LED Question

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mattleycrue76

Aquajunkie
Joined
Feb 2, 2008
Messages
253
Location
Marysville,WA
I am setting up a 24g Aquapod I purchased used and it was missing the transformer for the LED lights. I believe its supposed to be 12v 400 mA. I have one laying around thats 12v 600 mA and it works fine. If i use this will I burn out the LEDs and if I do are they replacable without a bunch of soldering?

Thanks

Matt
 
At face value the replacement you list would work just fine as the 600 mA rating just means that it is capable supplying power to more devices (like LEDs) than the 400 mA supply.

As an example if each LED in the fixture needed 100 mA (LEDs usually require much less than that so just an example) then the 400 mA transformer could power 4 and the 600 mA one could power 6. It's not really that simple as there are other devices in the circuit that need power too but you get the idea.

Another issue is that you have to be very sure what input power is required. The easiest way is to read the output specification on the original transformer but since you noted that the original transformer was missing you need to find another way.

If the LED fixture lists on it somewhere what the input requirement is then you can go by that. If not do a search on the web using the product name and model number and try to find the specifications there.

The hazard of guessing (incorrectly) is that you could supply the wrong voltage (AC vs DC), potential (too high of volts) or polarity (+-, if it's DC).


Tom
 
I looked up the specs for a replacement unit and its 12v 400mA. There are only two blue LEDs on this circuit and as I mentioned the transformer I plugged them into runs them just fine. I just wanted to make sure that it wouldn't overpower them and burn them out prematurely.
 
Right, in this instance you can only overpower the circuit by applying more than 12V so it will be fine.
 
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