How should small LED butterfly light beads be connected for the best effect?

Release Date:

2021-03-27

　　Due to Small butterfly LED light beads These LEDs have low power and low operating voltage, so large-scale series–parallel connections are required in luminaire design to meet power demands. How to properly connect small butterfly-shaped LED chips is a critical issue that must be addressed with due care; otherwise, the service life of the luminaire will be significantly shortened, leading to the awkward situation of “energy savings without cost savings.”

 

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　　As an electronic component, the LED has a very distinctive characteristic: its nonlinear behavior. Simply put, even a tiny variation in the voltage applied to a small butterfly-shaped LED chip can result in a substantial change in the chip’s current; if this is not properly managed, it can severely compromise the LED’s lifespan. Below, we will examine the advantages and disadvantages of various connection methods for LED chips.

 

　　I. Series Connection

 

　　Series connection is Small butterfly LED light beads A more reasonable way to connect

 

　　The fundamental characteristic of a series circuit is that the current through all LED beads is identical; consequently, the power difference among the beads equals their voltage difference and never exceeds it. Therefore, the series connection method exhibits strong tolerance to variations in LED bead characteristics.

 

　　One drawback of series circuits is that a single open circuit in a small LED chip can cause the entire lamp or the entire string to go dark, whereas a short circuit has virtually no effect. However, open-circuit failures account for a smaller proportion of LED failures than short-circuit failures. Therefore, the overall failure rate of series circuits is quite low.

 

　　For absolute reliability, a 4–5 V Zener diode can be connected in parallel with each LED to provide a current path in the event of an open-circuit failure; however, this will increase the cost slightly. That said, it is still worthwhile for certain high-demand, specialized applications.

 

　　

　　II. Parallel Connection

 

　　Parallel connection is Small butterfly LED light beads This is one of the connection methods with relatively high uncertainty. It can exacerbate the consequences of LED inconsistencies, leading to premature failure of the luminaire. If you cannot reliably procure LED chips with highly consistent VF values, avoid using a parallel connection configuration.

 

　　Let’s take 3.0 V and 3.6 V LED chips as examples. When these two types are connected in parallel, the average forward voltage (Vf) will exceed 3.0 V, resulting in excessive current through the 3.0 V LEDs. Moreover, as the temperature rises, the Vf of the 3.0 V LEDs decreases further, leading to even higher power consumption. This vicious cycle significantly shortens the lifespan of the lower-Vf LEDs in the parallel string.

 

　　If a single LED chip experiences a short-circuit failure, the entire string of LEDs will go dark. Moreover, if the power supply delivers a high output current, it can quickly burn out that LED chip, turning it into an open circuit and causing the current that should have been allocated to it to be redistributed to the other LEDs in the string, thereby accelerating the aging of the entire LED string.

 

　　III. Parallel First, Then Series

 

　　Series-parallel connection leverages the advantages of series wiring while avoiding the drawbacks of parallel wiring, making it a reasonable choice for circuit configuration. However, this configuration is more commonly used in fluorescent lamps; for example, an 18-watt fluorescent lamp typically consists of four branches in parallel and 24 branches in series.

 

　　This connection method is based on the principle that, even if a single small LED chip fails open, the remaining chips can still stay lit. While the impact may seem minor at first glance, it actually accelerates the rate of failure for the surviving LEDs. Of course, when LEDs are purchased in large quantities, it becomes feasible to implement more refined sorting and classification, thereby better ensuring consistency across the batch—this, too, forms the foundation for this type of connection.

 

　　IV. Series First, Then Parallel

 

　　The series-parallel connection method combines the advantages of both approaches, making it a relatively rational wiring configuration for small butterfly LED chips.

 

　　In particular, small, family-run workshops often struggle to ensure consistent LED chip quality. Therefore, adopting this approach whenever possible can maximize the service life of the lighting fixtures. Blindly imitating the so-called “parallel-then-series” configuration used by major manufacturers is simply not viable.

 

　　The above provides a brief introduction to various Small butterfly LED light beads Advantages and disadvantages of series–parallel configurations. In my personal experience, when designing LED lighting aluminum substrates, one should first opt for a series connection, followed by a series-then-parallel arrangement, and avoid, as much as possible, a parallel-then-series configuration. As for the all-parallel low-voltage mode, if conditions permit, it is recommended to use a DC–DC boost module to convert it into a series configuration.

 

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