DIY LED lamps for the home. Let there be light: making a diode lamp with your own hands

LED lamps are widely used in household, street and industrial lighting. Their important advantages are efficiency, environmental friendliness, and low maintenance.

A DIY LED lamp will definitely find its application in your home. Detailed instructions on manufacturing, as well as assembly diagrams, you will find in the presented article.

The basis of the LED lamp is a single-sided semiconductor, the size of which is several millimeters. There is a unidirectional movement of electrons in it, which allows you to convert alternating current into direct current.

An LED crystal consisting of several layers is characterized by two types of electrical conductivity: positively and negatively charged particles.

The side containing the minimum number of electrons is called hole (p-type), while the other with big amount These particles are called electron (n-type).

When elements at a pn junction collide, they collide, generating light particles called photons. If you keep the system at a constant voltage during this time, the LED will emit a stable stream of light. This effect is used in all LED lamp designs.

Four types of LED devices

Depending on the placement of LEDs, such models can be divided into the following categories:

  1. DIP. The crystal is arranged with two conductors, above which there is an enlarger. The modification has become widespread in the manufacture of signs and garlands.
  2. "Piranha". The devices are assembled similarly to the previous version, but have four outputs. Reliable and durable structures are most often used to equip cars.
  3. SMD. The crystal is placed on top, which significantly improves heat dissipation and also helps reduce the size of the devices.
  4. OWL. In this case, the LED is soldered directly into the board, which increases the glow intensity and protects against overheating.

A significant drawback of COB devices is the impossibility of replacing individual elements, which is why you have to purchase a new mechanism due to a single failed chip.

Chandeliers and other household lighting products typically use SMD design.

LED lamp device

LED lamp consists of the following six parts:

  • Light-emitting diode;
  • base;
  • driver;
  • diffuser;
  • radiator.

The operating element of such a device is an LED, which generates a stream of light waves.

LED devices can be designed for different voltages. The most in demand are small products of 12-15 W and larger lamps of 50 watt.

The base, which can have different shapes and sizes, is also used for other types of lamps - fluorescent, halogen, incandescent. At the same time, some LED devices, for example, LED strips, can do without this part.

An important design element is the driver, which converts the mains voltage into the current on which the crystal operates.

The efficient operation of the lamp largely depends on this unit; in addition, a high-quality lamp with good galvanic isolation provides a bright, constant luminous flux without a hint of blinking.

A conventional LED produces a directional beam of light. To change the angle of its distribution and provide high-quality lighting, a diffuser is used. Another function of this component is to protect the circuit from mechanical and natural influences.

The radiator is designed to remove heat, excess of which can damage the device. Reliable operation of the radiator allows you to optimize the operation of the lamp and extend its life.

The smaller this part, the greater the thermal load the LED will have to withstand, which will affect the speed of its burnout.

Advantages and disadvantages of a homemade lamp

Specialized stores offer a large selection of LED devices. However, sometimes it is impossible to find a device in the assortment that meets the necessary parameters. In addition, LED devices are traditionally high in cost.

Disadvantages of the products include the lack of a warranty from the manufacturer. In addition, if assembled carelessly, such devices may have an unattractive appearance.

Meanwhile, it is quite possible to save money and get the perfect lamp by assembling it yourself. This is not difficult to do and basic technical knowledge and practical skills will be enough.

A DIY LED device has a number of significant advantages over a store-bought analogue. They are economical: with careful assembly and the use of high-quality parts, the service life reaches 100 thousand hours.

Such devices show a high degree of energy efficiency, which is determined by the ratio of power consumption and the brightness of the light produced. Finally, their cost is an order of magnitude lower than their factory counterparts.

DIY problems

The main issues that have to be resolved in the manufacture of LED lamps are the conversion of alternating electric current into pulsating and its leveling to constant. In addition, it is necessary to limit the power flow to 12 volts, which is necessary to power the diode.

To create an LED lamp yourself, you can use parts purchased in specialized stores, or elements from burnt-out appliances

When thinking through the device, you should also solve a number of design problems, namely:

  • how to arrange the circuit and LEDs;
  • how to isolate the system;
  • how to ensure heat exchange in the device.

Before assembly, it is advisable to think through all these problems, taking into account the requirements for a homemade light source.

LED lamp circuits

First of all, you should develop an assembly option. There are two main methods, each of which has its own pros and cons. Below we will look at them in more detail.

Option with diode bridge

The circuit includes four diodes that are connected in different directions. Thanks to this, the bridge acquires the ability to transform the mains current of 220 V into a pulsating one.

This happens as follows: when sinusoidal half-waves pass through two diodes, they change, which causes a loss of polarity.

During assembly, a capacitor is connected to the positive output in front of the bridge; in front of the negative terminal - a resistance of 100 Ohms. Another capacitor is installed behind the bridge: it will be needed to smooth out voltage drops.

Making an LED element

Most in a simple way Creating an LED lamp involves making a light source based on a broken lamp. It is necessary to check the functionality of the detected parts, which can be done using a 12 V battery.

Defective elements must be replaced. To do this, you should unsolder the contacts, remove the burnt out elements, and put new ones in their place. In this case, it is important to observe the alternation of anodes and cathodes, which are attached in series.

If you need to change only 2-3 pieces of the chip, you can simply solder them to the areas where the failed components were previously located.

For complete self-assembly, you need to connect 10 diodes in a row, observing the polarity rules. Several completed circuits are soldered to the wires.

When making a lamp, you can use boards with LEDs, which can be found in burnt-out devices. It is only important to check their functionality

When assembling circuits, it is important to ensure that the soldered ends do not touch each other, as this can lead to a short circuit in the device and failure of the system.

Devices for softer light

To avoid the flickering characteristic of LED lamps, the circuit described above can be supplemented with several details. Thus, it should consist of a diode bridge, 100 and 230 Ohm resistors, 400 nF and 10 μF capacitors.

To protect the device from voltage surges, a 100 Ohm resistor is placed at the beginning of the circuit, followed by a 400 nF capacitor, after which a diode bridge and another 230 Ohm resistor are installed, followed by an assembled chain of LEDs.

Resistor devices

A similar scheme is also quite accessible to a novice master. To do this, you need two 12k resistors and two chains of the same number of LEDs, which are soldered in series, taking into account the polarity. In this case, one strip on the R1 side is connected to the cathode, and the other to R2, the anode.

Lamps made according to this scheme have a softer light, since the operating elements are lit in turn, making the pulsation of the flashes almost invisible to the naked eye.

Materials for making homemade products

In addition to the body, other elements will be required to create the lamp. These are, first of all, LEDs, which can be purchased in the form of LED strips or individual NK6 elements. The current strength of each part is 100-120 mA; voltage 3-3.3 V.

The assembly of some circuits involves the use of additional links, for example, a driver, so the set of components for each specific case is considered separately

You also need 1N4007 rectifier diodes or a diode bridge, as well as fuses, which can be found in the base of an old device.

You will also need a capacitor, the capacitance and voltage of which must correspond to the electrical circuit used and the number of LED elements used in it.

If not used finished board, you need to think about the frame to which the LEDs are attached. For its manufacture, a heat-resistant material that is not metal and non-conducting electric current is suitable.

As a rule, such a part is made of durable plastic or thick cardboard. To attach the LED elements to the frame you will need liquid nails or superglue.

Assembling a simple LED lamp

Let's consider the implementation of a lamp in a standard base from a fluorescent lamp. To do this, we will have to slightly change the above list of materials.

In this case we use:

  • old base E27;
  • NK6 LEDs;
  • driver RLD2-1;
  • a piece of plastic or thick cardboard;
  • Super glue;
  • electrical wiring;
  • soldering iron, pliers, scissors.

Initially, you need to disassemble the lamp. For luminescent devices, the connection of the base to the plate with tubes is carried out using latches. It is important to locate the fastening location and pry the elements with a screwdriver, which will allow you to easily disconnect the cartridge.

The process of assembling a homemade LED lamp is simple. A driver is inserted into the case from the old device, on top of which a board with LEDs is installed

When disassembling the device, extreme care must be taken so as not to damage the tubes that contain a toxic substance inside. At the same time, it is necessary to monitor the integrity of the electrical wiring connected to the base, as well as preserve the parts contained in it.

We use the upper part with connected gas-discharge tubes to make the plate necessary for connecting the LEDs. It is enough to remove the tubular elements and attach the LED parts to the remaining round holes.

To secure them securely, it is better to make an additional plastic or cardboard cover, which will serve to isolate the chips.

The lamp will use NK6 LEDs, each of which consists of 6 crystals with parallel connection. They allow you to create a fairly bright lighting device with a minimum of electricity consumption.

To connect each LED to the cover, you need to make two holes. They should be pierced carefully in strict accordance with the diagram.

The plastic part allows you to firmly fix the LED elements, while the use of cardboard requires additional fastening of the LEDs to the base using liquid nails or superglue.

Since the device is designed to use six LEDs with a power of 0.5 watts each, the circuit must include three elements connected in parallel.

A spectacular lamp can be created using LED strip. This element is inserted into a tube used for fluorescent lighting

In a design that will operate from a 220 V power supply, you need to provide an RLD2-1 driver, which you should purchase in a store or do it yourself.

To avoid short circuits, it is important to insulate the driver and board from each other using plastic or cardboard before starting assembly. Since the lamp barely heats up, there is no need to worry about overheating.

Having selected all the components, you can assemble the structure according to the diagram, and then connect it to the electrical network to check the glow.

The device, operating from a standard 220 V power supply, has low energy consumption and a power of 3 Watts. The latter figure is 2-3 times less than that of fluorescent devices and 10 times less than that of incandescent lamps.

Although the light output is only 100-120 lumens, the dazzling white color makes the lamp appear much brighter. Assembled lamp can be used as a tabletop or to illuminate a compact room, such as a corridor or closet.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

In the video below you can see detailed story specialist on self-assembly of an LED lamp:

DIY LED lamps have high technical characteristics. They are almost as good as factory models in terms of qualities such as strength, reliability, and durability.

The assembly of such devices is accessible to almost everyone: to successfully complete it, you just need to strictly follow the diagrams and carefully carry out all the prescribed manipulations.

Perhaps you have already collected light diode lamp do it yourself and can you give valuable advice to visitors to our site? Or did you have any questions after reading the article? Please leave your comments in the block below.

Attention! This design has no galvanic isolation from a high-voltage alternating current network. Strictly follow safety precautions. When repeating a design, you do everything at your own peril and risk. The author does not bear any responsibility for your actions.

The article discusses the design of an LED lamp powered by an alternating current network with a voltage of up to 240 V and a frequency of 50/60 Hz. This lamp has been serving me for more than two years and I want to share this design with you. The lamp has a very simple diagram current limitation, which makes it possible for beginning radio amateurs to repeat the design. It has low power and can be used as a night light or to illuminate a room where high brightness is not needed, but such factors as low energy consumption and long service life are important. You can hang it in the entrance or on the landing and not worry about turning off or high electricity consumption - its service life is practically limited by the service life of the LEDs used, since this lamp does not have a pulse converter, which often fail faster than the LEDs themselves, and the radio elements are here are selected in such a way that the rated voltages and operating currents of both capacitors with diodes and the LEDs themselves are not exceeded, even at the maximum permissible voltage and frequency in the supply network.

The lamp has the following characteristics:

The lamp uses three-crystal warm white LEDs of the smd5050 type:

When a rated current of 20 mA flows on one LED chip, the voltage drops by about 3.3 V. These are the main parameters for calculating the quenching capacitor for powering the lamp.

The crystals of all nine LEDs are connected in series with each other and thus the same current flows through each crystal. This ensures uniform luminescence and maximum service life of the LEDs and therefore the entire lamp. The LED connection diagram is shown in the figure:

After soldering, you get this LED matrix:

This is what it looks like from the front:

I present to you schematic diagram of this LED lamp:

The lamp uses a full-wave rectifier using diodes D1-D4. Resistor R1 limits the current surge when the lamp is turned on. Capacitor C2 is a filter and smoothes out current ripples through the LED matrix. For this case, its capacity in microfarads can be approximately calculated using the formula:

where I is the current through the LED matrix in milliamps and U is the voltage drop across it in volts. You should not chase too large a capacitance of this capacitor, since the current-quenching capacitor plays the role of a current limiter, and the connected LED matrix is ​​a voltage stabilizer.

In this case, you can use a capacitor with a capacity of 2.2-4.7 μF. A resistor R3 installed in parallel with it ensures that this capacitor is completely discharged after turning off the power. Resistor R2 plays the same role for current suppression capacitor C1. Now the main question is how to calculate the capacity of the quenching capacitor? There are many formulas and online calculators for this on the Internet, but they all underestimated the result and gave a lower capacity, which was confirmed in practice. When using formulas from various sites and after using online calculators, in most cases the resulting capacitance was 0.22 µF. When installing a capacitor with this capacity and measuring the current flowing through the LED matrix, a result of 12 mA was obtained at a mains voltage of 240 V and a frequency of 50 Hz:

Then I took a longer route and first calculated the required quenching resistance, and then derived the capacity of the quenching capacitor. For the initial data we have:

  • Supply voltage: 220 V. Let's take the maximum possible - 240 V.
  • I took the network frequency to 60 Hz. At a frequency of 50 Hz, less current will flow through the matrix and the lamp will shine less brightly, but there will be a reserve.
  • The voltage dropped on the LED matrix will be 27 * 3.3 = 89.1 V, since we have 27 LED crystals connected in series and each of them will drop approximately 3.3 V. Let’s round this value to 90.
  • At a maximum frequency of 60 Hz and a network voltage of 240 V, the current flowing through the matrix should not exceed 20 mA.

The calculations use the effective values ​​of currents and voltages. According to Ohm's law, the damping resistance should be:

Where U c - mains voltage (V)

Um - voltage on the LED matrix (V)

I m - current through the matrix (A).

Since we use a capacitor as a damping resistance, then X c = R and according to the well-known formula for capacitance:

We calculate the required capacitance of the capacitor:

Where f - supply frequency (Hz)

Xc - required capacitance (Ohm)

Let me remind you that the value of the capacitor capacity obtained in this case is valid for a supply frequency of 60 Hz. For a frequency of 50 Hz, according to calculations, the value is 0.42 μF. To check the validity, I temporarily installed two parallel-connected capacitors of 0.22 μF each with a resulting total capacitance of 0.44 μF, and when measuring the current flowing through the LED matrix, a value of 21 mA was recorded:

But durability and versatility were important to me, and based on the calculation for a frequency of 60 Hz with the result of the required capacitance of 0.35 µF, I took a similar value with a capacitance of 0.33 µF. I also advise you to take a capacitor with a slightly smaller capacity than the calculated one, so as not to exceed the permissible current of the LEDs used.

Next, by substituting the formula for calculating resistance into the formula for determining capacitance and reducing the entire expression, I derived a universal formula into which, by substituting the initial values, you can calculate the required capacitance of the capacitor for any number of LEDs in the lamp and any supply voltage:

The final formula takes the following form:

Where C - capacity of the quenching capacitor (uF)

Id - permissible rated current of the LED used in the lamp (mA)

f - supply frequency (Hz)

U c - supply voltage (V)

n - number of LEDs used

Ud - voltage drop across one LED (V)

Maybe someone will be too lazy to make these calculations, but using this formula you can determine the capacity for any LED lamp with any number of LEDs of any color connected in series. For example, you can make a lamp from 16 red LEDs by substituting the voltage drop corresponding to the red LEDs into the formula. The main thing is to adhere to reasonable limits, not to exceed the number of LEDs with a total voltage on the matrix up to the supply voltage and not to use too much powerful LEDs. In this way, you can make a lamp with a power of up to 5-7 W. IN otherwise A capacitor that is too large may be needed and strong current ripple may occur.

Let's go back to my lamp and the photo below shows the radio elements that I used:

I did not have a capacitor with a capacity of 0.33 µF and I placed two capacitors with a capacity of 0.22 and 0.1 µF connected in parallel. With such a capacity, the current flowing through the matrix will be slightly less than the calculated one. In my case, the filter capacitor is for a voltage of 250 V, but I strongly recommend using a capacitor for a voltage of 400 V or more. Although the voltage drop on my LED matrix does not exceed 90 V, if at least one of the LEDs breaks or burns out, the voltage on the filter capacitor will reach the amplitude value, which is more than 330 V at an effective supply voltage of 240 V. (U a = 1.4U)

As a body, I used part of a compact energy-saving fluorescent lamp and took out the electronic filling from it:

I mounted the board mounted and it easily fit into the specified case:

I glued the LED matrix with double tape to a round piece of getinax, which I screwed to the body with two screws and nuts:

I also made a small reflector, cutting it out of a tin can:

I have spent real measurements at a supply voltage of 240 V and a frequency of 50 Hz:

The direct current through the LED matrix took the value of 16 mA, which does not exceed the rated current of the LEDs used:

I also developed a printed circuit board for radio elements in the Sprint-Layout program. All parts fit on an area of ​​30x30 mm. You can see the appearance of this printed circuit board in the figures:

I have provided this PCB in PDF formats, Gerber and Sprint-Layout. You can freely download these files. Although the diagram shows KD105 diodes, since they are currently rare, the printed circuit board is wired for 1N4007 diodes. You can also use other medium power rectifier diodes for voltages from 600 V and for a current 1.5-2 times greater than the current consumption LED matrix. I will give a recommendation regarding the assembly of this matrix. I temporarily glued all the LEDs with the front side to masking tape and soldered all the leads according to the diagram, after which I glued the finished matrix on the side of the terminals with double-sided tape and removed the paper masking tape from the front side. If you have the opportunity, I recommend placing the LEDs at a greater distance from each other, as they will generate heat and, if they are close together, can overheat and quickly degrade.

Personally, I have been using this lamp for seven hours a day for three years now and have not had any problems so far. I also attach an Excel table with the calculation formula to the article. You just need to substitute the original values ​​and as a result you will get the required capacity of the quenching capacitor. Bright and long-lasting light bulbs to everyone. Leave reviews and share the article, as there are many incorrect formulas and calculators on the Internet that give incorrect results. Everything here has been tested by experience and confirmed by time and real measurements.

List of radioelements

Designation Type Denomination Quantity NoteShopMy notepad
Capacitors
C1 Capacitor0.33 µF 400 V1 To notepad
C2 Electrolytic capacitor3.3 µF 400 V1 To notepad
Resistors
R1 Resistor

A DIY LED lamp allows you to save on the purchase of lighting fixtures and improve your own skills. How can we explain this interest? This is due to the objective efficiency of LEDs. In the context of constantly rising prices for utilities, an attempt to save on electricity by installing LEDs via 220V is fully justified.

Buy or make

LED lamp is optimal solution for apartment lighting. But what is the best way to go about purchasing ready-made lamps or making them yourself?

Several facts speak in favor of homemade LED light bulbs:

  • This is the cheapest way to get LED lighting,
  • The assembly diagram is not complicated, which allows even a novice electrician to do the work with his own hands,
  • With proper self-assembly, the glow efficiency will not be inferior to factory devices,
  • To operate a homemade LED lamp you will need a voltage of 220 Volts.

What are the advantages of purchased LED lamps?

  1. This is a guarantee of product quality. But only on condition that you buy products from a trusted manufacturer.
  2. Long service life exceeding ordinary lamps incandescence several times.
  3. Efficient light emission providing high-quality room lighting.
  4. Manufacturer's warranty. Some companies allow you to return money for the light bulb or exchange the LED device for a new one in case of malfunctions or manufacturing defects.

Our readers recommend! To save on electricity bills, our readers recommend the ‘Electricity Saving Box’. Monthly payments will be 30-50% less than they were before using the saver. It removes the reactive component from the network, resulting in a reduction in load and, as a consequence, current consumption. Electrical appliances consume less electricity and costs are reduced.

But do not forget that a purchased light bulb will cost much more than one made on your own.

The choice is always yours. If you are a novice electrician and want to make a device useful for your home yourself, there should be no problems. We will tell you how you can make a full-fledged lamp from LEDs, which will be powered by 220 Volts.

Assembly of the structure

Although there are many options for making an LED lamp, we will look at an example using an old fluorescent light bulb. They are often found in houses and apartments, so there shouldn’t be any problems finding blanks.

  1. The main components of a fluorescent lamp that interest us are the base and reflector. Here the elements combined into an electrical circuit are located. They are responsible for turning on the light bulb. Therefore, disassemble the case very carefully so as not to damage the structure. Otherwise, you will have to look for another fluorescent lamp until you learn how to disassemble it.
  2. Directly the circuit that is used on fluorescent lamp, will not suit us for creating an LED device. It should be disassembled.
  3. You will need to use a fuse from the base. Therefore, there is no need to remove it from the diagram.
  4. You will also need the diode itself. Typically, 1N4007 diodes are used there.
  5. For the new circuit, an electrolyte is added. Almost any one will do, but its voltage must be at least 50 Volts, and its capacity must be 100 µF and higher.
  6. The next part of the original design we need is a capacitor. Its capacity is 1 µF, voltage 630 Volts.
  7. The most important element for a future LED lamp is the LEDs themselves. You can use elements from LED strips. They are cut into sections containing 3 diodes. To power this section, a voltage of 12 Volts is used. For our lamp you will need to take 4 such segments. Below is a diagram according to which all components of the future lamp are assembled.
  8. To avoid problems with the LEDs loosening in the base, place them on any glue. Preferably something like super glue.
  9. And for pieces of diodes it is better to use a frame. For these purposes, arm yourself with any dense material that bends. The exception is metal and any conductive material. Many craftsmen use foam board rolled into a tube. Its diameter should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the base. It is better to add additional glue to the foam cardboard structure for better adhesion.
  10. Roughly speaking, homemade led light bulbs using 220 volt power this is a plinth with a base for pieces LED strip. Pieces of tape are attached to the outside of the foam cardboard tube, which forms the luminous part of the lamp. Everything is simple, as you can see for yourself.
  11. According to the diagram, the LED strip segments are connected in series. In fact, they will be located on top of each other. If necessary, the number of levels of tape segments can be increased, thereby increasing the brightness of the lamp. Only in this case will it be necessary to select a capacitor with electrolyte corresponding to the power of the lamp with increased capacity.
  12. It is recommended to glue the tape onto the foam cardboard base using liquid nails. This way you can adjust the location of the LEDs. Super glue will stick tightly. And if you do something not quite exactly, you won’t be able to fix it.
  13. The tape itself is often filled with liquid nails. Only the LEDs themselves remain outside. This way the lamp will look more original, and the glue will additionally protect the device from mechanical stress.
  14. Similar assembled devices for 220 Volts can also be powered from a voltage of 40 Volts.
  15. If you use a voltage of 220 Volts, each piece of tape with diodes will receive a voltage of 11.5 Volts.
  16. If you increase it to 240 Volts, the voltage going to the LED segments will become 12 Volts.
  17. Such moments allow us to understand that the lamps made will not be afraid of voltage surges.
  18. By assembling the design according to the diagram, you will get a lamp with decent efficiency of emitted light.

Does such a scheme have any disadvantages? Yes. But he is alone, albeit significant.

Problem assembled circuit is that you get an electrical open connection between electrical network 220 Volt and LEDs. Therefore, handling such devices will require increased attention. But if you follow basic safety rules, there should be no problems with using a homemade light bulb.

Although the process of self-assembling an LED lamp is not difficult, in the absence of basic knowledge in this area there are at least two reasons to abandon attempts to assemble the structure on your own:

  1. You simply may not succeed if you don’t understand the schemes.
  2. A light bulb assembled using homemade methods can damage the entire wiring of your home, leading to dire consequences.

If you have experience, at least out of personal interest, it’s worth trying to put together something similar.

Hello to all masters! Today I want to show you several designs of LED lamps that can be made from used “energy-saving” lamps and. The essence of the idea is that you can give new life to old things and they will serve for the benefit of man for a long time. The circuit is common to all three designs - a conventional transformerless power source. You can read more about his work here.

LED night light

The first design is of low power, so it is planned to install it in a night light. The lamp is assembled on the basis of four three-crystal SMD5050 LEDs. Current consumption is 4.5 mA. Ballast capacitor 0.1 µF.

LED lamp 2 watts

2-watt lamp made of fifty-four single-chip SMD3528 LEDs table lamp. Current consumption 11 mA. Capacitor 0.47 µF.

A 5.5-watt lamp made of thirty three-crystal SMD5050 LEDs for the hallway. Its current consumption is 60 mA. Capacitor 1.5 µF.

LED lamp power supply circuit

Everything is put together very simply, here is the diagram for which we need:

  • resistor 100 Ohm * 1 W,
  • resistor 1 MΩ * 0.25 W, needed to discharge a non-polar capacitor after turning off the power,
  • any diode bridge with an operating voltage of at least 400 volts (or an assembly of four diodes, which can be taken from the same “energy saving boxes”),
  • a non-polar capacitor from 0.1 to 2.0 µF for a voltage of at least 275 volts (preferably 400 volts), it limits the current supplied to the LEDs,
  • an electrolytic capacitor from 2 μF and a maximum voltage of at least 400 volts (can also be taken from an “energy saving” device), it smoothes out voltage ripples, eliminating the flickering of LEDs,
  • and, of course, any identical LEDs.

All LEDs are connected in series (plus to minus) and connected to the circuit, observing polarity. The non-polar capacitor is selected based on the current of the LEDs, which can be viewed in the datasheet for a given LED, according to this table:

But it is better, of course, by inserting a multimeter into the LED power supply gap (at 200 mA mode) to check the current so that it does not exceed the rated current of the LEDs, in order to avoid their premature failure.

WARNING: This circuit does not have galvanic isolation from the network, so you must be careful when working, do not touch the bare sections of the circuit connected to the device with your hands, to avoid electric shock!

Archives for printed circuit boards for lamps can be downloaded from this link. Good luck to you in your creative endeavors and see you again on the pages of the site Radio circuits! I was with you Tyomych.

Discuss the article HOW TO MAKE AN LED LAMP

Despite high cost, the electricity consumption of semiconductor lamps (LED) is much less than that of incandescent lamps, and the service life is 5 times longer. The LED lamp circuit operates with a supply of 220 volts, when the input signal causing the glow is converted to an operating value using a driver.

LED lamps 220 V

Whatever the supply voltage, one LED is supplied constant pressure 1.8-4 V.

Types of LEDs

An LED is a semiconductor crystal made of several layers that converts electricity into visible light. When its composition changes, radiation is produced a certain color. The LED is made on the basis of a chip - a crystal with a platform for connecting power conductors.

To reproduce white light, the “blue” chip is coated with a yellow phosphor. When the crystal emits radiation, the phosphor emits its own. Mixing yellow and blue light creates white.

Different chip assembly methods allow you to create 4 main types of LEDs:

  1. DIP - consists of a crystal with a lens located on top and two conductors attached. It is the most common and is used for lighting, lighting decorations and displays.
  2. “Piranha” is a similar design, but with four terminals, which makes it more reliable for installation and improves heat dissipation. Mostly used in the automotive industry.
  3. SMD LED - placed on the surface, due to which it is possible to reduce dimensions, improve heat dissipation and provide many design options. Can be used in any light sources.
  4. COB technology, where the chip is soldered into the board. Due to this, the contact is better protected from oxidation and overheating, and the glow intensity is significantly increased. If an LED burns out, it must be completely replaced, since DIY repairs by replacing individual chips are not possible.

The disadvantage of the LED is its small size. To create a large, colorful light image, many sources are required, combined into groups. In addition, the crystal ages over time, and the brightness of the lamps gradually decreases. For high-quality models, the wear process is very slow.

LED lamp device

The lamp contains:

  • frame;
  • base;
  • diffuser;
  • radiator;
  • LED block;
  • transformerless driver.

220 volt LED lamp device

The figure shows a modern LED lamp using SOV technology. The LED is made as one unit, with many crystals. It does not require wiring of numerous contacts. It is enough to connect just one pair. When a lamp with a burnt-out LED is repaired, the entire lamp is replaced.

The shape of the lamps is round, cylindrical and others. Connection to the power supply is made through threaded or pin sockets.

For general lighting, luminaires with color temperatures of 2700K, 3500K and 5000K are selected. The spectrum gradations can be any. They are often used for advertising lighting and for decorative purposes.

The simplest driver circuit for powering a lamp from the mains is shown in the figure below. The number of parts here is minimal, due to the presence of one or two quenching resistors R1, R2 and the back-to-back connection of LEDs HL1, HL2. This is how they protect each other from reverse voltage. In this case, the flickering frequency of the lamp increases to 100 Hz.

The simplest diagram for connecting an LED lamp to a 220 volt network

The supply voltage of 220 volts is supplied through the limiting capacitor C1 to the rectifier bridge, and then to the lamp. One of the LEDs can be replaced with a regular rectifier, but the flickering will change to 25 Hz, which will have a bad effect on vision.

The picture below shows classic scheme LED lamp power supply. It is used in many models and can be removed for DIY repairs.

Classic scheme for connecting an LED lamp to a 220 V network

The electrolytic capacitor smooths out the rectified voltage, which eliminates flicker at a frequency of 100 Hz. Resistor R1 discharges the capacitor when the power is turned off.

DIY repair

A simple LED lamp with individual LEDs can be repaired by replacing faulty elements. It can be easily disassembled if you carefully separate the base from the glass body. There are LEDs inside. The MR 16 lamp has 27 of them. To access printed circuit board, on which they are located, must be deleted protective glass, prying it off with a screwdriver. Sometimes this operation is quite difficult to do.

LED lamp 220 volts

Burnt-out LEDs are immediately replaced. The rest should be ringed with a tester or a voltage of 1.5 V should be applied to each. The serviceable ones should light up, and the rest must be replaced.

The manufacturer calculates the lamps so that the operating current of the LEDs is as high as possible. This significantly reduces their service life, but it is not profitable to sell “eternal” devices. Therefore, a limiting resistor can be connected in series to the LEDs.

If the lights blink, the cause may be a failure of capacitor C1. It should be replaced with another one with a rated voltage of 400 V.

Make it yourself

LED lamps are rarely made again. It is easier to make a lamp from a faulty one. In fact, it turns out that repair and production of a new product is one process. To do this, the LED lamp is disassembled and the burnt-out LEDs and driver radio components are restored. There are often original lamps on sale with non-standard lamps, which are difficult to find replacements in the future. A simple driver can be taken from a faulty lamp, and LEDs from an old flashlight.

The driver circuit is assembled according to the classic model discussed above. Only resistor R3 is added to it to discharge capacitor C2 when turned off and a pair of zener diodes VD2, VD3 to bypass it in case of an open circuit of the LEDs. You can get by with one zener diode if you choose the right stabilization voltage. If you select a capacitor for voltages greater than 220 V, you can do without additional parts. But in this case, its dimensions will increase and after the repair is done, the board with the parts may not fit into the base.

LED lamp driver

The driver circuit is shown for a lamp of 20 LEDs. If their number is different, it is necessary to select a capacitance value for capacitor C1 such that a current of 20 mA passes through them.

The power supply circuit for an LED lamp is most often transformerless, and care should be taken when installing it yourself on a metal lamp so that there is no phase or zero short circuit to the housing.

Capacitors are selected according to the table, depending on the number of LEDs. They can be mounted on an aluminum plate in the amount of 20-30 pieces. To do this, holes are drilled in it, and LEDs are installed on hot-melt adhesive. They are soldered sequentially. All parts can be placed on a printed circuit board made of fiberglass. They are located on the side where there are no printed tracks, with the exception of LEDs. The latter are attached by soldering the pins on the board. Their length is about 5 mm. The device is then assembled in the luminaire.

LED table lamp

220 V lamp. Video

You can learn about making a 220 V LED lamp with your own hands from this video.

Properly made homemade circuit LED lamp will allow you to use it for many years. It may be possible to repair it. Power sources can be any: from a regular battery to a 220-volt network.

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