G4 LED lamps 12v ac or dc. Replacing halogen lamps with G4 base with LED

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 of course - a diode bridge (they sell it in chip and dip for 11 rubles). 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 lamp 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 of them are 5 and 300. Now there is enough light.

Halogen lamps have been firmly established in the electrical equipment market for a very long time. And even now, in the age of higher technology, despite the fact that, in fact, they are incandescent lamps with high energy consumption, the demand for them is not decreasing. And yet, many would like to replace the existing halogen lamps at home with a more economical lighting option - elements on crystals.

A person encountering LED lamps for the first time may think that there can be no difficulties in replacing halogen lamps with LED lamps. It seems that the voltage is the same, and the base is suitable - change one for the other, and that’s it.

But not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance. Of course, with the same luminous flux, LEDs consume much less electricity, but without certain knowledge it is unlikely that it will be possible to replace halogen bulbs with them.

The fact is that the power supply for halogen lighting elements, although it provides the voltage they need at 12 V, does not stabilize it, which is necessary for the normal functioning of LED lamps. With such a battery, the LED backlight will flicker so sensitively and noticeably that you can forget about comfortable lighting. It makes sense to figure out how to replace halogen 12-volt light bulbs with LED ones, while getting even and clean lighting.

You can consider the possibility of replacement using the example of a chandelier with a remote control and with halogen lamps powered by 12 volts. One of the problems associated with replacement has already been mentioned - this is the receipt of an unstabilized current at the output of the transformer. But there are a couple more complications that are important to be aware of.

Firstly, the transformer feeding 20-watt lamps will begin to operate unstable when the power is reduced, which is inevitable when installing LEDs up to 1–1.5 watts per lamp.

Periodic power outages are also inevitable. Of course, not all such devices are susceptible to this “sore”, but still many of them are.

Well, secondly, oddly enough, when completely replacing lamps from halogen G4 to LED, the remote control for the chandelier ceases to control the lighting device. It is only enough to turn it on; other commands have no effect on the chandelier. Moreover, if not all, but only part of the light bulbs are replaced, the remote control operates in normal mode. This happens for the reason that the power consumed by the diodes is so small that the transformer stops fully powering the control unit, leaving it with only one main function.

So, where do you start to remodel a chandelier, considering all the problems associated with replacing halogen lamps with LEDs?

A 12-volt chandelier with a remote control, like all lamps of similar types, contains in the circuit three transformer blocks designed for halogen lamps, an LED control unit (one group on the chandelier initially consists of this type of elements and they can blink in two or three colors), and also a halogen lamp controller.

Next, you need to calculate what the total load on the stabilizers that will need to be installed will be. If there are 8 and 9 LEDs in two groups, the output will be 12 watts and 13.5 watts. For such a chandelier, you can choose good power supplies up to 15 W, which will be of a suitable size for placing them in the housing of the lighting fixture. Also, such stabilizers will protect against short circuits and voltage surges. Afterwards, you need to unsolder the wires from the power supplies for halogen lamps and connect them to the purchased devices for LED lamps. Now we install the lighting fixtures on the crystals, and the chandelier is ready.

Using this action, all problems in the chandelier that appear when replacing lamps are immediately eliminated. The LEDs stop flickering, the light from them is smooth and clean, naturally, “dips” disappear, i.e. the stabilizer does not turn off due to the low power of consumers, and the remote control works like a clock.

To change or not

In general, of course, remodeling a chandelier will take a lot of time, effort, and will also force you to invest financial resources. But the main advantages of such a replacement are that in addition to a longer service life, which is 30,000 hours for LEDs versus 4,000 hours for halogen lighting elements, there are also significant energy savings. After all, the power of a chandelier with G4 lamps on crystals will generally be 25.5 watts, while if there are halogen lamps, this parameter will be 340 watts. Therefore, such modernization will be quite appropriate and reasonable.

But there is one more parameter that must be taken into account when choosing light elements on crystals - this is their color temperature. You need to understand that a warmer color will be more pleasing to the eye, but the colder it is, the brighter the luminous flux will be. This happens because the color temperature of a “warm” lamp (2,700-3,000 K) is much lower than the same parameter of a “cold” lamp (6,500 K). However, halogen lamps exist only at a temperature of 2,700 K.

LED lamps from spotlights

A very common type of lighting is 12 volt halogen ceiling lamps. Here, as with the chandelier option, you will need to replace the power supply with a driver that stabilizes the voltage for comfortable operation of the LEDs.

Well, then you just need to replace the halogen bulb with an LED one. This is quite simple, of course, for those who have changed the lamp in a similar lamp at least once. The main thing is not to forget about precautions when working with dangerous voltage. It is imperative to turn off the voltage before performing any manipulations, since electrical installation work with the power on is not permitted, according to safety regulations.

You can also make an LED lamp with your own hands, using a housing from a used halogen lamp with a 12 V G4 base. But the process is labor-intensive and requires at least basic knowledge in electrical engineering and skills in working with a soldering iron.

Other replacement options

The fact is that halogen lamps do not only have pin sockets, such as G4. Nowadays it is very easy to find E27 screw light bulbs on the shelves of electrical stores. These can be installed instead of conventional incandescent lamps, and they operate from a network with a voltage of 220 V, and not from 12 V. The advantage of this type of lighting device is that such a base is universal.

Instead of a halogen lamp, you can install an incandescent lamp or even an LED lamp in the socket. Conveniently, LED lighting elements with a similar base are already equipped with a driver, and therefore, when replacing, nothing is required except, of course, the 220 V light bulb itself.

In cases of 12-volt equipment, you will have to spend money on a stabilizer or make it yourself, which is very labor-intensive and difficult. Although with certain knowledge and skills, and perhaps without them, but with a great desire and “hands from the right place” it is quite possible.

So which is better?

Whether to replace halogen lamps with G4 12 V LED lamps in an apartment or not is, of course, a difficult question. On the one hand, energy savings and a much longer service life of lighting devices on crystals. On the other hand, when replacing, you also need to invest. These are LED bulbs and a stabilizing device - a dimmer. Of course, after a short time the costs will be justified, but this will happen later, and you need to spend it now. Is it possible to give a satisfactory answer to this question? In any case, everyone must decide for themselves.

Surely, many owners of chandeliers or spotlights with halogen bulbs have more than once thought about replacing them with LED analogues. Mainly due to significant energy savings. However, it is not always possible to assess in advance whether such an exchange is really necessary. And in this article I want to show in practice what gives Replacing halogen lamps with LED lamps using the example of light bulbs with G4 socket.

Here are different types of light bulbs, but all with g4 socket

The top row shows halogen and LED bulbs for 220V, and the bottom row contains the same representatives, but for 12V. It is clearly noticeable that the dimensions of 220V lamps are slightly larger than 12V lamps.

Two types of LED light bulbs with a G4 socket - on the left is a light bulb with a single powerful LED and a diffuse lens, and on the right is a lamp with many LEDs, popularly called “corn”

What will we get from replacing a G4 halogen bulb with an LED one?

If we take a closer look at halogen and LED lamps, we will see that the filament in a halogen lamp is located closer to the base. While the emitting LED in an LED lamp is located much further from the base. As a result, we get a completely different lighting halo when using different types of lamps.

The left lampshade with a halogen lamp is fully illuminated,
while the LED light in the right lamp only illuminates its outer edge

Here the halogen light also brightly illuminates the entire chandelier shade,
and the LED bulb does not illuminate the lampshade at all

For now, the advantages of halogen lamps are obvious, but we will not rush to conclusions and will continue our experiments on replacing halogen lamps with LED ones.

Let's compare halogen light bulbs designed for 220V and 12V.

On the left, the 220V halogen lamp glows yellow,
and on the right the 12V halogen produces a white light that appears brighter.

Perhaps for this reason, most chandeliers and spotlights with compact shades and a G4 base are designed specifically for 12-volt halogens.

Let's look at how LED lamps of different voltages behave.

On the left, the 220V LED corn lamp lights up yellow,
and on the right is a lamp with a diffuse lens, but at 12V it gives white light

Important points when replacing a halogen lamp with an LED lamp with a g4 base

When replacing a halogen lamp with an LED analogue, it is necessary to take into account the following, in my opinion, the most important feature. A halogen lamp is essentially an incandescent lamp that shines in all directions. And the LED emits light only in one direction, which in space looks like a light cone. This is why almost all single LED bulbs have a diffuser lens. However, for some types of spotlights and chandeliers, a diffuse lens may not be effective. In this case, an omnidirectional LED corn lamp can partially correct the situation.

A striking example of comparing halogen and LED lamps in a chandelier with small shades

Now let’s compare the shape and size of the light spots produced by LED lamps of different designs.

In the photo from left to right: LED corn lamp, LED lamp with one LED and a diffuser lens, LED lamp with one LED but without a diffuser lens

As you can see, in this case, at the same power, a redistribution of the light flux occurs. In corn lamps, the luminous flux is close to a halogen lamp, and lamps with and without a lens have an increasingly concentrated luminous flux. This causes the illumination directly below the luminaire to appear stronger, while the overall illumination of the room appears insufficient.

Therefore, in this particular case, it is advisable to replace halogen lamps with LED “corn” lamps only in connection with the opportunity to save money on electricity.

In some types of lamps, due to the shape of the lampshade, even a halogen lamp sticks out, and when using its LED analogue, the protrusion of the light source becomes even more noticeable. When turned on, there is a change in brightness, and for the worse.

The central lampshades are illuminated by halogen lamps, which stick out slightly, the remaining lampshades are illuminated by LED lamps with one LED

Here we cannot say that it has become darker; rather, a redistribution of light has occurred. The stains on the ceiling have disappeared, the glass elements are less filled with light, however, under the chandelier itself there is more than enough light, which cannot be said about the room itself. It's all due to the direction of the LED glow.

The pitfall of replacing halogen lamps with LED lamps

When replacing halogen lamps with LED lamps, the following feature was discovered: 220V LED lamps shine brighter than 12V lamps with the same power and luminous flux. What causes this anomaly, since the LED itself is a low-voltage device and operates on several volts, just remember the famous LED strips?

Let's try to figure it out. LEDs operate on constant current. LED lamps designed for 220V inside have a miniature rectifier with a stabilizer, so they can operate on alternating voltage. In 12V LED lamps there is no rectifier, but there is always a diode bridge, which allows you not to worry about the switching polarity, but does not provide the declared brightness when operating on alternating current. Therefore, 12V LED lamps must operate on constant current, which can be provided by a special power supply or LED driver. And in halogen lamps, where we want to replace the lamp with an LED one, a special transformer is installed to power low-voltage halogen lamps, which is not intended for LEDs. That is, additional costs are required to purchase and replace the transformer with an LED driver.

LED drivers for LED lamps and transformer for halogen lamps

What to do? Either come to terms with it and use higher-power analogues, or, best of all, replace that same “halogen” transformer with an LED power supply. But then you need to change all the lamps from the chandelier at once, not forgetting the design features of LED lamps.

When I was just planning to replace the halogen light bulbs in my apartment with LED ones, I watched several videos that were clearly in favor of LED sources, but in practice it turned out not to be so simple. Replacing halogen bulbs with LED ones does not always make the room brighter - the shape and size of the spotlight itself or the lampshade in the chandelier plays a big role here. I hope my article helped you decide whether you need such a replacement.

Miniature halogen illuminators are being replaced by energy-saving counterparts - G4 LED 12V light bulbs, which provide complete lighting. LED products have a lot of advantages and are the most promising light sources.

However, in order to maximize the expected potential of capsule light bulbs, you should wisely approach the issue of choice, taking into account the features of their operation.

We will help you solve this problem. The article describes the features of the operation and use of low-voltage lamps, presents a step-by-step algorithm for choosing a lighting fixture, and also identifies the best manufacturers of LED lamps.

Forms of miniature illuminators. Designations for the photo: 1 – capsule, 2 – corn without a bulb, 3 – petal, 4 – candle, 5 – disk lamp or “tablet”

In corn, all the diodes are located on an open cylindrical platform. The absence of a bulb allows for brighter illumination and eliminates the possibility of overheating. Like a traditional capsule, corn is installed in chandeliers and lamps.

The main disadvantage is the unattractive appearance when turned off. The corn is selected so that the lampshade covers the light bulb itself.

The “petal” and “candle” models are more often used in vehicle lighting. However, they have also found their application in organizing home lighting - this is spot lighting, creating ceiling or wall luminous patterns.

Flat disk-shaped illuminators are used in luminaires designed to create a directional luminous flux. The illumination angle of the “tablets” is no more than 120°.

In addition to the form factor, low-voltage light bulbs differ from each other in their internal filling - the type of LEDs.

Three options are possible:

• Filament.

SMD. Single semiconductor crystals coated with phosphor. The diodes are located on a heat-sinking printed circuit board.

The visible glow angle of one crystal is 20-140°. The main advantage of SMD LEDs is intensive heat dissipation and, as a result, durability.

COB. Structurally, a COB matrix is ​​a set of crystals on one platform, filled with phosphor. Due to the tight fit of SMD diodes, a bright glow is achieved. COB lamps illuminate about 180-220°.

Designations for the photo: 1 – SMD LEDs, 2 – illuminator with COB panel. Models of the second option are prone to more intense heating, and if one diode from the matrix fails, the entire lamp goes out

Filament. Has the most effective light parameters. Many crystals are installed on glass threads, which are then coated with a fluorescent solution. The main achievement of the technology is 360° illumination.

Filament LEDs always have a transparent bulb, and their glow is similar to the operation of incandescent lamps. This option is optimal for creating uniformly non-directional light.

Taking light characteristics into account

Having decided on a suitable shape, you should evaluate the main parameters of the LED light bulb:

• power equivalent;
• light flow;
• glow temperature;
• color rendering quality;
• degree of pulsation.

Glow brightness LED light bulbs are characterized by two indicators: power equivalent and luminous flux. The parameters are interconnected.

Using the summary table, you can determine at what power different lamps achieve a certain level of luminous flux, expressed in lumens.

Review of products from the best manufacturers

The leadership position in the LED light bulb market is shared by two global brands: (Netherlands) and (Germany). The actual performance of lighting devices from European companies corresponds to the declared characteristics, and their service life is unrivaled.

A worthy representative from Philips is the CorePro Ledcapsule with a power of 2.2 W. Characteristics: luminous flux – 200 Lm, diode type – SMD, diameter – 14.3 mm, glow temperature – 2700 K. Estimated price – 5 USD.

A special feature of the LED is a concave-shaped diffuser lens. This solution directs the light beam in a certain direction, and less intense light is emitted from the sides (+)

In addition to branded light bulbs, the market offers a wide selection of worthy analogues at a more reasonable price.

• (Russia) – the company constantly improves its products, using the latest technology and introducing design solutions;
• Maxus(China) – LED lamps with a power of 1-2 W, the company provides a 2-year warranty;
• Biom(China) – a wide range of different forms of low-voltage illuminators, excellent price/quality ratio;
• Foton Lighting(UK) - offers European quality light bulbs at a reasonable cost;
• Navigator(Russia) – the models use a highly efficient driver and planar LEDs with light transmission CRI>80; The manufacturer offers ceramic, silicone and polycarbonate cases.

You should definitely avoid products from nameless manufacturers. You should not count on the quality, durability and safety of their lamps.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Video report on testing various low voltage G4 LEDs:

Review of mini corn light bulbs from Foton:

LED illuminators with G4 socket are a worthy alternative to halogen light bulbs. Their use can significantly reduce energy consumption while maintaining high illumination levels.

In order for the transition to LEDs to have exclusively positive aspects, it is necessary to carefully approach the choice of mini-lamps.

Do you have anything to add or have questions about choosing low-voltage LED lamps? You can leave comments on the publication, participate in discussions and share your own experience of using such lamps. The contact form is located in the lower block.

Today there is adaptive xenon on sale with lamps and AC and DC ignition units. This is the same xenon, but it has some differences that you, as a buyer and user, should definitely be aware of. This material is dedicated to AC and DC xenon, features, differences and much more that will be useful to know.

Introductory part about xenon AC and DC

At first glance, it is impossible to distinguish between AC and DC ignition units. Their main difference is that AC are ignition units that have alternating current, and DC are direct. The difference between these two xenons can be noticed during their operation, or more precisely during ignition and maintenance of the glow discharge. The flickering of the lamps is indicated by the DC ignition units.

In order to specifically understand the differences between AC and DC xenon, you need to know their design. Such kits are strikingly different precisely in the principle of operation, which is the most important for this device in lighting technology for cars. As already noted, their operating principle is visible at the moment the xenon lamp is ignited and combustion is maintained. In order to form an electric arc between the electrodes in the lamp bulb, a powerful pulse is required, that is, a current of up to 25,000 V.

After the source starts burning, to maintain the functioning of the lamp, a continuous supply of current with a voltage of 80-85 V is necessary, and this is monitored by a controller, which is built into the ignitor’s ballast. This is the standard operating principle of xenon lamp ignition units. AC units have an ignitor (inverter) and a stably operating stabilizer, unlike DC kits.

DC ignition unit kits: lamp ignition principle

Adaptive ignition units and xenon lamps with direct current DC have a significantly lower cost, light weight and small dimensions. They provide a single and non-cyclic discharge, which often leads to a jitter of the electric arc and flickering of the light of the xenon source. In order to properly activate the xenon lamp, a second pulse is required, which takes an additional few seconds while waiting for the current to be supplied again. Note that the DC system is much better in quality than halogen, but is still inferior to AC kits with alternating current.

AC ignition unit kits: lamp ignition principle

Xenon ignition units and lamps with alternating current AC work much more stable and better, since they are equipped with a special stabilizer that equalizes the voltage. AC units create pulses of the required frequency and power, which ensures uninterrupted and stable light output from the lamps. In order to create an oscillation amplitude in AC blocks and lamps, special ignitors (sometimes may be called inverters) are used, which ensure the conversion of low-voltage current into a high-voltage pulse and vice versa. Thus, from the vehicle’s on-board network voltage of 12 V (sometimes 24 V), a current of 25,000 V is generated, which guarantees ignition of the xenon emitter in a matter of seconds. It is worth noting that the AC units have two-way communication with xenon lamps, so if the light starts to go out, the unit provides a high-voltage pulse so as not to lead to deactivation of the emitter. Thus, the adaptive xenon AC kits operate more stably, and there are no flickering lamps or voltage surges.

Be carefull!

It often happens that when purchasing ignition units from unscrupulous sellers, for example at bazaars, or in basement stores, buyers encounter fraud. Many people cheat and install a dummy inverter into DC ignition units and pass them off as AC, naturally at an order of magnitude higher cost. That is why, purchase adaptive xenon kits only from trusted sellers who guarantee high quality products and always provide a guarantee for any purchased kits.