Led lamps for spotlights. Converting a halogen spotlight to LED
We are talking about replacing one of the varieties of halogen bulbs (popularly called thermometers) used in spotlights with an LED analogue. Of the infinite number of products on the site, this one has not been previously reviewed. I will try to make up for this shortcoming.
Replacing halogen lamps in a spotlight, there is also this: 
I will talk about fashionable LED counterparts. I have been successfully using one such copy since last year. Having recently found fittings (the spotlight itself), I bought more. Initially, a spotlight with a 150 W light bulb looked like this: 
Those who have similar ones know that “thermometer” lamps often burn out, because there were quite a few of them. The difficulty is created not so much by the lamp itself, but by replacing it. For it requires the installation of a ladder and disassembly-assembly of the body, and the weather can be different ... Therefore, such a reserve has accumulated: 
As a replacement, I chose LED bulbs 78 mm with a power of 5 W, warm spectrum, with a driver that excludes adjustment, with 24 5730 LEDs. They cost me $ 4.90 apiece, large quantity I did not take LEDs, because the brightness does not increase significantly, and the likelihood of overheating increases. However, this opinion is private and subjective. 
Bulbs of this type are relatively expensive, but made with high quality. I unscrewed two screws each and removed the side walls, presenting the insides according to tradition. Wires do not allow to get completely. The transformer and electrolytic capacitor are clearly visible. Base, aluminum profile frame, plastic walls on the side with contact and slots for ventilation, inside the circuit is in a film, the wires are all silicone. Boards with diodes are cooled against an aluminum frame. 
Of course, the light output of a halogen lamp cannot be compared! At the same time, a 30-fold difference in illumination, as well as in power consumption, is also not observed. LED Spotlight I successfully illuminate an area of about 4 meters in front of me from a 2.5 meter height. In this case, the role of the reflector is more aesthetics. The light, who knows, from LEDs is specific, but this is quite enough for me! 
Separately, I note that the advantage of such a modernization of the spotlight is:
- a significant reduction in electricity consumption (now it is becoming relevant)
- durability
- the safety of the searchlight glass, cases of their cracking from heat are not uncommon
- constancy of brightness, regardless of the voltage in the network (85-265 V). When used with a motion sensor, do not use such lamps! They will flash from time to time. Choose similar ones, but with a dimer. They will not have such a disadvantage, but cost a little more.
There is also a replacement for larger halogens: 500 W - 118 mm and 1 kW - 187 mm
There is only one drawback: the replacement is not equivalent in brightness. But it is not rare that LED lighting will be enough.
Unfortunately, I do not have the opportunity to measure the true power consumption and luminous flux.
The seller sent the goods on the second day. Delivery was China Post less than 2 weeks. Now it is difficult to surprise with such terms ...
Thank you for your attention!
I had an old 500W halogen light in my garage. I used it to illuminate the underside of the car from the viewing hole. Very convenient good lamp with the handle and a protective lattice. But here's the problem: the halogen lamp burned out. Of course, such lamps are still on sale today, but I decided to upgrade the lamp to make it more economical, brighter and more durable.
On Chinese market not so long ago, LED matrices with built-in drivers began to appear right on the body of the matrix itself. This driver is designed for an alternating voltage of 220 V. In a nutshell, it is just an LED that is powered directly from the mains voltage without additional boxes and devices.
And the main plus is the low price -.
The purchase cost less than 150 rubles. I took LED matrix 50 W and a voltage of 220 V, which I actually needed. The brightness of such an LED is quite comparable to a 500W halogen lamp.
Converting a lamp to LED
He unscrewed the glass fastening screw, took out the glass with a rubber gasket. Another plus of this lamp is that it is sealed.And I began to think about how to replace the lamp with an LED. The idea came by itself.
I unscrew the screw securing the reflector-reflector. I take it off, it is made of thin aluminum, it bends very easily.
Then I unscrew the block for attaching the halogen lamp. I disconnect the mains supply wires from the block.
I will mount the LED on the back wall - it fits perfectly, and the spotlight body will act as a radiator (it is made of duralumin), since the LED cannot be turned on without some kind of heat sink. Although it has built-in overheating protection, we will not test it.
I will not make a cutout in the reflector, but screw everything together with it. To do this, it is necessary that the reflector sits close to the body of the rear wall of the lamp. Therefore, we form an aluminum reflector with pliers. Periodically check that everything is tight and good.
If everything fits well, we take a screwdriver with a thin metal drill and drill four holes for mounting the LED right in place.
Then we take thermally conductive paste and smear four surfaces: the back wall of the lamp, the back and front of the reflector and the seat of the LED matrix.
We will collect everything again and fix it with self-tapping screws. You can also use screws with nuts, but I personally took small self-tapping screws. It's okay if they stick out a little at the back - I'll fix it with a file a little later.
That's it, almost everything is ready. It remains only to solder the network wires to the matrix, put the sealing rubber with glass and close the lamp.
Everything works perfectly. It seems to me that it began to shine even brighter than it was, but it heats up many times less, that's for sure.
The LED matrix is voltage decoupled from the landing pad, and the mains phase will not transfer to the case. But it is better not to forget to twist the ground wire to the case.
I used this redesigned spotlight for over a month. In principle, there are no disadvantages, only advantages. Especially the savings in rubles for electricity per person.
Watch the video of the process of converting a halogen spotlight to LED
Modern trends have formed in such a way that LED bulbs are the most economical, practical, safe and efficient light sources that do not have more or less similar analogues. Other products have much more flaws, so today replacing halogen lamps with LEDs is not surprising.
Some people want to save on electricity, others want to increase the safety of chandeliers or spotlights, and others pursue several goals at once. Despite a number of obvious advantages, this replacement will not always be effective and necessary.
Benefits of LED Chandelier
The main advantage of using an LED lamp in a chandelier is the time it takes to reach full power. Take a look at an incandescent lamp: when turned on, the brightness rises gradually. The situation is similar with halogen and, especially, luminescent (mercury) sources. Concerning LED light bulbs, then they begin to fully shine immediately after switching on.
Important! Such products are not afraid of voltage drops, frequent on and off.
We have already written about security above. A minimum voltage is required to power the LEDs, so these devices are not dangerous when replaced, screwed in or removed. If it makes no sense to repair an incandescent lamp, then the LED is often repairable.
Positive features of halogens
Halogen lamps in chandeliers are used for a reason. They have certain advantages, including a simple and convenient design. In fact, halogens are an improved version of filament devices (higher brightness, light output, etc.). In the manufacture of the flask, glass is mixed with quartz, which increases the strength and tightness of products. Additional protective components enhance the resistance of halogen lamps to high temperatures and the effects of chemically active elements.
There are a lot of differences between halogen and LED devices, but the main factor that encourages replacement is efficiency. Despite the apparent simplicity, it is not enough to buy a led source with an identical base and a similar power. This process is associated with some of the nuances discussed below.
Problems when replacing halogens with LED lamps
Difficulties may arise when replacing 12 V halogens. Both types of bulbs are switched through a special power supply. In fact, we are talking about a transformer that lowers the mains voltage of 220 V to the required value (12 V) and stabilizes the parameter to eliminate drops. Theoretically, when choosing a light source with an identical base, you can freely make a replacement.
In fact, power supplies for halogen lamps only lower the voltage, while LED counterparts require a stabilized voltage supply for normal operation. If the lamps were replaced without reworking electrical circuit, then when turned on, the diodes will constantly flash. You may not notice this pulsation, but it will be perceived by the retina, which will lead to rapid fatigue and nervousness.
This is not the only difficulty associated with making such a replacement. LED sources consume a minimal amount of electricity (starting from 1 W), and the transformer for halogens generates much more, so it will often turn off, which will necessarily affect the stable supply of current. To understand how significant the difference in power consumption between halogen and LED bulbs is, just look at a simple example: when replacing a 40 W halogen device, it is enough to buy a 1.5 W diode light source to maintain the nominal glow intensity.
Problems may arise with the functionality of the remote remote control chandeliers. Actual for some models of lamps.
When considering the design of a halogen lamp, you will notice that the filament is near the G4 base. The emitting diode in the led product is located further from the base. As a result, the scattering angle and the illuminated surface in the two cases will be completely different.
Transformer replacement
The problems listed above can be easily eliminated: remove the transformer for halogen products and replace it with a power supply with parameters suitable for the mounted group of LED lamps. It is necessary to consider not only the supply voltage (12 V), but also other characteristics. When choosing an element, be guided by the total power of the connected lighting devices. If necessary, two or three transformers can be used.
These calculations are relatively simple: count the number of installed light sources in a group and multiply their number by the power of one (assuming that you have chosen the same lamps). For example, if the power of an LED product is 2 W, there are 10 of them in a group, then the transformer must withstand a total load of 20 W (it is desirable to increase the parameter by 10%; as a result, we get 22 W).
When comparing halogens and LED lamps, it becomes obvious that the power of the first is 2-3 times higher than the total load of the whole group of the second. When buying a transformer for diodes, make sure that the dimensions of the electrical element approximately match the power supply for halogens.
To install the transformer, it is enough to unsolder the wires from the circuit of the old power supply and connect to the new one. If there is no possibility, then bite the old wires and do the switching from the very beginning.
Is it worth changing
Similar changes in electronic circuit chandeliers will require a lot of effort, considerable time and financial costs. However, there are many benefits to be derived from this.
The service life of a halogen lamp is approximately 4000 hours, LED devices - 25-30 thousand hours. Add to this significant energy savings, which is achieved by reducing the power consumed by the chandelier, while maintaining the nominal intensity of the glow. If five 40 W halogens were installed, then the total load was 200 W. In the case of LED products, the load will be 7.5-10 watts. Thus, such a replacement is quite rational and justified. In order to save money, LED equipment is used in powerful spotlights installed in stadiums.
Above, we forgot to mention another important parameter that is taken into account when buying LED sources - color temperature. For the eyes, warm, yellow shades are much more pleasant, but the whiter the light, the more intense the luminous flux will be. Halogen lamps have approximately the same color temperature - about 2700 K (yellow glow), while for LEDs the range is much higher - from 2500 to 6500 K. As the color temperature rises, the glow becomes brighter and whiter.
How to change a halogen light bulb in a false ceiling?
If you decide to replace the halogens with LED lamp, we invite you to familiarize yourself with step by step instructions to this process:
- Be sure to de-energize the room. The power supply is turned off from the switchboard in the vestibule / entrance.
- Replace the internal mechanism - a block (transformer), which will not only lower, but also stabilize the voltage.
- Remove the cartridge from the lamp.
- Install the LED product with the appropriate socket.
- If required, insulate the wiring. Make sure to fix the chandelier tightly.
How to replace a halogen lamp in a spotlight
The algorithm of actions in the case of spotlights remains the same. Remove the fixing ring, after de-energizing the room, dismantle the halogen by removing it from the cartridge, install a new one and fix the device case. If the light bulb is intact, then wear gloves or use a rag when dismantling, so as not to leave grease stains on the surface of the bulb, which significantly reduce the life of the product. Do the same with the new halogen.
AT spotlights LED designs can also be used. In this case, follow the instructions from the previous section, not forgetting to install a suitable transformer.
Replacing halogen bulbs with LED ones is fraught with many difficulties, but if you act correctly, competently and do not save on a new power supply, then the disadvantages will be imperceptible due to the mass of advantages that you can eventually get. The process is not cheap, since the cost of high-quality LED bulbs is much higher than the price of halogens. You also need to buy a new transformer. General modernization can cost a tidy sum - from 1000 to 3000 rubles. However, the money will be returned with a vengeance due to the more economical consumption of electricity and the durability of the devices.
