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Thread: Led lights getting expensive

  1. #1
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    Led lights getting expensive

    I have a pile of faulty Pioled linear light fittings ...again ... at around R350 (inc vat) per 5 ft linear fitting ...it is becoming an expensive exercise replacing complete LED lights.

    Before Led lights ... a fitting would cost around R200 + a decent daylight lamp R40 x 2 ...so for around R300 if you bought a lascon light for example (good quality) ... they would last more than 20 years I have them over 25 years in my workshop ... with a lamp and starter replacement every 3-5 years depending, on the usage ... the motivation for LED replacements is simply the running cost (power useage) ...the kwh savings.

    A standard 5 ft fitting is a no brainer... once modified to take an LED lamp is not only a saving in power but also labour ... because once the fitting is modified ...anyone can replace the lamps ... an electrician is longer required ... at around R50 per 5 ft lamps ... it makes it worth while.

    However a linear 2 - 5 ft fitting is a different story, these things dont seem to last ... an electrician is required to replace them ... and the entire fitting must be replaced ... they do state on the box that the PF is better than 0,9 ... and another issue i am experiencing with them ... the ceiling bows over time and the lights start popping off the ceiling because they are supported by a clip (not screw) ...making you the electrical contractor who installed them look like you did a kak job.

    an example ...dont be shocked by the price in the attachment below ... we pay around R350 in vat ... plus the contractor markup ... you pay around R440 ... 10 of these bad boys pop and you in the crapper for over R5000 ... if you lucky and they all pop at the same time ... other wise you add up all the callout fees and labour for each replacement ... R440 per light plus 1 - 1.5 hrs labour ...thats a R1000 per fitting ... you gotta start asking yourslef ...are you really saving money?

    https://www.arb.co.za/pioled-4ft-40w...amp-ip33-6000k

    I have a pile of them on my workbench at the moment and i am wondering if it wouldnt be worth while to find a youngster who has a bit of electronics knowledge who might want to earn some pocket money repairing them or using the fitting to replace with cheap china mall led strips ... the backing plate is alluminum and it has a frosted cover ... in fact thinking about it ... that might be the solution ...just glue LED strips into the fitting and mount an external LED driver ... it gets faulty ... i just replace the driver or pull the strips off and glue stick on new ones ... way cheaper if you by the LED strip in a roll.
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

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    When you talk LED flood lights ... the components can be purchased and replaced ... is it worth repairing them ... in most cases the screws are siezed inside the holes because they have rusted because no compound was used to prevent a reaction between the S/S and the outer casing or they are full of water.

    I have been going through the circuit of the linear fitting ... it looks really simple and would assume that they all have the same problem ... i have checked all the leds and found on the 2 ft fittings some of the leds are not lighting up when i test ...but all the leds are working on the 5 ft fitting.

    The 2 ft light has a built in sensor which literally fell off when i opened it ... it could explain why PioLED have discontinued the sensor range ... every single 2 ft sensor light on any of the sites I work ... are no longer working and have been either been replaced with a standard fitting and external occupation sensor.

    Occupation sensors ... I was never a fan of them ... due to lack of operation consistancy ...however as they have improved the circuitry ... I install them often ... and yes they do work if setup correctly.
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

  3. #3
    Diamond Member Justloadit's Avatar
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    I make my own LED light drivers running off 230V, with a power factor of 0.98, but we add a 0.47uF X2 capacitor on each unit to reduce voltage spikes produced on the line, which changes the PF down to 0.96.
    We have run them on 400V AC, for days and they don't blow.
    Maybe all that is required is to redesign the driver and use the existing lights.
    The issue is the cost.
    A 21Watt security light in a fitting with approximately 2,900 lumens, IP65 with a lifespan of 150,000 hours, sells for R1480.00 ex VAT, with a 1.5meter cable.
    You can get a cheapie 20W at Future Light with 1,200 lumens for R120.00, or R250.00 at Game. How does one compete with that, even when the luminosity is 2.5 times greater?
    The other issue is that they only supply a 15cm wire, which is always to damn short to get to the wall mount box, requiring either a small IP65 enclosure with glands to terminate, or to use an inline splicing kit. Either way no cheap solution.

    Something I always wonder about. If I manufacture lights to last 30 years, at some stage I will be out of business because there is no replacement business.
    Could be the methodology employed in the fittings you are purchasing.
    They are cheap because they are not suppose to last long.
    Victor - Knowledge is a blessing or a curse, your current circumstances make you decide!
    Solar pumping, Solar Geyser & Solar Security lighting solutions - www.microsolve.co.za

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    I wasted sometime today testing the faulty lights which I removed to get an idea why they don’t work...

    As I opened the 2 ft. fitting with the sensor ... the problem fell out the fitting ... there is a PCB in the fitting which I can only assume is the sensor board ... it was broken off ... I then tested the LEDs ... they all work ... I just need to figure out how to bridge out the sensor circuit to get the light to work ... it must be a design issue the decision to discontinue.

    The 5 ft. fitting were not completely dead ... a few of the LEDS were still on ... but dim ... I found the same problem with the 5 ft. fittings ... it seems the LEDs are connected in series ... but what is more concerning is the same LEDs are dead ... it seem the fitting is made up of 3 segments the 1st and 2 nd segment (closer to the power supply) are fine ... but the 3 rd segment which is after the connector ...are all the LEDS which are blown more than 10 ... when I powered up the light ... I noticed the voltage is over 300 VDC.

    Something I noticed on the box for the new fittings ... there is a notice:

    "24/7 usage may cause premature reduction in the products lifespan affecting the warranty period ... earth connection required on installation for warranty to be covered"

    but the thing that is even more concerning ... the fittings I removed don’t even have an earth wire or earth connection point (the same 5 ft. LED linear light - pure aluminium body) ... the fittings are supplied with a twin flex wire ... that could explain why there is no SABS certification ... an aluminium body light fitting with no earth ... eeeish.

    Because I am busy taking over the electrical maintenance ... I am going to have to request the COC for the entire office block lighting installation which was completed about 2-3 years ago and every office, passage, change room etc. have these PioLED linear lights ... it is impossible that an earth continuity test was done ... the only fittings which have an earth are the new ones I have just replaced ... which now opens another can of worms.

    The wholesaler has still not provided a SABS or any other form of approval for these fittings ... thank goodness I am just replacing fittings ...so no COC is required from my side.
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

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