Conversion of a Chinese chandelier from 12v to 220v. LED lamps in headlights: is it possible to replace halogens? Is it possible to replace

15.10.2016

The chandelier has 12V halogen lights through a transformer. There is not enough light, but the power of the transformer does not allow us to install more powerful lamps. Is it possible to simply throw out the transformer and replace the lamps with 220V LED ones? Is there a difference in the cross-section of wires to cartridges for 12 and 220?

Most likely, your chandelier contains small lamps with a G4 base. Everything that is written below proceeds from this assumption.

And maybe it won’t work out brighter

You did not indicate the power of the installed halogen lamps, but if it is 20 watts or more, then replacing the lamps with LEDs you will not get more light. Not at all so that the sellers in the stores don’t say that. At best, there will be the same amount of light.

Simple solution

If the goal is simply to make it brighter, despite the energy consumption, then it is worth removing the transformer and installing more powerful halogens, but at 220 volts. The existing wires to the lamps will definitely be enough with this approach, because currents will be significantly lower. But the heat generation will increase - you need to look at the lampshades to see if they allow such power and whether there will be overheating.

If very small G4 halogens, the so-called “pinky” ones, are used, then finding ones for 220 volts can be difficult - they exist, but they are less common than those for 12 volts. In this case, you can buy halogen lamps on a GU4 socket for 220 volts - they are slightly larger, but can almost always be inserted into a G4 socket (these sockets are usually universal).

How to replace lamps with LED ones?

If you still want to install LED lamps, then under no circumstances should you buy 220-volt G4 LED lamps. Here we answered why there are no powerful G4 lamps for 220 volts. Here typical problems buyers of such “products”:

To replace the lamps with LED ones, you need to change the transformer to an LED one and install the brightest G4 LED lamps that will fit into the lampshade in size. But, once again, you won’t get more light than from 20-watt halogens, not at all. But there are also advantages: electricity consumption will drop by 8-10 times, A the chandelier will stop heating, i.e. There will be no more darkening of the ceiling above the chandelier.

There is a good table lamp. It contains a halogen light bulb with a G4 base and 12V. Something like this

Moreover, the light bulb is protected by a glass shield. That, however, did not prevent the daughter from touching the shield with her finger and getting burned. I scratched my head - shouldn't I replace it with an LED with the same base? I Googled it and got upset. It turns out that the so-called halogen lamps are widely used. electronic transformers not suitable for LEDs. People write en masse about replacing them with LED lamps specially designed for power supply. Okay, extra money - 10 bucks won't make a difference. But first of all, the base of the lamp where the transformer is inserted is quite compact and a replacement will not fit. And secondly, and even more importantly, the most ordinary trance standing there on an W-shaped core, with its significant weight, makes the lamp stable. If I replace it, it will fall.

Sadness...

I started making things up. The first thing that comes to mind, of course, is to leave the trans only for weight and find a 220B lamp. And the Chinese found them. And then in Leroy there is one, at 220B. It can be seen that in front of the LEDs there is a chip with 4 legs. The markings are not visible, but guess what - diode bridge(they sell it in chips and dips for 11 rubles each). The LEDs themselves are clearly connected in series.

Looks like this is the solution! But, after thinking about it, I discarded this idea. Nobody promised me that the wire and base in which I now have a 12V halogen are designed for 220. That is, change. And this is a disproportionate gimor. We are looking further.

I found the same diode bridge on the chip and dipstick, tiny, it will fit in without any questions. I set out to study the choice of the necessary piping, a smoothing capacitor at least. And I came across a mention of 12 volt AC/DC lamps! Stsuko, that’s exactly what I need! Now, I know, I’m looking in the same Leroy - there is one for 12V AC/DC. No wonder I didn’t notice it right away - the title LED lamp WOLTA 2.5W 210Lm G4 12V warm. And it’s only written about AC/DC in the picture with the packaging! Stsuko, how tired I am of the widespread dominance of C students! Well, okay, imbeciles were recruited by advertisement to work in the hall; I haven’t spent time talking to them for many years. But a huge network made a catalog for itself on the website. Didn’t it really surprise you that they forgot to mention the operating voltage in the table of lamp characteristics? Printed in huge letters on the box, motherfucker.

PT415 is clearly readable on the chip. Which is easy to Google. The first assignment line is for replacing halogens with LEDs. The microcircuit even supports dimming - but it was not used in this assembly. I'm going to buy food.

I bought it, the only thing is that I mixed up warm and cold light, but it’s even better in a table lamp. Interestingly, the light bulb does not have a bulb as such. Filled with transparent plastic resin.

As expected, in a lamp with a real transformer with an W-shaped core, it burns perfectly. True, as expected, it does not respond to changes in the input voltage (there are two taps on the trance - for the maximum brightness of the halogen and a weaker one).

At the same time, I tested it in a closet, where there are three halogen lights in the visor. There is an electronic "transformer". Everything is as people write. If there is at least one halogen, the LED lights up perfectly. If there is only one LED left, it lights up brightly, but flickers. So you will have to either leave the halogens or buy an LED driver. It’s good that there’s enough space at the top of the closet.

UPD from September 17, 2016 My wife said that the brightness in the table lamp is not enough. 2.5 W bulb, maybe... I found a 10 W LED bulb with 600 lm. Most- 5 and 300. Now there is enough light.

LED lamps are gradually replacing analogues with more high level energy consumption, in particular halogen. If the socket in the lighting fixture matches the base of the light source, it is possible to replace lamps of one type with another. It is easier to install 220 volt LED lighting elements instead of inefficient analogues in a lamp, since the design of such a lamp already includes a current stabilizer.

But if it is necessary to replace the 12-volt halogen model with a version based on diodes with an equivalent supply voltage, in this case there are nuances that you should find out about before installation.

What is the difficulty of replacing lamps with diodes?

Problems arise specifically with 12-volt light bulbs, because both options: LED and halogen versions are connected via a step-down transformer (power supply). This unit provides the required level of supply voltage for these lamps. If both models are equipped with the same base, then theoretically it is possible to install one lighting element instead of the other.

However, a comparison of a halogen and a diode-based lamp shows that in the first case the input voltage is not stabilized, while diode-based analogues will work normally only if a stabilized voltage is supplied.

If the lamps were replaced without making any other changes to the circuit, the result would be that the light would blink constantly when turned on. Moreover, the pulsations will be noticeable to the eye and will negatively affect the perception of such lighting.

There is another difficulty - LED lamps consume a minimum of electricity (from 1 W), accordingly, the transformer will not work stably due to periodic shutdowns. This is due to the fact that the consumed load is much lower than in the case of halogen counterparts.

If we compare these types of lighting elements, we can note a significant difference in energy consumption levels at the same glow intensity: LED lamps with a power of 1.5 W and halogen versions with a power of 40 W. Therefore, you should be prepared for the fact that in this case, replacing 12 volt lamps will lead to the lamp turning off.

There is another nuisance - the partial functioning of the chandelier control panel. If you install LED versions instead of halogen counterparts, that is, completely replace all the lamps, difficulties will arise in the operation of the remote control. But this only applies to lighting fixtures of certain models.

Transformer replacement

You can avoid the difficulties described above if you dismantle the transformers for halogen lamps and install suitable power supplies for a group of diode-based lighting elements. Replacement must be carried out taking into account the electrical parameters at the input of the lamps: supply voltage 12 volts. Also, the power supply is selected based on the total power of the lighting elements. If there are quite a lot of them, you can install several transformers.

The total load is calculated in accordance with the number of lamps in each group of lighting elements. You need to multiply the power of one light bulb by their number. For example, it is planned to install 9 light sources in one group of lighting elements, and the power of the selected light bulb corresponds to 1.5 W. The total load will be 13.5 W.

If you compare halogen lamps and diode varieties, you can see that the power of one halogen lamp is much greater than the total load of diode light sources of one group.

When selecting a 12-volt power supply, it is important that its dimensions approximately correspond to the transformer of a halogen lamp.

Installing this unit is quite simple: you can unsolder the wires from the power supply board and connect them to a new one. If this is not possible, the wires are cut and reconnected.

External characteristics of the lamp

When planning to replace halogen lights with 12-volt LED versions, you should take into account that in most cases the chandelier looks different from its previous design due to the bulbs protruding from the shades. This usually happens because even with a standard base, diode lighting elements can have larger housing dimensions.

To avoid this, you should select lamps not only by characteristics and type of holder, but also by size. If the desired model could not be found, it is quite possible to install larger analogues. In this case, the bulbs protruding from the lampshades will be visible only when turned off. When the lamp is turned on, the bright light will hide all imperfections.

Is it advisable to replace halogen with diode?

The power comparison has already been made above, and the result was in favor of the LED lamp. This means that they are worth installing, if only because of significant energy savings. If you choose the right model, then external characteristics The light bulbs will not affect the lamp.

However, there is one more nuance that determines the quality of lighting. We are talking about the color temperature of the light source. Halogen lamps emit yellow light (2,700-3,000 K). Diode analogues are represented by a wider range of models with color temperatures from 2,700 to 6,500 K. Therefore, you should carefully select a 12-volt lighting element to ensure comfortable lighting.

Cost-effectiveness assessment

Despite high cost diode light bulbs, it is more expedient to install them, since they last a long time (from 30,000 hours) and consume a minimum of energy. As a result, the LED light source will pay for itself quite quickly. But halogen lamps do not function for more than 2,000 hours, in addition, they consume ten times more energy.

The conclusion suggests itself: it is preferable to install versions based on diodes. In addition, the cost new design(purchase of LED bulbs and power supplies) is small (RUB 2,000-3,000), which depends on the type of power source and the number of bulbs.

You won’t have to spend a lot of money, since low-voltage capsule light bulbs are cheaper than standard light sources. When choosing, you need to take into account the supply voltage of the lamps, the type of base and the dimensions of the housing. You should also carefully select the power supply.

Modern trends have formed in such a way that LED light bulbs are the most economical, practical, safe and efficient light sources that do not have more or less similar analogues. Other products have much more shortcomings, so today the replacement of halogen lamps with LED lamps is not surprising.

Some people want to save on electricity, others want to increase the safety of using chandeliers or spotlights, and others pursue several goals at once. Despite a number of obvious advantages, this replacement will not always be effective and necessary.

Advantages of LED chandelier

The main advantage of using an LED lamp in a chandelier is the turn-on time. full power. Look at an incandescent lamp: when turned on, the brightness increases gradually. The situation is similar with halogen and, especially, luminescent (mercury) sources. Regarding LED light bulbs, then they begin to fully shine immediately after switching on.

Important! Such products are not afraid of voltage surges or frequent switching on and off.

Security has already been written above. LEDs require minimal voltage to power them, so these devices are not dangerous to replace, screw in, or remove. If repairing an incandescent lamp does not make sense, then an LED lamp is often repairable.

Positive features of halogen lamps

There is a reason why halogen lamps are used in chandeliers. They have certain advantages, including a simple and convenient design. In essence, halogen lamps are an improved version of devices with a filament (higher brightness, luminous efficiency, etc.). When making a flask, glass is mixed with quartz, which increases the strength and tightness of the product. Additional protective components increase the resistance of halogen lamps to high temperatures and exposure to chemically active elements.

There are a lot of differences between halogen and LED devices, but cost-effectiveness remains the main factor motivating replacement. Despite its apparent simplicity, it is not enough to buy an LED source with an identical base and similar power. This process is associated with some nuances discussed below.

Problems when replacing halogen lamps with diode lamps

Difficulties may arise when replacing halogen bulbs with 12 V ones. Bulbs of both types are switched through a special power supply. In fact, we are talking about a transformer that lowers the voltage of the 220 V network to the required value (12 V) and stabilizes the parameter to eliminate drops. Theoretically, when choosing a light source with an identical base, you can freely make a replacement.

In fact, power supplies for halogen lamps only reduce the voltage, while LED analogues require a stabilized voltage supply for normal operation. If the lamps were replaced without altering the electrical circuit, then when turned on, the diodes will blink constantly. You may not notice this pulsation, but it will be perceived by the retina of the eye, which will lead to rapid fatigue and nervousness.

This is not the only difficulty associated with performing such a replacement. LED sources consume a minimal amount of electricity (starting from 1 W), and the transformer for halogen lamps generates much more, so it will often turn off, which will certainly affect the stable supply of current. To understand how significant the difference in electricity consumption is for halogen and LED bulbs, just look at a simple example: when replacing halogen device with a power of 40 W, to maintain the nominal glow intensity, it is enough to buy a 1.5 W diode light source.

Problems may arise with the functionality of the chandelier remote control. Relevant for some lamp models.

When looking at the design of a halogen lamp, you will notice that the filament is located near the G4 base. The emitting diode in the LED product is located further from the base. As a result, the scattering angle and the illuminated surface in the two cases will be completely different.

Transformer replacement

The problems listed above can be easily eliminated: remove the transformer for halogen products and instead install a power supply with parameters suitable for the mounted group of LED lamps. It is necessary to consider not only the supply voltage (12 V), but also other characteristics. When choosing an element, focus on the total power of the connected lighting fixtures. If necessary, two or three transformers can be used.

These calculations are relatively simple: count the number of installed light sources in a group and multiply their number by the power of one (provided that you have chosen the same lamps). For example, if the power of an LED product is 2 W, there are 10 of them in a group, then the transformer must withstand a total load of 20 W (it is advisable to increase the parameter by 10%; the result will be 22 W).

When comparing halogen lamps and LED lamps, it becomes obvious that the power of the former is 2-3 times higher than the total load of the entire group of the latter. When buying a transformer for diodes, make sure that the dimensions of the electrical element approximately match the power supply for halogen lamps.

To install the transformer, simply unsolder the wires from the circuit of the old power supply and connect them to the new one. If this is not possible, then cut through the old wires and make the connections from the very beginning.

Is it worth changing

Such changes in the electronic circuit of the chandelier will require a lot of effort, considerable time and financial costs. However, there are a lot of benefits that can be gained from this.

The service life of a halogen lamp is approximately 4000 hours, LED devices– 25-30 thousand hours. Add to this the significant energy savings that are achieved by reducing the power consumed by the chandelier while maintaining the nominal glow intensity. If five 40 W halogen lamps were installed, then the total load was 200 W. In the case of LED products, the load will be 7.5-10 W. Thus, such a replacement is completely rational and justified. In order to save money, LED equipment is used in powerful floodlights installed in stadiums.

We forgot to mention one more above important parameter, taken into account when purchasing LED sources, is color temperature. Warm, yellow shades are much more pleasant for the eyes, but what whiter light, the more intense the luminous flux will be. Halogen lamps have approximately the same color temperature - about 2700 K (yellow glow), while for LED lamps the range is significantly higher - from 2500 to 6500 K. As the color temperature increases, the glow becomes brighter and whiter.

How to change a halogen light bulb in a suspended ceiling?

If you decide to replace halogen lamps with LED lamps, then we suggest that you familiarize yourself with step by step instructions to this process:

1. Be sure to turn off the power to the room. The power supply is turned off from the distribution panel in the vestibule/entrance.
2. Replace the internal mechanism - a block (transformer) that will not only reduce, but also stabilize the voltage.
3. Remove the socket from the lamp.
4. Install the LED product with the appropriate socket.
5. If necessary, insulate the wiring. Make sure to secure the chandelier tightly.

How to replace a halogen lamp in a spotlight

The algorithm of actions in the case of spotlights remains the same. Remove the fixing ring, having previously de-energized the room, dismantle the halogen lamp by removing it from the socket, install a new one and fix the device body. If the light bulb is intact, then when dismantling it, wear gloves or use a rag to avoid leaving grease stains on the surface of the bulb, which will significantly reduce the durability of the product. Proceed in the same way with a new halogen.

LED designs can also be used in spotlights. In this case, follow the instructions from the previous section, not forgetting to install a suitable transformer.

Replacing halogen light bulbs with LED ones is fraught with many difficulties, but if you act correctly, competently and do not skimp on a new power supply, then the disadvantages will be imperceptible due to the mass of advantages that can ultimately be obtained. The process is not cheap, since the cost of high-quality LED bulbs is much higher than the price of halogen bulbs. You also need to buy a new transformer. General modernization can cost a tidy sum - from 1,000 to 3,000 rubles. However, the money will be returned with interest due to more economical electricity consumption and the durability of the devices.

Modernizing a chandelier by replacing LED lamps instead of halogen ones is the simplest and most economically feasible procedure.

What do we change for what?

Halogen (halogen?) lamp. Halogen lamps operate on the principle of incandescent lamps. In them, light is emitted by a hot tungsten filament. The internal cavity of the flask is filled with a special chemical composition, preventing rapid wear of the spiral and product failure.

In everyday life, they are powered by 12-24 volt current sources. They are used in conjunction with electronic converters (transformers) that reduce the voltage to the required value.

LED lamps. These are assemblies from an array semiconductor elements, capable of glowing under the influence electric current. All emitters are connected in series-parallel with each other and are designed for certain power parameters.

LEDs operate only from DC. In order to adjust a standard household network to the specified values, special electronic devices– drivers.

Technical aspects of installing LEDs instead of halogens

The process of installing LED lamps in a chandelier instead of halogen lamps comes down to changing the power circuit. Here are a few solutions.

Option 1

Complete replacement of power supplies. This is the most expensive upgrade option, but also the most reliable.

Transformers are removed from the lamp body and a DC converter for LED is inserted. Its power should exceed the total power of all lamps by 1.5 times. Large chandeliers may have several circuits, each of which is a separate operating mode (chandeliers with remote control). In this case, you will need a separate driver for each circuit.

Also, if you can’t get by with just one device, you can divide 1 circuit into groups and power each with a separate driver. In this case, the input of all blocks is connected in parallel: the phase wires are collected in one node, the neutral wires in another.

It is convenient to use intermediate terminal blocks for connection, but they must provide reliable electrical contact. WAGO connectors have proven themselves well.

If this is your option, at the end of the article there will be a video that shows in detail how to change halogens to LEDs in chandeliers with multiple circuits.

Option 2

The simplest one. Replacing halogen lamps in a chandelier with LED lamps with built-in rectifiers operating from the same voltage as in the original version.

Here, in general, there will be no need to carry out any work - it will be enough to install diodes with the same base in place of the halogens. You can find out what type of LED lamps you need by looking at the markings. Letter designation AC/DC.

The disadvantage of this method is insufficient illumination due to the voltage drop on the internal bridge. We can increase brightness by increasing power.

Option 3

Models of LED lamps operating on 220 volts are selected. Their connection is made in parallel, from household network. It is necessary to remove the step-down transformers and directly power the lamps. No other auxiliary devices are needed.

Important! If the chandelier worked on 12-volt halogens, and we install ice with a rated voltage of 220V (with a built-in driver), then you should be prepared to replace the connecting cables in the chandelier. If they are not designed for such a current, at best we will simply burn them, at worst we will triple the fire.

Subtleties of replacing halogen lamps with LED lamps

What is important to consider when replacing halogen lamps with LED lamps:

1. Base. You should choose an LED with the same base as in the original chandelier.
2. The problem may be low power consumption of LED assemblies. Selected models electronic transformers are equipped with a function automatic shutdown at low load. With diodes, the chandelier may blink or not work at all. The solution is to remove the transformer and replace it with an LED driver.
3. Light direction LED lamps. The angle of distribution of the light flux for halogens is 360°, for LEDs it depends on the design. Choose models with wide-dispersion lenses, preferably with a frosted diffuser, otherwise you will get uneven lighting.
4. Remember about lampshade design when choosing LED light bulbs. The LED lamp may not fit into its original location or will protrude and look unsightly.
5. Color temperature LED lamps. Most LEDs emit cold white light (4000K - 6000K), so it is not advisable to place them in children’s rooms. This is a great option for a living room or office.

The purpose of retrofitting chandeliers is to save electricity. It is worth understanding that upgrading one light source will pay off no earlier than in two to three months (for rooms with constant use of lighting). It is more efficient to reinstall several sections of a living space at once.

There is no need to save money when choosing semiconductor lamps. The miser pays twice. A cheap product produced by an unknown manufacturer is often of low quality and quickly becomes unusable.