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LEDs are famous for their long lifespans! Let’s break down those numbers and see how long your new bulb will really last for!

How To Calculate Lifespans

Most bulbs will state their total lifespans in hours, but this isn’t a very practical number for most day to day use. What does 30,000 hours of light actually mean in real world terms?

Luckily, it’s really easy to calculate how long a bulb will last terms of weeks, months, or years. You just need to know how many hours a day on average you’ll be using it for.

Let’s say you’ve picked out a bulb for your home office. This bulb will wind up being used for about 8 hours a day, covering your entire shift. On average, we work 21 days a month, which means we’ll be using this light for about 2016 hours a year.

We then divide 30,000 by this number, giving us a grand total 14.8- which equates to nearly 15 years of use!

Naturally, this number will increase or decrease based on how often you use your bulb. Practicing good, economical habits like ensuring you switch off your bulbs when you’re not using them will help this lifespan last for many years.

Lumen Maintenance

One crucial difference between LEDs and other bulbs is what happens to them at the end of their lifespan.

We’re all familiar with filament bulbs suddenly failing on us, perhaps flaring and then dimming suddenly. This sudden burn out can leave you frustrated, having to quickly replace broken bulbs or be left stumbling in the dark.

As a rule of thumb, LEDs don’t do this. Instead, when they reach the end of their expected lifespans, they start to dim, in a process known as luminous decay. This gives you clue that your bulbs will need replacing soon, without the sudden shock of the light failing.

We’ve got an entire blog devoted to the maths of luminous decay, and how it can impact your lighting if you want to get into the practical numbers.

How Can I Extend Their Lifespan Further?

So we’ve already mentioned that you can help you bulbs last longer by simply not leaving them running when they’re not needed, but there are a few other ways you can really push the lifespan of your bulbs even further.

1. Manage temperature levels- LEDs are very heat sensitive, so if they’re left running in a very hot or very cold room, this can hamper their lifespans
2. Don’t use LEDs alongside filament bulbs- the filament bulbs will generate lots of extra heat, which can cause damage to your LEDs.
3. Use the right bulbs- if you’re using a light in a high traffic area like a hallway, you’ll want bulbs that can handle lots of switching cycles. Likewise, if you’re using an enclosed fitting, you’ll want LEDs designed for such a fitting.

With this in mind, you can see just how much value for money an LED bulb can offer up! If you’ve got any more questions, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 0116 321 4120 or send an email to cs@wled.co.uk.

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