I've been using this LED to light a miniature but capacitor it keeps on blowing up. I've created many of these before, bundled and arranged parallel. (3 LEDs) However, this last one that I've created is different and in complex wiring (made up of 8 identical LEDs up and down) and the driver keeps on dying out, later on, I found out that the capacitor keeps on blowing up. I've already fixed one by replacing it with the same value, however, it keeps on blowing up? would increasing the value of the capacitor resolve the problem? or it is the wiring that messed up the driver?

 

Welcome to AAC!

I've already fixed one by replacing it with the same value, however, it keeps on blowing up? would increasing the value of the capacitor resolve the problem?

In general, making random changes won't improve the situation. On the other hand, it could make things worse.

A schematic would be helpful.

 

Thanks for the warm welcome, sir.!

Good evening, Sir. I searched for some schematics online however, I can't find an identical one... But I can provide some pictures of the driver. (I tried to replace it with a 400v 6.8uf capacitor (black) which is original; was slotted with a 400v 4.7uf capacitor. (The faulty one) I also managed to replace the second capacitor with an identical one (16v 2.2uf) I also attached the pictures of the faulty capacitors. I hardly suspect that poor quality could be one of the main reasons why it blew up. And in the last picture, you can see the LEDs it drive which I assume are 3 watts each.

Welcome to AAC!
In general, making random changes won't improve the situation. On the other hand, it could make things worse.

A schematic would be helpful.

 

You may be able to create a schematic by tracing out the connections on the board. Without that we can only speculate on the reason for your capacitor problem.

 

I'm guessing by the Voltage-Rating on the Capacitors that this is a a Mains-Powered-Controller.

Changing the value of the Capacitors on a Mains-Powered-Controller could easily smoke the whole Board.

These are usually extremely crude devices designed to meet a "Price-Point",
and probably won't withstand a higher than normal Load being
placed on it by a stout, High-Current-LED set.
.
.
.

 

I'm guessing by the Voltage-Rating on the Capacitors that this is a a Mains-Powered-Controller.

Changing the value of the Capacitors on a Mains-Powered-Controller could easily smoke the whole Board.

These are usually extremely crude devices designed to meet a "Price-Point",
and probably won't withstand a higher than normal Load being
placed on it by a stout, High-Current-LED set.
.
.
.

Yeah.. I was kind of dubious about that quality claim. It was the ugly solder bridging and burnt flux that appears on the back of the board and I thought it came that way from the manufacturer, until I realized that the TS had been hacking on these boards and probably caused it.

 

What are the specs of the LEDs and the driver? Most likely you are running it out of spec.

Bob

 

But I can provide some pictures of the driver.

That's a boat load of pictures (why all of the apparent duplicates?), but you managed to not capture important information.

1. What is the temperature rating of the bad cap and the replacement?
2. Are you responsible for the places with excess solder?
3. Are all of the pictures of caps by themselves bad?

It's a single sided board and the component count is low enough that you should be able to trace the board and draw a schematic.

Is this solder bridge supposed to be there?

 

Pardon me for the late reply and for lacking some crucial information, I've been handling lots of stuff for the past few days. I figure out that finding the fault will take a lot of time and it won't be able to meet the date where I will be using it so, I bought new drivers online... I assumed that if these LEDs are 3w each I would be needing a 9w driver, so I bought a 15w to keep the load at 60 percent... Am I right?

 

That's a boat load of pictures (why all of the apparent duplicates?), but you managed to not capture important information.

1. What is the temperature rating of the bad cap and the replacement?
2. Are you responsible for the places with excess solder?
3. Are all of the pictures of caps by themselves bad?

It's a single sided board and the component count is low enough that you should be able to trace the board and draw a schematic.

Is this solder bridge supposed to be there?
View attachment 255873

I was clicking at the thumbnail and full image... I didn't know that its purpose is to upload the file again&again so pardon me.

I was responsible for the excess soldering.

I tested all the caps uploaded in the picture with a multimeter and it appears that it has all deteriorated

The bridge does exist and has been there even before I removed the bad capacitors.

Nevertheless, thank you, sir. for the help and feedback...

 

Wishing everyone a safe and sound Christmas... Thanks ^ ^

 

I tested all the caps uploaded in the picture with a multimeter and it appears that it has all deteriorated

How did you determine that they were deteriorated?

 

How did you determine that they were deteriorated?

I've tested it with a multimeter sir, a capacitance test, all caps are showing a different capacitance and most of them are significantly lower than what it is rated.

 

I've tested it with a multimeter sir, a capacitance test, all caps are showing a different capacitance and most of them are significantly lower than what it is rated.

I wouldn't trust any measurements on large electrolytic caps with a DVM. Leakage can be relatively high, so measuring at low currents would give misleading measurements. I've only used the capacitance feature on my meter a few times. Someone wanted caps (nF) of a specific value and I was cherry picking parts for them. Aside from that, I've never needed to measure capacitance.