtvlr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dec6dc/32.png) [@wrldtvlr](https://rpi-rgb-led-matrix.discourse.group/u/wrldtvlr)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 4:11pm UTC](https://rpi-rgb-led-matrix.discourse.group/t/power-supply-rating/129/2 "2021-02-20T16:11:48Z")

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Max current draw would occur when each LED was being driven full white at 100% brightness. It’s unlikely this would occur in most applications.

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**Author:** ![flidais](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@flidais](https://rpi-rgb-led-matrix.discourse.group/u/flidais)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 4:51pm UTC](https://rpi-rgb-led-matrix.discourse.group/t/power-supply-rating/129/3 "2021-02-20T16:51:52Z")

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Thanks for the information. I guess I’ll go for 130W anyway since I don’t want an unlikely event to crash the pi, potentially damaging stuff. Also adding some capacitors make a lot of sense then.