Do LEDs dim with age

I treated myself to a Lenser P14 3 years ago when I retired. I dont use it much, but I bought some new alkaline batteries ( as recommended) and tried it out last night. I was disappointed with the brightness compared to what it was previously. I checked the batteries and they all gave above 1.52 volts.

Could it be that LEDs deteriorate with time if they are not used regularly?

Tom

LEDs deteriorate from current and high temperatures
if they are not used they dont should loose performance

good cree LEDs are rated 50000h or 100000h at their working current at 85 degree Celsius, what means 70% of their original brightness

its usually bad contacts or driver problem if flashlights underperform
get the spring and contact cleaned with alcohol you can use qtips

Interesting topic.

I wonder if todays whopping outputs make some of the oldies seem dull.

But yeah, those brass parts may have incurred some oxidation causing less than maximum conductivity.

So many variables but i would say highly unlikely the LED has deteriorated enough for you to notice. I would say more down to how your eyes are adapted (or not!) to the dark. Let your eyes adapt to the dark, then try your light again and see how bright it is................My lads p17(3xD) of old still easily hurts my eyes and that is around the same output.

Off the top of my head, the p14 is around 200lm ish and will always decrease on the same cells. For better performance, chuck some enelopp AA's in it for a flatter regulation over alki fuel.

I think (but could be imagining it) that the tint in my older ridiculously well used LED lights has shifted. They're not any dimmer, but it feels like they had the initial tint they had, and after not much use, 25 hours or so, the tint shifted and then stayed pretty much the same since it shifted. I have read posts talking about LED "burn in," but I could never really determine exactly what posters were talking about, some kind of intentional LED treatment for unknown purposes. After I noticed the tint shift in some of my lights, I wondered if it was related.

If I recall correct that is a direct drive light.

So the efficiency of conductivity affects the output.
Like many of my antique lights that when they first arrived, if they worked at all the beam was usually a dull yellow. Spending time with an ohm meter shows where the circuit has "road blocks" or "steep hills". A few minutes stabbing working parts with the meter probes tells a great story.
Once those areas are rid of tarnish my former non working lights burn and the dull ones burn brightly.

Give it a try. You may notice quite the change.