How to save money and make a lamp from LED strip with your own hands. DIY LED lamp - manufacturing instructions Assemble an LED lamp with your own hands

Economical semiconductor elements, from which you can make LED lamps with your own hands, appeared on our market relatively recently. The first samples of products made from LED lamps were developed back in 1962, but their quality left much to be desired (modern models are pictured below).

This was explained by the fact that a homemade LED lamp in those years could only be made on the basis of semiconductor devices emitting in a very narrow range of the light spectrum (only red). In addition, these elements had a high cost, as a result of which it was not feasible from an economic point of view to make homemade illuminators from them. With the advent of new technologies, it was possible to expand the emission spectrum of semiconductor components to yellow, green and white colors.

At the same time, the cost of these products sharply decreased, so the task of making a lamp from LEDs with your own hands no longer seemed so difficult to accomplish.

Features of choosing LEDs

Requirements for lighting elements

Before you make an LED lamp with your own hands, you definitely need to decide which emitting diodes are optimally suited for these purposes.

Additional Information. In general, it is possible to make a lamp based on LEDs only if their efficiency exceeds 50% (compare: for a conventional incandescent lamp this figure is only 3.5-4%).

Features of the selection of these elements require taking into account the following determining factors:

• The ability to obtain a do-it-yourself lamp made from LEDs (red, yellow, green or white) suitable for given conditions. A sample of a product with a white glow is shown in the photo below;

• High luminous efficiency of a homemade lamp;
• Low power consumption when powered from a household network;
• Long service life (at least 30,000 hours) and environmental friendliness;
• Reliability of the LED design (ability to withstand an unlimited number of switches on and off).

These products must provide the ability to control the intensity of the light flux, as well as ensure low temperature in the area where the emitting elements are located.

Selection order

All the above conditions are fully satisfied by modern LED lamps for the home, the range of which is widely represented on the domestic market.

Let us add to this that the manufacture of a homemade structure will not require the expenditure of additional material resources. For these purposes, old electronic components and products containing the corresponding parts may well be suitable.

An excellent example of a rational approach to their manufacture can be a lamp from a TV with an LCD screen (not working for some reason), from which you can “borrow” working LED backlights. An example of such a display is shown in the photo below.

Lamp design and circuit

Design Features

In order to have a clear idea of ​​how to make an LED lamp with your own hands, first of all, you need to decide on the following questions:

• Type and supply voltage of a diode light bulb, soldered from an old device and intended for use in a lamp;
• The number of emitting lamps required to obtain the required light output;
• Possible diagrams for connecting them to a household power supply circuit, used specifically for LEDs.

If you make your own LED light bulb from improvised materials and old elements, before using them you need to decide on the voltage that will be supplied to it.

Important! Before assembling an electronic circuit, you should definitely check the functionality of used products by applying operating voltage to them from an external source (a battery, for example). In this case, one should not forget about observing the polarity of the inclusion of semiconductor elements.

To obtain the required light output, you will need to connect the required number of them in series to provide the given emitting power. This option is most often explored in the case when an LED chandelier is made by hand (it may include several separate lamps).

Circuit solutions and details

Most modern LEDs are designed for relatively low constant voltages (from 4.5 to 12 Volts), as a result of which special converting circuits are used to connect them to the power supply network.

Additional Information. The best option is a circuit that operates on the principle of pulse conversion (it can be taken from an energy-saving lamp whose lamp has burned out, but the electronic ballast module is still working).

Due to the possibility of such a choice, a DIY table LED lamp made from old parts and blanks must be equipped with a standard base suitable for a classic socket.

To power such LED lamps, a simple rectifier circuit using semiconductor diodes designed for a voltage of about 400 Volts is sometimes used. A limiting resistor is connected in series with the diode bridge, the resistance of which is sufficient to reduce the potential on the light bulb to 5-12 Volts.

We assemble the working circuit in such a way that an electrolytic capacitor with a nominal capacity of 500 to 2200 microfarads (the more, the better) is connected in parallel to the rectifier bridge with a resistor. This element, designed for approximately 25 Volts, is necessary for the final rectification of the supply voltage (smoothing out residual ripples).

Strip LEDs

The strip design is a set of identical LEDs, combined according to a certain pattern during their production (that is, in the factory). It already has a built-in limiting element (resistor) and can be cut into separate sections connected into parallel, mixed and serial chains.

Additional Information. Strip LED structures, as a rule, are designed for a constant voltage of 12V (as well as 24, 36 and 220 Volts), which is supplied to them from a ready-made rectifier unit.

Due to an arbitrary combination of sections connected in different ways, it is possible to obtain lighting devices with a given illumination and power consumption. To connect such a design to a 220V household network, you will need a special module that reduces the supply voltage to the required value.

Any homemade LED strip lamp must be designed for a certain number of elements, on which the total luminous flux of the finished product will depend (a sample of it is given below).

A classic do-it-yourself LED strip lamp assembled from a set of a certain length can be made as a floor lamp with four edges, each of which contains a section of 5-7 diodes.

The strip of LEDs placed in this way is connected in parallel with the remaining segments and connected to a power supply unit designed for an output voltage of 12 Volts and a load current of about 0.5 Amperes.

Thus, the initially seemingly complex question of how to make a lamp from an LED strip can in fact be solved quite simply if you have the necessary power supply at your disposal.

Homemade lamps in the car

Automotive homemade products for car interior lighting are noticeably easier to manufacture than the previously discussed products. The fact is that in this case the user already has at his disposal the vehicle’s on-board voltage of 12 Volts, the connection of which to the lamp should simply be arranged accordingly.

To do this, you can use the cigarette lighter socket in the car, which receives constant voltage from the battery. Thus, in order to connect an LED lamp used for a car, it is enough to purchase a matching part of the cigarette lighter socket (see the figure below).

After soldering the supply wires to the proprietary connector, based on all the parts of the power supply assembly assembled together, a ready-made module is obtained for connecting a homemade lamp.

Note! In this case, a strip LED design rated for 12 Volts can also be used in its manufacture, although a special driver will be required to connect it.

In conclusion of the review, we note that a DIY LED lamp or luminaire is almost in no way inferior to a branded product. If you comply with all the conditions discussed above, then, as a rule, no problems arise with their manufacture and operation.

Video

In this article we will inspire you with various ideas for creating lamps with your own hands. And most importantly, we will offer light sources that can be easily and conveniently designed into the most unusual design solutions. You won't need to think about where to find LEDs, a platform for gluing them, soldering wires and other technical things. We have already thought for you and are freeing up your time for imagination and bright ideas for decorating a lamp!

They realize incredible ideas with their own hands from wood, metal, fabric, paper, plastic or thread. An example of creating a lamp from plastic cups:

DIY floor lamp made from paper cups and garlands.

DIY table LED lamp made of cardboard. There is a LED light bulb hidden inside.

DIY antique ceiling lamp.

DIY LED wall lamp made of paper (origami).

LED wall lamp made of plywood.

The use of decorative homemade lamps

Homemade lamps perfectly serve as decorative lighting. They are rarely used for main lighting. For manufacturing, materials that do not transmit light well are used, and light sources are limited in size or power. To avoid damage to the structure, it is recommended to use low-heat LED lamps or strips as a light source, which, unlike incandescent lamps, do not pose a fire risk.

Homemade lamps as main lighting

Homemade lamps are increasingly used as main lighting thanks to technologically advanced, powerful and safe light sources.

Homemade lamp based on Armstrong 595x595 LED lamp.

LED lamp for main lighting.

DIY ceiling lamp made of paper. safe as a light source in this design,because it doesn't heat up.

How to make an LED lamp with your own hands?

Homemade LED lamp based on the Armstrong 600x600 LED panel.

Steel is a powerful alternative for making lamps with your own hands from improvised materials. A variety of sizes and shapes allows you to create floor, wall, ceiling or pendant lamps of unusual design and high power. Used to repair an old lamp or to develop your own unique lighting design.

for repairing and replacing an old lamp or creating a new lamp with your own hands.

LED module with light temperature adjustment and remote control.

The driver and all the necessary electronics are already built into the . Unlike LED strips, the matrix (module) is connected directly to a 220 volt network. The OPPLE LED module is compact in size, has clever cooling, and each LED on it is equipped with its own lens for the most uniform distribution of light.

Lens on each LED for the most even distribution of light.

A small 12 W module (analogous to 95 W) is suitable for homemade decorative lamps:

Decorative LED lamp made of antique wood.

DIY pendant lamp made of paper (origami kusudama).

For the brightest solutions, designed (600 W analogue) with a remote control, brightness adjustment (built-in dimmer) and variable light temperature from warm light (3000 K) to cold light (6000 K).

How to make a bright LED lamp from scrap materials with a remote control, adjustable brightness and light temperature from warm to cold.

It became possible to make original lamps technologically advanced and even more unusual thanks to various light settings. Now you can play with the temperature of the light (from yellow to white) and adjust the brightness of the light.

It is important that OPPLE LED modules have a well-thought-out cooling system and they hardly heat up. This makes it possible to create design solutions from your favorite materials: lamps made of wood, pendant lamps made of paper, wall lamps made of plywood, floor lamps made of scrap materials. Now it’s easier than ever to create homemade LED lamps with your own hands.

DIY table lamp (night light) made of wood (plywood).

Homemade LED (LED) lamp made of paper.

DIY ceiling pendant lamp in loft style.

Is it possible to make an LED lamp (LED) operating on 220 volts from start to finish with your own hands? It turns out that it is possible. Our tips and instructions will help you in this exciting activity.

Advantages of LED lamps

LED lighting in the home is not just modern, but also stylish and bright. Conservative fans of incandescent lamps are left with weak “Ilyich light bulbs” - the Federal Law “On Energy Saving”, adopted in 2009, from January 1, 2011 prohibits the production, import and sale of incandescent lamps with a power of more than 100 W. Advanced users have long switched to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). But LEDs outperform all their predecessors:

• the energy consumption of an LED lamp is 10 times less than that of a corresponding incandescent lamp, and almost 35% less than that of a CFL;
• the luminous intensity of the LED lamp is greater by 8 and 36%, respectively;
• achieving full luminous flux power occurs instantly, unlike CFLs, which require about 2 minutes;
• the cost - provided that the lamp is manufactured independently - tends to zero;
• LED lamps are environmentally friendly because they do not contain mercury;
• LED service life is measured in tens of thousands of hours. Therefore, LED lamps are practically eternal.

Dry numbers confirm: LED is the future.

Design of a modern factory LED lamp

The LED here is initially assembled from many crystals. Therefore, in order to assemble such a lamp, you do not need to solder numerous contacts, you only need to connect one pair.

An LED lamp consists of a base, a driver, a heatsink, the LED itself and a diffuser

Types of LEDs

LED is a semiconductor multilayer crystal with an electron-hole junction. By passing direct current through it, we receive light radiation. An LED also differs from a conventional diode in that if it is connected incorrectly, it immediately burns out, since it has a low breakdown voltage (several volts). If an LED burns out, it must be completely replaced; repair is impossible.

There are four main types of LEDs:

A homemade and properly assembled LED lamp will serve for many years, and it can be repaired.

Before you begin self-assembly, you need to choose a power supply method for our future lamp. There are many options: from a battery to a 220-volt AC network - through a transformer or directly.

The easiest way is to assemble a 12-volt LED from a burnt-out halogen. But it will require a fairly massive external power supply. A lamp with a regular base, designed for a voltage of 220 volts, fits any socket in the house.

Therefore, in our guide we will not consider creating a 12-volt LED light source, but will show a couple of options for designing a 220-volt lamp.

Since we do not know the level of your electrical technical training, we cannot guarantee that you will end up with a properly functioning device. In addition, you will be working with life-threatening voltages and if things are not done accurately and incorrectly, damage and loss may occur, for which we will not be held responsible. Therefore, be careful and attentive. And you will succeed.

Drivers for LED lamps

The brightness of LEDs directly depends on the strength of the current passing through them. For stable operation, they need a constant voltage source and a stabilized current that does not exceed the maximum permissible value for them.

Resistors - current limiters - can only be used for low-power LEDs. You can simplify the simple calculation of the number and characteristics of resistors by finding an LED calculator on the Internet, which not only displays data, but also creates a ready-made electrical diagram of the design.

To power the lamp from the mains, you must use a special driver that converts the input alternating voltage into a working voltage for the LEDs. The simplest drivers consist of a minimum number of parts: an input capacitor, several resistors and a diode bridge.

In the simplest driver circuit, the supply voltage is supplied through a limiting capacitor to the rectifier bridge, and then to the lamp

Powerful LEDs are connected through electronic drivers that control and stabilize the current and have a high efficiency (90-95%). They provide stable current even with sudden changes in the supply voltage in the network. Resistors cannot do this.

Let's look at the simplest and most commonly used drivers for LED lamps:

• the linear driver is quite simple and is used for low (up to 100 mA) operating currents or in cases where the source voltage is equal to the voltage drop across the LED;
• The switching buck driver is more complex. It allows powerful LEDs to be powered by a source of much higher voltage than is necessary for their operation. Disadvantages: large size and electromagnetic interference generated by the inductor;
• A switching boost driver is used when the operating voltage of the LED is greater than the voltage received from the power supply. The disadvantages are the same as the previous driver.

An electronic driver is always built into any 220-volt LED lamp to ensure optimal operation.

Most often, several faulty LED lamps are disassembled, the burnt-out LEDs and radio components of the driver are removed, and one new structure is installed from the intact ones.

But you can make an LED lamp from a regular CFL. This is quite an attractive idea. We are sure that many zealous owners keep faulty “energy savers” in their drawers with parts and spare parts. It’s a shame to throw it away, there’s nowhere to use it. Now we will tell you how to create an LED lamp from an energy-saving lamp (E27 base, 220 V) in just a couple of hours.

A faulty CFL always gives us a high-quality base and housing for LEDs. In addition, it is usually the gas-discharge tube that fails, but not the electronic device for “igniting” it. We again put the working electronics into storage: they can be disassembled, and in capable hands these parts will still serve something good.

Types of modern lamp bases

The base is a threaded system for quickly connecting and fixing the light source and socket, supplying power to the source from the mains and ensuring the tightness of the vacuum flask. The marking of the socles is deciphered as follows:

1. The first letter of the marking indicates the type of base:
   • B - with pin;
   • E - with thread (developed back in 1909 by Edison);
   • F - with one pin;
   • G - with two pins;
   • H - for xenon;
   • K and R - with cable and recessed contact, respectively;
   • P - focusing base (for spotlights and lanterns);
   • S - soffit;
   • T - telephone;
   • W - with contact inputs in the glass of the bulb.
2. The second letter U, A or V shows which lamps use the base: energy-saving, automotive or with a conical end.
3. The numbers following the letters indicate the diameter of the base in millimeters.

The most common base since Soviet times is E27 - a threaded base with a diameter of 27 mm for a voltage of 220 V.

Creating an E27 LED lamp from an energy-saving one using a ready-made driver

To make your own LED lamp we will need:

1. Failed CFL lamp.
2. Pliers.
3. Soldering iron.
4. Solder.
5. Cardboard.
6. Head on shoulders.
7. Skillful hands.

We will convert the faulty Cosmos CFL to LED.

“Cosmos” is one of the most popular brands of modern energy-saving lamps, so many zealous owners will definitely have several of its faulty copies

Step-by-step instructions for making an LED lamp

1. We find a faulty energy-saving lamp, which we have had for a long time “just in case.” Our lamp has a power of 20 W. For now, the main component we are interested in is the base.
2. We carefully disassemble the old lamp and remove everything from it except the base and the wires coming from it, with which we will then connect the finished driver by soldering. The lamp is assembled using latches protruding above the body. You need to look at them and use something to pry them off. Sometimes the base is attached to the body in a more complicated way - by punching pinholes around the circumference. Here you will have to drill out the core points or carefully saw through them with a hacksaw. One supply wire is soldered to the central contact of the base, the second to the thread. Both of them are very short. The tubes may burst during these manipulations, so you must act carefully.
3. We clean the base and degrease it with acetone or alcohol. Particular attention should be paid to the hole, which we also carefully clean from excess solder. This is necessary for further soldering in the base.

   

   A launch board for a gas-discharge tube built into a fluorescent lamp is not suitable for us to create an LED device

4. The cap of the base has six holes - gas-discharge tubes were attached to them. We use these holes for our LEDs. Place a circle of the same diameter cut out with nail scissors from a suitable piece of plastic under the top part. Thick cardboard will also work. It will fix the contacts of the LEDs.

   

   On the reverse side, the base has six round holes into which we will install LEDs

5. We have HK6 multi-chip LEDs (voltage 3.3 V, power 0.33 W, current 100-120 mA). Each diode is assembled from six crystals (connected in parallel), so it shines brightly, although it is not called powerful. Considering the power of these LEDs, we connect them three in parallel.

   

   Each LED shines quite brightly on its own, so six of them in the lamp will provide good light intensity

6. We connect both chains in series.

   

   Two chains of three parallel-connected LEDs are each connected in series

The result is a rather beautiful design.



Six LEDs inserted into the sockets form a powerful and uniform light source

7. A simple ready-made driver can be taken from a broken LED lamp. Now, to connect six white one-watt LEDs, we use a 220-volt driver, for example, RLD2-1.

   

   The driver is connected to the LEDs in a parallel circuit

8. We insert the driver into the socket. We place another cut-out circle of plastic or cardboard between the board and the driver to avoid short circuits between the LED contacts and the driver parts. The lamp does not heat up, so any gasket will do.

   

   A positive difference between Chinese bases and Russian ones: they solder much better

9. Let's assemble our lamp and check if it works.

   

   After assembling the lamp, you need to connect it to a voltage source and make sure that it lights up

We created a source with a luminous intensity of approximately 150-200 lm and a power of approximately 3 W, similar to a 30-watt incandescent lamp. But due to the fact that our lamp has a white glow, it visually looks brighter. The area of ​​the room illuminated by it can be increased by bending the LED leads. In addition, we received a wonderful bonus: the three-watt lamp does not even need to be turned off - the meter practically does not “see” it.

Creating an LED lamp using a homemade driver

It is much more interesting not to use a ready-made driver, but to make it yourself. Of course, if you are good with a soldering iron and have basic skills in reading electrical diagrams.

We'll look at etching the board after drawing the circuit diagram on it by hand. And, of course, everyone will be interested in tinkering with chemical reactions using available chemicals. As in childhood.

We will need:

1. A piece of copper foil on both sides of fiberglass.
2. The elements of our future lamp according to the generated diagram: resistors, capacitor, LEDs.
3. Drill or mini-drill for drilling fiberglass.
4. Pliers.
5. Soldering iron.
6. Solder and rosin.
7. Nail polish or correction pencil.
8. Table salt, copper sulfate or ferric chloride solution.
9. Head on shoulders.
10. Skillful hands.
11. Accuracy and attentiveness.

Textolite is used in cases where electrical insulating properties are required. This is a multilayer plastic, the layers of which consist of fabric (depending on the type of fibers of the fabric layer, there are basalt textolites, carbon textolites, and others) and a binder (polyester resin, bakelite, etc.):

• Fiberglass is fiberglass fabric impregnated with epoxy resin. It is characterized by high resistivity and heat resistance - from 140 to 1800 o C;
• foil fiberglass is a material covered with a layer of galvanic copper foil 35-50 microns thick. It is used to make printed circuit boards. The thickness of the composite is from 0.5 to 3 mm, the sheet area is up to 1 m 2.

Foil-coated fiberglass laminate is used for the manufacture of printed circuit boards.

Driver circuit for LED lamp

It is quite possible to make a driver for an LED lamp yourself, for example, based on the simplest circuit that we looked at at the beginning of the article. You just need to add a few details:

1. Resistor R3 to discharge the capacitor when the power is turned off.
2. A pair of zener diodes VD2 and VD3 to bypass the capacitor if the LED circuit burns out or breaks.

If we select the stabilization voltage correctly, we can limit ourselves to one zener diode. If we set the voltage to more than 220 V, and choose a capacitor for it, then we will do without any additional parts at all. But the driver will be larger in size, and the board may not fit in the base.

This circuit allows you to make a driver for a lamp of 20 LEDs

We created this circuit to make a lamp from 20 LEDs. If there are more or less of them, you need to select a different capacitance for capacitor C1 so that a current of 20 mA still passes through the LEDs.

The driver will lower the network voltage and try to smooth out voltage surges. Through a resistor and a current-limiting capacitor, the mains voltage is supplied to a diode-based bridge rectifier. Through another resistor, a constant voltage is supplied to the LED block, and they begin to shine. The ripples of this rectified voltage are smoothed out by a capacitor, and when the lamp is disconnected from the network, the first capacitor is discharged by another resistor.

It will be more convenient if the driver design is mounted using a printed circuit board, and is not some kind of lump in the air made of wires and parts. You can easily make the payment yourself.

Step-by-step instructions for making an LED lamp with a homemade driver

1. Using a computer program, we generate our own pattern for etching the board according to the intended driver design. The free computer program Sprint Layout is very convenient and popular among radio amateurs, allowing you to independently design printed circuit boards of low complexity and obtain an image of their layout. There is another excellent domestic program - DipTrace, which draws not only boards, but also circuit diagrams.
   

   

   The free computer program Sprint Layout generates a detailed board etch pattern for the driver

2. We cut out a circle with a diameter of 3 cm from fiberglass. This will be our board.
3. We choose a method for transferring the circuit to the board. All methods are terribly interesting. Can:
   • draw a diagram directly on a piece of fiberglass with a stationery correction pencil or a special marker for printed circuit boards, which is sold in a radio parts store. There is a subtlety here: only this marker allows you to draw tracks less than or equal to 1 mm. In other cases, the width of the track, no matter how hard you try, will not be less than 2 mm. And the copper patches for soldering will turn out sloppy. Therefore, after applying the design, you need to correct it with a razor or scalpel;
   • print the diagram on an inkjet printer on photo paper and iron the printout to the fiberglass. The circuit elements will be covered with paint;
   • draw a diagram with nail polish, which is definitely in any house where a woman lives. This is the simplest method, and we will use it. Carefully and carefully, using a brush from a bottle, draw tracks on the board. We wait until the varnish dries well.
4. We dilute the solution: stir 1 tablespoon of copper sulfate and 2 tablespoons of table salt in boiling water. Copper sulfate is used in agriculture, so it can be purchased at gardening and construction stores.
5. We immerse the board in the solution for half an hour. As a result, only the copper traces that we protected with varnish will remain; the rest of the copper will disappear during the reaction.
6. Use acetone to remove the remaining varnish from the fiberglass laminate. You immediately need to tin (coat with solder using a soldering iron) the edges of the board and the contact points so that the copper does not quickly oxidize.

   

   The contact points are soldered with a layer of solder mixed with rosin to protect the copper tracks from oxidation

7. According to the diagram, we make holes with a drill.
8. We solder the LEDs and all the details of the homemade driver on the board from the side of the printed tracks.
9. We install the board into the lamp body.

   

   After all the operations performed, you should get an LED lamp equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent lamp

Safety Notes

1. Although assembling an LED lamp yourself is not a very difficult process, you should not even start it if you do not have at least basic electrical knowledge. Otherwise, the lamp you assembled may damage the entire electrical network of your home, including expensive electrical appliances, if there is an internal short circuit. The specificity of LED technology is that if some elements of its circuit are connected incorrectly, then an explosion is even possible. So you have to be extremely careful.
2. Typically the luminaires are used at 220 VAC. But designs designed for a voltage of 12 V cannot be connected to a regular network under any circumstances, and you must always remember this.
3. In the process of making a homemade LED lamp, the components of the lamp often cannot be immediately completely isolated from the 220 V supply network. Therefore, you can be seriously shocked. Even if the structure is connected to the network via a power supply, it is quite possible that it has a simple circuit without a transformer and galvanic isolation. Therefore, you should not touch the structure with your hands until the capacitors are discharged.
4. If the lamp does not work, then in most cases poor-quality soldering of parts is to blame. You were inattentive or acted hastily with the soldering iron. But don't despair. Keep trying!

Video: learning to solder

It’s a strange thing: in our age, when stores have absolutely everything, usually inexpensive and very varied, after twenty years of euphoria, people are increasingly returning to doing household things with their own hands. Handicrafts, carpentry and plumbing skills flourished beyond belief. And simple applied electrical engineering is confidently returning to this series.

Today you can find LED lighting in many homes. This is due to the fact that LEDs are the most preferred among the variety of lighting devices available. LEDs have excellent lighting characteristics and also save significant amounts of energy. That's why they are so in demand today. Today, LED strip is the most popular as the main element of a lighting fixture.

It should be noted that the cost of such a product will be somewhat more expensive. Therefore, not every person can purchase it, but it’s easy to do it yourself. Our article will help you in this endeavor.

LED Strip Light

The LED strip is a flexible rubberized “printed circuit board”. It contains current-limiting resistors and unpackaged LEDs. This convenient design allows you to make your own lamp and install it anywhere. At the same time, the device of the tape allows you to make cuts on it and divide it into pieces of the required size.

Note! To avoid breaking the contact between the LEDs, it is necessary to cut the tape only in specially designated places. They are marked with a white line.

After the cut, the contacts in its place must be soldered to the supply wire.

LED Strip Light

Also, the structure of the LED strip has a self-adhesive layer, allowing it to be installed anywhere.
Today, these products have various options in terms of installing LEDs, differing in the characteristics of the luminous flux. The most popular tape models today are products with 12V power.

You can make a lamp from an LED strip with your own hands from any of its formats (single or multi-color type). The main thing is to follow the assembly instructions, and also take into account the structural features of the tape itself.
Such a homemade lighting device is most often used not as the main light source, but as an additional one. For example, it can be installed on a desktop, under the bottom of a wall cabinet, etc.

What you will need

Since the LED strip is quite flexible, the format of the lighting device made from it can be very diverse. But the basic principles of assembly remain the same in any situation.
To make a lamp from such a strip, you must have all the necessary tools and materials at hand. Otherwise, the process may be delayed or not completed efficiently.
In this situation, you should have the following materials on hand:

Plastic electrical box

• directly LED strip with the necessary LED parameters. It is best to use a strip 8 mm wide;
• screws;
• aluminum corner. It should be 10x10 mm in size and 1.5 m long). The corner can be replaced with a plastic electrical box. This will not in any way affect the quality of the manufactured lighting device;
• small switch.

The tools you will need are:

• drill;
• pencil with ruler;
• electric jigsaw;
• pliers.

Once you have ensured that you have all the necessary materials and tools, you can proceed to the main stage of work - assembly.

Build process

Today, there are a large number of options for how to make a lamp using LED strip. The assembly method will depend on what type of lighting fixture you ultimately want:

• horizontal;
• vertical;
• on legs.

Making holes

Let's look at some of them in more detail.
Half of the steps that need to be completed during the assembly process do not depend on the luminaire version. Therefore they will match.
The LED strip product is assembled as follows:

• first measure the length of the corner required for assembly;
• We drill holes in it, with the help of which the device will be attached to the surface. Screws should be used as fastening elements here;

Note! It is also necessary to cut out a place in the corner to place the microswitch in it.

• we fix the corner in the place we need;
• we install the switch in the sawn place and solder the wires to the tape at the place where it is cut into separate pieces;
• degrease the LED strip with acetone;

Connection diagram

• then we attach the LED strip to the installed corner. In order for it to stick evenly, it needs to be attached lightly to the surface and then leveled. After this, you can run your hand along the tape, finally securing it in the chosen place;
• Next, we connect the wires to an adapter or power supply that has the power we need. Typically the power is 12V.

Note! Only with the help of an adapter/power supply will it be possible to connect the lamp to a standard power line, which has a power of 220V.

As can be seen from the assembly instructions, the final result should be a lighting device with a horizontal installation method. It can be effectively used in the kitchen to illuminate the cooking area, countertop or hob. Also, such a lamp will be relevant in a children’s room. Here it would be appropriate to place it above the desk under a hanging shelf or cabinet.
But remember that the maximum lighting efficiency of such a device is achieved at a height of 70-80 cm above the working surface. At the same time, the light will not dazzle or irritate your eyes.

Second option

Cut parts

In addition to this type of lamp, you can make a more complex and original lighting device from an LED strip. Here, unlike the first option, you will need an LED strip 3 m long and an RGB controller with a remote control. In addition, the lamp structure will contain a nickel-plated pipe or furniture legs, as well as slats, chipboard, and plywood.
In this situation, it is necessary to perform the following manipulations:

• cut 6 rings with different diameters from a piece of plywood with a jigsaw: 2 large, 2 small and the same number of medium ones;
• We cut out one circle from chipboard. It will be the basis of the future lamp;
• cut 6 holes in the plywood. This will be the top part of the model;
• we make holes for screws in the slats;
• paint all the cut out parts in the desired color;

Note! Painting should be done in an open space (outside) or in a well-ventilated area.

• We fix nickel-plated pipes on circles made of chipboard and plywood. They will connect the entire structure together;
• We attach an LED strip in the middle of the lamp device. We pre-cut it according to the dimensions of the inner diameter of the rings. Don’t forget to attach wires to each piece of tape;
• next we attach the rings (small diameter) to the slats;
• after that we attach medium and large rings to them in turn;
• then we put the top of the lamp on this entire structure.

All wires must be hidden in a special cable, which must also be painted in the appropriate color. Don't forget to connect the wires to the RGB controller, with which you will be able to switch lighting modes. This is very easy to do using the remote control.

Connection diagram with RGB controller

Of course, this is a much more complex design option, but it has a more presentable appearance.

General assembly points

When assembling any lighting device from an LED strip, there are some points that are identical for all designs:

• the presence of a power supply, base or profile, as well as the LED strip itself. The profile can be a corner, chrome crossbar, etc.;
• the principle of cutting the tape itself into pieces of the required size;
• gluing the tape either to the inner surface of the lighting fixture or to the surface of the corner.

You can choose any materials as decorative elements. The main thing is that they fit the existing interior and you like them.
Following the advice in our article, you can build a lamp of any complexity, be it vertical, horizontal or on legs.
A lamp made from an LED strip with your own hands will definitely be a useful thing in the house and will help you illuminate the desired work area.

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Economical lighting lamps are already found in almost every home. We offer you to consider how to make an LED lamp with your own hands, what materials will be required for this, as well as tips on what criteria should be used to select them.

Step-by-step development of an LED lamp

Initially, we are faced with the task of checking the performance of the LEDs and measuring the supply voltage of the network. When setting up this device to prevent electric shock, we suggest using a 220/220 V isolation transformer. This will also ensure safer measurements when setting up our future LED lamp.

Please note that if any elements of the circuit are connected incorrectly, an explosion is possible, so strictly follow the instructions given below.

Most often, the problem of improper assembly lies precisely in poor-quality soldering of components.

When making calculations to measure the voltage drop in the current consumption of LEDs, you need to use a universal measuring multimeter. Basically, such homemade LED lamps are used at a voltage of 12 V, but our design will be designed for a mains voltage of 220 V AC.

Video: LED lamp at home

High light output is achieved with diodes at a current of 20-25 mA. But cheap LEDs can produce an unpleasant bluish glow, which is also very harmful to the eyes, so we recommend diluting your homemade LED lamp with a small amount of red LEDs. For 10 cheap white ones, 4 red LEDs will be enough.

The circuit is quite simple and is designed to power LEDs directly from the network, without an additional power supply. The only drawback of such a circuit is that all its components are not isolated from the mains supply and the LED lamp will not provide protection against possible electric shock. So be careful when assembling and installing this light. Although in the future the circuit can be upgraded and isolated from the network.

Simplified lamp diagram

1. When turned on, a 100 ohm resistor protects the circuit from voltage surges; if it is not there, you need to use a higher power diode bridge rectifier.
2. The 400 nF capacitor limits the current required for the LEDs to glow normally. If necessary, you can add more LEDs if their total current consumption does not exceed the limit set by the capacitor.
3. Make sure that the capacitor used is designed for an operating voltage of at least 350 V, it should be one and a half times the mains voltage.
4. A 10uF capacitor is needed to provide a stable, flicker-free light source. Its rated voltage should be twice that measured across all LEDs connected in series during operation.

In the photo you see a burnt out lamp, which will soon be disassembled for a DIY LED lamp.

We disassemble the lamp, but very carefully so as not to damage the base, then clean it and degrease it with alcohol or acetone. We pay special attention to the hole. We clean it of excess solder and process it again. This is necessary for high-quality soldering of components in the base.

Photo: lamp socket
Photo: resistors and transistor

Now we need to solder a tiny rectifier, we use a regular soldering iron for these purposes and have already prepared a diode bridge in advance and process the surface, working very carefully so as not to damage the previously installed parts.

Photo: soldering the rectifier

As an insulating layer, it is fashionable to use the glue of a simple hot-melt assembly gun. A PVC tube is also suitable, but it is advisable to use a material specially designed for this purpose, filling all the space between the parts and at the same time fixing them. We have a ready-made basis for the future lamp.

Photo: glue and cartridge

After these manipulations, we proceed to the most interesting part: installing LEDs. We use a special circuit board as a basis; it can be bought at any electronic components store or even taken from some old and unnecessary equipment, having first cleared the board of unnecessary parts.

Photo: LEDs on the board

It is very important to check each of our boards for functionality, because otherwise all the work is in vain. We pay special attention to the contacts of the LEDs; if necessary, we further clean and narrow them.

Now we are assembling the constructor, we need to solder all the boards, we have four of them, to the capacitor. After this operation, we again insulate everything with glue and check the connections of the diodes to each other. We place the boards at the same distance from each other so that the light spreads evenly.

LED connection

We also solder a 10 uF capacitor without additional wires; this is a good soldering experience for future electricians.

Finished mini lamp Resistor and lamp

All is ready. We recommend covering our lamp with a lampshade, because... LEDs emit extremely bright light that is very hard on the eyes. If you place our homemade lamp in a “cut” made of paper, for example, or fabric, you will get a very soft light, a romantic night light or a sconce for the nursery. By replacing the soft lampshade with a standard glass one, we get a fairly bright glow that does not irritate the eyes. This is a good and very beautiful option for a home or cottage.

If you want to power the lamp using batteries or from USB, you need to exclude the 400 nF capacitor and rectifier from the circuit, connecting the circuit directly to a 5-12 V DC source.

This is a good device for illuminating an aquarium, but you need to choose a special waterproof lamp; you can find it by visiting any store of electromechanical devices; these exist in any city, be it Chelyabinsk or Moscow.

Photo: lamp in action

Lamp for the office

You can make a creative wall, table lamp or floor lamp for your office using several dozen LEDs. But for this, the flow of light will be insufficient for reading; here you need a sufficient level of illumination of the workplace.

First you need to determine the number of LEDs and rated power.

After that, find out the load capacity of the rectifying diode bridge and capacitor. We connect a group of LEDs to the negative contact of the diode bridge. We connect all the LEDs as shown in the figure.

Diagram: connecting lamps

Solder all 60 LEDs together. If you need to connect additional LEDs, just continue to solder them sequentially, plus to minus. Use wires to connect the negative of one group of LEDs to the next until the entire assembly process is complete. Now add a diode bridge. Connect it as shown in the picture below. Connect the positive terminal to the positive wire of the first group of LEDs, connect the negative terminal to the common wire of the last LED in the group.

Short LED wires

Next, you need to prepare the base of the old light bulb by cutting off the wires from the board and soldering them to the AC inputs on the diode bridge, marked with the ~ sign. You can use plastic fasteners, screws and nuts to connect the two boards together if all the diodes are placed on separate boards. Don’t forget to fill the boards with glue, insulating them from short circuits. This is a fairly powerful network LED lamp that will last up to 100,000 hours of continuous operation.

Adding a capacitor

If you increase the supply voltage to the LEDs in order to make the light brighter, the LEDs will begin to heat up, which significantly reduces their durability. In order to avoid this, you need to connect a 10 W recessed or table lamp with an additional capacitor. Simply connect one side of the base to the negative output of the bridge rectifier and the positive side, through an additional capacitor, to the positive output of the rectifier. You can use 40 LEDs instead of the suggested 60, thereby increasing the overall brightness of the lamp.

Video: how to make an LED lamp with your own hands

If desired, a similar lamp can be made using a powerful LED, but then you will need capacitors of a different value.

As you can see, assembling or repairing a conventional DIY LED lamp is not particularly difficult. And it won't take much time and effort. This lamp is also suitable as a summer option, for example for a greenhouse; its light is absolutely harmless to plants.