Questions tagged [led]

For questions regarding lighting that uses LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology.

Questions that relate to the use of LED bulbs and fixtures, their selection and use.

This is not for LEDs that are part of much larger pieces of equipment such as TVs, clocks and similar.

LEDs are solid state devices that convert electric potential (voltage) into light output. They are some of the most efficient sources of light available and, although expensive, are preferred to incandescent bulbs and compact fluorescent bulbs as the former are notoriously inefficient and the latter contain elemental mercury (environmental hazard if broken).

Unlike CFLs and incandescents, LEDs do not need a glass envelope to contain their functioning parts, but are made of plastic. This makes them much more durable and almost impossible to shatter.

There does not seem to be an industry trade group dedicated to LEDs or their manufacturers, but Wikipedia has a good page on the subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LED_lamp

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Why do my LED lights stay on, even when the switch is off?

I have two LED lamps in my corridor, and when I switch them off, they keep emitting light (not very strong, but it's annoying at night). What can it be? How can I fix it?
opalenzuela
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LED Light bulbs burning out much sooner than expected

My family at my house use EcoSmart LED lightbulbs that are rated for 9W, and the box says they are replacements for 60W incandescent bulbs. It says have a "long life". However, upon connecting them to light sockets, they immediately get very hot.…
Proxy303
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Why do my led bulbs state: not for use in totally enclosed luminaires?

I recently bought some nice inexepensive LED bulbs but I noticed the warning states: (see image below) not for use in totally enclosed luminaires I am guessing that it gets too hot but I find it interesting that it doesn't add that part to the…
raddevus
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Is is safe to use LED strips that shine onto stair risers instead of directly onto treads?

I'm planning to mount LED strips under the treads of the outdoor wood staircase to our back yard. I'd like to avoid light shining into peoples' eyes while climbing stairs, so I'm considering mounting the LED strips in a 45-degree aluminum channel…
Justin Grant
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Are integrated LEDs a riskier purchase than screw-in bulbs?

A lot of LEDs on the market these days are "integrated", meaning that the LEDs themselves and the housing is all bundled together. You screw the whole thing into the ceiling, and connect the wires to your circuit. But what do you do when the lights…
gomennathan
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Lutron LED/CFL Dimmer switch turns lights off the wrong way, up is down and down is up. What's the problem?

I bought the $20 Lutron Dimmer Switch (TGCL-153PH-WH) from my local big box hardware store. It dims the Cree LED bulbs great. There is just one problem... no matter how I install the wires the switch always tuns off in wrong position. The dimmer is…
John
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Can I safely use a 9w LED bulb in place of a 40w incandescent?

I bought a reading lamp that on the box says: Max 1x40W The shop also sold me an LED light bulb that says: 9W=75W So my question is, can I use light bulb or not? I am confused between the 75W and the max of 40W mentioned for the lamp
Jim
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What do I need to install LED strip lighting?

I've been looking to install LED strips, either RGB or white for lighting and ambiance. It wouldn't be the main lighting of the room, so no necessity for high power LEDs. The perimeter of the room is a little less than 25 meters. Looking around in…
sazpaz
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What should I do to increase the dimming range of LED bulbs?

We started doing most of our homes in LED last year. I am a big dimmer fan and would pretty much put a dimmer on any light switch. One thing that I haven't gotten down is the dimming range of the LED vs what I am used to with the incandescent…
DMoore
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What does that mean if my LED light bulb starts blinking when I turned it on?

I have an LED light bulb: Philips 60W incandescent equivalent I've owned it for about a year and have been very happy with it. This morning when I turned it on, it started blinking. Not flickering, but a very deliberate one second on, one second…
Stephen Ostermiller
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Why won't a LED bulb work in a standard light fixture?

I have a wall fixture in my Brooklyn apartment's bathroom that is my only source of light. A sticker on the fixture says that it is Max 75W. The other day, the 14W / 60W equivalent CFL that was in it since I moved in burned out and I had to replace…
Colin
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Why is the LED bulb wattage limit in my lamps so much lower than the Incandescent limit?

My lamp specifies that the bulb limit is "60w Incandescent / 10w LED" LEDs are more efficient and give off less heat. Shouldn't I be able to put in a higher wattage LED bulb? (regardless of the brightness difference)
Dan Taylor
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Can I use an LED bulb in a 3-Way fixture?

Is it possible to use an LED bulb in a 3-way light fixture? Will all three settings (low, medium and high) work?
user2676
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How much power do LED smart bulb wireless control systems consume when the light is turned off?

I've been shifting to LED light bulbs due to the energy savings but I've a question about the new smart bulbs that are controllable via Alexa etc. These need to be kept "on" via the switch for them to respond to Alexa / Google etc. So what's the…
curious_cat
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Is an extra 1 W that significant with LED bulbs?

I recently replaced a ceiling light fixture with a ceiling fan with two light sockets that have a maximum rating of 9 W for LED bulbs. The bulbs in the original fixture are 10 W LED and dimmable. The bulbs that came with the fan are non-dimmable. …
linux2647
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