[Closed] Today's dullest topic: domestic LED bulbs

I can guarantee you they don't last that long, especially the GU10 spotlight ones

Keep the receipt

Never had one blow (normal bayonet/screw fitting ones).

Although we did swap a few back to hallogen as the "90W equivalent" was a bit optimistic.

Try a decent brand 😛

The normal light fitting ones seem to last for ever, but the GU10 spots are crap.

13 months and I don't live in the Arctic Circle or Scotland. Not a spotlight, just used in a table lamp.

Likely I have the receipt, will they refund?

Any makes that are more prone to failure?

Decent brand? Such as?

Well, seeing as you asked, try Philips or OSRAM.

That'll be average rather than guaranteed lifespan. In Dorian Grays attic a light bulb has been on for the past 6 years....

Thanks gofasterstripes, that's helpful.

scotroutes - I expected to be dead before the bulb ran out!

Our screwfix ones, bought on recommendation from here, are all going about two years in, all within weeks of each other... :/

Is it the switching on that does the damage? As with the old filament bulbs.

The LEDs themselves last years. Unfortunately the cheap Chinese electronics that power them are crap.

For example, big solder blob at no extra cost.....
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I expected to be dead before the bulb ran out!

You should get that table lamp PAT tested - it sounds lethal 🙂

The LEDs themselves last years

Not at full brightness though, above about 60C they start deteriorating and slowly dimming.

You should get that table lamp PAT tested - it sounds lethal

I blame the operator. 🙂

Is it the switching on that does the damage? As with the old filament bulbs.

It tries to work, flickers away but barely any light. Didn't leave it too long due to fear of exploding, or something!

What wattage are you after?

I've also found a big difference between weird brands off Amazon that claim all sorts and quality brands like Phillips and osram etc. Even my GU10s last if they are Phillips etc. I've got a fairly dark house and have some brilliant osram bulbs throughout.
I think they're osram superstars and I didn't pay more than £7.50 per bulb 3 years ago.

15W, 1521Lm. The worry is that I have a couple more of this make of bulbs in other table lamps.

Philips and Osram sound a good idea, don't want any more Homebase bulbs.

15w GU10?! Yes, you'll struggle to keep that cool. I was imagining <5w TBH.

The first one I bought in about 2008 IIRC, a 4W screw in, is still going. It cost what seemed a fortune and replaced a normal 40W giving a bit more light as a bonus. It's run perhaps 10hr a day for 200 days for over 8 years (I bought for the most used light logically enough).

So 16000 hrs or 16000 x 4W / 1000 = 64kWh which has cost about 10e. The normal bulb would have cost 100e to run. Bargain.

Don't use LEDs in a situation where you can look at them directly. Reflected light from LEDs is OK but directly in your eyes it could cause damage long term.

gofasterstripes - the others are a lower wattage but there's no mention of GU10. Called LED Classic dimmable but unable to use dimmable function. This is supposed to be the equivalent of 100W.

Reflected light from LEDs is OK but directly in your eyes it could cause damage long term.

yawat?

Pretty sure there's UV filtering in the phospor. Either way, it's that fact it's [i]really really sodding bright [/i] that's likely to be the problem, not some other property of LED light.

Dimming LED's is a PITA. Many dimmers expect a substantial minimum load, which LEDs don't present [eg 150-500w dimmer won't like 5x15w LEDs] then there's also the issue of dimmer type compatibility. In many cases dimming is achieved by clipping the start or the end of the mains sinewave, LEDs that are dimmable may expect trailing edge and you may perhaps have a leading edge dimmer.... or the other way around.

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I am a bit pressed for time, so here's a DUTCH page for LED dimmers, try using Google Translate or something to read the site and get a feel for the dimmers they're using.

http://www.ledlampendirect.nl/led-dimmer-230v-inbouw-geschikt-voor-alle-bekende-merken-afdekramen.html

I strongly suggest lower power GU10's, if you buy a modern high-quality GU10 replacement you may find you hit your required light output at a lower wattage due to increases in LED efficiency.

NB also google "LED lighting CRI" - if you need colour accuracy in that room.

I don't think the op was after a gu10? Unlikely in a table lamp. Philips osram megaman all worth a look but you will be limited if you want it 1500 lumens. I've recently discovered calex which look great but not tested them for 25000hrs! They are reputable though so I think that should be a reasonable value

slowoldgit - Member

Is it the switching on that does the damage? As with the old filament bulbs.

You do know how dimming an LED works?

Try Googling before rubbishing, gofasterstrips.

[url= http://sante.lefigaro.fr/actualite/2016/04/19/24877-pourquoi-faut-il-se-mefier-lumiere-led ]Premature ageing of the retina.[/url]

It's well known so you'll have no trouble finding something similar in English.

Philips do trad globe b22 type led bulbs of 1500lm, if that is what the OP is after

[url= http://www.leds4less.co.uk/100w-led-replacment-bulb-lamp--b22-bayonet--high-power-smd--philips-415-p.asp ]http://www.leds4less.co.uk/100w-led-replacment-bulb-lamp--b22-bayonet--high-power-smd--philips-415-p.asp[/url]

yeah the hours thing is probably an average in lab test conditions. real world not so much. there's a few ways to look at it like said above. buy cheap but replace sooner or buy dearer and get a bit longer. i wouldnt be to fussed cause youd save on the leccy a bit anyways.

I'm aware of the discussions about blue light from LEDs, but I think the risk is hugely exaggerated.... Also, any decent LEDs are much warmer than old style whites.

gofaster - I only use them in table lamps. Are you saying that wattage is asking for trouble?

I've found the receipt, funnily enough I'd already returned one of the two as it wasn't working. Normal price £13, it was bogof when I purchased so £6.50 for one. 😯

Hey.

Is it a GU10 then? I can't quite understand from this talk of table lamps 🙂

If it's a GU10 in a recessed fitting then I would think you'd be better staying at a lower wattage. If it's in a table lamp, so relatively well ventilated then a good quality bulb should last a long time there, no excuses. It's not that a higher power LED lamp should last for a shorter time, only that relatively higher power lamps generate more heat, so how the lamp is installed and ventilated is more important.

Most other types of lamp should also be designed for free air operation, so again, unless they're crammed in a tiny space I don't think you have a problematic installation environment.

PS @ Edukator, sorry I didn't mean to sound like a dick.

No, it's a B22 with a large amount of plastic beneath the glass and weighs a ton.

This one:

http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/dimmable-led-classic-bc-15w-bulb-342986

OK so I suggest trying a Philips or Osram equivalent. I would be very confident that it will last a long time in a well-ventilated lamp 🙂

Thank you, shall do that. 🙂

Are the lamps connected to a dimmer?

No, no dimmer facility in my home.

Ok!

I'm generally not one to carry out animal testing, but it occurs to me, that in this case I sort-of have.

[url= https://s30.postimg.org/8ebye4s2p/IMG_20170208_162418.jp g" target="_blank">https://s30.postimg.org/8ebye4s2p/IMG_20170208_162418.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

This is a 2x50w LED pack for my fishtank, here running 50w of 430 and 410nm blue LED's.

There is also some photoreactive medicine* in the tank - rather analogous to the way the orange phosphor in white LED's fills in the longer wavelengths.

Normally I run this at about 20w, with 50w of mixed whites (etc) as well. None of the fish seem to have any problems with their eyesight (I'm glad!)

Makes you think...

*eSHa2000 - nothing special.

Put these in all the main light fittings in my house about a year ago and none have "blown" or whatever it is LEDs do yet. Prior to that the bulbs were going all the time, and tripping the ridiculously old fuse thing that you have to wire yourself.

Can I recommend Ikea.
Their CRI (colour rendering index) numbers are high and generally seem good quality.
We bought a range of all the ones with a CRI >90
They also sell adapters for bayonet fittings.

Anyone found any decent G9s?

Anyone found any decent G9s?

Both Osram and Philips do G9 LED replacements.

Edukator - Reformed Troll
Try Googling before rubbishing, gofasterstrips.

Premature ageing of the retina.

It's well known so you'll have no trouble finding something similar in English.

Just over 2 years ago I swapped every light bulb in the house over to LED at about £5 each. All from LED Hut. Rather disappointingly they'll all now failing....

These are two which both went this week. They started flickering madly then died 1-2 days later. On examination they're coming apart.....

[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/634/32633886512_a867a57039.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/634/32633886512_a867a57039.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/RHKcvJ ]Duff bulbs from LED Hut[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr

Just over 2 years ago I swapped every light bulb in the house over to LED at about £5 each. All from LED Hut. Rather disappointingly they'll all now failing....

I redone the house via LED Hut, apart from the tubes in the kitchen, similar time ago. So far 5 have gone. To their credit, I just shoot them an email with the order #, and I get replacements the next day or so.

I had a chance to extend the warranty from 2 to 5 years when I bought them, but forgot. Looks like all new failure replacements will be bought elsewhere.

I used to buy from LED Hut too - gave up as they wouldn't refund for very early failures ( < 1 month)

Get in the fxxxing sea, I got me a refund. 8)

Anyone found any decent G9s?

@Murray - I've also ordered, via energybulbs.co.uk, a Philips G9 although had to settle for less wattage than the 40w non-LED it's replacing.

Although we did swap a few back to hallogen as the "90W equivalent" was a bit optimistic.

We have Ikea dimmable 150W equivalent in the living room - they are very bright indeed.

I've replaced most of the house lights with LED ones I bought from Wilco's, replacing those nasty low energy fluorescent jobbies, which are now in a pile in the cupboard; where can I dispose of the drafted things? Nearest council tip?
All I need to replace now is the overhead tube in the kitchen.
Those LED Hut lights are clearly rubbish, that's a structural failure, not a specific LED issue, probably heat causing the plastic to break up.
Even without a receipt surely the EU legislation covering something for six years should cover those, they're clearly unfit for purpose.

All I need to replace now is the overhead tube in the kitchen.

If you've got a fluorescent tube in the kitchen then leave it. The efficiency of Fluro tubes is as good as LED, the tubes last a long time with high CRI and good colour. Trying to pack fluoro tubes into small bulb shapes didn't work so well.

Just come back to this and reading people saying they replaced all their house bulbs and had issues. I replaced all mine with the osram superstar ones, about 3 years ago, I'm pretty sure I paid £7.50 or less on some multibuy they're probably much cheaper now. I've not had one fail and I'm really pleased with the quality of light. my house is quite dark and these lights made a massive difference compared to old energy saving bulbs I had.

I've replaced tubes with LED tubes. They're 1800lm and visibly brighter than the fluo tubes they replace. 20W rather than 36W which isn't much of a saving I admit. In the living room I use a 1700lm with a warmer colour.

How does that work, do you need to remove the starters?

They come with a "dummy" starter that replaces whatever is there. I've got a few LED tubes in the garage, I really like them. They've outlasted the old tubes, are brighter and are much less fragile.

20W rather than 36W which isn't much of a saving I admit

They've outlasted the old tubes, are brighter

I know people seem to like these LED tube replacements but the numbers don't stack up on them. Quality T5 high efficiency tubes ([url= https://www.osram.com/osram_com/products/lamps/fluorescent-lamps/fluorescent-lamps-t5/lumilux-t5-he-es/index.jsp ]eg OSRAM[/url]) are quoting 92 l/w which is as good or better than any production LEDs. Rated for a 20k+ hour life (same as LEDs). They've other lamps rated up to 104 lm/w and long life versions supposedly good for 35-40k hours.

Unlike the dodgy chinese lamps it's far more likely that they actually reach the stated efficiency, run at the stated wattage and will actually last that long. Even if they don't they're a fraction of the price of LED replacements ([url= https://www.lampshoponline.com/osram-he-35w-840-1449mm-t5-fluorescent-tube.html?gclid=CKa7kZCFktICFe2T7QodvPcObQ ]about £2 each[/url])

much less fragile.

As a random tangent, talking of strip lights,

I've got one that I took out of the kitchen, probably 8' long. How are you supposed to dispose of the bloody things, it's been in my back yard for six months as I don't know what to do with it.

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=light+bulb+disposal

Put it on freecycle and someone will have it for their garage