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"Filament" type LED bulbs fail much more than the other kind (?).

PaulMB

PaulMB

pfm Member
Recently had a spate of LED light bulb deaths. The ones that died are all of the type that has the LEDs on filaments, covered by a bulb of milk-white glass, or probably plastic. The bulbs that have a base in which the actual LEDs are mounted, and an opal sphere above, instead seem to go on forever.
Is this happening to others? (These are all "normal" bulbs with a E27 screw fitting).
 
Oddly, I have had the opposite experience, with standard bulbs failing more often.

Lack of cooling/heat is usually the cause of premature failure in LED bulbs and I am beginning to suspect that they are more likely to overheat and fail prematurely in light fittings which are more enclosed.
 
Interesting! I thought maybe the fact that the LEDs are attached to filaments, rather than firmly fixed to a solid base, might cause damage due to vibrations. But your experience contradicts this. Your theory makes perfect sense, but would apply to both kinds.
 
I've found the lifespan of LED bulbs to vary greatly from one manufacturer to the next. We bought a big pack of LAP branded LED bulbs from Screwfix which have all failed pretty quickly. The equally cheap ones from Home Bargains are all still working fine though.
 
The opaque ones have a smps in the base. It is this that fails, not the led array.
Most of the time due to the output electrolytic capacitor failing - heat sensitive.
 
davidsrsb said:
The opaque ones have a smps in the base. It is this that fails, not the led array.
Most of the time due to the output electrolytic capacitor failing - heat sensitive.
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Mine stay very, very dimly lit when they "die." Would this tally with your explanation?
 
Kirk said:
The filament versions tend to have shorter live spans than other types of LEDs.
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That is my experience. Are you saying this is a known fact?
But Foxwelljsli says the opposite, unless he thought I was referring to incandescents.
 
Never mind filament vs non-filament... what about dimmable?! I know, I know, start your own topic...

When my daughter was living back home for a couple of years we redid her room to her design and this included a 2-gang dimmer switch. Every LED one we've tried has been a complete disaster, hardly anyone sells them probably for that reason, and we can't buy an actual "proper" candescent one anywhere. We're happy with LED everywhere else, no complaints and find that Status ones from eg Boyes have the right warm light and are extremely well-priced.
 
TheFlash said:
Never mind filament vs non-filament... what about dimmable?! I know, I know, start your own topic...

When my daughter was living back home for a couple of years we redid her room to her design and this included a 2-gang dimmer switch. Every LED one we've tried has been a complete disaster, hardly anyone sells them probably for that reason, and we can't buy an actual "proper" incandescent one anywhere. We're happy with LED everywhere else, no complaints and find that Status ones from eg Boyes have the right warm light and are extremely well-priced.
Click to expand...
Needs to be a trailing-edge dimmer; and only with LEDs that are expressly 'dimmable'.

You can still find GLS incandescents - look for that disappearing thing, the small local hardware store.
 
TheFlash said:
Never mind filament vs non-filament... what about dimmable?! I know, I know, start your own topic...

When my daughter was living back home for a couple of years we redid her room to her design and this included a 2-gang dimmer switch. Every LED one we've tried has been a complete disaster, hardly anyone sells them probably for that reason, and we can't buy an actual "proper" candescent one anywhere. We're happy with LED everywhere else, no complaints and find that Status ones from eg Boyes have the right warm light and are extremely well-priced.
Click to expand...
Boyes! The Harrods of the North! Head office in Northallerton (or is it Scarborough?) and no shops further south than Nottingham. If it's not for sale in Boyes, you don't need it.
 
martin clark said:
Needs to be a trailing-edge dimmer; and only with LEDs that are expressly 'dimmable'.

You can still find GLS incandescents - look for that disappearing thing, the small local hardware store.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I have no idea whether they're trailing edge, I just know they're Schneider and candescents work with them.

Or incandescents apparently. I thought that just meant angry!

We're now out of stock of small local hardware stores here in the Melton Mowbray area; I need to try Middleton's on my next visit to my Kendal pad.

Thanks
 
By far the best dimmers I have tried to date are the Varilight Pro with LED.
Certainly not the cheapest though.
The best filament LEDS have been by Calex.
The big calex bulbs I purchased have been very good to date, and do have a long specified life.
How long that turns out to be? Three years so far.
Varilight
 
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