Using 12V LED Lights with a transformer

[Graeme]

Hi, I have just bought... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....m=180181535650&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=008 ...a couple of these but do not intend using them as intended, which is inside a computer.

What I am planning to do is put them in a glass casing and use a UniRoss 12V unregulated AC/DC adaptor (transformer) to power them. As the items have yet to arrive I am just asking if this is possible or more importantly 'safe'. I was thinking of just connecting the female connector that comes with the lights onto the end of transformer wire to connect the two but I would also like to have an on/off switch through the wire at some point

Please advise is this is feasable and I would most appreciate any better ways of doing this,

Thanks in advance

Graeme

 

[briwire]

Any switching needs to be through the 230v AC supply to the transformer.

 

[Graeme]

Hi briwire,

Thanks for your reply. By that, do you mean the on/off switch and that everything else I mentioned seemed ok?

I see the lights last continious use 22 years so I will not bother with the on/off switch afterall and just leave them on all the time, for all the power they will use.

 

[MasterAbacus]

so I will not bother with the on/off switch afterall and just leave them on all the time, for all the power they will use.

Now thats not exactly Environmentaly friendly is it..... Dont be a Tight Ar*e and fit a switch, think GREEN...... It may not effect you, but the next generation could have issues, all because you were too lazy to do a job right, and not fit a switch......Just think if everyone thaught that way....

 

[aptsys]

I notice you're planning on using a 12V unregulated adaptor, but this is most probably a bad idea as in reality, the output is only about 12V when the PSU is fully loaded. With just these LEDs connected, it'll probably be up nearer 14 or 15V, which will shorten the life considerably (I doubt the LED module has anything other than resistor current limiting since it's intended for use with a regulated 12V supply).

Get yourself a regulated PSU if you can.

 

[Graeme]

Ok Thanks, the adaptor I mentioned is just one I had in the shed, it has a switch on the top to change the voltage output and has about 7 different settings, I take it from this that is where the un-regulated comes from?

I will get for a dedicated 12V (regulated?) adaptor to use for the lights,

Cheers

 

[aptsys]

Unregulated means that there is no regulator in the circuit - i.e. there'll be a rectifier and smoothing capacitors but nothing else.

However, I'd test the output voltage with the voltage selector set to 9V and 12V. The 9V setting might end up being suitable (might be around 11 or 12V), meaning you don't have to go out any buy anything else.

 

[Graeme]

Nice one mate I'll test that when I get home, thanks alot for your help so far

 

[Graeme]

Hello again,

My lights have arrived today The only thing left to do is connect the lights to the end of the adaptor wire.

There are two wires coming out of each light, if I were to chop off the computer connection piece of each and splice each together to end up with 1 (+) wire and 1 (-) wire for the two lights. Then chop off the metal connector end of the adaptor and connect both cables by the means of a plastic electrical connecting block, would this do the job?

Surely it can't be this easy...can it

Cheers

 

[aptsys]

Simple as that. Just make sure the polarity is correct otherwise your LEDs won't light. Usually the wire with the stripe from the power supply is the positive lead (unless the power supply has a polarity switch on it).

 

[Graeme]

Good man, thanks for that tip and the confirmation.

Have a good weekend!