What's the Deal with LEDs?

[racer2c]

I put LED plate lights and turn signals on my motorcycle last year and 9 months later the plate lights went out. the place I bought them from wanted $35 to replace 3 little LEDs so I hit up the internet and found replacements for a few bucks.
As LED use in cars and trucks increases (brake lights, turn signals etc) I've been noticing almost daily that there is usualy a blown bulb or two in every brake light/turn signal cluster, and these are fairly new vehicles. I thought longevity was one of the great benefits of LEDs? Are all LEDs not created equal?

[oddlycalm]

Heat and moisture can cause LED's the dim or fail. It's accurate to say they have a long service life if kept dry at room temperature but in actual vehicle use not so much it turns out.

oc

[Steve99]

I thought longevity was one of the great benefits of LEDs? Are all LEDs not created equal?
In a perfect world, LEDs could be very reliable. But in our economic model of driving everything to the cheapest cost, quality control gets cut and the final assemblies aren't 100% fool-proof.

One of the advantages for LEDs is that if you have a light assembly of say 20 LEDs, and 3 of them go bad, the light is still basically functional (even though it may not look pretty anymore :) ).

[WickerBill]

Zombie thread.

Anyone using LED bulbs for standard household use? Any recommendations?

[KLang]

I've got one installed, a PAR38 from Philips. Brightness and color seem a good replacement for the 90 watt halogen it replaced. I think I must have about 75 of these recessed lights throughout the house so I won't replace most but this one location we have on every night and burned out about once or twice a year. About six months for the LED so far.

I've got a couple other sizes, I think both GE and Ecosmart to try but I'm waiting for the existing bulbs to burn out.

[Don Quixote]

Zombie thread.

Anyone using LED bulbs for standard household use? Any recommendations?We have some LED spots in about 10 recessed cans at the office. So far they are great. I don't know the brand off hand but we bought them at costco.

[nrc]

Zombie thread.

Anyone using LED bulbs for standard household use? Any recommendations?

The first one I tried was so dim as to be useless. Pay attention to the light output in lumens and the color temperature compared to the equivalent incandescent.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls_lumens
http://www.greenoptions.com/a/picking-color-temperature-for-your-light-bulbs

Second try is a Utilitech brand 40w equivalent which seems fine. It takes an instant to come on and the color temperature is a touch cooler than the advertised 2700k but not bad.

[Don Quixote]

More info on the LEDs we have at the office.

First we have four (Feit electric CE18PAR38) in recessed cans in a basement hallway. They are rated at 3000K, but they are stark white, and would not be suitable for a living or working area.

http://www.feitbulbs.com/images/prod/CE18PAR38_DIM_LED_main_main.jpg




And we have Feit Electric BR40 Floods in recessed cans in three different offices. They give out a warm and diffuse light, and are very bright. These give out better light than incandescent or compact florescents.

http://www.lightbulbsurplus.com/bmz_cache/a/a52a3d3f4f9e0318eae56fb76d522259.image.250x250.jpg