1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Real lifespan of aftermarket LED bulbs

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Robert Holt, Feb 22, 2019.

  1. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Given the reports here, it is clear to me that it likely will NOT.
    And might not give as much raw light output either.
    Pushing an LED to the limit of it's capacity (or beyond) will result in a short life.
     
  2. burebista

    burebista Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2019
    165
    114
    0
    Location:
    Romania
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Sorta off topic but here in "wild" Eastern Europe we cannot replace halogen with led without car recertification.

    Otherwise if Police stops me will fine me, retain driver license and car certificate until I'll recertificate my car.
     
  3. ice9

    ice9 Active Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2019
    581
    343
    1
    Location:
    norfolk va
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I have heard that many of the newer LEDs have EMI problems. The FCC does not regulate consumer LED equivalents which reportedly interfere with some radio devices. I haven't had a chance to verify this.
     
  4. litesong

    litesong Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2011
    371
    122
    0
    Location:
    Everett, WA
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Like you, I can only talk about home LED fixtures. A decade+ ago, I heard LEDs did put out a little heat. But LEDs were vulnerable to even a little heat. Therefore, I looked for bare LED lights that were not enclosed, unlike enclosed incandescent lights. & that seems to be a leading LED characteristic, that non-enclosed LEDs are longer lived that enclosed LEDs. Eventually, I found some bare LEDs that sounded good. The 100 small LEDs were mounted on a flat panel, like many early LEDs. What made them different (& really efficient), is that the flat panel could be rotated, maybe 150degrees, to place light on the objects you need to illuminate most & are directional. The early LEDs were about 4 times more energy efficient than incandescents. But, for directional purposes, these flat, rotating panel LEDs replace 100Watt incandescent lights (which waste 50+% of their energy, over- illuminating the ceiling & high parts of walls), AND use only 7 Watts of electricity,... yes, a 14 TIMES saving of electricity. Several of my $15 LEDs have operated 10,000 (+?) hours, which over their lives, have saved $80 to $90+ of electricity costs. Very roughly, they have saved their initial cost, every 2000 hours of usage, because of their great efficiency over incandescents.
     
    #24 litesong, Mar 15, 2020
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2020
    Robert Holt and Salamander_King like this.
  5. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,958
    8,836
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Yeah, my very first LED bulb still going strong has outlasted some compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) installed many years later. I now have replaced most of CFL with LED. Unlike CFL, LED is not prone to the low-temperature operation or frequent on and off operation. So far, I have not had a single LED bulb failure. Oh, just so others reading this comment do not get confused, this comment is all about LED replacement for regular e26 medium base bulb.
     
    litesong likes this.
  6. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2011
    6,972
    3,209
    1
    Location:
    NJ
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    Same here, I have incandescent bulbs that lasted longer than the CFL bulbs.
     
    Salamander_King likes this.
  7. iskoos

    iskoos Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 24, 2017
    399
    246
    0
    Location:
    Orlando, FL
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    When I bought my Prius used, it came with all LEDs (interior and license plate). The front park lights were original incandescent. One of those parking light bulbs burned out and I replaced both with LEDs I got from ebay. I must have picked the worst ones because a set doesn't even go for a month before one of them starts flickering. I am glad I didn't use the same to replace all the interior ones. It would have been a disaster.

    LEDs are good but they have their own disadvantages. If you buy cheap ones, it will cost you an arm and a leg down the road...
     
  8. Peter123

    Peter123 Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2018
    130
    126
    1
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    This is a problem on cheaper headlight replacements with a switching power supply. I have not seen or heard of it being a problem on the smaller LEDs.
     
    ice9 likes this.
  9. ice9

    ice9 Active Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2019
    581
    343
    1
    Location:
    norfolk va
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius
    Model:
    Four

    I have heard it, but have not been able to confirm it. I plan to check it out myself to see if the interior LEDs interfere with shortwave sometime this year.
     
  10. cnc97

    cnc97 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2018
    1,416
    1,525
    38
    Location:
    Evansville, IN
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I have Sylvania branded LED bulbs everywhere but my headlights, visor courtesy light, and the license plate lights. They have been burning with no issue for 23 months and counting. The LED plate lights from Wish lasted me like 19 months.