Khyber's Journal: Lighting LEDs directly from AC easily achieved

I figured out a simple way to make DC-operated LEDs work from AC. Most people suggest using a bridge rectifier. Why not make the LEDs the rectifier itself?

So I salvaged some LEDs from old damaged panels, and used them to create a rectifier. However, I used a 12VAC 200mA max wall wart, not 120VAC from the wall (I did not want to wire up four 120V strings of LEDs plus resistors and a smoothing cap for flicker reduction) so the circuit could be made incredibly basic. Essentially, the LEDs themselves acting as a rectifier eat up all of the voltage. Reverse voltage breakdown is not a problem, as voltage seems to add both ways. 12V total Vf for the LEDs, but as each LED has Vr of -5V, the total Vr is -20V. Can't overpower that with -12V. I've had my prototype running an hour straight on a heat sink, and so far not a single issue.

Too bad this is too obvious and simple to be patented. But have fun with it!

The flicker is certainly there, but for horticultural applications, as long as the photon output is acceptable, it will work. This should simplify LED design drastically.

Have video and have some some neat pictures.