How long can LED Lights stay on: burning out in a literal way

How long can LED Lights stay on? LED light is a miracle that few people appreciate. Unlike many traditional light bulbs, LEDs produce minimal amounts of heat. They are energy efficient, sturdy, and environmentally friendly. And, of course, have a longer lifespan.

How long though, you might ask?

That’s what this article is for. We’ll tell how long can LED lights stay on, as well as other handy facts about LED bulbs.

What are LED lights so popular?

LED lights, or light-emitting diode lights, are a type of lighting technology that uses diodes to produce light. A diode is an electronic component that allows current to flow in one direction while blocking it in the opposite end. It’s made of a semiconductor material, typically silicon or germanium.

Typical characteristics of LED bulbs are:

• Energy-efficiency
• Long-lasting
• Not so cheap
• Cool to the touch
• Durable
• Environmentally friendly

While LED bulbs were invented more than 50 years ago, we started using them massively only recently. In the past manufacturers couldn’t make them bright, and so they were used only as small indicators. But now they are superior, even brighter than traditional incandescent light bulbs.

How long can LED lights stay on compared to other light bulbs?

A short answer is, for a very long time.

As a rule of thumb, LED lights last 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.

For comparison, incandescent bulbs work up to 2000 hours. Halogen bulbs work up to 4000 hours. Fluorescent bulbs work for long periods, up to 36,000 hours.

But LED lights take the crown, as they can work up to 50,000 hours in general. They are the longest-working bulbs at the moment.

How can LED lights work for so long?

Why do incandescent bulbs have a much shorter lifespan compared to the lifespan of an LED? There are two main reasons:

Firstly, traditional light bulbs have a gentle filament inside them. That’s a thin spiral in the center of a bulb that emits light when electricity pours through it. Because filaments are so thin, it’s prone to break sooner.

Secondly, traditional light bulbs emit light when they are heated with electricity. Shocking 90% of the electrical energy in such bulbs is wasted on producing heat, and just 10% is used to emit light. Not only does this heat slowly destroy incandescent bulbs from the inside, but it also makes us waste energy and money.

LEDs are much more efficient, and they use 90% of the output energy to emit light rather than heat.

Leaving LED Bulbs on 24/7

Everyone forgets to turn off the light at least once in their lifetime. Are there any repercussions, you might wonder?

Yes, it is generally safe to leave LED lights on 24/7. LED bulbs produce very little heat and can work for extended periods without setting themselves and your flat on fire.

However, it doesn’t mean that you should leave the light bulb stay on for such a long period.

Things you should know before leaving LEDs stay on overnight

While leaving LED lights on for such a period is safe in general, it’s still not a good thing to do for a variety of reasons.

For example, the electric bills. No one likes to pay extra. While LEDs are known for their energy efficiency, they consume electricity.

Leaving them on throughout the night means increasing your energy bill.

It’s bad for a light bulb as well. Most LEDs work for ages and barely emit heat, but overnight usage makes them gradually warmer, which in turn affects their lifespan and performance.

Conserving energy is not only beneficial for your wallet but also for the environment. Leaving LEDs on overnight unnecessarily contributes to energy wastage.

In summary, leaving LEDs on overnight can incrementally increase your electricity bill, potentially affect the lifespan of the LEDs, pose a small fire risk, and contribute to unnecessary energy consumption.

LED lights forms

Now with the big questions out of the way, let us be your guiding light in the world of LED lights. The pun intended.

LEDs come in diverse forms for different uses.

• Ordinary LED bulbs. Used to light up the room.
• LED strip lights. Come in the form of long bands of various neon colors. Often used for decorative purposes.
• Christmas lights. Come in a vast array of colors and lengths. Unlike other LED forms, they might be hanging outside, under the snowy sky during Christmas nights.

LED strip lights and Christmas lights: working periods

Even cheap LED strip lights can boast about their lifespan, which is up to 50,000 hours in general. Just like a typical LED bulb.

You can leave LED strip light on all night. As long as your LED fixture is properly cooled and properly wired, light bulbs won’t overheat and cause problems. After all, strip lights are for a decorative purpose, and people often leave them on constantly.

As for Christmas lights, they are also typically used as decorations. They don’t absorb the heat as much as other types of LED light, and they can still be used throughout the night without being damaged.

The lifespan of Christmas lighting typically depends on the kind of lights you have and how you use them. For example, traditional incandescent lights usually have a lifespan of around 4-6 years, while newer LED lights often last anywhere from seven to ten years.

Replacing LED lights compared to the incandescent bulbs

LED lights have a longer life than incandescent lamps. It allows you to use them for longer periods without replacing them repeatedly.

To put it into perspective, if you used an LED light for 8 hours a day, it could last around 9 to 17 years before needing to be replaced.

In contrast, an incandescent bulb would need replacement after about 4 to 8 months of continuous use.

The longer lifespan of LED lights makes them more cost-effective and convenient in the long run since you won’t have to replace them as frequently, saving you time, money, and effort.

The time when an LED bulb needs replacing

It might take some years for an LED light bulb to need a replacement. There are a few signs when the time for a replacement comes:

• Dimming or reduced brightness. If the LED light bulbs appear significantly less bright than when they were bought, it’s probably a sign of degradation. Even high-quality LED stripes slowly dim when their time is closing.
• Flickering or flashing. If your LEDs are flickering or flashing intermittently, it may suggest that LED lights are failing.
• Discoloration. If the color of the LEDs has become inconsistent or shifted, such as whites appearing yellowish, it could indicate wearing down.
• Dead LEDs. Especially viable for LED strips. If an individual LED light bulb within a fixture stops working completely, leaving dark spots, it is a sign of replacement.
• Heat. LEDs are not known for producing extreme heat. Still, they can get significantly warmer with long working time. Overheated bulbs can be a sign of poorly wired LEDs or light bulbs that have worked too long for their good.

It is worth noting that LEDs typically have long lifespans, often ranging from 15,000 to 50,000 hours or more, depending on the quality and usage. It is recommended to refer to the manufacturer’s specifications for the expected lifespan of your specific LEDs.

What affects the lifespan of an LED bulb?

Several factors can affect the lifespan of LED bulbs. Here are some key factors:

• Quality of the bulb. The overall build quality, components, and materials used in the LED bulb can impact its lifespan. Well-manufactured LED lights are often made from better materials and undergo thorough testing, resulting in longer lifespans. High-quality LED strips also work longer than ordinary strip lights.
• Heat management. LED lights typically generate heat during operation, and excessive heat can degrade their performance and shorten their lifespan.
• Operating conditions. The operating conditions in which LEDs are used can impact their lifespan. LED light bulbs can work in harsh conditions like 60°C-100°C (140°F-212°F) but it doesn’t mean we should use bulbs to their limits.
• Voltage fluctuations. LED bulbs are sensitive to voltage fluctuations. It is essential to provide a steady and appropriate voltage supply to maximize their lifespan.
• Usage patterns. The number of hours the LED is operated per day and frequent switching on/off can impact their lifespan. Extended use leads to a short lifespan.
• Environmental factors. Environmental conditions, such as exposure to moisture, dust, or corrosive substances, can affect the lifespan of LED bulbs.

By considering these factors and selecting high-quality LED bulbs suitable for the intended application, users can maximize the lifespan and performance of their LEDs.

Reality and expectations

Some food for thought. As mentioned above, LED lights can work up to astonishingly 50 thousand hours. That’s longer than 5 years.

The truth is, usually the LED light doesn’t work for such extended periods. A common manufacturer says that an LED lamp will last 25,000 or 50,000 hours.

What the company means is that at this point, the light emanating from that product will be at 70 percent of the level it was originally.

Lighting industry engineers believe that customers don’t notice such a shift in brightness because it’s subtle and gradual. So most decided to make that the standard, hiding that you’ll need a replacement sooner than after 50,000 hours.

Most LED lights are replaced before 5 years have passed. However, with proper care, an LED light can serve its complete lifetime.

FAQ

You’re now quite comfortable with light-emitting diodes. Still, you might have some other questions.

Conclusion

Your journey in the world of LEDs is coming to an end. Hopefully, you’ve found the information you were looking for!