Title 
Reference  Design  Report  for  a  1.1  W  Power 
Factor  Corrected  LED  Driver  (Non-Isolated) 
Using LinkSwitchTM-PL LNK454DG 
Specification  85 VAC – 265 VAC, >0.85 PF Input; 
2.5 V – 3.5 V, 366 mA 10% Output 
Application 
LED Driver for Candelabra Lamp Replacement 
Author 
Applications Engineering Department 
Document 
Number 
Date 
Revision 
April 4, 2011 
1.2 
RDR-268 
 
Summary and Features 
 
  Single stage power factor correction and accurate constant current (CC) output  
  Low cost, low component count and small PCB footprint solution 
  Superior performance and end user experience 
o  Clean monotonic start-up – no output blinking  
o  Fast start-up (<300 ms) – no perceptible delay 
  Universal input 
 
Integrated protection and reliability features 
o  Output open-circuit protected / output short-circuit protected with auto-recovery 
o  Auto-recovering thermal shutdown with large hysteresis protects both components and printed 
o  No damage during brown out conditions 
o  Extended pin creepage distance between device DRAIN pin and other pins for reliable 
circuit board 
operation in high pollution and humid environments 
  Surge protected for high reliability 
o  Meets IEC ringwave and differential mode surge 
  Meets EN55015 conducted EMI 
  PF >0.9 at 115 VAC  and PF>0.85 at 230 VAC 
  %ATHD <15% at 115 VAC and <25% at 230 VAC 
  Meets EN61000-3-2 harmonic current requirements 
Power Integrations 
5245 Hellyer Avenue, San Jose, CA 95138 USA. 
Tel: +1 408 414 9200   Fax: +1 408 414 9201 
www.powerint.com 
 
04-Apr-11 
RDR-268  1.1 W PF Corrected LED Power Supply 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PATENT INFORMATION 
The products and applications illustrated herein (including transformer construction and circuits external to the products) may be covered 
by one or more U.S. and foreign patents, or potentially by pending U.S. and foreign patent applications assigned to Power Integrations. A 
complete list of Power Integrations' patents may be found at www.powerint.com. Power Integrations grants its customers a license under 
certain patent rights as set forth at . 
 
 
 
 
Power Integrations, Inc. 
Tel: +1 408 414 9200   Fax: +1 408 414 9201 
www.powerint.com 
 
 
Page 2 of 54 
04-Apr-11 
        RDR-268  1.1 W PF Corrected LED Power Supply 
Table of Contents 
1 
Introduction .................................................................................................................5 
2  Power Supply Specification ........................................................................................8 
3  Schematic ...................................................................................................................9 
4  Circuit Description.....................................................................................................10 
Input EMI Filtering and Input Rectification .........................................................10 
4.1 
4.2 
LinkSwitch-PL Primary.......................................................................................10 
4.3  Output Rectification ...........................................................................................11 
4.4  Output Feedback ...............................................................................................11 
5  PCB Layout...............................................................................................................12 
6  Bill of Materials .........................................................................................................16 
7  Transformer Design Spreadsheet.............................................................................17 
8  Transformer Specification .........................................................................................19 
Electrical Diagram..............................................................................................19 
8.1 
Electrical Specifications .....................................................................................19 
8.2 
8.3  Materials ............................................................................................................19 
Transformer Build Diagram................................................................................20 
8.4 
8.5 
Transformer Construction ..................................................................................20 
8.6  Winding Illustrations...........................................................................................21 
9  Performance Data.....................................................................................................23 
9.1 
Active Mode Efficiency.......................................................................................23 
9.2  Harmonics .........................................................................................................24 
9.3 
Power Factor .....................................................................................................27 
Line Regulation..................................................................................................28 
9.4 
Thermal Performance............................................................................................30 
10.1  Thermal Set-up..................................................................................................30 
10.2  Equipment Used ................................................................................................31 
10.3  Thermal Result ..................................................................................................31 
10.3.1  Startup at Low Temperatures .....................................................................31 
10.3.2  Operation at Maximum Ambient .................................................................31 
10.4  Thermal Scan ....................................................................................................32 
10.4.1  Load: 3 V / 366 mA.....................................................................................32 
11  Waveforms ............................................................................................................33 
11.1  Drain Voltage and Current .................................................................................33 
11.1.1  Normal Steady-State Operation..................................................................33 
11.1.2  AC Start-up.................................................................................................35 
11.1.3  Fault Conditions (Output Shorted / Open Circuit) .......................................36 
11.2  Output Current Start-up Profile ..........................................................................37 
Input and Output Waveforms.............................................................................38 
11.3 
11.3.1  Normal Operation (VIN, IIN, VO and IO).........................................................38 
11.4  Line Transient Response...................................................................................39 
11.5  Brownout ...........................................................................................................44 
Line Surge.............................................................................................................45 
12.1  Line Surge Drain Voltage waveforms. ...............................................................45 
12.2  Conducted EMI..................................................................................................46 
12 
10 
 
Page 3 of 54 
 
Power Integrations 
Tel: +1 408 414 9200   Fax: +1 408 414 9201 
www.powerint.com 
 
RDR-268  1.1 W PF Corrected LED Power Supply 
 
04-Apr-11 
12.3  Equipment: ........................................................................................................46 
12.4  EMI Test Set-up ................................................................................................46 
Output Current Production Distribution .................................................................51 
Revision History ....................................................................................................53 
13 
14 
 
Important Note: 
This board is designed for non-isolated application and the engineering prototype has not 
been  agency  approved.  Therefore,  all  testing  should  be  performed  using  an  isolation 
transformer to provide the AC input to the prototype board. 
 
 
Power Integrations, Inc. 
Tel: +1 408 414 9200   Fax: +1 408 414 9201 
www.powerint.com 
 
 
 
Page 4 of 54 
04-Apr-11 
        RDR-268  1.1 W PF Corrected LED Power Supply 
Introduction 
1 
This  document  is  an  engineering  report  describing  a  non-isolated  LED  driver  (power 
supply) utilizing a LNK454DG from the LinkSwitchTM-PL family of devices. It contains the 
power  supply  specification,  schematic,  bill  of  materials,  transformer  documentation, 
printed circuit layout, and performance data. 
 
The  RD-268  provides  a  single  constant  current  output  of  366  mA  with  a  nominal  LED 
voltage of 3 V. 
 
The board was optimized to operate over a universal AC input voltage range (85 VAC to 
265 VAC, 47 Hz to 63 Hz) but suffers no damage over an input range of 0 VAC to 300 
VAC. This increases field reliability and lifetime during line sags and swells. 
 
Key benefits of this design are the very high power factor (>0.85), low THD (<25%) and 
low harmonic content (a significant challenge due to the low output power) and the ability 
to fit inside the limited space of a candelabra size lamp base. 
 
High PF is a requirement or desire in many commercial applications, for example large 
chandeliers in hotel foyers. Here a large number of lamps (25 to >200) are connected in 
parallel  however  by  using  individual  lamps  that  have  PFC  allows  the  overall  fixture  to 
meet  PFC  and  THD  requirements  with  the  large  energy  savings  that  come  from  using 
LEDs vs. incandescent lamps. 
 
The  form  factor  of  the  board  was  chosen  to  meet  the  requirements  for  standard 
candelabra shaped LED replacement lamps. The output is non-isolated and requires the 
mechanical design of the enclosure to isolate the output of the supply and the LED load 
from the user. 
 
Figure 1 – RD-268 (Top View). 
 
 
 
 
Page 5 of 54 
 
Power Integrations 
Tel: +1 408 414 9200   Fax: +1 408 414 9201 
www.powerint.com 
 
RDR-268  1.1 W PF Corrected LED Power Supply 
 
04-Apr-11 
Figure 2 – RD-268 (Bottom View). 
 
The board is provided with break out locations that allow the driver board to be removed 
and inserted into a candelabra base as show in Figure 3. 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 3 – RD-268 Driver Board Removed and Inserted into a Typical 
Candelabra Base (Metal Part Forms LED Heat Sink). 
 
 
 
Power Integrations, Inc. 
Tel: +1 408 414 9200   Fax: +1 408 414 9201 
www.powerint.com 
 
 
 
Page 6 of 54 
04-Apr-11 
        RDR-268  1.1 W PF Corrected LED Power Supply 
 
Figure 4 – Size Comparison of RD-268 Used in a Candelabra LED Replacement Lamp. 
 
 
 
Page 7 of 54 
 
Power Integrations 
Tel: +1 408 414 9200   Fax: +1 408 414 9201 
www.powerint.com 
 
 
115/230
 
 
 
50/60 
 
3 
366 
366 
1.1 
 
50 
 
 
 
265 
300 
25 
63 
 
3.5 
395 
395 
 
 
 
 
 
VAC 
VAC 
VAC 
% 
Hz 
 
V 
mA 
mA 
W 
 
% 
 
Meets CISPR22B / EN55015 
Comment 
 
Nominal line voltages 
Normal operating range 
Voltage range over which no damage to 
the supply shall occur 
 
 
 
Thermal results were verified with 3 V 
LED string 
(±8%) Nominal 115 VAC / 230 VAC 
input, after reaching thermal equilibrium
(±10%) Extended 90 VAC-265 VAC 
Input, -20 oC to 80 oC 
 
 
Measured at POUT 25 oC 
 
Mounted into candelabra metal finned 
enclosure and measured on ground 
plane (to simulate end application) 
Input 
Voltage 
 
 
THD 
Frequency 
Output 
Output Voltage 
Output Current 
 
Output Power 
Efficiency 
 
Environmental 
Conducted EMI 
Safety 
Line Surge 
Differential Mode 
(L1-L2) 
Ring Wave (100 kHz) 
Differential Mode 
(L1-L2) 
Dimensions 
Board Level Ambient 
Temperature 
 
VIN(NOM) 
VIN(EXT) 
VIN(ND) 
ATHD 
fLINE 
 
VOUT 
IOUT(N) 
IOUT(E) 
POUT 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
85 
0 
 
47 
 
2.5 
336 
336 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TAMB 
-20 
RDR-268  1.1 W PF Corrected LED Power Supply 
 
04-Apr-11 
2  Power Supply Specification 
The table below represents the minimum acceptable performance of the design. Actual 
performance is listed in the results section. 
 
Description 
Symbol 
Min 
Typ 
Max 
Units 
Non-isolated 
 
 
 
 
 
 
500 
 
2500 
 
80 
 
 
V 
 
V 
 
oC 
1.2/50 s surge, IEC 1000-4-5, 
Series Impedance: 
Differential Mode: 2  
Common Mode: N/A 
200 A short-circuit 
Series Impedance:  
Differential Mode: 12.5  
Common Mode: N/A 
23 x 21 mm 
Free convection, sea level 
 
 
 
Power Integrations, Inc. 
Tel: +1 408 414 9200   Fax: +1 408 414 9201 
www.powerint.com 
 
 
 
Page 8 of 54