Kitchen spotlights

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Kitchen spotlights - lifetime

Dulouz

806 posts

Ultimate Geek

#281541 23-Feb-2021 22:07

I'm having issues with the lifetime of my kitchen spotlights. Previously I had halogen's where I had issues with the fittings failing with a few years with light no longer working. Over the last few years I've replaced with all with LED fittings hoping that they would last a lot longer. I've just had a light in two different fittings fail. I'm not sure how long they have been in but a thing 2-3 years. Is there anything that could be either installation related or circuit-related which is shortening the life of my spotlight fittings?

Amanon

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pih

394 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2662001 23-Feb-2021 23:37

Expected LED lifetime can vary wildly from about a year to (theoretically) 10-20 or more. There are a lot of factors to consider, many of which you haven't given any indication of:

- brand and model of LED?
- ambient temperature (eg. are they above a fireplace or something)?
- are dimmers used? what type?
- if so, are the bulbs rated for use with dimmers?

I've known high quality LEDs to last as little as 2-3 years under less than ideal conditions, and cheap ones can last much less.

richms

25143 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#2662004 23-Feb-2021 23:43

If they are GU10 style ones, then that is about right IME for them. There are cheaper nastier ones that seem to last longer but have no power supply to burn out, so are a flickery mess. All the philips and some other brand ones I got as stopgap lighting died quickly.

Richard rich.ms

Huntakillaz

183 posts

Master Geek

#2662007 24-Feb-2021 00:37

I bought a bunch of cheapo gu10's from the uk before we started getting them here, they've been lasting a few years easily in the kitchen.

But as above there's no guarantee

what sort of temps does the heat get up there when cooking and stuff?

Moisture issue?

SirHumphreyAppleby

1967 posts

Uber Geek

#2662010 24-Feb-2021 07:11

Do the fittings have glass on the front?

LEDs don't like heat. I removed the glass from ours and haven't had a bulb fail since.

Dulouz

806 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2662012 24-Feb-2021 07:30

Interesting ideas. Some of the lights are from M10 and some from Lighting Direct. I had thought because we had high chapel style ceilings that moisture/heat wouldn't be an issue but one set is above the dishwasher which lets out a belch of steam when we open the door early. So maybe?

The other set is close to the oven so that may be a factor as well. (although that set just started working again??).

The key thing I want to reassure myself of is there isn't a fault with the circuit or my installation. I'm also going to start keeping better records so I know what they are and how long they have been installed.

Amanon

mulac

124 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

#2662096 24-Feb-2021 09:52

SirHumphreyAppleby:

Do the fittings have glass on the front?

LEDs don't like heat. I removed the glass from ours and haven't had a bulb fail since.

This ^

Placing LED bulbs into Halogen fittings that don't dissipate heat will cause fast fails. Especially enclosed fittings. Try the above, otherwise I'd look at replacing the entire fitting itself with integrated LEDs.

Dulouz

806 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2662103 24-Feb-2021 10:24

SirHumphreyAppleby:

Do the fittings have glass on the front?

LEDs don't like heat. I removed the glass from ours and haven't had a bulb fail since.

No, they were LED fittings from new.

Amanon

nash

12 posts

Geek

#2662120 24-Feb-2021 11:10

Agree, heat is a big factor when it comes to longevity for LED's. The cheaper LED's don't general have a great heatsinks.

Hard to get a decent heatsink setup on a gu10 because of it's form factor and limited space in the housing.

The drivers are also important, being a gu10 there won't be a driver as they are mains rated.

Side note... I installed x50 dimmable LED down lights about 5 years ago when we renovated and haven't had a single failure.

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek

#2662158 24-Feb-2021 12:13

Dulouz:

some from Lighting Direct.

I bought some dimmable "Ledlux" E27 for 3 x pendant lights from there, one of them failed within a few months. Used a "Ledlux" brand LED dimmer on the circuit too.

My experience with them in getting a replacement was not good. Retail assistant claimed that they "weren't authorised" to give refund or replacement, they'd need to contact a manager, the manager wasn't available or even on site, so I had to dig in as I was clearly getting the runaround over a $30 bulb. The assistant did give me a replacement bulb, but IIRC I had to demand that she contact "head office" while I waited at the counter. Wasted an hour of my time for a $30 light bulb. I'll never buy anything from them again nor recommend them to anybody.

While their "warranty" may insist on their product not marked "DIY" being installed by a licensed electrician, that doesn't get them out of the CGA if the product was faulty/unfit for purpose.

Groucho

439 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2662173 24-Feb-2021 12:33

I bought my parents some FSL branded non-dimmable GU10's from PB Tech to use in 4 x single bulb fittings in the peak corners of their cathedral ceiling. Admittedly it's a lounge rather than kitchen so different environment but over 3 years give or take and consistent daily use have never skipped a beat.

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/BULFSL1105001/FSL-LED-Bulb-GU10-6W---GU10---Warm-White-3000K---5

duckDecoy

560 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2662175 24-Feb-2021 12:35

I may be in the same mindset as the OP, when I bought my LEDs I was under the impression that they will last aaaaaaggggggggeeeeeeeessssssss , not just a few years.

nash

12 posts

Geek

#2662228 24-Feb-2021 15:07

Groucho:
I bought my parents some FSL branded non-dimmable GU10's from PB Tech to use in 4 x single bulb fittings in the peak corners of their cathedral ceiling. Admittedly it's a lounge rather than kitchen so different environment but over 3 years give or take and consistent daily use have never skipped a beat.

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/BULFSL1105001/FSL-LED-Bulb-GU10-6W---GU10---Warm-White-3000K---5

Wait, is Lighting Direct, expecting a bulb to be fitted or replaced by an electrician!? What a joke.