LED bulbs are becoming more and more popular with buyers due to a number of advantages of these light sources. Unlike classic incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps, their energy consumption is significantly lower, and the working life is noticeably longer. With equal power consumption, LED bulbs provide better illumination of rooms than the same fluorescent counterparts. All this forces you to familiarize yourself in detail with what an LED lamp is, what its principle of operation and design are. So, first things first.
Content:
- LED lamp device
- Operating principle
- Differences by type of food
- Application area
- Types of lamps and assessment of their quality
LED lamp device
Users wishing to familiarize themselves with what it is will have to understand the design and principle of operation of an LED light bulb. First of all, a classic LED luminaire is a prefabricated device consisting of the following main units (photo below):
- Several LED emitters placed on a heat-dissipating aluminum substrate (heat sink).
- Frosted domed diffuser, the design of which ensures uniform distribution of the light flux.
- An electronic converter (driver) that supplies LED power supplies of the required quality.
- Standard base (E14, E 27, E 40 and other types).
Important! In the simplest models of bulbs from a Chinese manufacturer, one powerful LED can be installed.
When considering various options for the execution of LED bulbs, it is important to learn how to distinguish them by the magnitude of the supply voltage.
Operating principle
The principle of operation of a light-emitting diode light bulb is presented as a series of transformations that ensure the glow of the emitters included in its composition. When the supply voltage is applied to the base, it first goes to the driver, the purpose of which is precisely to bring the high voltage to a form acceptable for LED lamps.
To briefly describe this method of energy supply, it is enough to refer to the following diagram:
In simple terms, her work can be represented as follows:
- First, AC voltage is applied to diode bridgewhere it is partially straightened.
- The next electrolytic tank is designed to smooth out the pulsations.
- After that, the fully rectified voltage is supplied to the controller that controls the operation of the LED lamp.
- From the electronic module, it is fed directly to the LEDs via an isolation pulse transformer.
Important! When answering the often asked question: why is such a decoupling needed, we will answer - its presence partially reduces the threat of high voltage damage when working with the lamp base.
The principle of operation of a 12-volt LED bulb is much simpler, since a typical power supply is required to convert the voltage and nothing else. And this ultimately reduces the cost of the entire product as a whole.
Differences by type of food
In accordance with this parameter, the known samples of LED lamps are divided into the following modifications:
- with LEDs rated for 220 volts.
- operating from reduced and rectified voltage of 12 volts.
The first light sources on this list operate on typical electrical networks and turn on like conventional incandescent bulbs.
LED lamps rated for 12 Volts DC, thanks to their low voltage and wide choice of caps, are universal products.
For the operation of such lamps, you will need a special power supply unit that reduces the alternating mains voltage to a constant value of 12 volts.
Application area
When considering where LED bulbs are used, a separate approach to different designs will be required. Products connected directly to the 220 Volt network are operated like conventional lamps (fluorescent or incandescent) with a corresponding base. In contrast, low voltage LED illuminators are used for a wide variety of purposes ranging from spot lighting when arranging stretch ceilings and ending with the organization of external and internal backlight. Some samples are positioned as car bulbs installed in most models of modern vehicles.
Important! The relatively low power supply voltage provides LED lamps with high electrical and fire safety (excludes electric shock and fire).
These advantages allow you to expand the scope of LED lamps and install low-voltage models in the following situations:
- In rooms with high humidity (for example, when arranging led illuminated bathroom mirrors).
- In conditions of high fire and explosion hazard.
- When arranging various types of lighting.
- In warehouses and basements.
- Outdoors in the open air.
In the latter case, such lamps can be operated without special protection measures and the use of wiring with increased requirements for the reliability of insulation.
note: The versatility of LED lamps is emphasized by the fact that they often use a strip LED backlight module as a power supply.
However, for reliable operation of low-voltage lamps, it is best to use a specialized 12-volt power supply designed to work with LEDs.
Types of lamps and assessment of their quality
From a technical point of view, all considered LED lamps differ in the following indicators:
- Type of power supply (220 or 12 volts).
- Base type.
- The number of LEDs.
- Lighting power (luminous flux).
- Body shape.
By design features that affect the reliability of this sample and its cost, LED bulbs are divided into branded products and cheap Chinese samples. The latter have a simpler design and are not highly reliable.
The design differences of branded products from Chinese consumer goods are manifested in such details as the presence of a "powerful" heat sink and a well-designed diffuser and base.
Any LED light bulb on the market is considered by the user in two ways: from the point of view of its reliability (quality) and from the point of view of purchase costs. With this approach to the acquisition of lighting fixtures, the choice remains with the buyer himself. In conclusion, we note that LEDs allow in practice to implement the principle of energy saving in a domestic environment. Due to the peculiarities of their design and functioning, it is possible to save part of the funds spent on lighting needs.
Now you know what an LED lamp is, how it works and how it works. We hope the information provided was clear and useful for you!
Related materials:
- How to choose LED bulbs for your home
- How to lower the voltage in the network
- How to save on lighting
