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???
02/29/12 07:54
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#186272 - Some basics
Responding to: ???'s previous message
Using two polarised capacitors back to back to make a non-polarised capacitor of half the value is an old tecnique, but not one I like much personally. Quite why you want the first DC blocking cap is a mystery as firstly mains doesn't have any DC, and secondly a bridge rectifier doesn't mind some DC on the input. It does add about 640 ohms in series resistance, which is probably it's purpose.

The reservoir capacitor on the output of the bridge can be polarised, as the bridge generates a positive and negative output. The reservoir capacitor needs a 400V rating, and I would use just a single polarised capacitor.

As you have calculated, 72 LEDs drop about 273V. Assuming a maximum AC RMS input voltage of 264V, the reservoir may get up to 373V, so you are looking to drop 100V through the series resistance. Calculating the LED current is quite tricky for the circuit shown, but it looks like it's about 100mA if you include the input capacitor. This means that each 470 ohm dropper resistor dissipates nearly 5W. If you manage to adjust the components to give 350mA, then the dropper resistor will dissipate nearly 50W!

Note that a mains transients will rip through the series capacitor and might blow all your LEDs.

By the time you've added tarnsient suppression, heatsinks and isolation for a control transistor, it might be cheaper to use a proper isolated PSU.


List of 27 messages in thread
TopicAuthorDate
AC Powered LEDs + strobe            01/01/70 00:00      
   Isolated Switch            01/01/70 00:00      
      Switching            01/01/70 00:00      
   Some basics            01/01/70 00:00      
      Not a good design - and expensive            01/01/70 00:00      
         Answers + need some explantion            01/01/70 00:00      
      Cap voltage            01/01/70 00:00      
         More than 280V            01/01/70 00:00      
            Measurement            01/01/70 00:00      
               Measurement correct            01/01/70 00:00      
   two caps polarity reversed on DC!! ?            01/01/70 00:00      
      More common long time ago            01/01/70 00:00      
         I was around then            01/01/70 00:00      
            Some polarized capacitors survives AC but not reversed DC            01/01/70 00:00      
               POOOOOOOOOF            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Yes, very likely a failure            01/01/70 00:00      
                     that need bold face            01/01/70 00:00      
            Back to back connection...            01/01/70 00:00      
   And another thing...            01/01/70 00:00      
      Pseudo-CC with resistor requires much % V over resistor            01/01/70 00:00      
      chip            01/01/70 00:00      
         one of these            01/01/70 00:00      
         Chips            01/01/70 00:00      
   PC PSU            01/01/70 00:00      
      Definitely better with lower voltage design            01/01/70 00:00      
         PSU            01/01/70 00:00      
            Some bricks can inform about rating            01/01/70 00:00      

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