One of the most common questions we get from project planners: how much power will my LED display actually draw? The honest answer is “it depends” — but we can give you solid planning numbers.
Peak vs average consumption
LED displays have two power ratings: peak (max brightness, full white content) and average (typical content, which is rarely full white). For planning, use these rules:
- Average consumption is typically 30–40% of peak
- For brightness/calculation, use 60% of peak as a working number
- For electrical service sizing, use 80% of peak (headroom for occasional bright content)
Real-world numbers per m²
- Indoor fine-pitch (P1.5–P2.5): peak 600W/m², average 220W/m²
- Indoor standard (P3–P4): peak 500W/m², average 180W/m²
- Outdoor (P4–P6): peak 800W/m², average 320W/m²
- Outdoor high-brightness (P8–P10): peak 600W/m², average 240W/m²
- Rental (P2.9–P3.9): peak 700W/m², average 280W/m²
Worked example
A 5m × 3m outdoor LED wall = 15m². At peak 800W/m² = 12kW peak. For electrical service, plan 9.6kW (80%). For UPS backup, plan for 4.8kW (40% — average load).
Operating cost
At an average of 250W/m² and typical commercial electricity rates, a 15m² outdoor display running 12 hours per day costs about $0.85 per day in the US, or about $310 per year. Way less than a printed billboard that gets replaced monthly.
For specific power calculations on your project, contact our engineering team.
