Power purification MeanWell style (because LEDs are yummy)

[glamourpets]

The following device has been suggested in a few discussions. It protects your LEDs from voltage fluctuation. In short, LEDs from IKEA and elsewhere are designed for 12 volts. If you have a converter plugged in your voltage can be as high as 15 volts. If your battery is very dead, you LEDs could see 11 volts or possibly less. This range can give poor LED performance and could possibly cook your LEDs altogether. To solve this problem the following device has been suggested. This device gives you 12.4V no matter what your converter decides to do.

SD-25A-12: MEAN WELL: Power Supplies & Wall Adapters

The data sheet suggests that the device is 71% efficient. That sounds rather poor to me. In real world terms, what does this mean? How many watts of power are being thrown away?

Data sheet here: http://www.jameco.com/Jameco/Products/ProdDS/175805.pdf




Derek

[Ed Harris]

I don't recall reading about any cooked LEDs in the first place?

In addition most LED bulbs that I have seen or used seem to already have switching supplies inside already which is why they cause interference with Rf based devices for me.
So running these from another switching supply hardly seems indicated to me.

What exactly is the problem you have seen that makes you ask about this or have you only read about one?

If its not broken,why fix it.

[glamourpets]

Originally Posted by Ed Harris

I don't recall reading about any cooked LEDs in the first place?

If you do a search for the IKEA puck LEDs lights, you will see conversations about it. People get away with doing nothing, but your converter doesn't maintain a constant voltage if the battery is being charged.

Derek

Try here for starters: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...eds-53155.html

[Ed Harris]

Well like I said the LEDS I have seen and used already have regulation built-in and if you read the thread you linked to entirely as I read it the problem seemed to be a bad fixture?

I am not sold on the need to double regulate the power to my LEDs and I have not lost any or even noticed any flickering or other symptoms of impending failure.

In fact I think it is worth noting that the fixtures designed for automotive use will always see 13.8 or so volts as that is what most alternators produce although they are also rated at a nominal 12vdc I can't think such a small deviation will cause that many problems.

Also while the converter might try to supply higher voltages the battery being in the circuit tends to smooth that out in the end.

Just my opinion.

[rabbit]

I put flat panel LEDs in Bargman fixtures with T-10 sockets meant for incandescents. Four independently switched doubles and two singles plus a single range hood light. Spliced in one of ThomasG's voltage regulators to each of these. No problems with heat generation, SMD detachment, flickering. I have one outdoor fixture with a bayonet base stalk type LED and no voltage regulation. About half the diodes have detached from the solder connection but the remainder continue to emit light.

jack

[Jon Vermilye]

While many LED lamps have built in voltage regulation, many don't. Most of the inexpensive flat panel lamps purchased directly from Hong Kong do not. I've used them with no problems, and they do offer one advantage (besides being less expensive) - some of the VR LED lamps will produce RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) that caused a buzz in nearby AM & even some FM radios, as well as causing digital TVs to lose weak stations.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Ed Harris

I don't recall reading about any cooked LEDs in the first place?

In addition most LED bulbs that I have seen or used seem to already have switching supplies inside already which is why they cause interference with Rf based devices for me.
So running these from another switching supply hardly seems indicated to me.

What exactly is the problem you have seen that makes you ask about this or have you only read about one?

If its not broken,why fix it.

I have had LED lamps with built in regulation in my Scamp for over 2 years "No failures" Adding 20 or 30 dollars worth of protection (additional regulation) for a 3 or 4 dollar lamp to me does not make economic sense . It sounds like a solution in search of a problem

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I have had LED lamps with built in regulation in my Scamp for over 2 years "No failures" Adding 20 or 30 dollars worth of protection (additional regulation) for a 3 or 4 dollar lamp to me does not make economic sense . It sounds like a solution in search of a problem

The voltage regulators that I used cost about $1.50 each. For me, it is not so much the cost but the inconvenience of having the LED burn out.

2X LM2940CT 12 0 LM2940 Low Dropout Linear Voltage Regulator 12V 1A to 220 New | eBay

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

The voltage regulators that I used cost about $1.50 each. For me, it is not so much the cost but the inconvenience of having the LED burn out.

2X LM2940CT 12 0 LM2940 Low Dropout Linear Voltage Regulator 12V 1A to 220 New | eBay

Tom I agree, If the lamps have no regulation adding a voltage regulator may help, but adding another voltage regulator to feed lamps that already have built in voltage regulation may create as many problems as it solves.
Try piggybacking GFCI's and you often get a lot of nuisance tripping but no additional protection

[Ed Harris]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Tom I agree, If the lamps have no regulation adding a voltage regulator may help, but adding another voltage regulator to feed lamps that already have built in voltage regulation may create as many problems as it solves.
Try piggybacking GFCI's and you often get a lot of nuisance tripping but no additional protection

My point exactly.

The problem I guess is there is no way to know going in whether the LED you select already has builtin regulation?
I sort of think the cheapest of the cheap may not but as I said I have yet to get any without.

The other thing to understand is more than just buying the DC-DC converter but then needing to isolate the runs to the LED fixtures so they can have the needed additional wiring installed to run them on the new converter without having any more substantial loads accidentally placed on the converter, Again not worth the trouble to me in any way especially considering as Tom says a separate regulator is so cheap and more simple than messing with all of this if warranted at all?

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Tom I agree, If the lamps have no regulation adding a voltage regulator may help, but adding another voltage regulator to feed lamps that already have built in voltage regulation may create as many problems as it solves.
Try piggybacking GFCI's and you often get a lot of nuisance tripping but no additional protection

I totally agree.