LT3799

Isolated Flyback LED Controller

with Active Power Factor Correction
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Typical Offline Isolated LED Driver Schematic

“Traditional” 20W Isolated LED Driver… how many parts?!?!

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 - Typical Application

Universal Triac-dimmable 20W LED Driver; 85% Efficient; PFC >0.97, small BOM

Complete Schematic
from LTC democard
DC1595A
(20W LED Power)
component values are still
being optimized

No Optocoupler!
Isolated output with
regulated LED current

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

One of the applications for the LT3799
is LED bulbs.

-LED light bulbs come in all sorts of strange sizes

and shape
-“The push to LEDs is driven in part by a federal
mandate to make bulbs 30 percent more efficient
than current incandescent.”
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LT3799 – Features
• An isolated regulated current source for driving LEDs using a single-
stage active PFC flyback topology without an opto-coupler
• Compatible with standard triac in-wall dimmers
• Active Power Factor Correction > 0.97
• Low harmonic distortion
• Regulates LED current (typically ±5%)
• Open- and shorted-LED detection and protection
• Boundary mode operation improves efficiency and EMI
• Multiple CTRL inputs allow flexibility
(CTRL pins can be used to reduce LED current at high ambient
temperatures, at low line voltages, or at high ambient light levels)
• Ideal for up to 100W+ of LED Power

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Main Advantages

• Isolated LED Driver solution featuring standard triac dimming, active
PFC, and well-regulated LED current with no opto-coupler.

• Small solution size with a minimum of external components;

the LT3799 utilizes a single-stage PFC Flyback topology, which
requires only one FET and one transformer and no opto-coupler;
most other isolated solutions require an additional 20-30 discrete
components (for “bleeder” and “damper” circuits, and for secondary-
side LED regulation circuitry / optocoupler feedback circuitry)

• Active PFC has higher efficiency and lower harmonic distortion

compared to passive PFC (many competitive ICs use passive PFC)

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Target Applications

• The LT3799 is targeted at customers who want a small solution size
offline LED driver with isolation, PFC, and low-harmonic distortion;
many high-quality / high-reliability customers want UL Class 2
certification, which requires that the LEDs to be isolated

• Also works well for high-voltage DC and AC applications that do not need
triac dimming, and non-isolated applications

Some potential applications:

• Architectural lighting
• Street Lighting
• High-end Fixtures and Lamps
• Commercial Lighting / High-Bay Lighting

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Demoboards DC1595A, ~20W

This board is still being optimized
for size and peformance
DC1744A, ~4W
40mm diameter; 22mm height;
this board is optimized for
small size

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Basic Regulation and Operation

Third winding provides
power for the LT3799,
boundary-mode detection,
and open-LED protection

Input voltage is sensed

and used to shape the
input current

Special internal circuitry

minimizes the amount of discrete
circuitry needed to work correctly Primary-side switch current is
with a triac dimmer accurately measured and used to
calculate and regulate the
secondary-side LED current

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Power Factor Correction

• LT3799 typical PFC is > 0.97

• Even though PFC is required only at power levels greater than ~75W,
many LED fixture manufacturers and industry experts have recognized
the need for PFC even at power levels less than 10W (due to the fact that
a large building may contain several hundred light fixtures, and when the
total load is added together, the total power required from the power grid
can be much much more than 75W)

• Currently, most LED light fixtures and replacement light bulbs are not
isolated and do not provide PFC; for those that do provide PFC, many
use passive PFC

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 - VIN and IIN Waveforms (active PFC)

Active PFC topology provides smoother input current waveforms,
resulting in lower harmonic distortion.

LT3799 – active PFC Competition – passive PFC

PFC = 0.977 PFC = 0.913
Sharp edges of passive “valley-fill” PFC technique generate harmonics.

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Harmonic Content

• In addition to the importance of PFC, there has been a lot of discussion
recently about the importance of the Harmonic Content of LED fixtures,
even at power levels under ~10W (again, due to the fact that a large
building may contain several hundred light fixtures, it seems wise to
design even low power LED fixtures to have good harmonic distortion)

• There are IEC requirements for the amount of current drawn on each of
the odd harmonics

• The LT3799 waveform shape provides low harmonic distortion

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Measured Harmonic Content

Complies with IEC 61000-3-2, Class C Lighting Equipment Harmonics Requirement

Test data obtained using democard DC1595A (20W LED power),
operating with 110VAC input, 1.1A LED current.

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – LED Current and Voltage Waveforms

The LT3799 utilizes a single-stage PFC Flyback topology,
so ripple current will be present in the LED string.

ILED
500mA/div
VLED
10V/div

COUT: 1200uF electrolytic cap COUT: 47uF film cap

Waveforms taken using democard DC1595A (20W LED power),

operating with 110VAC input, 1.1A LED current.

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Fault Protection Features

Safely handles open-LED and shorted-LED conditions.
LED string opened LED string shorted

ILED
2A/div
VLED
10V/div
VDS
200V/div

LT3799 – Open-LED Protection LT3799 – Shorted-LED Protection

When the LED string is opened, the When the LED string is shorted, the
output will reach the programmed LED current remains well-controlled
OVP point, then stop switching until while the LED voltage is zero
the output drops again below OVP
Waveforms taken using democard DC1595A (20W LED power),
operating with 110VAC input, 1.1A LED current.
© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010
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LT3799 – Comments on Graphs and Measured Data

• The LT3799 will be available in January 2011.
We are still optimizing the application circuits and are still working
to improve LED regulation accuracy, efficiency, and Triac dimming
range for all applications.

• Applications designed to work over the Universal Input Voltage

range (90 – 265 VAC) make some sacrifices in both LED current
accuracy and efficiency

• Regulation and efficiency will be best for circuits that operate

(and are optimized) to operate either from (90 – 140 VAC) or
from (190 – 265 VAC)

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Operation with Triac Dimmer

Notice that Triac Dimmers do not reach 180° Phase, even when turned fully on.

IIN
0.5A/div
VIN
200V/div

120VAC, Full Phase 120VAC, 90°° Phase 120VAC, 20°° Phase

Waveforms taken using democard DC1595A (20W LED power),

operating with 110VAC input.

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Dimming with Triac Dimmer

Currently, Triac dimming range is ~10:1, and no flicker is present.

Notice that Triac Dimmers do not reach 180° Phase, even when turned fully on.

Data taken using democard DC1595A (20W LED power),

operating with 110VAC input.

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – LED Current Regulation

Some tradeoffs are made in LED Current Accuracy
to operate over wide VIN range.
Still optimizing some components for operation above 220V.

If transformer is
optimized to
operate just over
the 90 – 140VAC
range, LED
current will be
Data taken using democard DC1595A (20W LED power).
more accurate
than shown here

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Full Load Efficiency (Without Triac Dimmer)

Some tradeoffs are made in Efficiency
to operate over wider VIN range.

Data taken using democard DC1595A (20W LED power),

operating at 1.1A LED current.

© 2008 Linear Technology LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CONFIDENTIAL October 20, 2010

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LT3799 – Status and Schedule

Description Final Silicon Data Sheet Release

Samples
LT3799 Isolated Flyback LED December November January
Controller with Active PFC 2010 2010 2011

Custom demoboards starting December 2011.

© 2008 Linear Technology LTC CONFIDENTIAL SPower FAE October 18, 2010