Recessed LED bulbs - flickering and burning out prematurely.

[pezzy84]

So have had a recurring issue with a set of recessed can lights in my kitchen that just kills LED bulbs, in 4 years I have mowed through 9 bulbs. These are kitchen lights so they don't get a ton of usage, figure maybe 2 hours per day. These are original build fixtures from 2000 so they were most likely meant for incandescent bulbs, when I bought the place all 4 bulbs were different wattages and color temps and it drove me bonkers so I switched all of them out for LED BR20 bulbs that were dimmable and installed a dimmer switch.

The lights are fine when they are new with no flickering. Well after some time they start a very minor flickering which progressively gets worse then they just kick the bucket, I have not really paid attention to how long they are lasting but guessing maybe two years average based on the 9 bulbs I have gone through. Two are flickering again so I know it's time to go get another box of bulbs as failure is imminent. Yeah I am buying the cheapest bulbs at Home Depot but I can't imagine 3 separate boxes being bought years apart to be defective.

Home Depot BR20 LED bulbs

Any ideas? My only thought is something with the dimmer switch is causing these problems but I really like having a dimmer on this circuit as even at 50 W equivalent these things are incredibly bright so its nice for late night kitchen snacks/drinks to be able to tone down the light a little bit.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mrsilv04]

I'd try a new dimmer that specifically mentions on the package that it is for LED bulbs. The recessed fixture doesn't care what kind of bulbs is screwed into it.

 

[JohnnyG]

It could be the dimmer switch. You need to make sure it is for LED bulbs and of the proper load rating.
Or it could be heat. Most LED's have a little rectifier circuit in the base and if they are not rated for "fully enclosed" service they could be overheating. Table lamps are not fully enclosed for example.

 

[pezzy84]

Thanks y'all - guess I'm off to HD for a new dimmer. I am pretty certain the one I bought was for LED's but that was 4 years ago so I can't even say for sure.

The fixtures aren't fully enclosed so don't know if heat is the issue, guess I will find out once I replace the dimmer switch. Don't even think you can buy incandescent bulbs in this wattage anymore so I'm either replacing them or just dealing with the failing bulbs if the dimmer doesn't correct the issue.

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

What do all these bulbs have in common? The brand and the dimmer. Change both.

 

[SatinSilver]

I noticed something similar with LED bulbs from HD. No issues with the ones from Walmart. These were with exterior bulbs if that makes a difference.

 

[Rand]

as mentioned previously either heat buildup or dimmer.

 

[wag123]

The flickering is caused by an incompatible dimmer which will also shorten the LED's life. Some dimmer manufacturers list the dimmable bulbs that are rated as compatible with their dimmers. Additionally, you need to find LED bulbs that are specifically rated for use in enclosed fixtures.

 

[KJSmith]

Buy better bulbs.

 

[Skippy722]

I stick to mostly GE HD bulbs now… the other ones all burned out on me in 2-3 years. Recessed lights, while not “enclosed” are still terrible for thermals, the heat builds up in the cans and doesn’t really have anywhere to go.

They do have bulbs for enclosed fixtures that should last longer.

EcoSmart 65-Watt Equivalent BR30 Dimmable ENERGY STAR LED Light Bulb Soft White (6-Pack) A20BR3065WESD26 - The Home Depot

Upgrade your current lighting with the EcoSmart 65-Watt equivalent BR30 Dimmable Flood LED Light Bulbs. Use these bulbs to replace your traditional incandescent bulbs - with all the benefits of LED technology.

www.homedepot.com

 

[MParr]

Most LED bulbs I’ve used never last as long as advertised.
I’ve had the best luck with Feit brand bulbs.

 

[ArPix]

I’ve had bad luck with LED bulbs in enclosed fixtures meant for incandescent bulbs. I recently replaced one fixture with one that has built in LED lights. Much brighter and hopefully it will last for many years. Downside is that the whole fixture has to be replaced if the LEDs burn out.

 

[alarmguy]

I am assuming the LEDs that you are using are "dimmable" many are not, most times its just the inexpensive ones but not all the time.

 

[wpod]

Everything seems to be lower quality at the big box stores. I could just be me though,

 

[sparky123]

Excellent comments. Home Depot dimmer to buy is the Lutron TGCL-153PH-WH. NEVER had a bad comment against them and contractors buy them in large quantities. The one spec on a bulb (which some manufactures don't put on the packaging) is the color rendition index. (CRI) The higher the number the better quality of light. 90+ and above is excellent. If possible, this is what I'd look for. Taking a quick look a HD's webpage, both the Ecosmart and Phillips omit this spec (CRI). The Cree/Feit lists 90+. Going to Lowes, they have the GE Reveal. On the net I've read their CRI is 90+ as well. I really like their incandescent reveal 60w bulbs. I'd personally try the GE first, then the one of the other two.

 

[RTexasF]

Due to aging eyes that need more light, I bought about 20 mid-priced LED bulbs from Amazon. All were rated for enclosed fixtures and no dimmers were involved. The bulbs in open lamps & fixtures seldom if ever burned out. Those in enclosed fixtures conked out fairly often. The heat was certainly a factor in those that burned out early. The quality of the bulbs may have been a factor also but they were what I could afford.

 

[97prizm]

Go with a name brand. Cree or GE. The bases on those are much heavier meaning better heat sinks.

 

[nthach]

Go with a name brand. Cree or GE. The bases on those are much heavier meaning better heat sinks.

+1 for Cree or Philips.

Many LEDs are Chinese junk, Home Depot and Costco carry Feit brand which I will not touch unless it’s plain-Jane screw-on bulbs. Also, keep in mind most recessed lighting unless it’s recent doesn’t play nice with LEDs - even with a LED-aware dimmer, the power supply in the fixture will buzz or flicker the lights.

 

[Schandyman]

Go with an led rated dimmer.

 

[glock19]

I have a very similar issue. The LED recessed lights in our kitchen burn out frequently and they're not on a dimmer or anything special. We had an electrician look at the issue and they said the fixtures weren't grounded properly. Even after their "fix" the bulbs still burn out all the time. I'm guessing heat is the issue. I have been using Sylvania bulbs but I think I'll try to the GE HD bulbs Skippy722 mentioned above.