June 2023 - 30W LED flood light repair - IP65 - 27 LED - DC63~88V

[Kiriakos GR]

This is my latest adventure about the repair of two damaged LED flood lights.
It was my find, as they were dumbed at the city trash can.
The No1 had a burned LED, the No2 had damaged LED driver PSU.
The LED driver was totally covered with some sort insulation liquid which this drying up and becomes solid.
I have seen this material and before, at electric bicycle controller, this is the cheapest Chinese method for waterproofing.
At the example of electric bicycle controller, this chemical solution failed prematurely, and water damage indeed it happen.

At the specific example we had premature failure of input electrolytic capacitor.
The falling apart capacitor took with it two rectification diodes, of a total of four, along of a fuse resistor.

At this LED flood lights repair rebuild task, I was had to replace back plate thermal paste too, and for its flood light it is required 10gr of paste.

When both lights were resurrected from the dead’s, I did run operating tests for five hours its one.
These are IP65 flood lights, and all my testing this was performed with both lights fully assembled.

My tests these include, DC measurement, Power energy measurement, along temperature measurement.   
I did use here two different repair practices and I do consider all measurements of the LED light with the LED driver repaired, as the measuring standard.
The shorted LED repair method, this in did, it deliver different measurements.

Feel free to use this article as your own comparison point, if you do attempt any similar repair. 


Temperature test 
a) Indoor temperature 26.2C ….  Body temperature 50.5C = 24.2C above ambient (driver repair)
b) Indoor temperature 26C ….  Body temperature 53C  = 27C above ambient (shorted LED fix)



DC out: 83.56V / 300mA = 25,068 VA (300mA = LED driver specification).
27 LED = 3.094V

AC Power
1) AC 235V, 170mA, 24,0W ---- 0.56 Power Factor ( driver repaired)
2) AC 232V, 190mA, 24,4W ---- 0.55 Power Factor  ( 1 LED burned )

[Andrew-88]

Excellent presentation !   

Even so, I do think this flood light design as successful regarding LED diodes spacing, along good heat dissipation etc.
 

[Kiriakos GR]

Excellent presentation !   

Even so, I do think this flood light design as successful regarding LED diodes spacing, along good heat dissipation etc.

True, LED spacing this is a good choice, in comparison to other design's , than LED diodes be placed next to its other, and individual LED operating temperature this is dramatically increased.
Personally I am totally unaware, of what was the date of first time of operation?

After my repair, both lights now demonstrating a high brightness level, this translating that LED diodes health this is still excellent.

But:
Manufacturing quality consistency appears to be the killer of these products.
And or extremely poor quality control at the factory.

At the local market they are sold for 12E its one (24% Vat included).

eBay pricing for any spare parts or even thermal paste, this is now 200% or 300% overcharge, than current retail value in China.
I am very happy that I did succeed repairing them, just by buying thermal paste, and by using few used electronics components that I had in stock.     

[overvolt]

impressive!!

The Chinese will be in panic by finding out that Greeks they can revive these LED driver.. 
I am calculating three hours of labor, no matter the cost of spare parts.

But yes I do get it, its the feeling of personal satisfaction that matters the most. 
 

[Kiriakos GR]

This is a WARNING about these lights.   

I did install one of them three meter away, of my luxurious Hi-Fi sound system of 90's.
When the light is in operation ... the Radio = FM receiver band, this gets full of radio interference. 
Only few stations can now be accessible due the strong interference.

I have to admit that at the LED lights, I did skip connecting earth ground.
But when the front cover this is a common glass, I do not see how earth ground, this will help as a filter against radio interference?