GU10's Failing

[Electron]

Replaced 28No. 12v Halogen with GU10 LED's at a hairdressing salon about 4 years ago. Some time passed and customer asked me to replace a couple which began to fade, which I did. Then a few more failed and I replaced. Now 8 have gone dim and need replacing. Any idea what the problem could be. On/Off switches, no sign of damp or other problems. Asked LedHut, who supplied, but no reply. Never had a problem like this and I'm puzzled.

 

[Midwest]

Didn't you post this somewhere else recently?

 

[marconi]

What make of lamp?

Is the driver suited to the lamp?

Adequate ventilation? - they do get hot.

The original fittings may need replacing with new ones with clean shiny contacts.

Soft switch on or simple switch?

If there is/are a dimmer(s) is/are it/they the right one and not operating at its/their limit?

Are they operating at full brilliance or have you trimmed back at the dimmer by say 5%?

what is the mains supply voltage?

 

[Wilko]

All lamps do eventually fail and the cheaper the quicker would be my finding.

As an example, it’s possible the shop lights have been on 12hrs per day, 6 days a week for 50 weeks per year or about 3,600 hrs per annum. A good lamp installed in good conditions should last say 25,000 hours or about 7 of these example years. At the 4 year mark you’re on the down hill run. Sorry.

 

[marconi]

We run our home on 220V - the CFL and LED lamps, of which we have many and often are on, tend to last longer.

 

[Electron]

What make of lamp?

Is the driver suited to the lamp?

Adequate ventilation? - they do get hot.

Soft switch on or simple switch?

Are they operating at full brilliance or have you trimmed back at the dimmer by say 5%?

what is the mains supply voltage?

5W LedHut 4000k. GU10, so no driver. I think they are Non Dimmable but may be dimmable. 28 Lamps on two circuits each with 10A rocker switches on a multi grid. High ceiling (4M) plasterboard, office above. 230v
Not sure how hot it gets in ceiling void. I'd have to put a thermometer in to find out.

 

[suffolkspark]

If they're just gu10 as you say just replace the lot? Led hut is cheap ---- they're customer support is crap, and I was told they went bust last year then were brought out. Fit something like osram and you should be ok, although I've still even had those fail

 

[Electron]

All lamps do eventually fail and the cheaper the quicker would be my finding.

As an example, it’s possible the shop lights have been on 12hrs per day, 6 days a week for 50 weeks per year or about 3,600 hrs per annum. A good lamp installed in good conditions should last say 25,000 hours or about 7 of these example years. At the 4 year mark you’re on the down hill run. Sorry.

I haven't had any problems with LedHut lamps in the past but I plan to replace these dim lamps with Aurora, which have a lifetime of 25,000 hours

 

[suffolkspark]

I haven't had any problems with LedHut lamps in the past but I plan to replace these dim lamps with Aurora, which have a lifetime of 25,000 hours

I've unfortunately had lots of problems with a wide range of their things, Aurora should be ok, to be fair LAP get a lot of usually deserved flack, but I've had good reliability out of their gu10s, tell you another, BELL. I've never had a single BELL let me down

 

[Electron]

Didn't you post this somewhere else recently?

Yes, but little response. So, tires the Lighting Forum, which is proving a lot more helpful.

 

[marconi]

I use SAXBY and PHILIPS.

 

[telectrix]

i use cheap GU10s from China. about £1.20 each. out of 300 or so, i've had 2 failures in 5 years.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I've unfortunately had lots of problems with a wide range of their things, Aurora should be ok, to be fair LAP get a lot of usually deserved flack, but I've had good reliability out of their gu10s, tell you another, BELL. I've never had a single BELL let me down

I fitted around 50 LAP Gu10 led lamps in my house replacing all the old hologram lamps which most were blown. All on dimmers except the bathroom . In 5 years I have replaced 1lamp.
i just wish I brought more lamps as they were in clearance at my local screwfix at 99p each.

 

[Electron]

I think we all agree that most LED lamps are very reliable, even the cheaper ones from LAP and Tel's cheap Chinese lamps. What I am trying to understand is what could be causing this problem? Is it just faulty bulbs or could it be some other cause and if the latter, what could this be?

 

[suffolkspark]

I think we all agree that most LED lamps are very reliable, even the cheaper ones from LAP and Tel's cheap Chinese lamps. What I am trying to understand is what could be causing this problem? Is it just faulty bulbs or could it be some other cause and if the latter, what could this be?

Just a faulty batch, it happens, I had a job where I fitted 100 megamans, over 15 months they almost all failed and I had to replace the lot

 

[Midwest]

Yes, but little response. So, tires the Lighting Forum, which is proving a lot more helpful.

Query: I normally find the opposite.

 

[DefyG]

What I am trying to understand is what could be causing this problem?

Usage, Age and cheap components!
How long were you expecting them to last?

 

[Dartlec]

I fitted around 50 LAP Gu10 led lamps in my house replacing all the old hologram lamps which most were blown. All on dimmers except the bathroom . In 5 years I have replaced 1lamp.
i just wish I brought more lamps as they were in clearance at my local screwfix at 99p each.

I think they changed their supplier since the new ones look different - but I've also had very few fail - and you can get 50 for £47 non-dimmable. I've had more problem with LED fittings failing tbh.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Lamps are a bit hit and miss in my experience , 12v transformers used to be a bit like that , Some would last ages other would die after 6 months .
even gu10 halogen lamps were very hit & miss .
but as I say in 5 years I have had just 1 Lap led lamp fail at home , that’s pretty good going imo
[automerge]1600983865[/automerge]

I think they changed their supplier since the new ones look different - but I've also had very few fail - and you can get 50 for £47 non-dimmable. I've had more problem with LED fittings failing tbh.

That’s a good price even for non-dim.
i remember the first lap led lamps were about 4 quid a piece , so when I saw them on clearance at 99p each i literally cleared the shelf.
they have come a lot in price in recent years...

 

[Dartlec]

5W LedHut 4000k. GU10, so no driver. I think they are Non Dimmable but may be dimmable. 28 Lamps on two circuits each with 10A rocker switches on a multi grid. High ceiling (4M) plasterboard, office above. 230v
Not sure how hot it gets in ceiling void. I'd have to put a thermometer in to find out.

Is it a higher than average voltage? Or could it be variable? Cheaper drivers may not like 240+ volts, even if it is within spec.

Could also be small surges - in which case an opportunity to fit SPD if they don't already have it.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I think on a job like the OP , I would buy a load of new branded lamps and replace the whole lot In one go.
make a note of the installation date and if they start to fail you will know how long they have lasted.
anything less than a year I would investigate further....

 

[Dartlec]

That’s a good price even for non-dim.
i remember the first lap led lamps were about 4 quid a piece , so when I saw them on clearance at 99p each i literally cleared the shelf.
they have come a lot in price in recent years...

I picked up a load of 4 x G9 capsule lamps at 99p the last time they had a clearout too - should last me years. Surprising what you can pick up if you are the first to spot them at your local branch...

 

[DefyG]

Has an EICR been carried out recently and 500v insulation test been carried out with lamps in circuit?
I cant see it being a 'faulty' lamps after 4 years or more, especially with the usage they will have been subjected to in a hairdressers.
The rated hours are just a guide, not a guarantee that they will last that long.

 

[nicebutdim]

I picked up a load of 4 x G9 capsule lamps at 99p the last time they had a clearout too - should last me years. Surprising what you can pick up if you are the first to spot them at your local branch...

I've bought many different brands of LED lamps over the years - most decent, but a few were of poor quality on terms of colour, longeviety etc.

LAP have generally been very reliable, although G9 was the one lamp I did have trouble with from LAP and I had 2 out of 8 fail within a couple of months. As these have all been in my own home there's no wasted time in travelling to a customer, although I'm always wary of any lamp with which I've had more than one failure.

 

[Electron]

I think on a job like the OP , I would buy a load of new branded lamps and replace the whole lot In one go.
make a note of the installation date and if they start to fail you will know how long they have lasted.
anything less than a year I would investigate further....

I am planning to replace the 8 failed lamps with Aurora ones and see what happens to these. If others fail it will point to faulty lamps, if the Aurora lamps fail it could be a problem with the supply. I'll also place a thermometer in the ceiling void to record the max. and min. temperatures.
[automerge]1601027176[/automerge]

Has an EICR been carried out recently and 500v insulation test been carried out with lamps in circuit?
I cant see it being a 'faulty' lamps after 4 years or more, especially with the usage they will have been subjected to in a hairdressers.
The rated hours are just a guide, not a guarantee that they will last that long.

Not that I am aware of. Surely, if an IR was carried out you would do this from line and neutral to cpc and just at 250vDC.

 

[DefyG]

Not that I am aware of. Surely, if an IR was carried out you would do this from line and neutral to cpc and just at 250vDC.

In an ideal world but errors are sometimes made!

 

[suffolkspark]

I am planning to replace the 8 failed lamps with Aurora ones and see what happens to these. If others fail it will point to faulty lamps, if the Aurora lamps fail it could be a problem with the supply. I'll also place a thermometer in the ceiling void to record the max. and min. temperatures.
[automerge]1601027176[/automerge]

Not that I am aware of. Surely, if an IR was carried out you would do this from line and neutral to cpc and just at 250vDC.

I would genuinly just change them all mate to save face, the cost of the additional lamps for peace of mind and customer relations is nothing compared to the time you will waste on a second visit.