Using energy saver light circuit for LEDs (An improved energy saver light hacked from CFL circuit)

DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE
 

I am using this idea since last six months, it just came in my mind (why not experiment).
You need the circuit of an energy saver bulb whose tube is burnt or damaged.
 
This is a high voltage and high frequency generating circuit, be careful there is high voltage present if you connect it to AC line. There is a high voltage input capacitor (from 2.2uf to 10uf 400 volts). The idea is to put a bridge rectifier on the output on this circuit and use for LEDs.
A 23 to 25 watt energy saver’s output can produce 165 mA current (it is written on it) for the energy saver light bulb. We need to use this constant current output for our LED lights. By using bridge rectifier (ultra fast)  you can get 100 volts of DC. A high frequency switching output cannot be rectified properly by using normal bridge rectifier like 1N4007 or similar. We need an ultrafast diode to make a bridge rectifier like UF4007,BYV26 or similar.

Step 1: Open energy saver bulb and remove its tube

Open energy saver bulb and carefully remove its burnt tube from the top. Be careful its glass tube.

Comments

[AmateurGus]

THANKS FOR YOUR QUICK ANSWER MY DEAR FRIEND. I will do as you say, i'll try the correct diode and see.

On a side note, today i didn't have time to go buy the diodes so someone went for me with a note with my specificacions. In my note said UF4007 diode and i specifically said I DONT WANT the typical 1N4007. Guess what the vendor sold to my friend... 1N4007's .
Some guys just want to sell stuff...i hate that.. :(

Good luck my friend and i'll write to tell you my results when i can go MYSELF to buy the bloody diodes :)

[ramizsattar]

Hello Dear

If you go to market to buy yourself ask the shop keeper to give you diode with 700-1000 volt 1 amp and recovery time of at least 50 ns (nano seconds) if you get less than 50 ns it will be great, or if you get a bridge rectifier of same ratings.
Regards

[AmateurGus]

hey man, I LOVE your project, i'm trying it myself. i'm having a problem though, i don't get constant voltage, i tried using a MSC RS205 Bridge rectifier, i thought it would be best instead of diodes, is that my problem my friend?. I know you said Spefically use fast switching diodes, i though the rs205 would be even better, maybe i'm completely wrong. i'm getting a 130mA current even though the light bulb says 96mA. It could be cause i used a 0.22 uF capacitor instead of a 0.1? Another thing, and sorry for asking so much, how do you deal with CFLs that have thermistor joinning the filaments too along with the capacitor?.
Hope you get my message and you're kind enough to guide me, obviously i'm a complete amateur. (Maybe i should be playing with this stuff :) )
Cheers

[ramizsattar]

Hello Dear Friend
HIGH VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BE CAREFUL.

It is very good to try yourself I do appriciate it thats how you learn.
Please try to use the diode i have described (or any ultra high speed) I have selected this diode after many experiments. No bridge rectifire will do it. If possible get ultra fast or hyperfast bridge rectifire (may be not available in the market). The out put depends on the rectifire and capacitor. When you put the load there you measure the voltage and current. On NO load the values are different. Recently I got a 45 Watt CFL which says 750 mA current but when I made the circuit (with ultra fast diode and .47uf capacitor) the load says 250 mA current at 100 volts. I tried 1.0 uf capacitor but no more current I also usd hyperfast diods but still same values od current and voltage.
Its better using CFL having capacitor joining filament.
Regards.

[ramizsattar]

Hello Dear Friend
HIGH VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BE CAREFUL.

It is very good to try yourself I do appriciate it thats how you learn.
Please try to use the diode i have described (or any ultra high speed) I have selected this diode after many experiments. No bridge rectifire will do it. If possible get ultra fast or hyperfast bridge rectifire (may be not available in the market). The out put depends on the rectifire and capacitor. When you put the load there you measure the voltage and current. On NO load the values are different. Recently I got a 45 Watt CFL which says 750 mA current but when I made the circuit (with ultra fast diode and .47uf capacitor) the load says 250 mA current at 100 volts. I tried 1.0 uf capacitor but no more current I also usd hyperfast diods but still same values od current and voltage.
Its better using CFL having capacitor joining filament.
Regards.

[malikak]

dear brother, I am from Rawalpindi, i want to use single led by using energy sever light circuit as night lamp. please guide me and email me [e-mail]

[bhvm]

Hello there!,
I really liked your project!
Where do you live?

Also, I am against using 5mm LEDs for home illumination, sooner or later they do burn out as they have no heatsinking. And when used in larger groups, close placement and combined heat makes it worse. Its not good to see our hard sweat wasted because some of 5mm LED burned out. i am yet to see a properly driven 1W led burn till date.

Also, in the 150mA project you have seemingly used 1w LEDs? or are they are half watt>? what did they cost?

[ramizsattar]

LEDs cost varies if you want very good quality they are costly.

[ramizsattar]

I am from Pakistan.

[ramizsattar]

I have used 0.5 watt LEDs and they are mounted on an aluminium plate serving as heat sink also. So no need for extra heat sink.

If you use LEDs slightly below their recomended current rating they wil not burn nor produce more heat. For example a 1W LED uses 3.3v and 300 mA. Try driving it on 280mA current. Also for a 20mA LED use 18mA current. In this way its life increases and less heat.

In this instructable LEDs are being driven on 140 mA current not on 150mA.

[bhvm]

Thats true, Slightly under driving the LEDs can DRASTICALLY increase their life as well as reduce heating. I am trying to warn you tough, 5mm LEDs no matter even in underdriven are bound to fail, They are good only for toys or indicators. I had made an LED light using 60 PC 5mm LEDs (3 LED's in series and a resistor to 12v supply) in my 8th Grade. It was super bright in the first. But just in a matter of months, the brightness went half.. and soon it was as dim as a night lamp.


Since then I swear i'll use only 1W, 3W and such high quality LEDs. Making our gadgets is pain and time, Can;t afford to loose the hard work due to some inferior components. These usually, I drive 700mA or 1000mA LEDs at 350mA... SUper low heat and super long life!

[ramizsattar]

Hello Dear

I agree with you I have the same experience as you said with 5mm LEDs.

[raza896]

AOA Ramiz. Here i need your help. i bought these LEDs from Hallroad few days ago. I want to add a single LED with a mobile phone battery which is normally 3.6v. Please suggest me a suitable resistance for this circuit. I want to use a single LED with Single Nokia battery. I am attaching the picture of led which i bought from hallroad.

[ramizsattar]

Sorry for the delayed answer dear.

please use 1 ohm or 1.5 ohm 3 Watt resistor.

[raza896]

@ramizsattar Thankx for this great instructable. It is exactly what i was looking for. Will you guide me about LED connection? is it series or parallel connection? If it is series, its means when a single led burnt the whole bulb wil be useless untill we replace the dead led????

[ramizsattar]

Thank you dear for your interest.

All LEDs are in series, because the output voltage is about 100 volts so a 3.3 v LED in series of 30 will cover about 99 volts.

Of course if one LED will burn the whole string will go off. Try using good quality LEDs of the same manufacturer, this can reduce the burning of LED.

I will try to overcome this problem and will try a simple method so the instructable will remain simple and easy.

If you have any simple idea please share it with me.
Thank you.

[raza896]

Thankx for your kind reply.

Tomorow i bought 30 LEDs of 8mm & 0.5 Watt. I want to ask about the Capacitor and diode. Should i use the same diode and capacitor for 8mm LEDs?

I also bought 0.1uf 400v capacitor and UF4007 diodes. please tell me that should i use the same circuit for 8mm 0.5 watt LEDs as you used for 0.5 Watt LEDs?

I have these LEDs CLICK here


and you used these Click HERE

Now is the circuit same for both configurations????


Regards:
Kashif Raza from Pakistan

[ramizsattar]

The LEDs which you got they should be of 150mA and 3.3v rating (regardless of their shape) to work safly. There are few methods for checking this rating.

Also read the instructable again for the safty, this circuit has live and high voltage when connected with AC line. Please be careful.
Thank you

[raza896]

"There are few methods for checking this rating"...Can you explain these methods please? I have no idea to check... I asked the shopkeeper but he was'nt an educated person so he told me that i only know that these LEDs (which i bought) are of 0.5 Watt and 3.3V.... He was unable to tell me about current rating.... Before i start this project i want a complete satisfactions and more help from your end....

Regards:
Kashif Raza

[ramizsattar]

The attached circuit is based on very famous IC LM317T as current limiting.
Please use attached circuit. It will limit the current to 150mA. after connecting LED check the voltage accross LED terminals. it should be between 3.2v to 3.4v. if yes then it is 0.5 watt LED if not then it is not 0.5 watt.
(Did you get LEDs from Hall road, Lahore?)

do not change the value of resistor (R) and please use 3 watt resistor and use heat sink for LM317T.

For more info on LM317T please download its datasheet from internet.

[raza896]

@ramizsattar Thankx for this great instructable. It is exactly what i was looking for. Will you guide me about LED connection? is it series or parallel connection? If it is series, its means when a single led burnt the whole bulb wil be useless untill we replace the dead led????

[memorris027]

Don't know if this is a dumb question or not, but what did you do about the mercury in these bulbs?

[ramizsattar]

Thank you dear for pointing out this.

I still have those unbroken bulbs with me which were removed from the base easily and couple of them were not able to survive are in sealed container. I normally do this kind of stuff away from residential area in open space and break them inside a big plastic container so every thing remain inside it.

Please visit following web sites for more info about broken CFL disposal and cleanup.

http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/01/epa-clean-up-broken-cfl-bulb/1#.UEmKQrIgdSg

http://www.mass.gov/dep/toxics/stypes/brkncfls.htm

[technosasquatch]

I want to see the output from you giant array