LED CHANDELIER

I wanted to experiment with a lot of LED;s on AC mains, and this is the result.

I have used 160 white LED's for this project and it has been a success.

It gives a bright light and is suitable for the Drawing room, or the Dining room.'

You can have a Candlelight dinner without the candles.

Hang it from the ceiling and you have a decorative light. It is easy to make and is also cheap.

Step 1 STEP-1

List of parts.

1. Extra bright white LED's =160 pieces
2. Motorcycle Wheel SPOKES = 4 pieces
3. Perforated Hard board of required size = 1 piece
4. Stepdown Transformer 220 volts to 12 volts 1 piece of 2 Amps.(Used in Stereo Amplifier)
5. Male Electrical 2 pin PLUG = 1 piece.
6. Solder wire.
7. Connecting Electrical wires as needed.
8. Tools for Electronic wireing.

Comments

[Treknology]

Very nice idea. I was thinking of something similar but caculating the number of LEDs to run directly at 260V (should be high enough to avoid spike damage).

I notice that all mains LED bulbs are only rated at 230V, when here in Oz we're 240V, which means the odd encounter with 260V is not uncommon.

[ckoellein]

Truth is... A/C mains are all engineered to ABOUT 240 volts. 120/240/480 is the theoretically convenient figures with the way mankind engineered power generation. In the US, some things say 110, some 115, and some 120 volts A/C, but it is ALL SEMANTICS. My home measures 113 VAC, at my office, 116VAC... my office, by the way, it AT the power plant! heh heh

your issue in OZ is a matter of semantics still... 230, 240, 220, BAH! It's all the same and NONE are exact. the nature of the power systems doesn't require it to be exact. AC circuits dont need to be exact, and when we need more exact power for precision devices, we use DC circuits that are rectified, stepped down and regulated to the precise power needed, which is always WAY WELL BELOW the 120 or 240 volts from the mains...!

Hope this informs people... I know I had a EUREKA moment when I put it all together years ago!

[Dipankar]

Very Correct, AC voltage is never stable..................

[Dipankar]

Hi Treknology,
This is NOT run on 230 volts but through a transformer which brings down the voltage to 12 volts.
You can use a transformer of 240 / 12 volts.
then calculate the number of LED's to use in one line.
So, to find out what a transformer can support:

Measure its output:
- If it is AC, use the V-AC scale on your multimeter, and multiply the results by 1.4 to get V-peak
- If it is DC, use the V-DC scale read out V-peak.
The number of white (or blue) LEDs it can support is:
- Vpeak / 3.3 and round up to the next integer. (E.g 4.2 is 5)
(Use V-peak / 2 for Red, Orange and Yellow LEDs)
That is the number of LEDs you can put in a series to operate off the transformer safely.
For AC circuits, you will need to duplicate another chain in the opposite polarity.
LEDs can be any current, as long as they are all the same, and the transformer has the current (A or mA) to support it.
Note: AC transformers can also have a VA rating instead of amps - just divide that number by the volts to get amps.

[Treknology]

I was aiming at maximum efficiency and longest life. The LED specs that I used for my calculation came up to 80 LEDs running on 240VAC as a single string consuming approximately 5W. I allowed up to 260VAC so that it wouldn't just blow out suddenly. That was using a bridge rectifier, or I could increase it 160 LEDs if I ran two strings in reverse to each other as you have suggested.

I certainly agree that if one wants room to play with the LEDs then ELV is pretty much compulsory. It would be so much easier and cheaper if we all used the 400VAC 400Hz standard.

[bombix]

Hi,

Wouldnt it be possible to make a series big enougf to connect it directly to 220V?

Nice work!

[Dipankar]

Yes but risky,
230 x 1.4 = 322
322 divide by 3.5 = 92 LEd's.
92 LED's on + side and
92 LED's on - side
total 184 LED's are required to run it on 220 vols AC.

[qwerty156]

But sir if we add a bridge rectifier, we would only need 92 leds, right?
Also sir why did you multiply 220 by 1.4?

[Dipankar]

READ MY ANSWER TO Treknology, below
to know the mystery of the 1:4

[violentorchid]

Don't you have to worry about the current jumping gaps eventually...?

[Dipankar]

AC current is a plus minus thing, first it goes one way and then the other way. That is why all four legs of each LED's are connected at the center.

[tyler303047]

ok I have a question I get what to do with those three rows for the sides but what do you do for the bottom because I don't think you explained it?

[Dipankar]

Study the circuit carefully and you will get your answer.

[tyler303047]

Also for step 2 in the middle are they all connected or is the negative led snaking under or over the positive line?

[josh1324]

all four leads(not leds) are soldered in the middle.

[Dipankar]

1 leg of all 4 LED's are connected at the center. RIGHT.

[lauralbaby]

Could you attach a dimmer knob to this?

[rory.ashton11]

Usb power this is this possible 12v usb??

[Dipankar]

NO.
This is specially made to run on 220 volt AC.

To run it on 12 v USB a different type of Circuit in required.

[bombix]

Hi,

Woulnt it be possible to make some series big enoughf to connect directly to 220V?

Nice work!

[yoitsmyhomielauren]

Hey, I like this a lot, so I decided I'm going to try it out with my dad's help.

Since I know nearly nothing about LEDs, I'm not entirely sure how the whole voltage thing works. If I used a stepdown transformer (220 volts to 12 volts), as you listed, would that mean that I would need to purchase 12 volt LEDs??

Thanks for any response!

[Dipankar]

NO NOT AT ALL.........................
The LED's are all 3.6 Volts.

[yoitsmyhomielauren]

Thanks! I was really confused for a bit.

[hrschbck]

great project!!! im looking to try out this weekend. i am going to order some parts; do you have a part # or specs for the LEDs? also, what is the current rating for the wiring as i'm looking to make it as sleek and trim as possible.

thanks.

PS any voltage/amperage/power calcs are nice (or links to them)...

[Dipankar]

Extra bright white LED's 5mm, 10000 to 20000 mcd.
Better to follow the same circuit but you can change the shape as you like.
I designed this circuit on my own so I don't have any link for it.
Good hunting.

[Dead-Portalist]

Are you sure they make LEDs that bright? I can't find anything above 6000 mcd unless it's considered an "ultra-bright" and costs $6 per unit.

[Dipankar]

YES and that too it is very cheap. $ 10 for 500. This according to Indian Rupees is, 500 LED for 450 Rupees. (Chinese make)

[iTinker]

Hey, this is really cool, but I'm a bit of a n00b with LEDs (everything I tries works for a minute, or never works at all). I'm going to have to ask that you explain the transformer a bit more. From what your saying, you're running it on AC current, whereas I though LEDs worked on DC. I also don't understand what you took the transformer from/where you acquired it. I'm only 17, so have mercy on me! Thanks, Pat C.

[Dipankar]

Hello iTinker, See all my INSTRUCTABLES, many of which is on LED's. LED works on AC and DC. to get more info send me your e-mail Id.

[micobanff]

 This is awesome! I'm halfway done mine, and everything seems to be going well so far, just hope it looks as good as yours when it's done. 

I think I will try another when I am done, but drilling holes into plexiglass to make it more stable, yet keeping that translucent look so you can see the wiring!

Great instructable, keep them coming!

[Dipankar]

Hi micobanff,
Plexiglass is a good idea,
Let me know if you have any problems.
DG.........

[vez87]

I'd love to try out this instructable but with battery rather than mains. Would I be right in thinking that a 12v battery would be sufficient? If not, any ideas?

[Dipankar]

YES, you can try this out with a 12 volts 6 to 8 Amps Battery.
The wiring will be different in this case, so you have to calculate the numbers of LED's  in one Row.
You also have to use resistors per LED to keep it safe from overloading.
Follow the CIRCUIT in my Instructable "STADIUM LIGHT"

 

 

[Skyriam]

This is very interesting!!! Just one thing, I don't really understand how the electricity flows. You have LED1's cathode connected to LED2's cathode... from what I've learned, it's impossible for the electricity to flow through the LED's since you need to connect them + to -, anode to cathode, the same way you would connect batteries in series, or LEDs for that matter... please correct me if wrong. Thanks!! keep up the great work.

[Dipankar]

Hi kal00,
Yes It is very interesting. As you know AC current is an alternate Current
(Go back and forth; swing back and forth between two states or conditions)
50 times or cycle.
If you see the circuit carefully you will find that each row of LED's are connected in the middle so that when the current flows from left to right then that row glows and the same thing is repeated when the current flows from right to left.
This is repeated 50 times a second or cycle, because it is AC current.
So all the LED's never glow at the same time.
Each row of LED's glows only 50 times a second, this action is so fast that it is not possible to follow with the naked eye. This change over is called FLICKER.

[phoenixdoitall]

I assume you could add a Capacitor to smooth the supply and limit the flicker if it did bother you!?

[Plaidomatic]

Because this is fully AC, not DC with an AC component, a capacitor will not do anything to reduce ficker. Some addtional changes would be necessary: change the polarity of all the diodes to point the same way, add a bridge rectifier to the output of the step-down transformer, then add a substantial amount of capacitance to reduce flicker.

[Dipankar]

Hi Plaidomatic, Changng to DC becomes costly with many addtional parts. A little un- noticeable flicker is overlooked. Your 4 ft. fluorescent tube also gives a flicker.

[Plaidomatic]

No, to change to DC you only have to add a single monolithic bridge rectifier and a single large electrolytic capacitor. A fluorescent tube does have flicker, yes, but it will be less than AC LEDs because of the persistence of the phosphor in the tube. Also, I said before, some people are rather more sensitive to flicker than others, and are even disturbed by the flicker of fluorescents.

[Dipankar]

Hi Plaidomatic, Only adding a Bridge Rectrier will not work. You have to change the circuit to DC. I don't think One capacitor will work and what about resisrors? You have said " then add a substantial amount of capacitance to reduce flicker." If you change the circuit for DC then there will be no flicker, agreed, but DC circuit costs more as you still have to have a Transformer.