# Help with LED conversion for halogen work light



## mckeand13

I've got one of these single bulb halogen work lights that I use once in a while. Each time I'm amazed by how hot it gets and how much energy it consumes.

Could someone recommend a big floody LED (neutral with nice color rendering) and a driver (120VAC input) so I can convert this thing? I can machine a heat sink/mount as necessary. A driver with a rheostat to control output would be a good feature but not necessary.

Probably not worth it given the price of LED work lights today but it would be a fun project.

Thanks.

https://www.northerntool.com/images/product/2000x2000/569/56960_2000x2000.jpg


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## mckeand13

These look pretty sweet, and offer some 3500K 90CRI options. Look to be easily mounted too.

https://www.lumileds.com/uploads/600/DS162-luxeon-cob-core-range-datasheet-pdf


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## pc_light

(Subscribed)

If you do find a replacement or DIY solution, do share.

One replacement option that didn't work for me were those corn cob type LED replacements. Despite their indicated wattage ratings the two I tried were no where near as bright as the halogen and in the end I just went back to Halogen for that particular fixture. Figured it could still be used when I needed heat, like to melt ice or to keep warm when working in the cold 

Instead I just got a new LED worklight with a large CoB similar to the one you linked, that thing is brighter and on 1/5 the power of the halogen. Now I'm actually looking to regulate downwards, probably with a new driver.


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## night.hoodie

Depending on the quality of your halogen lamp, conversion to LED may be a waste of your time, and you may be destroying something of more value to replace it with something worth hardly nothing. If it is a cheap lamp, have at it. But halogen lamps are not obsolete, and they are pretty insanely great at what they are great at, and LED lighting, LED lamps, last I saw, were dirt cheap. Knowing nothing, I'd recommend preserving your halogen work lamp as is, and picking up a cheap LED work light, then modding that cheap light with brighter or better color-rendering LEDs. Then you'll never have an opportunity for regret should you desire the light your halogen lamp provides that pretty much no LED can match, and never will.


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## mckeand13

Thanks, but as I already stated I recognize it’s not the best use of time or money but I think it would be a fun project. 

Still looking for LED and driver suggestion.


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## night.hoodie

mckeand13 said:


> Thanks, but as I already stated I recognize it’s not the best use of time or money but I think it would be a fun project.
> 
> Still looking for LED and driver suggestion.



Right, saw that. I was really trying to get across the point that you should make certain you're not destroying something that works as it should as something of value intrinsically as well as in a strictly utilitarian sense to permanently alter and replace it with something that, though it meets your intended specification of using less power and being more efficient regarding heat spoil, sort of ultimately becomes working junk. It works, but it has little or no value. I am sure you have more restraint and skill, but on my mind was my nephew who has a curiosity that is unbounded, and this curiosity is in fact entirely destructive, with the only benefit being his entertainment and self-education, because if he gets a hold of something he is curious about, intending to make it better, it always ends in the recycle bin. Hope this does not sound patronizing, and good luck with your project.

Browse fasttech.com or mtnelectronics.com for LED drivers.


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## MeMeMe

mckeand13 said:


> I've got one of these single bulb halogen work lights that I use once in a while. Each time I'm amazed by how hot it gets and how much energy it consumes.
> 
> Could someone recommend a big floody LED (neutral with nice color rendering) and a driver (120VAC input) so I can convert this thing? I can machine a heat sink/mount as necessary. A driver with a rheostat to control output would be a good feature but not necessary.
> 
> Probably not worth it given the price of LED work lights today but it would be a fun project.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> https://www.northerntool.com/images/product/2000x2000/569/56960_2000x2000.jpg



I would pick up a Bridgelux COB from Digikey and pick the cheap shipping option. Pay attention to the specs as the rated lumens is not the maximum lumens. You can usually get at least 50% more driving them harder (and still will last a long long time). You can even get 90CRI, 5000K options .... something that halogen will never ever do ;-) 

In terms of drivers, get something not too expensive off Fleabay that will support the current and likely a 30-40 or 30-42V range to match the LED. You can get a driver from Digikey as well, but mark up is comparatively high when ordering 1.

If you get a driver with 0-10V dimming, you can also wire in a cheap potentiometer for dimming. The correct pot will be dependent on the driver and it's 0-10V current, so I can't tell you what value to use.


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## alpg88

you can just drop in cob leds that have driver on board and runs of 110v 
https://www.ebay.com/i/252899292547?chn=ps&var=551913941838

just make sure you screw it tight to the body of the light if possible, if not use aluminum strip and attach that to the body, and have cob led sit on the strip, just make sure strip is pressed firmly and have enough area to transfer heat. basically as much as you can. 
would be helpful if you snapped some pic of the internals of the light. so we can see better how to make proper heat path


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## mckeand13

Thanks for the info and link. Those are crazy cheap. Just might throw a few bucks at it.


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## MeMeMe

In a work light? No thanks. These things have wickedly bad flicker ... They are basically a 120/100hz strobe light.




alpg88 said:


> you can just drop in cob leds that have driver on board and runs of 110v
> https://www.ebay.com/i/252899292547?chn=ps&var=551913941838
> 
> just make sure you screw it tight to the body of the light if possible, if not use aluminum strip and attach that to the body, and have cob led sit on the strip, just make sure strip is pressed firmly and have enough area to transfer heat. basically as much as you can.
> would be helpful if you snapped some pic of the internals of the light. so we can see better how to make proper heat path


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## alpg88

MeMeMe said:


> In a work light? No thanks. These things have wickedly bad flicker ... They are basically a 120/100hz strobe light.


i used half a dozen of those, none flickers. you must have been sold some crappy ones. or you overheated them, either by not making good heat path, or hanging them in the air without any way to remove heat, in that case leds will flicker, that is why i said heat path is important.


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## MeMeMe

alpg88 said:


> i used half a dozen of those, none flickers. you must have been sold some crappy ones. or you overheated them, either by not making good heat path, or hanging them in the air without any way to remove heat, in that case leds will flicker, that is why i said heat path is important.



They have 100% flicker at 2x line frequency as they have no storage element. Perhaps you are unfamiliar with how the term flicker is used in this case.

Some people may not notice, some will get wicked headaches and not know why. Either way awful work like. Makes fine focus hard and poor for things that move.

When I say they are a 120 Hz strobe that is not an exaggeration. They literally turn of/off 120 times per second. Not good for the eyes and brain.


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## alpg88

MeMeMe said:


> They have 100% flicker at 2x line frequency as they have no storage element. Perhaps you are unfamiliar with how the term flicker is used in this case.
> 
> Some people may not notice, some will get wicked headaches and not know why. Either way awful work like. Makes fine focus hard and poor for things that move.
> 
> When I say they are a 120 Hz strobe that is not an exaggeration. They literally turn of/off 120 times per second. Not good for the eyes and brain.



ok fair enough, let me find the ones i got, cuz those i linked are not the same i just posted them as example, (if not i'll snap a pic when i get home, would you be able to tell me if those have storage element?

found identical ones 







p.s. i think i might know what flicker is, is it similar to PWM? 

the ones i posted as example seem to be missing that capacitor. is that the storage you were talking about?


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## MeMeMe

Yes flicker is like PWM and these have a ton of it. It is a bit more sine wave than PWM but they turn off completely 180 times a second.

There is not storage capacitor on that board. The round yellow thing is an MOV for surge. You need a somewhat large electrolytic(s) to eliminate flicker at those power level or a really big film capacitor.


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## alpg88

MeMeMe said:


> Yes flicker is like PWM and these have a ton of it. It is a bit more sine wave than PWM but they turn off completely 180 times a second.
> 
> There is not storage capacitor on that board. The round yellow thing is an MOV for surge. You need a somewhat large electrolytic(s) to eliminate flicker at those power level or a really big film capacitor.



ok, i guess i'm one of those people who does not notice it, but if i was to add a capacitor, (is it possible at all on this board?) would you be able to show where to add one? and what type? i would love to do that and compare 2 side by side.


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## MeMeMe

alpg88 said:


> ok, i guess i'm one of those people who does not notice it, but if i was to add a capacitor, (is it possible at all on this board?) would you be able to show where to add one? and what type? i would love to do that and compare 2 side by side.



I suspect with this unit you would need at least 2 and may e 3 capacitors. Some you would need 4. I can't tell just by looking at a photo.


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