Replacing Halogen Lights With LEDs
A practical guide for designing ac powered LED lamps with guaranteed good regulation and reduced heat dissipation
by Fabien Franc, Catalyst Semiconductor
Halogen lamps are widely used in home and commercial lighting applications, but with high heat, low efficiency and limited lifespan, they are primed and ready for greening. Halogen lights can be replaced today by high-brightness LEDs in the compact MR16 form factor, replacing halogen shortcomings with the long life time and high power efficiency benefits of LEDs. With some of the latest white LEDs delivering near 100 lumens at 350 mA, such as the Cree XR-E, one to three 1 W LEDs are sufficient for lighting purposes. The 12 V ac, class 2 wall transformers powering halogen lamps can be used together with bridge rectifiers and LED driver ICs to provide a regulated current for the LEDs, helping to simplify the design transition from halogen.
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