LED Drivers - flashing lights!

[steamboatwilly]

Folks,

Fitted a bank of 6 LED lights last week....3 x 4W lamps on 2 x 15W LED drivers. When I powered up they flash on and off. Taking them down to one LED lamp per driver they light normally.

I'm guessing that the flashing on/off is an under-power issue? Should a 15W driver be able to supply 3 x 4W lamps?

Ta

 

[malcolmsanford]

Yes you need to have a driver that is compatible to the lamps. The driver basically is a resistor in the circuit and each set of lamps will need different values of resistance to enable them to work correctly.

Was this a kit you bought or have you just sourced components.

 

[telectrix]

i would alwayts fit 1 driver / 1 LED ( that's if i ever for the elv ones., much prefer the 230v GU10 )

 

[mogga]

I always for Halers where I can as theres no driver worry its all in one unit and 7 year warrenty lol

 

[steamboatwilly]

Yes you need to have a driver that is compatible to the lamps. The driver basically is a resistor in the circuit and each set of lamps will need different values of resistance to enable them to work correctly. Was this a kit you bought or have you just sourced components.

Thanks Malcolm....separate items supplied by the customer (who is an electrical supplier himself). The wholesaler insisted that the 15W driver should run three lamps but I think they must be wrong. Drives 1 but not 2 or 3.

 

[Silly Sausage]

... much prefer the 230v GU10 LED

Absolutely. The ELV LED lamp seems to be totally redundant concept to me.

Edit! Apart from very moist situations.

 

[steamboatwilly]

Absolutely. The ELV LED lamp seems to be totally redundant concept to me.

I have some sympathy for that view right now....it'll be no cheaper to have a driver per ELV LED.

 

[steamboatwilly]

AH, but wait a minute....I've clocked what you mean about a resistor/driver per LED lamp. LEDs shouldn't be wired in parallel but in series when there are multiples per driver?

I guess this means (Xmas Tree Fashion) that the whole string will fail if one lamp fails.

 

[electric will]

AH, but wait a minute....I've clocked what you mean about a resistor/driver per LED lamp. LEDs shouldn't be wired in parallel but in series when there are multiples per driver?

I guess this means (Xmas Tree Fashion) that the whole string will fail if one lamp fails.

Is this true about wiring LEDs in series and not parallel? Surely then you'll need a higher voltage driver etc? I wire in parallel when I'm wiring display lights and not had a problem.
any more thoughts on this?

 

[Richard Burns]

You must have the correct voltage to run the LEDs so you would wire them in parallel. I wouldn't trust wiring LEDs in series with a higher voltage driver unless it was designed for it (as in rope or strip LED).

If you have a 15W (assuming maximum 15W not minimum 15W rating!) driver taking 12W from the lamps then it is just possible that the driver is being spiked by the inrush current and cutting out, then resetting,.....
However I would expect two lamps would work OK, so not sure. Could try putting one lamp in then adding another while on and then the last and see if they stay on, if they do then try a bigger driver.

 

[nickblake]

there are cirtain instalations that require you to wire the lamps in series but it is correct that the driver will have to be larger ,due to the low loads on LED lamps if you use a standard transformer then the led may not work or be dimmer and not last ,really the way i would do it is one lamp one driver i know its more expensive b