Indirect LED lighting

-

grassy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
5,352
Reaction score
86
Location
Nova Scotia
I would like to do some indirect LED lighting on my truck..

I seem to be missing something...if the strips run on 12 volt, why do they need transformers and then you have to run an inverter....it seems very complicated ...

Can anyone do a one or 2 minute tutorial with products that will work ?

Thanks
 
If something uses an inverter it is not LED

An LED is a DIODE. That is why they are called "D". They are operated "forward biased" meaning "in conduction" and most solid state devices in that forward state are what amounts to "nearly" a direct short. "a piece of wire."

Therefore LED(iodes) must have LIMITING resistors to limit current flow on their operating voltage of "whatever" it is, IE 6, 12, 24, 120V whatever the "fixture" is designed to operate off of

Now diodes, depending on material, are NOT exactly a "dead short" they DO have some voltage drop, but only about .5--.7V per diode, depending.

This means that if you put ENOUGH of them in series, they can withstand MORE voltage with LESS limiting resistance. In essence, this means that you are putting more power into "diodes and light" than you are putting into "wasted from resistance."

Inverter? This would normally be some sort of high voltage lamp AKA HID

Did what went around "came" around?

Are you aware?

That the old fastback Chargers (66 etc) had HIGH VOLTAGE dash panel lamps? These had a high voltage power supply to generate 200 or so volts for the luminescent dash panels

High voltage supply from a charger:

a207917143989502f52ab4_m.jpg
 
Op is talking about the wallwart transformer for use with ac. Not needed on dc 12v in your truck, although a voltage regulator might be nice. This assumes that the strip leds have resistors in the strip too.
 
-
Back
Top