Aldi LED lamps

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's what happens with CFLs too. I'd guess they use a large fan to keep them cool when testing.

Proably the same lab as VW.

[Martin Brown]

That sounds more like the switcher failed dead short to ground and the current limiting resistor and all ancillary components were cooked.

I have only had one of mine from any source fail so far. The 25k hours is for the bare LEDs - I reckon 5k hours is pushing it where the capacitors are concerned and much less if it is cooking in an unsuitable hot enclosure. LEDs don't make much heat but what heat they do produce is more than enough to dry out capacitors over time.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

As if the public care what fails when it stops working?

Seems to come from the same stable as LED watts. Try measuring the actual power consumption from the mains...

[Andy Burns]

Could be, when first digging it out, I wondered if the resistor was there as a fuse, but thought they'd usually use a carbon rather than wirewound for that? Then saw it was "mid" circuit, rather than at the mains input, where I assume they'd put a couple to act as multi-purpose (inrush limiting, current limiting and as a fuse?)

Yes, I know that ... but should they really get away with claiming it on the packaging, with no small print?

The LEDs are on a sizable chunk of aluminium, about 1cm thick, with not much heatsink compound, the whole of the PSU PCB was potted (not in resin but grey, presumably thermal, silicone).

[Dave Liquorice]

I shall have to open up the two that failed here recently. I shall add that they failed when our overnight mains voltage was pushing 255 and occasionally reached 260... What is the German tolerance on the nominal 230 V they are marked?

That's hardly a fair comparison. B-)

[Brian Reay]

Under EU rules, there is a 6 year liability for inherent faults. If the supposed design life is 25000 hrs then it would seem they have an inherent fault. The retailer can't limit it by a warranty which is shorter.

I got a replacement iPhone by quoting this after the Wifi IC failed following one of the IOS updates. The chip failure was a common fault after the update and the IC overheated. I argued the phone had an inherent fault as it was designed to have the OS upgraded.

[tabbypurr]

Indeed. Write them an LBA.

You're not in a strong position in that you can't prove how much use its had, and you can't expect bulb retailers to replace all dead bulbs free. Aldi are in an iffy position from selling goods that don't match their description. So I'd see it as a gamble.

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I've seen the life of an LED quoted as 22,000 hours. About 3 years of continuous use.

Just about right for the usual Lidl etc warranty.

[Timothy Murphy]

I've seen manufacturers and sellers claim this (or similar). I haven't seen any independent testers confirm it.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Well, yes. Seems to me if they want to claim such things, should be backed up by a warranty.

[PeterC]

Those that I got from Ledlam are 50kh and have a 5-year warranty - time will tell...

[Dave Liquorice]

Just hacksawed open one of the failed ones here. Electronics of driver board look OK. I did notice that one of the SMD LED chips was not attached at one end, during further hacking it and two others fell off. These chips appear to be mounted on a 2 mm thick bit of ali that is bonded to a similar thickness collar of ali to act as a heatsink. Other LED chips are not square to their pads and the solder looks grey and mottled so it looks like they might have got a "bit hot" or the orginal flow soldering wasn't up to spec. I'll try soldering the chips back on and powering it back up at some point, however there is a land under the chip that I won't be able to get at. The hot air paint striper gun would blow all the chips off when it melted the solder...

This bulb would have been in use 24/7 in and enclosed (but 60W incandescant rated) fitting. The LED board has what looks like a part number and the numbers "2012-11-1". Unfortunately I don't know when this bulb entered service.