New Lights of America bulbs anyone?

Has anyone been brave enough to test out any of the newer crop of Lights

of America PAR type LED bulbs? The ones I see use rectangular LEDs

which look like leaded (not SMT) SOIC packages. Heatsinking on some

bulbs looks like they might just be getting the idea but after the showerhead

bulb experience (and they are still on the shelves...) you can't blame people

for being hesitant. Nevertheless, it would be useful if at least one person

on here was testing at least one of each type to see if things have improved,

or the same issues are still around.



I continue informally testing an MR16 3W spot which was purchased

last year. This is one with a grid of 42 small LEDs, with a common patch of

phosphor. It has passed the few-hundred hour mark with no apparent issues

other than flicker, and that the heatsink is minimal, which could be an issue in

high-ambient environment, which mine (somewhat intentionally) is not. I'm

using an old photo light meter for relative measurements over time.



Incidentally, one of their newer A19-size bulbs uses a weird column inside

the bulb, lined on three sides with tiny rectangular LEDs pointing outwards;

interesting but not sure I would trust it for heat dissipation.



Dave

I have recovered the following data from Google's cache manually.
Please post any errors and corrections in a new post below.
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The format is:
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I will try to fix the CPF links in the next 2 weeks or until I give up in frustration. Can not do that and verify with CPF down.

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01-17-2011 07:10 AM #2 LEDninja

In addition to the original Don't buy LOA light bulbs there was a thread on the DOE suing WalMart & LOA for false advertising.
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I looked at their PAR20. The LEDs look like Cree PLCC LEDs (3 soldering tabs each side) but there is no heatsinking. The case looks like plastic and the fins are on the INSIDE! I took a pass and ordered Zetalux2 from EarthLED instead. (Their Zetalux2 Standard is only US$19.95) Then found out EarthLED shipped Fedex. Still waiting for the customs brokerage bill.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?307285-Zetalux-2-standard-and-pro

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Dave_H said:

Incidentally, one of their newer A19-size bulbs uses a weird column inside the bulb, lined on three sides with tiny rectangular LEDs pointing outwards; interesting but not sure I would trust it for heat dissipation.

Click to expand...

Something like this?


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01-19-2011 11:16 AM #3 Dave_H

LEDninja said:

Something like this?

Click to expand...

Sort of, but the column up the centre is thin with a triangular (IIRC)
cross-section, possibly PCB material soldered at the edges. In any
case the heatsinking for this arrangement doesn't look great, only
one step removed from 5mm LEDs standing on long leads...

Don't get me wrong, I don't expect people to rush out an buy these
things, but if they are on the shelf somebody somewhere (on here)
must be buying them, and it would be instructive as to what's been
learned (or not), or what new tricks are used (recalling the comments
about low-brightness-binned emitters being overdriven).

Some earlier LoA PARs had a smooth shell which is not much heatsink,
but recent ones have fins on the outside. Still not planning to buy any.

Dave

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02-06-2011 03:32 PM #4 Dave_H

Dave_H said:

Sort of, but the column up the centre is thin with a triangular (IIRC)
cross-section, possibly PCB material soldered at the edges. In any
case the heatsinking for this arrangement doesn't look great, only
one step removed from 5mm LEDs standing on long leads...


Dave

Click to expand...

Had another look, that A19 bulb has 27 small rectangular LEDs; four sides with
six per side plus three at the end. They claim 110 lumens at 2W. Still not planning
to buy any, despite that Home Hardware in Canada is selling a bunch of new
product.

LoA has come out with 8W and 10W A19 bulbs which look to have similar
LEDs to the 9W and 11W spots; 7 and 9 LEDs respectively.

Dave

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02-19-2011 10:24 AM #5 oldwesty4ever

I saw one of these new LOA PAR38 LED retrofit lamps on display at a large Do-It hardware store. It has been lit for a few months and it seems to be holding up ok unlike the older ones which dimmed after about 100 hours of use. The new LOAs use lower class CREE chips though, as the CRI is pretty bad, especially the warm white version.

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02-19-2011 11:23 AM #6 LEDninja

Dave_H said:

Had another look, that A19 bulb has 27 small rectangular LEDs; four sides with
six per side plus three at the end. They claim 110 lumens at 2W. Still not planning
to buy any, despite that Home Hardware in Canada is selling a bunch of new
product.

LoA has come out with 8W and 10W A19 bulbs which look to have similar
LEDs to the 9W and 11W spots; 7 and 9 LEDs respectively.

Dave

Click to expand...

How much are those?

Home Depot Canada has Philips 8W ambient LED 450 lumens for $25.
I would rather buy the Philips than an unknown name brand especially since the Philips are now comparable in price.
I have pictures up on my Zetalux 2 thread.

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02-20-2011 01:06 AM #7 idleprocess

I've had terrible luck with LoA CFL's and at about that time Home Depot stopped carrying them.

Based on what I've heard about all their other products, it will take a series of stellar reviews before I begin to consider their products again.