Submitted by ilostmyselfuk t3_z57lx4 in DIY
CarlWinslo9 t1_ixur8xn wrote
Is it an integrated led fixture? They don't have bulbs they have light engines and the whole thing needs to be replaced. When led first came out they said they would last forever. Now we know it's about 50,000 hours hopefully with a L70 dim.
However its usually not the led that fails its the electronics.
luciensadi t1_ixus0aa wrote
Yeah, I think non-changeable residential LED light fixtures are a fad that's going to go away in the next decade or so as more people run into the hard truth that a failed fixture means replacement of the whole thing instead of just a bulb. As OP's discovering, a failed built-in LED means that you'll struggle with:
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Finding something that matches the design of your existing fixtures ("sorry, they stopped making that design about four years ago when it went off-trend")
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Getting a plastic color match to your existing fixtures ("look, I know the ones you have are yellowed with age / bleached from sun exposure, but I can't make that happen for this one that's been in the box this whole time")
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Climbing a ladder and doing a full fixture replacement complete with de-coupling and re-coupling the electrical connections in the wall
There's a great Technology Connections video about the topic that I'd recommend to anyone who wants to go down the lighting rabbit hole!
noronto t1_ixvwwwe wrote
This channel is legit. I got my wife to watch the dishwasher video, and now I can buy cheap and easy old school powder.
RebelJustforClicks t1_ixwaopr wrote
I tried old school powder in ours and the goo honestly works much better for us.
In order of effectiveness it's goes:
dark green cascade gel bottle > light green gel bottle > cascade powder > any kind of pods
noronto t1_ixwf6ht wrote
My dishwasher has one crank style knob, so the fact that my wife used Cascade Platinum Pods with Gold Flakes seemed a little pricey for the machine.
schwidley t1_ixws0kl wrote
Dark green cascade for sure. Was using the light for awhile and my glasses started getting really cloudy. After a few washes with the dark green they're clear again.
just2043 t1_ixxa4wq wrote
I had this issue and ended up just needed a rinse aid. $5 bottle has made it about six months with nearly half of the bottle left.
SLAPUSlLLY t1_ixy51f4 wrote
Try using white vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser. Works great, very cheap and 100 uses around the home. (I sound like a infomercial).
RebelJustforClicks t1_ixwxaq7 wrote
Apparently they are designed for different kinds of mess. The light green is better on some stuff and the dark green is better on other stuff, just we typically have whatever the dark green is better for on our dishes.
MidniteMustard t1_ixwqeki wrote
In my experience cascade platinum actually does work better, but it's unnecessary for 95% of loads.
It might be worth keeping a few around to use only on heavy duty loads.
internetlad t1_ixxuhea wrote
I use the gel for prewash and pods for main wash. Gets 98% of stuff clean. Sometimes there's a knife or bowl that has some baked on crap or whatever but it's good enough for army work.
Taleya t1_ixwgqe3 wrote
We've got a benchtop (rental) and honestly yes, gel all the way.
MidniteMustard t1_ixwqjqz wrote
The powder clumps for me. Probably due to moisture from grabbing the box with not totally dry hands.
RootTootPrintNShoot t1_ixxgw4y wrote
Lmao. We put ours in a wide mouth pickle jar.
MidniteMustard t1_ixxib4t wrote
Solid idea!
noronto t1_ixz6m0w wrote
I empty the box of powder into the old economy sized pod container and keep a giant spoon in it for scooping.
I also made a tape handle to make the container easy to grab.
CarlWinslo9 t1_ixuyfzt wrote
We call those legacy product now. You can use drop in led bulbs and I think its the way to go but it comes down to cost. Led wafers are very cheap and quick to install. Basiv Led reccessed cans are ic rated without sockets. I see more integrated led in my professional life everyday.
Controllerpleb t1_ixwod64 wrote
Could you go into more detail? I work at a hardware store and I'd love to be able to give better advice to my customers.
MidniteMustard t1_ixwqpud wrote
It makes some sense for new construction.
No way I'm installing built-in bulb fixtures on my 70 year old homes wiring. I want to mess with it as little as possible.
Leafy0 t1_ixvwh5v wrote
I don’t think it’s going to go away for longer. In new construction it’s going to be replaced with low voltage systems with smart controllers. For older homes that kind of retrofit doesn’t make sense, but it does make sense to swap out your fixtures every 5 to 10 years like you probably were going to anyways.
Yangoose t1_ixxxwhy wrote
I sure as shit do not replace light fixtures every 5-10 years...
Weeniebuttcorgo t1_ixwpu41 wrote
Architectural Lighting Designer here, they probably aren't a fad, but manufacturers are working on developing fixtures where individual components are more easily replaceable so that the whole fixture doesn't have to be replaced.
There is also a conversation going on regarding whether the waste from replacing fixtures and emissions from manufacturing outweighs the ecological benefits of using less power with LEDs. The current answer is probably yeah it does, but manufacturers are reluctant to provide concrete data on that sort of thing.
MeshColour t1_ixw1kr0 wrote
Devil's advocate. The integrated fixtures can be designed to handle the heat and light better and produce a product that lasts much longer than many bulbs and illuminates more evenly than bulbs
Albeit you only know you're getting that if you're paying a premium for the fixture...
So my advice is buy brand name/high quality if you're installing a led fixture, and generally in a more classic style that isn't too "innovative", all the issues you mention is a risk, but most of the time this type should last as long as most people are in a house So it's likely someone else's problem at least (classic designs you can find something similar enough to match for decades to come)
A different comment mentioned they can be rated for 50,000 hours, which is over 5 years of being on 24/7
Yangoose t1_ixxyrgk wrote
It's one thing if it's a $20 hallway light.
It's another thing altogether when it's a $1,500 chandelier for your dining room that's just gonna have to go in the dumpster in 5-10 years when the LED's give out.
Uhgfda t1_ixvn8ls wrote
> Climbing a ladder and doing a full fixture replacement complete with de-coupling and re-coupling the electrical connections in the wall
Possibly having to rip out drywall and/or deal with "renno"style fixtures as replacement.
selflessass t1_ixvo57u wrote
It usually only requires the replacement of the driver, which is marginally cheaper than replacing the whole light, but cheaper nonetheless. Source: I'm an electrician.
MeshColour t1_ixw2vdw wrote
How easy are drivers to find these days, for consumers? Are there electrical supply places that I should give a call if I need good quality ones?
I've ordered a few cheap af ones to play with from China/eBay, but don't think I'd trust those to be installed in my ceiling (they are designed to unknown safety standards)
selflessass t1_ixyvmyu wrote
I get them from electrical supply houses. If you get them the part number, they will often get you an exact match. As for availability, I've seen lead times of a week to a couple of months, so it depends on how soon you want that light working.
Hagenaar t1_ixwrb07 wrote
Worth noting that if that 50000hr number is correct, that's 8hrs per day for 17yr.
VexingRaven t1_ixy7910 wrote
Isn't this the TC video where he ultimately concludes that replaceable LED fixtures is fine and not really any different from replacing a bulb in a socket?
MeshColour t1_ixw0dca wrote
>50,000 hours hopefully
At 8 hours per day, that's 17 years
On 24/7, that's 5.7 years
Compared to any other consumer lightbulb in history, that is forever
I've only had led bulbs fail when they've been in heat-trapping fixtures, which was also from before bulbs started being labeled as either "safe for enclosed" or "not safe for enclosed"
Revolutionary_Tale17 t1_ixw2tjn wrote
They never last that long. I replaced all the recessed lights in my house with LEDs that were supposed to last 10 years, within 1 year 2 of the 24 had died and the shipping and handling to get the replacements under warranty was more than buying a new bulb. LEDs are a fucking scam.
Blastercorps t1_ixw5vbs wrote
That sounds like your house has dirty power. Semiconductors like LEDs don't like that.
Cynyr36 t1_ixw9y78 wrote
Basically everywhere in the USA has dirty power at the residential level.
Blastercorps t1_ixwn1uo wrote
Yes, but there are degrees. I have LED bulbs 5 years and counting. 1-2 years is bad.
Throwaway152738sghsh t1_ixwhnpl wrote
Might’ve gotten a bad batch. I know a local business that had to replace tons of them in new houses because a specific manufacturer had issues with one of their production runs and they would go out/or flicker non-stop within the first few years at random. Replaced about 15 of them in my own house within the first few years of a new build. “Luckily” lightning struck the house and insurance paid to replace them all with another brand and no more flickering led’s now.
Taleya t1_ixwh4ml wrote
That's an issue then because unless you got a whole house UPS you're damned hard pressed to find residential power worldwide that isn't. Nature of the beast.
11Kram t1_ixwazl0 wrote
LEDs use about 10% of the energy an incandescent bulb uses. We noticed a significant difference in electricity bills after replacing over 50 recessed halogen lights throughout the house.
ede91 t1_ixw6sjk wrote
LEDs aren't a scam, non replaceable fixtures are a scam. Funny thing is, that existed already with previous energy saving light bulbs. They were a scam then, they are a scam now. People don't learn, or there are always new gullible people.
Awordofinterest t1_ixwfopa wrote
When you look up Dubai lamps you will realise the LED's available around the world are a scam. The problem is that bulb manufacturers need people to buy bulbs again. With truly efficient LED's this doesn't happen.
There is a reason tool brands like Makita aren't as good as they used to be. Having an item last a lifetime isn't as profitable.
RobotSlaps t1_ixxgoj3 wrote
It doesn't have to be that way though. It's a series of LED elements in a voltage dropper. Then they need to get rid of some heat.
Most of the time it's a capacitor in the voltage dropper that fails. I have cell phone chargers with the same technology that are 12 years old at this point. We need to stop making garbage components. Some of them do have LED failures, usually because they're not designed to get rid of the heat efficiently or the bulbs aren't designed to be in an enclosed fixture.
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