Since the introduction of light-emitting diodes (LED), the lighting industry has evolved with a pace and high efficiency. It has replaced almost every lighting source including filament bulbs, CFL, and halogen. From indoor to outdoor lighting, LED is the most feasible solution from both quality, sustainability, and price perspectives. Do you have any idea how it becomes possible? The answer is hidden in the countless possibilities with electronics drivers. Let’s have a quick look at the basic definition of these drivers.Â
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What are electronics drivers?Â
Electronics we buy from the market are usually equipped with semiconductor chips. These chips serve the purpose of drivers. Basically, drivers are the components required for connecting software interface with hardware. These drivers or circuits are meant for controlling other collected circuits or crucial components such as stepper motors, LCD and high power transistors. Enlisting some commonly used drivers below:-Â
- LCD display driversÂ
- LED driversÂ
- LED display driversÂ
- Motor driversÂ
- IGBT driversÂ
- Peripheral driversÂ
- Video drivers
Once the concept of electronics driver is clear, we can now proceed to understand the LED driver particularly.
LED DriversÂ
LED is successfully meeting the need for power-efficient lighting systems but do you know what is making them hot sellers? Pin electronics are the main elements working behind the scene. The LED lighting sources need drivers to need to work in the desired way. Just like ballasts for fluorescent lamps, electronics drivers serve the purpose of transferring adequate power. There are basically two purposes of using these drivers:-Â
- Maintain adequate current flow to prevent the illuminating sources from high and low voltage fluctuation.Â
- They alter and rectify low or high-voltage supply smartly.Â
Different types of LED driversÂ
Drivers for LED can be classified into three categories including constant current, constant voltage and AC LED drivers. Among these three, the first two plays a crucial role in the lighting industry. Let’s know them closely:-Â
Constant current driverÂ
LEDs with the requirement of fixed output current and a wide range of output voltages are powered by constant-current drivers. Only one output current, designated in amperes or milliamps, will be specified, along with a range of voltages that will fluctuate depending on the LED’s wattage.
Constant voltage driver
LEDs that need a fixed output voltage and a maximum output powered by constant-voltage drivers. The current in these LEDs is already regulated within the LED module, either by simple resistors or an inbuilt constant-current driver. These LEDs require a single constant voltage, which is commonly 12V DC or a 24V DC power supply.
AC LED driver
If LED has a low electrical load, ordinary transformers don’t even notice that they’re connected to a bulb. The objective of an AC LED driver is to register the low wattage of LEDs. AC LED drivers are often used with bulbs that already have an inbuilt driver that transforms the current from AC to DC.
The ATE Pin Electronics industry is still improvizing this technology because of its comprises a bright scope for evolution. You will witness some fascinating outcomes of the LED industry in the nearer future. Just stay up to date!