Fridge light upgrade.

[T i m]

The SES 15W incandescent lamp went (possibly for the second time) in our fridge and I wondered if they did an LED replacement.

It seems they do and I picked one up from Homebase:

(It seems Cooker hood / Fridge lamps are the same thing).

I'd say that as long as it doesn't suffer from being / run at that sort of temperature (fridge in this case) it doesn't seem to be expensive for much more light, less heat (good in a fridge) and a longer lifespan?

It is quite a bit longer than the lamp it replaced but the fitting seemed to accommodate it easily. It wouldn't take a SES LED candle lamp.

Assuming it lasts, I'd recommend it as a general upgrade option. Loads more light with much less heat and hopefully, longer lasting?

OOI, do any fridges come with LED lights as std these days?

Cheers, T i m

[Andy Burns]

Yes, parents' Bosch fridge has LEDs, I think the beam is delivered through a light-pipe arrangement ...

[Lee]

Yep replaced the incandescent with an led lamp in our old Hotpoint. Lasted at least 4 years and was still working when the FF failed for other reasons. That was a standard ses golfball though if that has any bearing.

ISTR there was an opinion that it might be an issue with mechanical fridge thermostats?

And yes our new Samsung comes with a 3*led chip lamp. The light output is utter crap though, you'd think they could engineer a better lamp - given they make enough lcd backlights :)

[Scott]

Mine requires the light to be left on continuously if the ambient temperature falls below 5 degrees. There is a switch to do this. This is to introduce heat to activate the compressor. An LED light would be totally unsuitable as it would not provide enough heat.

[T i m]

Cool. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

<snip>

I think the design of the lamp I linked to possibly better suits 'sideways' light emissions?

Ok?

You would eh. Sometimes they need to stick to what they know?

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

<snip>

Oooerr.

I wonder how many fridges have / do that?

Cheers, T i m

[S Viemeister]

I should hope so...

[Scott]

Not mine, but here is an example:

'The interior light of the refrigerator is lit (with half strength) even when the door is closed. Possible solution: Some pre LED models use the interior light bulb in low ambient temperatures where the freezing capacity can be insufficient in the freezer compartment. The interior light is controlled through the electronic control system or by activating the CoolPlus switch which runs the light at half strength. This ensures operation of the freezer compartment at the correct temperature.'

If yours works in this way then maybe you cannot use an LED bulb.

[Brian Gaff]

Somebody told me theirs is a kind of strip of leds down one side, so I'd assume its been done as it does not use as much or get as warm. Brian

[Pamela]

My fridge-freezer was playing up badly (no cooling at medium settings). I finally replaced the blown bulb and all was well again.

The replacement is a lovely bright LED which seems to have restored the thermostat circuit back to normal.

[Graham.]

Confuses the f*ck out of Schrödinger's cat.

[Scott]

That's odd because if I replaced the bulb with an LED the fridge would not work properly in the winter. I know because when I have forgotten to switch the interior light to continuous, stuff in the freezing compartment starts to defrost.

[T i m]

Yes, that was the thought ... ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

<snip>

So ... if you don't have a freezer compartment, you aren't likely to use the lamp as some form of heater?

Cheers,T i m

[nothanks]

:-) :-)

[Scott]

No, I understood that the compressor stopped running below the minimum ambient temperature affecting the whole operation of the fridge, just that the freezer compartment was the most conspicuous example.

[Scott]

PS see

[Pamela]

I think I was probably lucky the impedance of the 3W LED replacement was enough to complete the circuit correctly.

Originally there was a 15W pigmy bulb which was replaced with this:

[Scott]

But if your fridge requires heat when operating at low ambient temperature, an LED won't provide it. See link elsewhere in thread.