Measuring the current?
- Thread starter jacques
- Start date
idleprocess
Flashaholic
Current must be measured in series.
You will need to be able to break the circuit between the LED itself and whatever is driving it. In the case of many flashlights, this cannot be done easily since the LED is soldered directly to its driver or is otherwise in accessable. On most flashlights, you can measure current at the supply end simply by removing the tailcap and jumpering the exposed battery terminal to the housing - but this is "supply-side" current consumption, and isn't a reflection of current flowing through the LED in a light with any sort of driving electronics.
You will need to be able to break the circuit between the LED itself and whatever is driving it. In the case of many flashlights, this cannot be done easily since the LED is soldered directly to its driver or is otherwise in accessable. On most flashlights, you can measure current at the supply end simply by removing the tailcap and jumpering the exposed battery terminal to the housing - but this is "supply-side" current consumption, and isn't a reflection of current flowing through the LED in a light with any sort of driving electronics.
The_LED_Museum
*Retired*
Agreed.
You can measure LED currents in direct-drive or resistored flashlights by doing this, but if the circuitry is more sophisticated than a resistor, you will not obtain a true LED drive current this way.
You can measure LED currents in direct-drive or resistored flashlights by doing this, but if the circuitry is more sophisticated than a resistor, you will not obtain a true LED drive current this way.
