# Led lights and capacitors



## Barry MacEwen (Jan 24, 2018)

When adding led lights are the capacitors wired in parallel or in series after the bridge rectifier?


----------



## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

Parallel to the light, positive to positive negative to negative.


----------



## jrcjr (Sep 23, 2017)

I believe in parallel with the lights as the capacitor acts like a temporary battery, charging up from the supply from the rectifier and filling in any holes (ripples) in the supply with its own charge. Since capacitors pass AC and block DC, if you wired it in series, you'd get no power to your LEDs.

Edit: When using an electrolytic capacitor, make sure you match the polarity with the circuit. The negative bus has both the negative side of the capacitor and the negative side of the LED touching it. And the positive bus has the positive sides of the capacitor and LED touching it.


----------



## Barry MacEwen (Jan 24, 2018)

Thanks. All done and running great


----------



## jonnied12 (Jan 14, 2017)

jrcjr said:


> I believe in parallel with the lights as the capacitor acts like a temporary battery, charging up from the supply from the rectifier and filling in any holes (ripples) in the supply with its own charge. Since capacitors pass AC and block DC, if you wired it in series, you'd get no power to your LEDs.


 Sorry, that is incorrect.:wink2:


----------



## Barry MacEwen (Jan 24, 2018)

All is working, but I still get flicker when it is not running at top speed.


----------



## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

Barry MacEwen said:


> All is working, but I still get flicker when it is not running at top speed.


Yeah, normal because of low rpm the stator voltage drops and the space between impulse is longer and capacitor has a chance to discharge a bit.


----------



## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

> Quote:Originally Posted by jrcjr View Post
> I believe in parallel with the lights as the capacitor acts like a temporary battery, charging up from the supply from the rectifier and filling in any holes (ripples) in the supply with its own charge. Since capacitors pass AC and block DC, if you wired it in series, you'd get no power to your LEDs.





jonnied12 said:


> Sorry, that is incorrect.:wink2:


What part do you think isn't correct? A capacitor will let AC through in series but block DC like he said. Unless I've been wrong the last 45 years working as an electronics engineer.


----------

