LM324: LED premature failure

Willer Justinvil

Part Number: LM324
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: TLV9104, TL074H

I am using a blue LED from Rohm in our design.

I have gotten some suggestions from other sites, but I wanted to give you all a chance to take a look at the design.

We have been having premature LED failure within a month from the field. I am not sure what's going with the LED driver. I have attached the driver circuit/datasheet for your review.

sli-sla-580.pdf

over 1 year ago

0 Clemens Ladisch over 1 year ago

Guru 308170 points

A DAC value of 5 V would result in 42 mA, which would burn out the LED. What input voltage range are you actually using?

What are the LM324's supply voltages?

0 Willer Justinvil over 1 year ago in reply to Clemens Ladisch

Prodigy 20 points

Hi,

Thank you for the feedback. See attachment for the LM324 Supply voltages.

Thanks,

+12V and -5V

0 Ron Michallick over 1 year ago

TI__Guru**** 159961 points

Hello Willer, welcome to the TI e2 forums.

After the LED was replaced, does the LED driver preform normally? Meaning R59 pin 1 matches the DAC voltage.

Clemens has a good point that that current of the driver can exceed the maximum current of the LED if DAC is set to high.

0 Willer Justinvil over 1 year ago in reply to Ron Michallick

Prodigy 20 points

Hi Ron,

Thanks for your feedback, yes the LED driver does perform normally after replacement. I agreed with Clemens in term of exceeding max current and I am planning on monitor the DAC voltage to see whenever the voltage spike happens (@5V).

Willer

0 Clemens Ladisch over 1 year ago in reply to Willer Justinvil

Guru 308170 points

I asked about the supply voltages because the LM324's valid common-mode input voltage range ends 2 V below the positive supply (typically 1.5 V at 25 °C). So with a +4 V supply, any DAC voltage of 2 V (typically, 2.5 V) or higher can lead to the LM324's output being incorrect, resulting in a LED current much higher than even 42 mA.

I assume that you are using a 4 V supply because the DAC voltage never is higher. But if there can be voltages between 2 V and 4 V, then you should use opamps that allow voltages near the positive supply (e.g., TL074H) or that have rail-to-rail inputs (e.g., TLV9104).

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LM324: LED premature failure