Assemble the LED lamp with your own hands. DIY LED lamps

LED light sources are rapidly gaining popularity and are replacing wasteful incandescent bulbs and hazardous fluorescent counterparts. They use energy efficiently, serve for a long time, and some of them are subject to repair after failure.

To correctly replace or repair a broken element, you will need an LED lamp circuit and knowledge of design features. And we examined this information in detail in our article, paying attention to the types of lamps and their design. We also gave a brief overview of the device of the most popular led models from well-known manufacturers.

A close acquaintance with the design of an LED luminaire may be required only in one case - if it is necessary to repair or improve the light source.

Home craftsmen, having a set of elements in their hands, can use LEDs, but a beginner cannot do it.

Considering that devices with LEDs have become the basis of lighting systems in modern apartments, the ability to understand the device of lamps and repair them can save a significant part of the family budget

But, having studied the circuit and having elementary skills in working with electronics, even a beginner will be able to disassemble the lamp, replace broken parts, restoring the functionality of the device. For detailed instructions on identifying a breakdown and self-repairing an LED lamp, please go to.

Does it make sense to repair an LED lamp? Certainly. Unlike analogs with a filament for 10 rubles apiece, LED devices are expensive.

Suppose a GAUSS “pear” is about 80 rubles, and a better alternative to OSRAM is 120 rubles. Replacing a capacitor, resistor or diode is cheaper, and the lamp life can be extended by timely replacement.

There are many modifications of LED lamps: candles, pears, balls, spotlights, capsules, ribbons, etc. They differ in shape, size and design. To clearly see the difference from an incandescent lamp, consider a common pear-shaped model.

Instead of a glass bulb - a matte diffuser, the filament was replaced by "long-playing" diodes on the board, the heat sink removes excess heat, and the voltage stability is provided by the driver

If we digress from the usual form, you will notice only one familiar element -. The size range of the base remains the same, so they fit traditional sockets and do not require changing the electrical system. But this is where the similarities end: the internal structure of LED devices is much more complicated than that of incandescent lamps.

LED lamps are not designed to work directly from a 220 V network, therefore, a driver is enclosed inside the device, which is both a power and control unit. It consists of many small elements, the main task of which is to rectify the current and reduce the voltage.

Varieties of schemes and their features

To create the optimal voltage for the operation of the device on diodes, they are assembled on the basis of a circuit with a capacitor or a step-down transformer. The first option is cheaper, the second is used to equip powerful lamps.

There is also a third type - inverter circuits, which are implemented either for assembling dimmable lamps, or for devices with a large number of diodes.

Option # 1 - with capacitors to reduce voltage

Consider an example involving a capacitor, since such circuits are common in household lamps.

Elementary diagram of the LED lamp driver. The main elements that damp the voltage are capacitors (C2, C3), but the resistor R1 performs the same function.

Capacitor C1 protects against mains noise and C4 dampens ripple. At the moment the current is applied, two resistors - R2 and R3 - limit it and at the same time protect it from a short circuit, and the VD1 element converts an alternating voltage.

When the current is cut off, the capacitor is discharged by resistor R4. By the way, R2, R3 and R4 are not used by all LED manufacturers.

If you have experience with controllers, you can replace the circuit elements, re-solder it, slightly improve it.

However, meticulous work and efforts to find elements are not always justified - it is easier to buy a new lighting fixture.

Option # 1 - BBK P653F LED lamp

The BBK brand has two very similar modifications: the P653F lamp differs from the P654F only in the design of the emitting unit. Accordingly, both the driver circuit and the device design as a whole for the second model are built on the principles of the first one.

Option # 4 - Jazzway 7,5w GU10 lamp

The external elements of the lamp are easily detached, so the controller can be reached quickly enough by unscrewing two pairs of self-tapping screws. The protective glass is held by snaps. There are 17 serially connected diodes on the board.

The disadvantage of the circuit is that an ordinary capacitor performs the function of a current limiter. When the lamp is turned on, current surges occur, which results in either a burnout of the LEDs or a failure of the LED bridge

No radio interference is observed - and this is all due to the absence of a pulse controller, but at a frequency of 100 Hz, noticeable pulsations of light are observed, reaching up to 80% of the maximum indicator.

The result of the controller's operation is 100 V at the output, but according to a general assessment, the lamp is more likely to be a weak device. Its cost is clearly overestimated and equated to the cost of brands that are distinguished by stable product quality.

We have given other features and characteristics of lamps from this manufacturer in.

Homemade from improvised elements:

Now, on commercial Internet sites, you can purchase kits and individual elements for assembling lighting devices of various capacities.

If you wish, you can repair a broken LED lamp or modify a new one to get the best result. When purchasing, we recommend that you carefully check the characteristics and conformity of parts.

Do you have any questions after reading the above material? Or do you want to add valuable information and other light bulb schemes based on personal experience in repairing led lamps? Write your recommendations, add photos and diagrams, ask questions in the comment block below.

Economical lighting lamps are already available in almost every home. We propose to consider how to make an LED lamp with your own hands, what materials will be required for this, as well as advice on how to choose them.

Step by step development of LED luminaire

Initially, our task is to check the performance of the LEDs and measure the supply voltage of the network. When setting up this device to prevent electric shock, we suggest using an isolation transformer 220/220 V. This will also provide safer measurements when setting up our future LED luminaire.

It should be noted that if any elements of the circuit are connected incorrectly, an explosion is possible, so strictly follow the instructions below.

Most often, the problem of improper assembly lies precisely in poor-quality soldering of components.

When calculating to measure the voltage drop of the current consumption of LEDs, a universal measuring multimeter must be used. Most of these homemade LED lights are used at 12 V, but our design will be designed for 220 V AC mains voltage.

Video: LED lamp at home

High luminous efficiency is achieved with diodes at a current of 20-25 mA. But cheap LEDs can produce an unpleasant bluish glow, which is also very harmful to the eyes, so we advise you to dilute your homemade LED light with a few red LEDs. For 10 cheap white ones, 4 red LEDs will be enough.

The circuit is quite simple and designed to power the LEDs directly from the mains, without an additional power supply. The only drawback of such a circuit is that all its components are not isolated from the mains and the LED lamp will not provide protection against possible electric shock. So be careful when assembling and installing this lamp. Although in the future, the circuit can be upgraded and isolated from the network.

Simplified luminaire diagram

1. A 100 ohm resistor, when turned on, protects the circuit from voltage surges, if it is not there, you need to use a rectifier diode bridge of higher power.
2. The 400 nF capacitor limits the current required for the LEDs to glow properly. If necessary, you can add more LEDs if their total current consumption does not exceed the limit set by the capacitor.
3. Make sure that the capacitor used is rated for an operating voltage of at least 350 V, it should be 1.5 times the mains voltage.
4. A 10uF capacitor is needed to provide a stable flicker-free light source. Its rated voltage should be twice that measured across all LEDs connected in series during operation.

In the photo you see a burned out lamp, which will soon be disassembled for an LED lamp with your own hands.

We disassemble the lamp, but very carefully so as not to damage the base, after that we clean it and degrease it with alcohol or acetone. We pay special attention to the hole. We clean it from excess solder and process it again. This is necessary for high-quality soldering of components in the base.

Photo: lamp holder
Photo: resistors and transistor

Now we need to solder a tiny rectifier, we use an ordinary soldering iron for this purpose and the diode bridge has already been prepared in advance and we process the surface, we work very carefully so as not to damage the previously installed parts.

Photo: rectifier soldering

It is fashionable to use the glue of a simple assembly heat gun as an insulating layer. A PVC tube is also suitable, but it is advisable to use a material specially designed for this, filling all the space between the parts and simultaneously fixing them. We have a ready-made basis for the future lamp.

Photo: glue and cartridge

After these manipulations, we proceed to the most interesting thing: installing the LEDs. We use a special circuit board as a basis; it can be bought at any electronic component store or even removed from some old and unnecessary equipment, having previously cleaned the board from unnecessary parts.

Photo: LEDs on the board

It is very important to check each of our boards for performance, otherwise all the work is in vain. We pay special attention to the contacts of the LEDs; if necessary, we additionally clean and narrow them.

Now we are assembling the constructor, we need to solder all the boards, we have four of them, to the capacitor. After this operation, we again insulate everything with glue, check the connections of the diodes to each other. We place the boards at the same distance from each other so that the light spreads evenly.

LED connection

We also solder a 10 uF capacitor without additional wires, this is a good soldering experience for future electricians.

Finished mini lamp Resistor and lamp

Everything is ready. We recommend that you cover our lamp with a shade, as LEDs emit an extremely bright light that is very hard on the eyes. If you place our homemade lamp in a “cut” made of paper, for example, or fabric, you get a very soft light, a romantic night light or a wall lamp in the nursery. By changing the soft lampshade to a standard glass one, we get a fairly bright glow that does not irritate the eyes. This is a good and very beautiful option for a home or summer cottage.

If you want to power the lamp on batteries or from USB, you need to exclude the 400 nF capacitor and rectifier from the circuit by connecting the circuit directly to a 5-12 V DC source.

This is a good device for illuminating an aquarium, but you need to pick up a special waterproof lamp, you can find it by visiting any store of electromechanical devices, such devices exist in any city, be it Chelyabinsk or Moscow.

Photo: lamp in action

Office lamp

You can make a creative wall lamp, table lamp or floor lamp in your study from several dozen LEDs. But for this, the flow of light will be insufficient for reading, a sufficient level of illumination of the workplace is needed.

First you need to determine the number of LEDs and the rated power.

Then find out the load capacity of the rectifier diode bridge and capacitor. We connect a group of LEDs to the negative contact of the diode bridge. We connect all the LEDs as shown in the figure.

Scheme: connecting lamps

Soldering all 60 LEDs together. If you need to connect additional LEDs, just continue to sequentially solder them plus to minus. Use wires to connect the minus of one group of LEDs to the next until the entire assembly process is complete. Now add a diode bridge. Connect it as shown in the picture below. Positive lead to the positive lead of the first LED group, connect the negative lead to the common lead of the last LED in the group.

Short LED wires

Next, you need to prepare the base of the old light bulb by cutting off the wires from the board and soldering them to the AC voltage inputs on the diode bridge, marked with a ~. You can use plastic fasteners, screws and nuts to connect the two boards together if all the diodes are on separate boards. Do not forget to fill the boards with glue, isolating them from a short circuit. This is a powerful enough networked LED luminaire that will last up to 100,000 hours of continuous operation.

Add a capacitor

If you increase the voltage supply to the LEDs in order to make the light brighter, then the LEDs will begin to heat up, which will significantly reduce their durability. To avoid this, you need to connect a 10 W recessed or table lamp with an additional capacitor. Simply connect one side of the base to the negative output of the bridge rectifier and the positive, through an additional capacitor, to the positive output of the rectifier. You can use 40 LEDs instead of the suggested 60, thereby increasing the overall lamp brightness.

Video: how to make an LED lamp with your own hands

If desired, a similar lamp can be made on a powerful LED, just then you will need capacitors of a different denomination.

As you can see, assembling or repairing an ordinary DIY LED lamp is not particularly difficult. And it doesn't take much time and effort. Such a lamp is also suitable as a summer cottage option, for example, for a greenhouse, its light is absolutely harmless to plants.

Economical semiconductor elements, from which it is possible to make LED lamps with your own hands, appeared on our market relatively recently. The first samples of products from LED lamps were developed back in 1962, but their quality left much to be desired (modern models are in the photo below).

This was explained by the fact that a home-made LED lamp in those years could be made only on the basis of semiconductor devices emitting in a very narrow range of the light spectrum (only red). In addition, these elements were of high cost, as a result of which it was inexpedient from an economic point of view to make homemade illuminators from them. With the advent of new technologies, it was possible to expand the emission spectrum of semiconductor components to yellow, green and white colors.

At the same time, the cost of these products fell sharply, so the task of making a lamp from LEDs with your own hands did not seem so difficult to do.

Features of the choice of LEDs

Requirements for lighting elements

Before you make an LED lamp with your own hands, you definitely need to decide which emitting diodes are best suited for these purposes.

Additional Information. In general, it is possible to make a lamp based on LEDs only if their efficiency exceeds 50% (compare: for a conventional incandescent lamp, this figure is only 3.5-4%).

The features of the choice of these elements imply that the following determining factors are taken into account:

• The possibility of obtaining a lamp radiation spectrum suitable for the given conditions, made of LEDs (red, yellow, green or white). A sample of the product with a white glow is shown in the photo below;

• High luminous efficiency of a homemade lamp;
• Low power consumption when powered from a household network;
• Long service life (at least 30,000 hours) and environmental friendliness;
• Reliability of construction on LEDs (ability to withstand an unlimited number of on and off).

In these products, it should be possible to control the intensity of the luminous flux, as well as ensure a low temperature in the area where the emitting elements are located.

Selection order

All of the above conditions are fully met by modern LED LED lamps for the home, the range of which is widely represented on the domestic market.

We add to this that the manufacture of a self-made structure does not require the expenditure of additional material resources. For these purposes, old electronic assemblies and products containing the corresponding parts may well be suitable.

An excellent example of a rational approach to their manufacture can be a lamp from a TV set with an LCD screen (not working for any reason), from which you can "borrow" serviceable backlight LEDs. A sample of such a display is shown in the photo below.

Lamp device and circuit

Design features

In order to have a clear idea of \u200b\u200bhow to make an LED lamp with your own hands, first of all, you need to decide on the following questions:

• Type and supply voltage of a diode lamp, soldered from an old device and intended for use in a luminaire;
• The number of emitting lamps required to obtain the desired light output;
• Possible schemes for their connection to a household power supply circuit, used specifically for LEDs.

If a DIY LED light bulb is made from improvised means and old elements, before using them, you need to decide on the voltage that will be supplied to it.

Important! Before assembling the electronic circuit, be sure to check the operability of used products by applying operating voltage to them from an external source (battery, for example). In this case, one should not forget about the observance of the polarity of the inclusion of semiconductor elements.

To obtain the required light output, it will be necessary to connect in series the required number of them, providing a given emitting power. This option is most often worked out in the case when an LED chandelier is made by hand (it may include several separate lamps).

Schematic solutions and details

Most modern LED LEDs are designed for relatively low constant voltages (from 4.5 to 12 volts), as a result of which special converting circuits are used to connect them to the supply network.

Additional Information. The best option is a circuit that works on the principle of pulse conversion (it can be taken from an energy-saving lamp, the lamp of which has burned out, and the electronic ballast module is still working).

Due to the possibility of such a choice, a do-it-yourself LED table lamp made from old parts and blanks must necessarily be equipped with a standard base suitable for a classic cartridge.

To power such LED lamps, the simplest rectifier circuit is sometimes used on semiconductor diodes, designed for a voltage of about 400 volts. A limiting resistor is connected in series with the diode bridge, the resistance of which is sufficient to lower the potential on the light bulb to 5-12 Volts.

We assemble the working circuit in such a way that an electrolytic capacitor with a nominal capacity of 500 to 2200 microfarads is connected in parallel to the rectifier bridge with a resistor (the more, the better). This element, rated for about 25 volts, is necessary for the final rectification of the supply voltage (smoothing the residual ripple).

Strip LEDs

The strip design is a set of identical LEDs, combined according to a certain scheme even during their production (that is, in the factory). It already has a built-in limiting element (resistor) and can be cut into separate sections that can be connected in parallel, mixed and series chains.

Additional Information. Strip LED structures, as a rule, are designed for a constant voltage of 12V (as well as 24, 36 and 220 Volts), which is supplied to them from a ready-made rectifier unit.

Due to an arbitrary combination of variously connected sections, it is possible to obtain lighting devices with a given illumination and power consumption. To connect such a structure to a 220V household network, a special module will be required to reduce the supply voltage to the desired value.

Any homemade LED strip lamp must be calculated for a certain number of elements, on which the total luminous flux of the finished product will depend (its sample is given below).

A classic DIY LED strip lamp, assembled from a set of a certain length, can be made as a floor lamp with four faces, in each of which a section of 5-7 diodes is placed.

A ribbon of LEDs placed in this way is connected in parallel with the remaining segments and connected to a power supply unit designed for an output voltage of 12 volts and a load current of about 0.5 amperes.

Thus, the seemingly difficult question of how to make a lamp from an LED strip, in fact, is solved quite simply if the necessary power supply is available.

Homemade lamps in the car

Car homemade products for lighting the car's interior are noticeably easier to manufacture than the products already discussed earlier. The fact is that in this case the user already has a 12 Volt on-board voltage at the user's disposal, the connection of which to the lamp simply needs to be arranged accordingly.

To do this, you can use the cigarette lighter socket available in the passenger compartment, to which a constant voltage is supplied from the battery. Thus, in order to connect a LED lamp used for a car, it is enough to purchase a mating part of the cigarette lighter socket (see the figure below).

After soldering the lead wires to the proprietary connector, based on all the parts of the supply unit assembled together, a ready-made module is obtained for connecting a homemade lamp.

Note! In this case, in its manufacture, a strip LED structure designed for 12 volts can also be used, although a special driver is required to connect it.

In conclusion of the review, we note that a self-made LED lamp or lamp is almost in no way inferior to a branded product. If all the conditions discussed above are observed, then, as a rule, there are no problems with their manufacture and operation.

Video

Energy-saving problems are increasingly faced by electricity consumers. To solve this problem, the industry started producing LED luminaires. True, the quality of the lamps produced does not always correspond to their price. Hence, many have a question: "How to make a lamp on LEDs yourself?" The advantages of such a solution are a more favorable price and better quality, because you select the components yourself.

LED bulbs have a number of advantages over conventional incandescent bulbs:

• simplicity of the device;
• long service life;
• low energy consumption;
• operation at low temperatures;
• non-susceptibility to mechanical stress;
• high luminous efficiency, energy saving;
• environmental friendliness;
• waterproof LED strips are successfully used in wet rooms. They can even be used in aquariums to illuminate the bottom of pools. LED strips are used when it is necessary to illuminate a long object.

LED lamp technology

Despite the advantages of LED lamps, they have one drawback - the high price. A homemade LED lamp is the way out. This is a fairly simple and inexpensive process, even if the lamp is made of LED strip.

Let's consider it using the example of a common product for household use. When constructing a simple lamp, the following materials and parts are required: LED-3, driver -1, radiator and double-sided tape. It is recommended to take more powerful LEDs, since when working with them, the labor intensity will be much lower, output are considered preferable. Recommended power - no more than 1 W. The next step is choosing a driver. Choosing the right choice will provide the LEDs with the correct voltage and long life. In order to ensure long-term operation of the luminaire, it is required to decide on the material for the radiator. It is desirable to be made of aluminum.

Getting started:

1. First, a strip of tape 6-7 mm is cut;
2. The bottoms of the LEDs and the radiator are degreased. For these purposes, it is recommended to use acetone so that the LED lens does not lose brightness;
3. The radiator is marked with adhesive tape;
4. The LEDs are mounted on tape and are slightly pressed for better contact;
5. Tin is applied to the LED leads and the driver is soldered;
6. When using LED strip, the protective film is removed and the sticky side is applied to the installation site.

After completing the assembly of the lamp, it is left on for 2-3 hours. After this period, the heating level of the radiator is determined - if it heats up, then the lamp is working. When constructing complex and more powerful models, different materials and parts will be required, but the principle of the device is the same. The created lamp can be designed in different styles, depending on what purpose it will be used for.

Purpose and application of LED lamps

The LED luminaire can be used for the operation of objects in various fields. These are housing and communal services, industry, office premises, construction sites and road and bridge facilities, etc. Homemade high-quality LED lamps solve the main problem of replacing conventional light sources with more efficient ones.

Most often they are used for the arrangement of residential buildings. Among them: chandeliers, home lamps, lamps for lighting corridors, bathrooms, kitchens. It is used as a source of energy to create an original design, interior, with which you can embody any design idea when creating table decorative nightlights, lamps in oriental style.

On the basis of a luminaire made on LEDs, it is possible to effectively solve the device of indoor and outdoor lighting, architectural, artistic and landscape design, advertising issues, lighting of streets and industrial zones. The effectiveness of their application is due to technical and economic indicators. A more modern type of lighting fixtures are LED strips. They are universal, monochrome and color-changing depending on the given program. Tapes 5 meters long can be extended to any length if desired.

The use of LED luminaires brings real benefits to homeowners who have replaced incandescent bulbs with energy efficient ones. The efficiency of LED lamps is more than three times higher than their electroluminescent counterparts. Even with minimal maintenance costs and a long service life (up to 20 years), the first 5 years will have to be saved, but all subsequent years will receive real profits.

As experts say, creating an LED lamp with your own hands is not a difficult process, it does not take much time and effort. Self-made lamps on LED lamps have the most excellent characteristics, and in their properties they are not inferior to the well-known SPO brand lamps.

When assembling them, certain rules must be followed and the following recommendations must be followed:

• when choosing an LED for a lamp, you need to pay attention to the quality of the material, since if it is cheap, a high-quality product will not work;
• as a plate, you can use not only glass, but a mirror and other materials;
• when the design allows, you can glue several LEDs and connect them in series or in parallel, depending on the power source;
• if the LED strips do not light up, then one of the LEDs or a resistor is out of order. The tapes are repaired simply by replacing the LED.

Good light is needed for any work, as well as during rest. It is possible to purchase a lamp, but sometimes it is not cheap. In the store, instead of a ready-made lamp, you can purchase an LED strip. It is relatively inexpensive and can be cut into pieces of any length. If you place it in the case or fix it in another way, you get a homemade lamp with an LED strip. You can take this lamp with you to your tent when fishing. In hiking conditions, the LED light is connected to the car battery.

Scope of homemade LED lamps

Homemade LED lamps for LED strip can be used instead of the usual:

• illumination of the workplace when performing minor work in a workshop or garage;
• lighting on top of the aquarium (if the tape is waterproof or in a sealed case, then the lamp can be lowered into the water);
• highlighting seedlings or indoor plants in winter;
• night light or table lamp;
• illumination of switches and sockets;
• lighting of the computer keyboard;
• to replace fluorescent lamps.

On the Internet, you can find many other types of floor lamps and ceiling chandeliers made of LED strip with photos and videos, as well as reviews of people who collected and used such lamps.

Types and parameters of LED strips

Color options for LED strip

LED strips are available in different versions according to the type of security. They can be of different brightness and different colors, which is determined by the color temperature - from warm white (2700K) to cold (6800K), as well as colored or capable of changing their color - RGB strips. This makes it possible to select the type of device for specific purposes.

LED strip device

LED strip is a flexible plastic strip with conductive strips applied to it. Two are located at the edges and are connected to them. The rest are connected by LEDs and resistors. They are arranged in groups - three LEDs connected in series, and a resistor that serves to limit the current flowing through them.

LED strip parameters

The strip itself can be cut into multiples of three LEDs. In these places there are marks indicating the place of the cut and the contact pads to which the wires are soldered or connected using the connectors.

LEDs can be coated with silicone on one or both sides. This determines the degree of protection against external influences. On the reverse side, an adhesive layer is applied to the strip, like on double-sided tape. It attaches the LEDs to the base.

The most common supply voltage is constant, 12V. There are designs designed for connection to a voltage of 24V and higher, but these are rare designs.

Types of LEDs used

The LEDs and resistors in the tape are used with SMD series, no leads. LEDs in production are used in various sizes, which determines the marking of the tape - 5050 and 3528. These figures show the size of the LED in tenths of a millimeter

A clear difference between 5050 and 3528

Expert opinion

Alexey Bartosh

Ask an expert

The larger the size, the higher the brightness and the current and power consumption. It also depends on the number of LEDs per meter of length.

Accordingly, marking the SMD 5050 strip with a density of 60 LEDs means that 60 SMD 5050 LEDs are installed per meter of length.

Controllers, power supplies for LED strips

controller and power supply

Since the LED strip is designed for a constant voltage of 12V, a power supply or controller is required for connection.

Important! When you turn on the LED strip to a 220 volt network, it will instantly burn out!

Power supplies are produced in different capacities and shapes. From low-power, tablet-like chargers to powerful designs in a metal case with built-in coolers.

Power supply of LED strips

Some power supplies are equipped with dimmers and remote controls. RGB tapes require an RGB controller to control color.

There are models with WiFi control, with color-music effects, for example, ARILUX® AL-LC01.

If a special block is not available, then you can use:

• Any transformer with an output voltage of 12V. A diode bridge and a smoothing capacitor must be connected to the output.
• The power supply of the computer both in the computer itself and separately.
• If 3-6 LEDs are needed, then a capacitor can be used to limit the current, as well as a diode bridge and a capacitor that smooths out the pulsations of the glow. This scheme is used in LED lamps installed instead of incandescent lamps. The capacitance of a capacitor can be calculated using an online calculator.
• Make a faulty energy-saving lamp out of the board.
• Connect 20 pieces of LED strip in series and connect through a diode bridge and a smoothing capacitor to a 220V network.

Preparation of materials and parts

DIY lamp creation

Before starting work, you need to determine the required number and brightness of the LED strip, as well as the power of the power supply.

First of all, you need to determine the length. For luminaires used in different places you need:

• night light and illumination of switches and sockets - a segment of three LEDs;
• aquarium lighting - along the length of the wall;
• illumination of beds with seedlings - several pieces, length equal to the length of the beds;
• computer keyboard - along the length of the keyboard;
• to replace a fluorescent lamp, several pieces are required, equal to the length of the lamp.

The brightness of the tape, the size and density of the LEDs are determined based on specific conditions.

The power of the power supply must be at least the power of the LED lamp, and preferably 20% more. This is necessary for more reliable operation of the unit.

In addition, you will need wires, a heat shrink tubing to insulate the connection point, a tin-rosin soldering iron or a connector for connection.

Expert opinion

Alexey Bartosh

A specialist in the repair, maintenance of electrical equipment and industrial electronics.

Ask an expert

Attention! Do not solder the tape with acid! Acid fumes oxidize and destroy wires and can also lead to short circuits.

If the luminaire is to be used in an aquarium for interior lighting, then a transparent tube and silicone sealant will be needed to ensure the tightness of the structure.

Assembly of the lamp

assembly led lamp

After developing the design of the future luminaire and preparing all the tools and materials, the luminaire itself is assembled.

Sometimes the whole assembly process is about sticking the tape to the base, for example, when the keyboard is backlit on the pull-out shelf under the table.

In other cases, it is necessary to make a luminaire or remake an existing one.

Features and stages of installation work

Installation and connection of a LED strip lamp has a number of features:

• The power supply should be located as close to the LEDs as possible. The longer the wires, the greater the voltage loss in them, which leads to a loss in luminaire brightness.
• It is advisable to isolate the LEDs from the base if it is metal.
• When connecting the device directly from a 220V network (via a capacitor), use only a tape covered with silicone on both sides.

Caution! There is a high voltage on such a tape, so all manipulations with it are performed in a disconnected state.

What to do if there is no ready-made LED strip

If there is no ready-made LED strip, then you can make it yourself.

To do this, the required number of LEDs must be connected in series, and a current-limiting resistance must be connected to them. You can assemble such a structure on a strip of getinax or textolite, where holes are drilled for mounting the LEDs. Such a device can be assembled for any required voltage and number of LEDs.