How long do LEDs really last? (2024)

FAQs

How long do LEDs really last? ›

On average, LED lights can last up to 50,000 hours. That's approximately 50 times longer than a typical incandescent bulb and 20-25 times longer than a typical halogen bulb. This translates to about 11 years of continuous operation or 22 years of 50% operation.

While incandescent light bulbs were built to last around 1,000 hours, the most enduring LED light fixtures have been tested to last as long as 100,000 hours. On average LED light bulbs will not have to be changed for at least 20 years.

If your LED's are dying early, you're not alone.

That's about 6-11 years of straight use! Maybe you've noticed that if you look at LED packaging today those claims have come way down to anywhere from 10,000 to 25,000 hours.

However, they don't burn out in the same way that traditional bulbs do. Incandescent and halide bulbs will suddenly stop working when they reach the end of their life cycle, sometimes in a violent fashion, while LED lights gradually lose brightness until they finally degrade fully.

The industry standard for LED lamp failure is considered to be three percent but can be as high as 10 percent depending on the product application. However, some surveys have shown failure rates up to 20 percent or higher. That means two out of every ten lamps can be expected to fail.

LED Lighting

The operating life of a LED is unaffected by turning it on and off. While lifetime is reduced for fluorescent lamps the more often they are switched on and off, there is no negative effect on LED lifetime. This characteristic gives LEDs several distinct advantages when it comes to operations.

How to calculate LED lifespan? Calculating the lifespan in years is easy. If we suppose that an LED light is on for an average of 7 hours a day for 365 days, this will add up to 2555 hours a year. If the LED light has an expected lifespan of 25,000 operating hours, it will last 9.7 years!

Heat can damage the circuitry of LED bulbs and cause them to wear out. Encasing an LED in a tight fixture doesn't allow the heat to escape, and this can speed the process. If you're using LED bulbs in a fixture or a hot environment, it's smart to buy bulbs with a heat sink.

While other light bulbs can get extremely hot when you turn them on, LED lights usually only get slightly warm, if at all (they may even feel cold to the touch). It is because LEDs use less energy than other bulbs, which means they don't waste as much energy producing unnecessary heat.

On average, LED strip lights have an average lifespan of 50,000 hours! However, this is an average estimation. A LED's impressive lifespan depends on the manufacturing quality and how you use them in your home. You can get approximately six years of continuous use out of your strip lights if you properly maintain them.

Can LEDs catch fire? ›

Since they are much cooler than other types of strip lights, the chances of them starting a fire are small, even if they are hot to the touch. However, there is a minuscule chance of the LED light strips malfunctioning or overheating, resulting in a fire. This usually only happens with low-quality LED strips.

Many basic LED light fixture designs incorporate the LED driver into the design for convenience. However, the drivers themselves generate heat and are also adversely affected by heat. Bolting them to a hot heatsink is about the worst treatment they can get and subsequently this causes premature failures.

Over time, this filament gets hotter, weaker and eventually burns out. LEDs, however, do not contain a filament and instead illuminate using a semiconductor. So instead of just instantly burning out like traditional bulbs, LED lights age over time and progressively get dimmer until they stop working altogether.

LED bulbs afford in the region of 50,000 hours of light, with some brands boasting as many as 100,000 hours. In general, terms, if you use your lights for 10 hours each day, LEDs should serve you well for just shy of 14 years.

Light bulbs that are 100% energy efficient would have the ability to convert all electricity to light, while not producing any heat. Generally, LED bulbs are 90% efficient, CFL bulbs 85% efficient, while incandescent bulbs are only 10% efficient.

One of the drawbacks of LED lighting technology is that it often has lower wattage, which reduces its efficacy. While LEDs are more energy efficient, they do not generate as much light as higher-wattage lighting solutions and may not be ideal for certain applications.

While the lifespan of LED lighting depends on its use and application, most standard lamps last 50,000 hours, while dimmable LED lamps can last nearly 100,000 hours. For facilities like hospitals and distribution centers that have lights on 24/7, that (theoretically) could mean longevity of six years.

LED bulbs generate heat, and if they are not properly ventilated, they can overheat and fail prematurely. Overheating can also be caused by installing the wrong type of bulb in a fixture that is not designed for LED bulbs.

Here are some signs that your LED bulbs are going bad: The bulb appears noticeably dimmer than before, or the light output fluctuates. Colors appear dull or inaccurate compared to how they look in natural light. Light flickers or stutters erratically.

All LED chips can last more than 100,000 hours, but that has no bearing on the lifespan of the luminaire itself.