# Source: https://learn.adafruit.com/battery-power-for-led-pixels-and-strips.md

# Battery Power for LED Pixels and Strips

## Overview

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/001/316/medium800/leds_ledbelt_LRG.jpg?1396770923)

Here’s how to use our addressable LED strips and pixels for portable projects —&nbsp;bicycles, costumes and fashion accessories — using readily-available AA cells.&nbsp;This is _much_ easier and less expensive to start with than using fancy lithium-polymer batteries and voltage converters.Our 12mm LED pixels and digital RGB flex strips all operate on 5 Volts. When working at one’s desk or workbench, this is easily supplied with a 5 volt wall adapter, or you might have a bench power supply.  
  
So how do we get our project off the workbench and out into the world?

![leds_5v2A_LRG.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/001/317/medium640/leds_5v2A_LRG.jpg?1396770928)

Info: 

The recommended 5 Volts is a “nominal” rating…we actually have a little bit of wiggle room here. About 10% above or below this figure works fine. You can see this by measuring the output of a wall adapter with a voltmeter: due to manufacturing variance, the actual output could be anywhere in this range. So **anything from about 4.5 to 5.5 Volts is safe for these LEDs and 6V is the 'rated absolute maximum'. Any higher and they’ll burn out quickly. Any less and the colors will appear muddy and brown.**

- [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/battery-power-for-led-pixels-and-strips/about-batteries.md)

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