The cases where grouping drivers near the panel wins
Three situations genuinely justify the longer low voltage run.
The first is a lack of anywhere to put the driver. If the only spot near the strip is a sealed cove, a void packed with insulation, a damp area or a ceiling that closes permanently, moving the driver is the only correct answer rather than a compromise.
The second is quantity. Once a job carries four or six drivers, grouping them in one ventilated, labeled, accessible cabinet or mechanical space turns future service into a ten-minute visit instead of a hunt through a finished building.
The third is control. Where several zones run from one place, keeping the supplies together simplifies the wiring back to the switches and controller, which is why the LED power supplies range gets specified in banks on larger jobs.
Each of those choices lands on conductor size. A longer DC leg wants heavier wire, and that has to be planned before the walls close.
Air around the case, and a hand that can reach it
Drivers and strips both put out heat while running, so give the case the clearance its manufacturer specifies and keep it clear of insulation, sealed boxes and voids with no air path. Heat in enclosed LED installations covers what that looks like in practice. Match the location rating to the spot as well, since a dry location unit belongs in a dry location and driver location ratings explains the distinction.
Access is the other half of the same test. A driver is the part of the system most likely to be handled again, so the position has to let a hand and a screwdriver in. Picture that swap before the position is fixed.
That is also where the trades divide. A driver near the panel means hardwired connections, a junction box and line voltage cable. That work belongs to a licensed electrician who follows the manufacturer instructions, the local electrical code, and the NEC where it applies. Power is switched off at the breaker before any box or device is opened, and a live line voltage connection is never something to probe or test.
Low voltage guidance about strips, cable and drop is not permission to take on line voltage work. If you want the driver bank near the panel, brief the trade early: what to hand an electrician sets out the information that saves a second visit.
One question answers whether to keep the driver near the strip or near the panel
Is there a spot within a short cable run of the strip that will still be reachable after the job is finished, has air around it, and is rated for that environment?
If yes, put the driver there. A base cabinet, a closet wall, the space above a removable ceiling panel, a joinery gable with a vent path. One suitable option where a non-dimmable supply suits the design is the EnoLED 24V ELD power supply, which lists plug-in and direct-wire connection; confirm its output voltage, wattage capacity, connection types and location rating on the product page before you specify it.
If no, group the drivers where they can be serviced and size the low voltage conductors for the real distance. Do not split the difference by hiding a driver halfway along in a spot that is neither close nor accessible.
Voltage matches through the whole chain either way: a 24V strip takes a 24V driver and a 24V controller, a 12V strip takes 12V, and distance changes nothing about that.
