Why an LED bulb fails early — and it is rarely the LED

An LED that fails in months has almost never had its diodes burn out. The failure is usually elsewhere in the lamp.

The driver

Every LED bulb contains a small power supply converting mains AC to low-voltage DC. This is the component that fails most often, and it is the difference between a cheap lamp and a better one at the same brightness.

Heat

LEDs dislike heat. A bulb in a fully enclosed fitting runs far hotter than the same bulb in an open one, and heat shortens driver life. If a fitting is closed, choose a lamp rated for enclosed use where the specification states it.

Supply

Voltage fluctuation and frequent surges shorten driver life. In areas with an unstable supply, the driver quality matters more than the lumen figure.

Flicker

Visible flicker usually means the driver is struggling or the lamp is on a dimmer it was not made for. Not every LED is dimmable — the page says so where the supplier states it.

What we can help with

We can compare the specifications listed for two lamps with you. We are a retailer, not an electrical contractor: we do not install, wire or repair, and anything mains-connected should be fitted by a qualified electrician.