An illuminating apparatus (1) is provided with an apparatus substrate; a rectifier (5) connected to a commercial power supply (2); a series circuit (7); and a transistor (current limiting means) (14) for limiting the maximum current flowing in the series circuit (7). In the series circuit (7) mounted on the apparatus substrate, a plurality of LED elements (T) are connected in series, and each of the LED elements (T) is lighted when an output voltage is applied to the series circuit (7) from the rectifier (5). The number of the LED elements (T) provided in the series circuit is set so that the voltage applied to the series circuit (7) is 70-90% of the output voltage from the rectifier (5).
