LED light bulbs... suck! Prove me wrong

[PracticalMac]

Run of the mill LED light bulbs... suck!

No really, despite claims of "50,000 hours of life", already I have 7 of them "burn out" within 4 years.

To be fair, it is the mfg using the cheapest parts out there. And what is probably the case (have not tried) is the LED still works, but the voltage regulator (VR, changes the 100v to 240v AC to about 6v DC) or capacitor fail (but 1 of them did look like LED itself failed).

So, I had 3 Ikea bulbs fail (400 lumins, $1 each), not surprised about that.
However I did have 2 Sylvania Osram fail with explosive results (cap blew), which surprise me. I also had a Lowes brand "Utilitech" fail party (lost brightness, I think 1 LED element went out). I have one other can't remember what it was.
I also use a few Wal-Mart brands, and they buzz like an angry fly (VR).

How do I know? I wrote the date on every LED before I installed.

The reason why so many fail is probably also quite simple, the heat sink.
LED's produce heat, but do not have the mass to take that heat, thus a block of metal is used to draw the heat away from the LED, and the VR.
That "Utilitech"LED weighs 93 grams. The same type GE model weighs 140g, very likely there is a 40g piece of aluminum as heat sink.

So far all my GE ones work fine, and are the oldest I have (7 years). They were expensive (up to $15 each when I started). Sure it will pay for itself in a year or 2, but that is a lot of money to change all the bulbs in house (did a few at a time).

As it happens I work on a machine that uses high powered LEDs and back in 2007 we discovered the limitations of LED, but over years saw the price plummet and quality improve (and improved our tech too). Today it is not difficult to make a high lumen long lasting LED light bulb for <$5, likely <$1 if made in low wage countries in Asia.

So, yes, I am ranting the promise of much longer life of LED over than CFL and even Incandescent bulbs is almost a lie. There should be an actual life span on the entire bulb, not a theoretical of just the LED.
For that lie LED bulbs (currently) suck.

 

[0388631]

Buy cheap get cheap?

 

[TheIntruder]

Every one of the passel of Philips "Basic" bulbs I have from 2015 is still in daily use. One of them is in a drop light reel that gets banged around in the garage.

They were the first inexpensive ($2.50/ea) name brand alternatives to the Cree bulbs (~$10) that were heavily promoted at the time, and turned out to have various issues.

I've also got a Utilitech that I got very cheaply, so decided to throw caution to the wind and put it inside a fully enclosed fixture. It has also held up.

In a similar vein, I have a couple off-brand bulbs that were something like 75 cents each, and put them in the garage door opener, where the vibration puts them at greater risk of failure. They've held up as well.

 

[rhett7660]

While they are little more expensive, I have only used Philips brand and the IKEA brand bulbs. The Philips ones are all BR30 and the IKEA ones are used in lamps etc. I have had zero issues with them over the past ten years or so. I have even moved them to a new house and re-installed them with no issues.

I haven't used any of the cheaper bulbs yet. I have a lot of can lights and it was expensive to change over, but I have had zero issues.

 

[compwiz1202]

Buy cheap get cheap?

Exactly! You get what you pay for. What do you expect from a $1 LED?!?

 

[CreatorCode]

I've had excellent results with Philips, mixed results with Cree, and limited but good-so-far results with GE and Home Depot's store brand. 3M seems to have left the consumer market, but my experience with 3M bulbs was also good.

In general, I'm very happy with the look and lifespan of LEDs. Especially in my track lighting.

 

[MacNut]

Cheap anything sucks. Don't buy cheap.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

I've had mixed results. Most of the LED bulbs I've been using have been fine, but I have had some burn out in only a few years (though I do believe they were mostly cheap ones). I've also had one start flickering.

 

[Huntn]

Run of the mill LED light bulbs... suck!

No really, despite claims of "50,000 hours of life", already I have 7 of them "burn out" within 4 years.

To be fair, it is the mfg using the cheapest parts out there. And what is probably the case (have not tried) is the LED still works, but the voltage regulator (VR, changes the 100v to 240v AC to about 6v DC) or capacitor fail (but 1 of them did look like LED itself failed).

So, I had 3 Ikea bulbs fail (400 lumins, $1 each), not surprised about that.
However I did have 2 Sylvania Osram fail with explosive results (cap blew), which surprise me. I also had a Lowes brand "Utilitech" fail party (lost brightness, I think 1 LED element went out). I have one other can't remember what it was.
I also use a few Wal-Mart brands, and they buzz like an angry fly (VR).

How do I know? I wrote the date on every LED before I installed.

The reason why so many fail is probably also quite simple, the heat sink.
LED's produce heat, but do not have the mass to take that heat, thus a block of metal is used to draw the heat away from the LED, and the VR.
That "Utilitech"LED weighs 93 grams. The same type GE model weighs 140g, very likely there is a 40g piece of aluminum as heat sink.

So far all my GE ones work fine, and are the oldest I have (7 years). They were expensive (up to $15 each when I started). Sure it will pay for itself in a year or 2, but that is a lot of money to change all the bulbs in house (did a few at a time).

As it happens I work on a machine that uses high powered LEDs and back in 2007 we discovered the limitations of LED, but over years saw the price plummet and quality improve (and improved our tech too). Today it is not difficult to make a high lumen long lasting LED light bulb for <$5, likely <$1 if made in low wage countries in Asia.

So, yes, I am ranting the promise of much longer life of LED over than CFL and even Incandescent bulbs is almost a lie. There should be an actual life span on the entire bulb, not a theoretical of just the LED.
For that lie LED bulbs (currently) suck.

I’ve had some LEDs for 4 years or so, So I’m not to the point of judging how well they hold up.

 

[ejb190]

Also, some of the LED bulbs are rated for use in enclosed fixtures, some are not. When I didn't follow the package directions, I got poor results! But why this is in fine print on the side of the box and not right on the front, I'll never know.

 

[compwiz1202]

I’ve had some LEDs for 4 years or so, So I’m not to the point of judging how well they hold up.

That's probably about the age of our oldest ones, and none have gone out yet.

 

[PracticalMac]

Buy cheap get cheap?

Exactly! You get what you pay for. What do you expect from a $1 LED?!?

Cheap anything sucks. Don't buy cheap.

Its not like I was buying mystery stuff from a "99 Cent Store".
Also that 2 were Sylvania, 3ed from Utilitech, not bottom of barrel items.
[automerge]1589316235[/automerge]

Also, some of the LED bulbs are rated for use in enclosed fixtures, some are not. When I didn't follow the package directions, I got poor results! But why this is in fine print on the side of the box and not right on the front, I'll never know.

That is dumb. Will have to look for this, thanks!
Except for about 7 bulbs, everything I have is open.

 

[seadragon]

I’m a Philips lighting fan. I’ve converted almost my entire house to Hue over the past couple of years. Not cheap, but they‘re reliable and look awesome.

I think LED lighting is great overall. You see it everywhere now. But they’re only as good as the electronics controlling them.

 

[Tomorrow]

Exactly! You get what you pay for. What do you expect from a $1 LED?!?

Longer life than a 25 cent incandescent?

 

[44267547]

I just installed new LED ‘track lighting‘ inside my garage yesterday. And I didn’t really do it for the whole ‘energy conservation‘ thing, I did it because I am an extremist when detailing cars, I found that the ‘bright white light’ Shows so much more detail in the paint over incandescent lighting. I’m not sure why I waited so long to do this in the first place, because it really made a significant difference in providing a balanced lighting in the garage itself. (It’s a 4-stage garage with vaulted ceilings.)

Plus, The winters in my state can get brutally cold, and I found an incandescent lighting in my garage takes a while for it to ‘warm up’ where it gradually becomes brighter after they’re posted on, with LED lighting, it’s a consistent light all the time where there is no transitional period for the Phillips lighting to become brighter as it warms up.

 

[LizKat]

I've had no trouble with the Philips ones I installed in a free standing floor lamp a couple years ago and use every day.

 

[konqerror]

First, read the packaging. High-lumen LEDs may not be suitable for use in enclosed fixtures. If you ignore this warning, then expect lower life.

I agree Philips last forever. I have two 25,000 hour bulbs running just fine approaching 65,000 hours estimated. They burn 24/7 and I bought them in 2013. No visible lumen depreciation or color shift.

The worst are Cree bulbs. Those things fail within 2-3 years normal use. See them have LED string failures, and major color shift. It's no surprise that Cree is leaving both the bulb and LED markets.

Wal-Mart style China bulbs are hit and miss. Those do seem to skimp out on the driver electronics.

Moral of the store: don't buy Chinese garbage and don't blame the rest of the industry on cheap crap.

 

[russell_314]

I agree Philips last forever. I have two 25,000 hour bulbs running just fine approaching 65,000 hours estimated. They burn 24/7 and I bought them in 2013. No visible lumen depreciation or color shift.

I think this is one major factor in any bulb lifespan. There's an incandescent light bulb that's been burning for over a hundred years but it's rarely turned off. When they give these crazy long life numbers I'm guessing they include very few on off cycles.

 

[konqerror]

I think this is one major factor in any bulb lifespan. There's an incandescent light bulb that's been burning for over a hundred years but it's rarely turned off. When they give these crazy long life numbers I'm guessing they include very few on off cycles.

It depends. Degradation to the phosphor, device packaging and LED themselves, along with degradation of drive electronics like transistors and capacitors are largely dependent on power on time, or more specifically, the time spent at high currents and temperatures.

Color shift and lumen depreciation are going to be independent of cycles but are going to be dependent on ambient temperature.

Cycling weakens the solder joints and wire bonds to the chip, which in theory can be a limiting factor. Energy Star requires rating to 50,000 cycles if I remember correctly. LEDs are much different from incandescent bulbs, with their huge thermal shock and inrush currents, and fluorescent bulbs which require heated filaments or a high voltage to start.

 

[zhenya]

100% Philips LED since 2011. Zero failures.

 

[steve1960]

I fitted Panasonic LED's throughout the apartment in November 2016. Rated at 10,000 hours. I have not replaced any of the 15 units and estimate the two in the kitchen have passed 10,000 hours and they work in the highest ambient temperatures.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

I bought my first LED bulbs in 2011 and I think they are made by GE. I'm still using them today. I have a few other brands, but most of them are the Phillips Hue blubs. To date, I haven't had any LED's stop working.