How long do LED lights last?

This depends on a number of factors. We will try to give you a clear idea of what exactly you can expect from LED lighting.

LED bulbs

Classic halogen bulbs are being increasingly replaced by LED bulbs, also called retrofit bulbs. These last much longer than halogen bulbs. However, the capacity of LED bulbs is still limited by the electronics in the lighting, which make the LED bulb run on the existing voltage of halogen bulbs. Furthermore, an LED bulb must remain cool. If LED lighting heats up, it will stop working. The limited cooling of retrofit bulbs reduces their life span. Moreover, switching the light on and off frequently will not help improve the number of burning-hours. All things considered, the average life span of an LED bulb is currently around 20,000 - 25,000 hours.

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Integrated LED

Integrated LED is LED lighting that is integrated into the fixture. The disadvantage of this is that when the LED stops working, you need to replace the entire fixture. To compensate for this, an integrated LED has an extremely long lifespan. The power supply is usually external and separate from the LED, which is good for the quality of the electronics in the power supply component. If the power supply no longer functions, it can be easily replaced without having to replace the LED. The average life span of an LED integrated in a fixture is 40,000 to 50,000 hours. You should take into account that this may vary a lot. For example, there are still significant differences in quality between different LED chips.

LED modules

A third option is the LED modules. This combines the best of the two abovementioned options. An LED module can be directly connected to the power supply. Hence, no fittings are required. All the components are separate in an LED module. The necessary electronics to make the LED work is located in the external power supply. So if the electronics in the external power supply fail, you can simply replace the power supply component. The downside is, however, that LED modules are more difficult to use in fixtures with special shapes. Just as in the case of integrated LEDs, the average life span of LED modules is 40,000 to 50,000 hours. ClickFit spotlights are specially made for LED modules. These spotlights have a clicking system that makes it possible to hold the LED module, without using a fitting.

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In practice

Here are some practical examples to give you a better idea of how long 25,000 hours precisely is.

In a shop that is open every day except Sunday and where the lights are on for 9 hours each day, LED lights will last approximately 8 years and 10 months.

Offices are open for an average of 250 days a year. If we assume that the lights stay on for 10 hours each day, here the LED lights will last for 10 years.

In a living room, the lights will be on every day (except for a few days when the family is on vacation), although this will be mainly in the evening. If the lights are on for an average of 3 hours per day, the LED will last 23 years and 9 months.

Naturally, the lights in the bathroom are used much less than in the living room. Here, the LED will last as long as 71 years and 5 months, if the lights are on for 1 hour per day. In this context, it must be mentioned we are not taking into account the wear-and-tear on the electronics of the LED. If the electronics fail, the LED will no longer work. However, an LED that lasts 71 years is (for the time being) a pipe dream.