What Happens When an LED Reaches the End of Its Rated Life?

LED lights are the latest and greatest innovation in lighting technology, and the truth is; they’re worth the hype. They do all of the things you want your lightbulb to do but better than you could hope.

They’re powerful, able to light up whatever you want. They’re directional, able to light up exactly what you want, with no light wasted. They’re environmentally friendly, both because they don’t contain any hazardous substances and because they’re incredibly energy efficient (135 lumens+ per watt). They can be rendered in any color you want. They are durable, able to withstand both physical force and cold temperatures. They’re controllable, able to be adjusted for light and color on the go. And finally, they have an incredibly long-life span.

All of these things save you money (on replacements and energy bills), and are beneficial to the environment (no hazardous chemicals, less replacements, great energy efficiency).

With all of these benefits, it’s hard to resist investing in an LED bulb, but one thing you might be asking yourself is; what do I do once my LED reaches the end of its life?

What to Do When Your LED Runs Out of Rated Life

So, some LED lights don’t have this problem. LED lightbulbs that are screwed or pinned into place are easily replaced, just as any other lightbulb. You simply remove them and insert a new lightbulb. What we’re talking about is fixtures with built in LED modules. Fortunately, this problem is pretty uncommon, as these LED modules can last up to 35,000 hours. And if that sounds like a long time, it is. That’s over 1450 days of use or approximately 4 years of use with the LED module on 24 hours a day. That only includes the amount of time that the light is actually on for, too. So, if you keep your LED light on for 12 hours of the day, it will last 8 years. If you only use it 6 hours a day, it will last 16 years.

But, as might be the case for this article’s reader, there does come a time when the LED module will no longer function. It’s been a great run, but it’s finally over. So, what do you do now?

Well, hopefully, you have a lifetime warranty on your LED fixture, meaning the manufacturer will replace or repair that module free of cost. So, yes, you do have to repair or replace it, but it hopefully won’t cost you any money. Instead, you’ll do a simple replacement and won’t have to worry about it for another several years!

If you don’t have a warranty, then you’ve still probably got your money’s worth, but you’ll have to shell out some more cash for a new fixture. The bottom line is, you’ll have to replace the fixture no matter what. It’s just a matter of whether or not you have a warranty. In this case, at least you can consider a new fixture altogether, maybe switch things up a bit.

It may already be too late for you now, but when investing in an LED module, you should make sure to get that lifetime warranty. It’ll save you hassle and money down the road.

More questions about LED average rated life?

If you have any more specific questions about LED’s, feel free to contact us at beautiful things lighting! Our Lighting Specialists can answer any and all questions regarded the rated life of LEDs. Whether it is integrated LED’s or regular LED bulbs, our experts can help you out!