LED lamp failure

[Anthony KnightsParticipant @anthonyknights16741]

Earlier this year, I replaced most of the lighting in the house and the workshop with GLS type LED lamps. These are all working well, apart from the one in the bathroom, which I have just replaced for the third time. This tends to be switched on and off more frequently than any of the others. So, do these LED lamps not like frequent on/off cycling?

[Anthony KnightsParticipant @anthonyknights16741]

[HOWARDTParticipant @howardt]

I have led units in most rooms in the house. Most have been in place for four years but the bathroom G10 type have been in for eight years. Only my office G9s and lounge BC have been replaced. The G9s flickered very quickly but replacements are much better, the lounge ones are used everyday and the odd one out of four goes every couple of years or so. Quality varies greatly and that is the problem when you look at the circuit inside. Most I assume are from Chinese manufacturers so no great quality control. I don't know wether the likes of Philips produce anything themselves which can give the promised life. Others may have more technical views, but overall I am pleased with what I have had.

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

You [pays your money and takes a chance. It is only of recent time that the quality end of the supply has reached the market, far too much cheaper rubbish until now.. I have gone for the higher lumen output versions for particular areas but I still have a more than adequate supply of "normal" GLS lamps.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I heard a talk by the boss of a company that supplies and fits lighting systems in offices last week. He mentioned that they have been fitting LED lights from one particular supplier (can't recall the name) at the rate of ~1000 per week for the past 3 years and have had 3 failed. This shows that good LED lights can be very reliable indeed.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Since moving to decent GU10 versions I haven't had one fail. I now have progressively replaced all the fluorescents with LED, except the striplights in garage,kitchen and workshop.

The running costs are almost negligible, I can't believe how much leccy we used to waste on filament bulbs!

Neil

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Ive had 2 lots from Toolstation, the clear LED candles have been a disappointment, but the 10W globe have been excellent. I've also got an LED striplight in the workshop. No waiting for them to warm up and hardly worth turning them off they use so little electricity.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I could do with an LED tumble dryer to make an impact on my bills.

Mike

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 13/12/2017 15:18:46:

Since moving to decent GU10 versions I haven't had one fail. I now have progressively replaced all the fluorescents with LED, except the striplights in garage,kitchen and workshop.

The running costs are almost negligible, I can't believe how much leccy we used to waste on filament bulbs!

Neil

Ah, but have your central heating costs gone up to composite for the lack heat from the tungsten bulbs?

Rod

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

Posted by Roderick Jenkins on 13/12/2017 16:16:27:

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 13/12/2017 15:18:46:

Since moving to decent GU10 versions I haven't had one fail. I now have progressively replaced all the fluorescents with LED, except the striplights in garage,kitchen and workshop.

The running costs are almost negligible, I can't believe how much leccy we used to waste on filament bulbs!

Neil

Ah, but have your central heating costs gone up to composite for the lack heat from the tungsten bulbs?

Rod

That's an interesting take on it, rod

Michael W

[HowiParticipant @howi]

Basic fact, you get what you pay for, running enough I have just been watching a Utube vid on Philips led bulb strip down. Better quality bulbs have better quality electronics and sizable heatsink for the led substrate.

I find this comforting to know as I have just got the Philips Hue light system for the main living room and would not want to be replacing those bulbs too frequently. Have to say though, they are working well, they come on at dusk and go off at our normal bedtime (with a slow 15 minute fade to off. They are also linked into my Nest thermometer and smoke alarm (got the smoke alarm free for taking out house insurance).

Hue app got a bit of a slating, but seems to do what I need it to do, time will tell how reliable/long lasting the bulbs are.

[VicParticipant @vic]

I get migraines so I’m not keen on some types of lighting like Flourescents, at least in the sitting room. The jury is still out on LED’s.

**LINK**

Replacing all your lighting with LED’s may not be a wise move with current technology at least until more research is done.

[Alan VosParticipant @alanvos39612]

Posted by Anthony Knights on 13/12/2017 07:54:29:

So, do these LED lamps not like frequent on/off cycling?

Simple answer, no. It is either a dud lamp or a dud suppller.

LEDs as such defnitely don't mind. Mant LED light sources are dimmed by pulse width modulation of full power. On and off many times per second. I have never seen any suggestion that this reduces their life.

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

The fuel bill going up from lack of heat from the bulbs might be off set by the lowering of the cost of air conditioning in the summer. too many details on too many ways to skin too many cats.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Just a suggestion but the failures may have more to do with the room than faulty lamps.

Firstly, I'd check the fitting. Secondly, bathrooms feature a number of things liable to upset electronics. The room is hotter than average and liable to high humidity, damp and condensation. It may also contain hefty equipment capable of causing voltage spikes like an electric shower or immersion heater.

I used to have trouble with filament bulbs in my bathroom. The fitting used a 40W candle shaped bulb mounted sideways, which is poor design. As it was also watertight the interior used to get very hot – ceramic holder and heat sleeving hot!. Bulbs only lasted about a year but at least the reason was obvious.

Dave

[Bill DawesParticipant @billdawes]

I too have progressively replaced most of our Filament/Halogen/Flourescent lamps (got a box full of halogen GU10 now)

We have one halogen GU10 in the bathroom that is built into an extractor fan above the shower. Must be at least 10 years old with original GU10 so reluctant to tempt fate by touching it.

Had a strange thing happen last weekend, high winds caused a power cut for 5 hours, when the power first came back on a lot of the LED's weren't working so assumed they had 'blown' possibly due to a power surge. Then noticed that the trusty GU10 in the bathroom was on but very dim. Power went off again and next time it came back everything was back to normal, much relief as I thought there goes a load of pound notes.

Bill D

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Posted by Vic on 13/12/2017 18:02:09:

I get migraines so I’m not keen on some types of lighting like Flourescents, at least in the sitting room. The jury is still out on LED’s.

**LINK**

Replacing all your lighting with LED’s may not be a wise move with current technology at least until more research is done.

Don't think much about the link. It reads as if it was written by one of those tabloid nutritionists. I wonder what sort of research ought to be done?

Particularly amusing to hear that LEDs "emit blue light which has recently been shown to be harmful to the cells in our retina". Well, all white light sources emit blue light, otherwise they wouldn't be white (they would be very yellow).

Perhaps we should ban this newfangled sunlight, which as we all know causes blindness.

Merry

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

If you are using the led in where there is a shower the moisture could be killing it .

When i changed over to led lights i noticed on the box a warning not to use in damp or wet environments as they are not sealed .

[HowiParticipant @howi]

I think there is an awful lot of rot talked about led bulbs, a bit like the myth that ALL Chinese lathes are rubbish.

In Philips bulbs the electronics are fully potted so unlikely to be affected by moisture. Lets be sensible here, moisture near any type of bulb should be avoided, 240 volts and water don't mix.

I notice someone has mentioned the 'Blue light ' effect on humans, none of it has been scientifically proved. Just seems to be an excuse not to move to the new technology.

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by Muzzer on 13/12/2017 22:19:53:

Don't think much about the link. It reads as if it was written by one of those tabloid nutritionists. I wonder what sort of research ought to be done?

Particularly amusing to hear that LEDs "emit blue light which has recently been shown to be harmful to the cells in our retina". Well, all white light sources emit blue light, otherwise they wouldn't be white (they would be very yellow).

Perhaps we should ban this newfangled sunlight, which as we all know causes blindness.

Merry

You may prefer this one.

**LINK**

There are others but the bottom line is no one knows for sure what damage may be done.

I’m all for saving a few quid but my eyesight is more important. Obviously it’s not to you but that’s your choice.

[VicParticipant @vic]

This is pertinent to me but may also be of interest to others if you’re prone to headaches:

**LINK**

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

I got the quid a pop ones from Morrisons a few months back and did the entire house

Been fine so far

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

LEDs "ex China" do seem to vary.

Some time ago, my son in law got me two E27 lamps and two GU10s and adaptors to BC, direct from China.

The E27s, in a standard lamp in the lounge, eventually each began to flicker, when they warmed up, which suggested to me that one half of the bridge rectifier was failing. Replaced with globe style LEDs from a supermarket; no more problems,

The GU10 + BC adaptors in the worklights on the Mill/Drill are still going strong!

Luck of the draw, or different sources?

Howard

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Posted by Howi on 14/12/2017 09:12:05:

I think there is an awful lot of rot talked about led bulbs, a bit like the myth that ALL Chinese lathes are rubbish.

In Philips bulbs the electronics are fully potted so unlikely to be affected by moisture. Lets be sensible here, moisture near any type of bulb should be avoided, 240 volts and water don't mix.

I notice someone has mentioned the 'Blue light ' effect on humans, none of it has been scientifically proved. Just seems to be an excuse not to move to the new technology.

Phillips led lights may be potted but the cheaper ones may not be . Mains voltage in the bathroom / shower area is unavoidable unless you use a candle or torch !

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

These are the ones I've been using, candle shaped ones

It's the light they give off, it's the best I've seen so far

[Author]

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