230V AC LED Driver Circuit for Powering 2.5Watts LED Light

This transformerless circuit directly steps down mains voltage to power a series string of five 0.5W SMD LEDs using a capacitive drop topology. The 2.2uF 400V polyester film capacitor acts as a reactive component, dropping the excess AC voltage through its impedance without generating excessive resistive heat. The bridge rectifier, constructed from four 1N4007 diodes, converts the incoming alternating current into a pulsating direct current suitable for driving the LEDs. A 100-ohm resistor (0.5W) is placed in series to limit inrush current surges that could otherwise damage the components during power-up. Across the DC output rail, a 1000uF 35V electrolytic capacitor acts as a filter to help smooth out the rectified waveform and minimize visible flicker in the lighting output. Finally, a 2-megohm bleeder resistor (0.5W) is connected in parallel with the high-voltage film capacitor to safely discharge stored electrical energy once the circuit is disconnected from the AC mains, preventing unexpected shocks from retained charge.