Simple LED Tubelight Circuit - Explained Comprehensively

Explained in a very lucid style and through a schematic the complete construction of a LED light tube circuit which can be operated directly from the 230V AC mains of your domestic supply. This will not only save electric power but also help curb the global warming issue.

The simple construction of an LED light tube discussed here will not only save electric power but also if used in every house will help reduce the ever increasing global warming effects.

Introduction

Today we are all aware regarding the bad effects of global warming and how it’s gripping our only planet day after day. But for this we ourselves are to be blamed. You may be thinking how a common person can contribute to help solve the problem. Well look around you, yeah, it’s the lights that we are using presently generate quite an appreciable amount of heat to add to the global warming effect. CFLs are considered to be quite efficient, but they too release quite a bit of heat. The issue can be very easily solved simply by transforming our heat producing lights into the "cool"  white LED lights. We will learn in this article how simple it is to build a LED light tube that can easily replace your existing "hot" fluorescent tube lights!

You will require the following things for the construction:

One 36 inches long, 2 inches in diameter white PVC pipe,

150 Nos. White LEDs (5mm),

4 nos. 1N4007 diodes,

3 nos. 100 Ohms resistors,

1no. 1M resistor, 1/4 W,

1no. Capacitor 105/400V, Polyester,

14/36 Wire for connections,

Soldering iron, solder wire etc.

How to Build a Homemade LED Tubelight Circuit

The construction of this circuit is carried out through the following simple procedures:

Cut the PVC pipe lengthwise into half.

Drill equally distributed LED size holes over the entire area of the two halves of PVC pipes.

As shown in the diagrams just fix all the LEDS throughout the pipe. Be sure to keep the position of the polarity of all the LEDs in the same orientation,

Cut and bend the LED leads so that the leads touch each other side by side.

Make 3 series of 50 LEDS each by soldering the joints. Make sure that each series comprises the given resistor of 470 Ohms.

Connect the 3 series LEDs groups in parallel by joining their positive and negative leads together through flexible wires.

Make a bridge configuration rectifier by joining the 4 diodes together, and connect the relevant points to the LEDs and to a 2 pin mains cord, as shown in the figure.

How to Test it?

Testing this LED tube light circuit is probably the simplest part of the whole operation; it is done through the following simple steps:

After finishing the construction procedure as described above, just plug in the 2 pin plug into the mains socket (be extremely careful as the whole circuit may contain leakage currents).

Instantly all the LEDS should come ON giving a  dazzling effect.

If any of the series is dead or not glowing, switch OFF the power and check for the LEDs connected with wrong polarity.

Glue all the LEDs so that they may not come out of the holes I which they are inserted.

Finally join the two halves of the PVC pipes with the LEDS, either by tying them or gluing them together with cynoacralite bond.

Close the two open ends of the tube appropriately.

This concludes the construction of the LED light tube circuit.

For optimum performance it would better to hang the unit from the ceiling so that the light is distributed equally.

Here's a 50 LED Tube Light made by Merley, for your viewing pleasure:

LED string light made by Mr.Bibin Edmond using the explained capacitive power supply.

Here's the image of the simple capacitive PS circuit used for lighting the above string LED light.....
courtesy: Bibin Edmond

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