New-Tech Europe Magazine | July 2016 | Digital edition

most common source of failures in SMPS-based products. To sum up the FL77944 value proposition: It is the simplest, most cost effective lighting solution currently on the market. It provides best-in-class light quality that meets high PF and low THD require-ments, along with various dimming principles. It is suited for indoor and outdoor applications, including down light, tube light, high bay, flood light and street light systems. Evaluation Board Now Available At the recent PCIM Europe trade fair (10 - 12 May 2016 in Nuremberg, Germany) Fairchild also demonstrated the FEBFL77944 evaluation board for systems designers. Visit Fairchild’s LED Direct AC Drive blog, lighting solutions guide and Direct AC Drive website for detailed product information, datasheets and evaluation boards. Author John Wiggenhorn is General Manager, Offline Power Business Unit, at Fairchild Semiconductor.

Figure 4. LED Board based on the LF77944.

compact lighting designs. • Tunable Flicker reduction. With the addition of external energy storage capacitors, the flicker index can be tuned to application acceptable levels while meeting PF > 0.9 and THD < 20%.

• Improved reliability and lifetime. LED products based on the FL77944 should be more reliable and last significantly longer than SMPS-based products as there are fewer points of failure. Eliminating electrolytic capacitors removes the

Figure 5. Minimum component count (excluding LEDs) 23 vs 62…one board vs two and the SMPS’ second board is two-sided board

New-Tech Magazine Europe l 33