Reply by Robert Baer November 21, 20142014-11-21
dakupoto@gmail.com wrote:
> Could some electronics guru pleas explain what > a "self-ballasted" LED lamp mean ? I have seen > LED lamps, running off the AC line, and powered > by a simple small 5V 1 Amp SMPS, but what exactly > does a self-ballasted LED lamp mean ?
That term is also used for dual transistors; means "resistor(s) added".
Reply by November 21, 20142014-11-21
On Thursday, November 20, 2014 7:06:22 PM UTC-5, Maynard A. Philbrook Jr. wrote:
> In article <227fa5bf-db57-412f-8fb7-a27513ada1c1@googlegroups.com>, > dakupoto@gmail.com says... > > > > Could some electronics guru pleas explain what > > a "self-ballasted" LED lamp mean ? I have seen > > LED lamps, running off the AC line, and powered > > by a simple small 5V 1 Amp SMPS, but what exactly > > does a self-ballasted LED lamp mean ? > > it means it has the require components inside to > accommodate a direct connection to a commonly known > source. > > Even with that, you still need to ensure you get the > correct one that matches the voltage you are attaching > it to. > > Jamie
Thanks. Your explanation seems to be the most likely one. We were looking at specifications for certification of AC wall socket compatible LED lamp in as Asian country.
Reply by Maynard A. Philbrook Jr. November 20, 20142014-11-20
In article <227fa5bf-db57-412f-8fb7-a27513ada1c1@googlegroups.com>, 
dakupoto@gmail.com says...
> > Could some electronics guru pleas explain what > a "self-ballasted" LED lamp mean ? I have seen > LED lamps, running off the AC line, and powered > by a simple small 5V 1 Amp SMPS, but what exactly > does a self-ballasted LED lamp mean ?
it means it has the require components inside to accommodate a direct connection to a commonly known source. Even with that, you still need to ensure you get the correct one that matches the voltage you are attaching it to. Jamie
Reply by Piotr Wyderski November 20, 20142014-11-20
Martin Brown wrote:

> A bare LED has a rather rapid increase in current
Like any other PN junction: I(U) is exponential. Best regards, Piotr
Reply by Martin Brown November 20, 20142014-11-20
On 20/11/2014 03:40, dakupoto@gmail.com wrote:

> Could some electronics guru pleas explain what > a "self-ballasted" LED lamp mean ? I have seen > LED lamps, running off the AC line, and powered > by a simple small 5V 1 Amp SMPS, but what exactly > does a self-ballasted LED lamp mean ?
In series with something that approximates a constant current source for some reasonable range of applied input voltages. Could be as simple as a crude ballast resistor or a semiconductor based device. A bare LED has a rather rapid increase in current through it once it starts to glow with a slightly higher applied voltage leading vastly increased current and then total destruction if you go too high. You can do some cute physics experiements plotting V-I curves for LEDs. eg. http://www.phys.uconn.edu/~hamilton/phys258/N/led.pdf Expect some LEDs to be destroyed in this practical. -- Regards, Martin Brown
Reply by Jasen Betts November 20, 20142014-11-20
On 2014-11-20, dakupoto@gmail.com <dakupoto@gmail.com> wrote:
> Could some electronics guru pleas explain what > a "self-ballasted" LED lamp mean ? I have seen > LED lamps, running off the AC line, and powered > by a simple small 5V 1 Amp SMPS, but what exactly > does a self-ballasted LED lamp mean ?
It depends on the context. possibly it has a resistor inbuilt for operation at some specified voltage. -- umop apisdn
Reply by Don Y November 20, 20142014-11-20
On 11/19/2014 8:40 PM, dakupoto@gmail.com wrote:
> Could some electronics guru pleas explain what > a "self-ballasted" LED lamp mean ? I have seen > LED lamps, running off the AC line, and powered > by a simple small 5V 1 Amp SMPS, but what exactly > does a self-ballasted LED lamp mean ?
built in current limit???
Reply by November 19, 20142014-11-19
Could some electronics guru pleas explain what 
a "self-ballasted" LED lamp mean ? I have seen
LED lamps, running off the AC line, and powered
by a simple small 5V 1 Amp SMPS, but what exactly
does a self-ballasted LED lamp mean ?