Diodes Incorporated AP1695EV5

Overview

AP1695EV5 from Diodes Incorporated is an evaluation board for the AP1695 LED driver IC, implementing a triac-dimmable 12V/400mA buck converter with integrated 600V MOSFET and tapped transformer topology for 200–265VAC input. It delivers >77% efficiency, PFC >0.9, and supports GU10 LED bulb designs with open/short/wrong-polarity LED protection.

For engineers reviewing the AP1695EV5 datasheet, AP1695EV5 pinout, AP1695EV5 application, or AP1695EV5 equivalent, this board enables rapid validation of triac-dimmable offline LED driver performance-including dimming linearity (3–95%), boundary conduction mode operation, inductor short protection, and thermal-safe constant-current regulation under real-world 230VAC dimmer conditions.

Technical Context

The AP1695EV5 implements a tapped-transformer buck architecture to extend duty cycle at high AC input voltages-raising D' from ~7% to 21% versus conventional buck, enabling stable 400mA LED current across 200–265VAC while maintaining boundary conduction mode (BCM) for low EMI and high PF.

It integrates a 600V/2A MOSFET (U1: AP1695-20CS7-13 in SO7 package), uses an EE10 transformer (EL1004R) with 120+50T primary and 84T auxiliary winding, and incorporates discrete protections including LED open-circuit detection (Fig. 13), inductor short sensing, and MOV-based surge suppression (MOV-07D431KTR).

Key Specifications

Availability

AP1695EV5 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for GU10 LED bulb development, candle-style lamp prototyping, and under-cabinet lighting design requiring stable component supply, repeatable dimming validation, and RoHS-compliant evaluation platforms.

Supply support for AP1695EV5 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Diodes Incorporated is a global manufacturer of discrete semiconductors and analog ICs, specializing in power management, signal integrity, and lighting solutions for industrial, consumer, and automotive markets.

The AP1695EV5 belongs to Diodes' LED driver evaluation platform family, designed specifically to accelerate qualification of triac-dimmable offline LED drivers targeting compact, thermally constrained GU10 and retrofit lamp applications.

FAQ

What input voltage range does the AP1695EV5 support, and is it compatible with 230VAC dimmers?

The AP1695EV5 operates from 200–265VAC and has been validated with Panasonic WMS549 400W triac dimmers at 230VAC. Test data shows stable 3–95% dimming range with no visible flicker and THD <29% across input range. Input is connected via "AC+" and "AC−" terminals on the left edge of the board.

How is LED current adjusted on the AP1695EV5, and what is the default setting?

LED current is set by the parallel resistance of R10 (4.12Ω) and R11 (3.24Ω), yielding ~1.79Ω and delivering 400mA by default. The board allows rework of these 0805 resistors to adjust output current-e.g., replacing R10/R11 with higher values reduces current linearly per the AP1695 IC's V_CS threshold and sense-resistor relationship.

Does the AP1695EV5 include protection against LED string faults?

Yes-it provides hardware-based open-circuit, short-circuit, and reverse-polarity LED protection. Open-circuit protection is demonstrated in Figure 13 of the User Guide, where the board disables switching and holds LED+ at 0V when no load is detected. Short and polarity protections are implemented via internal AP1695 logic and external sensing paths.

What transformer is used on the AP1695EV5, and why is the tapped structure critical?

The board uses Elite Electronics EL1004R (EE10 core), with 120+50T primary and 84T auxiliary winding. The tapped structure increases effective duty cycle from ~7% to 21% at 230VAC, extending turn-on time (Ton) to >2µs-enabling sufficient inductor current buildup and raising efficiency by ~4–5% versus non-tapped designs.