Where do Cree actually manufacture their LED's

We know that Cree is a US company but do they actually manufacture their LED's back in the USA or China, Japan etc.

Also my other question here is, assuming one buys a torch that has a Cree LED in it and say after 3 years that LED light blows, would it be possible to replace the bulb with a new one.

They have manufacturing facilities in both the US and Asia.

If the LED fails, there are several flashlight manufacturers who would cover the repair under warranty. If this option is not available (or wanted) it is possible to upgrade or replace the emitter in some lights. Of course LEDs don't "blow" like an incandescent bulb but it is still possible for them, or more likely the electronics that drive them, to fail.

Hi Albinoni;

CREE have manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and in China:

http://www.cree.com/

The LED in a normal flashlight is not a "bulb" as such. They are usually mounted on a small PCB, and some lights are easier to open and swap the LED than others. Soldering iron and a few small electrical tools are usually all that's needed.

In normal use you should never have to replace the LED - only if you want to upgrade or modify your light. I've just upgraded one of mine from an XP-G to XM-L for example: another popular mod is to exchange the LED for a different colour or tint.

Ok so when they say that led has a life of 50,000 hours does this mean that the led has to be running for 50,000 hours before it fails as in running continuously straight. I'm just wondering why did my Fenix P1D fail after 4 years, mind you I did drop it accidentally probably over 20 times but from my waist belt to the bitumen and who knows probably over time it ruined the circuit board. I think if I was to get another Fenix P1D this time I'd go for the later Q5 orange peel reflector one, its just trying to find one.

If you read the data sheets you'd see that it's usually 50,000 hours to 80% luminous flux.
An LED, even abused outside acceptable temperature ranges, will almost never "fail" to light up completely.
It's probably not the LED that died.