LRS-200 or LRS-350 for a 24V Sign Cabinet? Check the Fan Before Upsizing
A sign cabinet is already laid out for a 24V supply. The next batch adds more illuminated letters, so someone proposes replacing the LRS-200 with an LRS-350. That may provide more rated output, but it also adds a built-in fan. If the cabinet is near a quiet reception desk or has little room for air to move, the bigger number alone is a poor purchasing decision.
Both LIKELIGHT listings include 24V as an option. The exact MEAN WELL models are LRS-200-24 and LRS-350-24. Their datasheets, not the family names, determine the current and operating limits. First establish the real 24V load; then decide whether the cabinet can accommodate the cooling method.
The physical change a buyer can see
The LRS-200 uses free-air convection: heat leaves through its ventilated metal enclosure without an internal fan. That does not make a closed, unventilated sign cabinet acceptable. Check the manufacturer's mounting and derating information against the actual cabinet temperature and the space left around the unit.
The LRS-350 has a built-in, temperature-controlled fan. MEAN WELL specifies fan-on and fan-off thresholds inside the supply; the published thresholds are not a promise that an installed cabinet will be silent. Air must be able to enter and leave the unit, and the fan side must remain reachable for inspection or replacement planning. The LIKELIGHT photo shows the fan, but its visible label represents a gallery unit, not the 24V version being quoted.
A sealed sign cabinet cannot gain ventilation by casually adding holes: that may change the sign's water protection. Have the enclosure designer choose the cooling arrangement for the whole sign. If the cabinet is outdoors or damp, this LRS-to-LRS comparison is the wrong starting point; use the separate protected-cabinet versus outdoor-driver guide.
What extra watts do not solve
A supply with more output capacity does not automatically permit longer LED runs or fewer power feeds. The strip or module rating, cable size, branch protection and voltage drop still set the wiring plan. Nor does the same 24V label guarantee the existing mounting holes, AC selector setting or destination-market paperwork are suitable. Ask the installer to check the exact datasheet and installation manual before a substitution.
For EU lighting orders, both LRS datasheets include a harmonic-current restriction for defined end uses on public mains. The project team should review that note and the complete sign's compliance before fixing either model in a repeat order.
Quote the cabinet, not only the power box
Send LIKELIGHT the measured or specified 24V light load for one cabinet, the cabinet drawing showing supply position and air path, the destination country, and whether the installation is noise-sensitive or difficult to service. Ask for the exact 24V model, current datasheet and a quote that identifies the supply and any separately required cabinet work. This keeps the discussion tied to a repeatable build rather than a generic 200W-to-350W swap.
See the official LRS-200 listing and LRS-350 listing.
