And what is the catch? That's almost 30% light efficiency. Hard to believe.
They are rated for 15,000 hours, and so are regular LEDs.
The solution is very simple: Return any LED that doesn't last the specified time. Manufactures will very rapidly start making changes if everyone did that.
You can just write the installation date with a Sharpie on the bulb, or keep track of them in a spreadsheet.
I've been doing it for a couple years now, and based on my data I don't think I'll ever need to buy a bulb again. My bulbs last around 1,000 hours, not even remotely close to the promised 15,000 hours.
So I just return them and get new ones.
Never asked me for proof of purchase either. Replaced bulbs have worked fine for a few years now.
Agreed. I think this is why Energy Star rated LED lamps require such a long warranty. Eg, Philips Hue products have a two year warranty, unless they carry an Energy Star, in which case it's three.
It's such a common misconception I'm really shocked that EU has never made a better effort to clarify it.
EU does not enforce any warranty period by manufacturers. Zero. What it does enforce however, is the seller's responsibility for the product they sold. And this responsibility is at least 2 years(it's actually 6 years for most electronics and other products), but....it only covers manufacturing defects. That is the key word here. Any defects found in the first 6 months are presumed to be the result of manufacturing issues and the seller has to fix/replace the item for the buyer without asking for any proof of how the defect occured. But after 6 months, the responsibility shifts - it's the consumer who has to prove that the defect is a result of manufacturing problem. As I am sure you can appreciate, it's extremely difficult for most items. In theory you could call upon this law even after 5 years after buying a bulb and say that the bulb broke due to a manufacturing defects and the seller would have to replace it - but it's up to you to prove it.
You're right it is often misunderstood, in part because shops will say "oh, you have to contact the manufacturer" which is fraud AFAICT, but seems to be extremely common.
Under UK's CRA there's effectively no end to a warranty, if the product could reasonably be expected to still work. But I thought the EU Directive only specified 2 years minimum for countries to apply ... do you happen to know a reference for the 6 years, please?
LEDs themselves are very cheap.
For individual LEDs, the cost of the package costs more than the LED itself.
Anyways, the main thing is that these lamps use more filament-strips than usual led bulb, thus allowing them to run cooler and last longer. Unfortunately, they are only available in Dubai (afaik).
[1]: https://hackaday.com/2021/01/17/leds-from-dubai-the-royal-li...
Does it last 3x longer?
You'd get the same (longevity) gains from taking a "regular" LED bulb and running it at lower power. You'd get less light output, though.
My guess is it's very difficult to make money with superior products in this sort of consumer market without government to force a level playing field where your competitors are obliged to offer a genuinely better product and/or better price to make the sale.
See 6m55s in the video.