LED bulbs

[SPYDERLK]

" I chose the Cree brand for it cleanliness of RFI emissions. Not all LEDs are Radio Frequency clean."

Wish someone would have explained this to me before I bought four of the 4' fixtures from ebay. They mess up my radio something terrible in the shop. I have to hang it outside on a screw to get far enough away for it to work ok.

Tying a knot in the cord will reduce conducted emissions.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Tying a knot in the cord will reduce conducted emissions.

Even the cheapest surge suppressors include an RF choke. Ferrite beads are cheap too, usually around $3 apiece for a snap-on RFI choke.

 

[vvanders]

Even the cheapest surge suppressors include an RF choke. Ferrite beads are cheap too, usually around $3 apiece for a snap-on RFI choke.

That only helps on the power line, usually these have a switching power supply in the bulb that's causing the issue.

Given that 60Hz is hard for average person to see I'm kinda surprised they don't use a step-down transformer and a couple rectifying diodes + low pass filter. Probably costs more than a monolithic IC.

Usually only RFI that tends to get picked out is the ones that squash cell bands since that's the ones that the "average" person is impacted by(and the cell companies monitor regularly). I pick up all sorts of stuff on the 2m band in the city that shouldn't be there on my ham radio.

 

[TractorGuy]

I think the OP just got hold of some cheap defective bulbs.

Can't argue with the claims of rf interference on openers but I have a 4ft led within a few feet of mine with no problems. May not be the same as having leds screwed into the opener.

I also converted one of my bathroom lights to accept the cheap ebay tubes with no apparent issues. I have a few more of those I'm planning to install. Tired of buzzing ballasts in some of my fluorescent fixtures.

 

[TomSeller]

I tried to use LEDs in the garage door opener but they wouldn't screw in far enough (because of their shape) to make a connection.

I had that problem with my old liftmaster, both the bulbs were burned out when I bought the place and the LEDs would not screw in far enough to touch the tab. I could meter it out so I knew the circuit was working. I replaced the sockets with some flood light sockets I had laying around. The LEDs work just fine. It might have just been the bulbs I was using.

 

[TomSeller]

Tying a knot in the cord will reduce conducted emissions.

If you tie the knot too tight, the electrons will get stuck in the knot and you won't get any lights to work.

 

[dmccarty]

I bought these at Costco...like their output and color. I put one in a garage door opener. Worked fine for several days, then problems. Hit or miss if it works. I thought because of vibration led would be better to use there than a filament bulb. Anyone else experience t his?...

We don't have a garage door opener but last year we bought 10 LED light bulbs from Costco. We have had at least 3 of those bulbs fail already. Some of the failures were within a month or so. The Costco website had quite a few negative reviews on the light bulbs. These were they regular sized light bulbs for indoor use.

Later,
Dan

 

[ultrarunner]

My only Costco LED has been with the 4' florescent replacements...

So far so good and walking into the shop and turning on the lights is a pleasure as the 1960 fixtures were always humming and flickering until warm.

For conventional base bulbs CREE and Phillips have served me well... although I have had two CREE go out from 50 in the last 3 years... to CREE's credit... they were replaced but I also keep my warranty and receipts as well has using a Sharpie to date the bulbs.

 

[TomSeller]

I have had LED bulbs pretty much throughout my 3000 sqft house, garage and part of my shop for about a year and a half. I have never had one burn out yet. Mostly Cree in well used rooms, some house brands in attic, closets, etc.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

I have the cheapest WalMart daylight LED bulbs throughout the house. None have burned out and it's been almost two years. One bulb was DOA. Other than that, no trouble.