I'm the office administrator for a 14-person electrical contractor. I order lighting parts for our field techs—roughly $150,000 a year across 20 vendors. That includes Mean Well drivers, chandelier crystals for custom fixtures, handheld spotlights for inspections, and a lot of recessed housings. One question keeps coming up: should we use the Mean Well LRS-350-24 power supply 350W 24V or a dedicated Mean Well driver? And when we're in an attic, how do we know if a recessed can is IC rated? Let me walk through both.
Why do I get to write about this? In 2022, I ordered a constant-voltage LRS for a fixture that needed a constant-current driver. The upside was that the LRS was cheaper and sitting on the shelf. The risk was that it wasn't the right output type, but I told myself '24V is 24V,' which, honestly, isn't true in lighting. The module flickered and ran hot until the customer complained. Replacing it cost us more than the driver would have.
Mean Well LRS-350-24 vs. Mean Well LED Drivers: What I Actually Compare
The comparison isn't Mean Well versus some other brand. It's two families inside Mean Well: general-purpose enclosed power supplies and fixture-specific LED drivers. The LRS is the workhorse; the driver is the specialist.
1. Output type: constant voltage vs. constant current
The Mean Well LRS-350-24 delivers a fixed 24V DC bus. It's a constant voltage power supply. It powers 24V LED strip, name signs, DC relays, and it does a great job on our workbench when we test handheld spotlights.
A Mean Well driver like the LPC-60-700 outputs constant current—700mA in this case—to the LED circuit. If you're replacing the LED board in a chandelier with crystals, the label inside the fixture will usually state the required current. Guess instead of reading that label, and you're guessing with expensive parts.
My simple rule: constant voltage for LED tape and panels that include resistors; constant current for bare LED modules and COB boards.
2. Dimming: does the lighting need to fade?
The LRS-350-24 is not a dimmable driver. You can sometimes add an external PWM controller if the LED load can accept it, but that adds parts and wiring.
Many Mean Well LED drivers come with 3-in-1 dimming—resistor, PWM, and 1-10V—and some support DALI. That matters for chandeliers, under-cabinet lights, and projects where the owner expects a wall dimmer. Mean Well publishes these specs in every datasheet; I keep a copy on file before I promise a client anything. Per FTC guidance (ftc.gov), a performance claim like 'dimmable' needs to be substantiated, and the spec sheet is that proof.
How I explain it to a customer:
“The LRS gets power there reliably. The driver gets power there and makes it dim smoothly.”
3. Mounting and environment
Two more practical differences:
- Mounting: The LRS is a metal box with screw terminals. It belongs in a ventilated enclosure or on a panel. A Mean Well LED driver is often designed to sit near the fixture, with flying leads and a smaller footprint.
- Environment: If the driver is outdoors or in a damp location, choose a driver with an IP65 or IP67 rating. The LRS-350-24 is IP20, which means it's not weatherproof.
This is also where I learned to look at the size of the fixture canopy. For a chandelier with crystal glass, there usually isn't any space for a 350W LRS. A small HLG or LPC driver is a much better fit, and it reduces my shipping headaches too.
Why 'Just Order a Mean Well Driver' Isn't a Complete Spec
When a tech asks for a 'Mean Well driver,' I can't put that in the purchase order. I need output current or voltage, wattage, dimming type, and IP rating. This was the hardest lesson for me.
And yes, chandelier crystals show up in my order log more often than you'd think. Usually we're not replacing the crystals at all—we're replacing the hidden LED driver and keeping the crystals. But sometimes a piece is missing, and the client insists on a matching style. Crystals don't affect the driver spec; they affect appearance. What matters is matching the LED module's current and voltage. I'll spend the extra time finding the label inside the fixture before I order the Mean Well driver.
How to Tell if Recessed Lighting Is IC Rated
The other question I answer constantly: how to tell if recessed lighting is IC rated. This is an A/B in the field: IC-rated means the housing can be in direct contact with insulation. Non-IC means you have to keep clearance—usually about 3 inches—so the heat can escape.
Here's the checklist:
- Use a handheld spotlight to inspect the inside of the can. Most housings have a printed label with 'IC' or 'Non-IC.'
- If the label isn't visible from below, check the attic side. A handheld spotlight is your best friend here—pull back a little insulation and look for the housing label.
- If you don't see a label, treat it as non-IC. Don't assume it's fine because it resembles another brand's IC fixture. The label is the only safe evidence.
- Look for a testing lab mark, such as UL, on the housing. UL 1598, the luminaire standard, requires IC-rated housings to be marked for direct insulation contact. If the marking says 'IC' or 'IC rated,' insulation can touch it. If not, leave room.
Why this matters in the office: in 2023, we had a job where the recessed housing was non-IC and the insulation had been blown right over it. We didn't discover the mistake until a city inspector flagged the installation. The rework cost about $1,800. We didn't have a formal verification checklist at the time. Now, 'verify IC rating' is on every work order, and I ask for photos before I order.
Which One Should You Choose?
I'm not going to say one is universally better. Instead:
- Choose the Mean Well LRS-350-24 power supply 350W 24V when you need a 24V bus for LED tape, name signs, panel use, or a bench test setup.
- Choose a Mean Well driver when the fixture has bare LEDs, an LED module with its own current requirement, or needs dimming. Also choose a driver when the physical size has to fit inside a small fixture canopy.
- For recessed lighting, decide IC rating first, then worry about color temperature and lumens. An IC-rated can is safe to insulate over; a non-IC can is not.
One honest limitation: my experience is based on maybe 400 purchase orders since 2020 (closer to 350—I'd have to check QuickBooks). I've only worked with U.S.-based contractors and inspectors, so if your market has different fixture ratings or mains voltage, do not take my checklist as gospel. But the habit behind it—read the label, document it, order the right driver—works anywhere.
The LRS and the Mean Well driver both have a place. Pick the one that matches the fixture, not the one with the nicer price. When I've broken that rule, I've always paid for it later.