LoA "4W" PAR16 spot

[Dave_H]

I noticed Wal-Mart (which I seldom visit, except to check
what's available at what price) in my area is selling a Lights o'
America "4W" GU10/MR16 LED spot for around $15.

Unlike other LoA LED products this looks like a single-LED
device (3W?) or maybe a few smaller devices, but not a
showerhead. Specs are not all that impressive: 145 lumens
(~36 lumens/W), CRI=73, rated lifetime 12,000 hours. Of
course they specify consumed power, not that delivered to the
LED, but that is commonly done by some other vendors.

The body has some finned heatsinking but it may or may not
be enough for that power level.

We pretty much already know the dismal record of their
showerhead LED bulbs. I'm not suggesting anyone rush out
and buy this one, but maybe someone (brave enough to admit it)
has, and could offer an opinion.

Dave

 

[Random Guy]

How the hell did LoA make a LED lamp that has the same rated lifetime as a CFL? A LED light source, if it keeps the LEDs decently cool and does not drive them to a stupidly high power level, should last at least 50,000 hours, and really more like 100,000-200,000 hours, or more.

Or at least longer than a CFL.

 

[LEDninja]

How the hell did LoA make a LED lamp that has the same rated lifetime as a CFL? A LED light source, if it keeps the LEDs decently cool and does not drive them to a stupidly high power level, should last at least 50,000 hours, and really more like 100,000-200,000 hours, or more.

Or at least longer than a CFL.

Maybe you should take a look at this thread.
Don't buy Lights of America 120V LED Bulbs
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=220441
From the OP of that thread:

I bought a bunch of Lights of America 120VAC LED bulbs to replace some of my CFL's. I have had 2 dead ones right out of the package. Have 4 that worked but now won't light at all. 3 others keep getting dimmer and dimmer and I haven't had them very long. Oldest ones maybe 6 months.

I believe the OP of this thread has some Sylvania A-19 Low-Power LED Light Bulb from Canadian Tire. Here is the features list:
2W A19 bulb
No warm up time - instant-on technology
15,000 hours of life at 70% lumens
Mercury-, UV- and IR-free
LoA is not the only people who claim 15,000 hours. Osram Sylvania is a big name in fixed lighting.

 

[LEDninja]

Was up at Walmart. Saw the bulb. Looks like someone put an orange filter in front of cool white LED(s). I got a bulb built the same way online. The filter does not make the tint warmer. It just produces an UGLY ORANGE colour. I would stay away from this one.

There is a LoA PAR 20 6.5W LED bulb. The fins are on the INSIDE of the case above the LEDs. Decoration? Took me a little while to identify the 5 LEDs. Cree PLCC. The 3 soldering tabs on each side of the LED is a dead giveaway. Note Cree lists the light intensity of this LED in MCD not lumens.
http://cree.com/products/pdf/ProductBriefs/SMD LEDs.pdf
This bulb is also rated 12,000 hours.

 

[LEDninja]

How the hell did LoA make a LED lamp that has the same rated lifetime as a CFL? A LED light source, if it keeps the LEDs decently cool and does not drive them to a stupidly high power level, should last at least 50,000 hours, and really more like 100,000-200,000 hours, or more.
Or at least longer than a CFL.

I was at Walmart Canada again. Took another look at the 6.5W. The case looks PLASTIC. So much for keeping the LEDs decently cool.

Cree rates the XR-E, XP-E, XP-G at 50,000 hours. They are grouped under High Power LEDs.
The PLCC LED is lumped by Cree under High Brightness LEDs together with 3 mm and 5 mm LEDs. I do not think these bulbs would last much longer than the LoA showerheads.

 

[Dave_H]

I believe the OP of this thread has some Sylvania A-19 Low-Power LED Light Bulb from Canadian Tire. Here is the features list:
2W A19 bulb
No warm up time - instant-on technology
15,000 hours of life at 70% lumens
Mercury-, UV- and IR-free

Yes, I have a couple of A19 2W bulbs and they are fine as far as the
limited brightness goes. I also have a 2W MR16 spot (E26, also
in GU-10) used as a reading light and it works OK. If these last
their rated lifetime (15k and 25k repsectively) I will consider them
good products. That both run only warm leads me to think this is possible.

However, I was looking for a spot with more brightness. That's
why the LoA lamp seemed interesting given its higher spec'ed
output, for the same price as the Sylvania.

Dave

 

[LEDninja]

The LoA bulbs should be bright enough. With the 6.5W bulb having 5 Cree PLCC LEDs a 4W means 3 PLCC LEDs. The PLCC has 3*100mA dies, so 50 mA less than the 350 mA nominal in XR-Es. If they don't overdrive them the LEDs only consume 3W.
My 3*1W Cree Xlamp PAR 16 are bright enough. (They are XR-Es, I took a look when I flipped the optic around to widen the beam) EliteLED lists them at 180 lumens. Actually the one in the lamp on my headboard is too bright, I had to change to a dimmer bulb (1*3W $20). I paid $30 each + shipping (EliteLED can get 5 PAR 16 and/or G45 into a GPM box for $20).
If the LoA bulbs last the 12,000 hours claimed, they are probably the best bang for the buck for low level lighting. (10 years at 3 hours per day, 5 years at 6 hours per day, 1 year at 24/7) I have my doubts though.

 

[Dave_H]

Once in a while I'll stick my neck out a bit and try out a product
from a company with dubious history (showerhead bulbs) because
this one is different and I have not seen it reviewed. So, I will be
evaluating the product but also Wal-Mart's return policy if it doesn't
work out. The product number is 2101LEDG10-41K-16FR.

The large orangey emissive area appears to be phosphor, or a filter as
suggested, in front of a 6x7 array of small LED chips, observed through
two sets of sunglass lenses. Lamp is NOT dimmable, like most others.
Looks like a series array, like a tiny string of Xmas lights.

The light colour, brightness, and dispersion are OK, except for the flicker!
Waving fingers in front of it made this apparent. Ballast may only be
a resistor and diode.

My UPM AC power meter reads 3W, not the rated 4W which is consumed
power, not power delivered to the LED; typical marketting. No big worry.

Other major concern is that the heatsink runs hot. I'm seeing a 30C rise
on the front of the heatsink using an open fixture. In a semi-enclosed table
lamp, rise is 35C or more. The heatsinking appears too small and insufficient
for this power level. There is a similar heatsink on a GE 4W spot that Zellers
is selling (for $40, they seem to have no clue how to price these things).
Ambient here is in the low 20's (C) so I hate to think of it in 30-35C we
sometimes get here (or higher)...

One could say that the outcome might have been predicted and we are
re-learning all over about LoA lamps but I felt it useful to give them another
try. I'm kind of on the fence with this one.

I'll try to get some images in future, have a couple of digital cameras
but am a point-and-shoot photographer and not yet great at getting good
close-up shots.

Dave

 

[Dave_H]

I have upgraded my opinion of this lamp to "possibly acceptable".
Translation: don't rush out and buy any, unless you want to take a
chance on it not meeting stated lifetime, or other reason.

Flicker appears to be from full-wave rectification (what I would
call "fine" flicker) and not objectionable unless passing something
rapidly through the beam or moving eyes across the lit area quickly.
Perhaps there is a long-term effect that we should be concerned
about. A FWR module (I made up) was inserted inline with no
effect on power consumption or beam brightness or flicker.

Case temperature inside a semi-enclosed fixture is "hot" but not
"burning hot" (talk about subjectivity...). In open air it should be OK.
No easy way to check actual LED junction temperature without a
dissection, but not right now (although there are two screws on the
back which might want to come off eventually..).

Colour temp is neutral (4100K), which is a good intermediate, and
the radiating area is large, about a square cm. Does anyone
know the likely vendor/series of this type of LED array?

Dave