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owl [soylentnews.org] writes:

WSJ link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-led-bulbs-dont-always-live-up-to-the-hype-about-their-life-spans-11633080602 [wsj.com]

Archive link: https://archive.is/VtKFt [archive.is]

When LED lightbulbs supplanted old-fashioned Edisons, it was with a promise of greater energy efficiency and remarkable longevity.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LEDs use at least 75% less power than incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. But it’s not clear how long the modern lights last outside of ideal laboratory conditions, and in certain circumstances, they might not outlive the traditional bulbs they bumped off the shelf.

“A lot of expectations have been created that if you buy an LED lightbulb, you don’t have to change it ever,” said Nadarajah Narendran, director of research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lighting Research Center. “It’s time for us to reset those expectations.”

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