LED UFO Repeated Failure - Thoughts?

[TipsyMcStagger]

I recently replaced old metal halide fixtures with these LED UFOs. There are 11 fixtures in total. Three rows of three and one row of two. Each row is separately switched. Standard wall switches. No dimmers.

With less than two hours use, one of the fixtures in the row of two started to fast flash and failed. I figured it was a fluke and the seller sent a new fixture. I installed the replacement. In less than one hour, the fixture in the same location started to fast flash and failed.

I've verified voltage at the fixture (115V), cleaned the grounds and changed all three Wago connectors. But that all seems moot because I have verified both units are failed on the bench with a separate power source.

I am at a loss. The metal halides, though old and not very bright, never skipped a beat. I can't fathom what could cause two UFO fixtures to fail in quick succession in the same location. Is it simply possible this is a double fluke and we've received two faulty units?

Or could there be something about this particular circuit that's inducing a failure in this one location?

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

[kbuhagiar]

I am at a loss. The metal halides, though old and not very bright, never skipped a beat. I can't fathom what could cause two UFO fixtures to fail in quick succession in the same location. Is it simply possible this is a double fluke and we've received two faulty units?

Or could there be something about this particular circuit that's inducing a failure in this one location?

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Yes, if they both came from the same manufacturing batch. Very possible.

I would notify the vendor about the anomaly but hold off before returning to see if any of the others exhibit the same behavior.

When I worked in IT we would always allow for a 72-hour 'burn-in' on all new electronics; 99% of defects will make themselves known by then. If you get past 72 hours you're usually good to go.

 

[cybrdyke]

PLT isn't a real brand. It's the "house name" of 1000bulbs.com owners who are trying to create a brand. The real manufacturer is something you'll never know, but it's the lowest bidder for 1000bulbs.com business. This is why I never recommend 1000bulbs.com.
Send them back and try to get a credit and buy them somewhere else.
CD

 

[BillK]

Well it looks like they have a 5 year Warranty so you should be able to get them replaced.

 

[Shiftless]

PLT isn't a real brand. It's the "house name" of 1000bulbs.com owners who are trying to create a brand. The real manufacturer is something you'll never know, but it's the lowest bidder for 1000bulbs.com business. This is why I never recommend 1000bulbs.com.
Send them back and try to get a credit and buy them somewhere else.
CD

Follow Cyberdyke’s advice. Experience counts.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I'd send them back and stick with a brand name. We have several Utilitech LED wafer lights in our kitchen and several Halo wafers in other rooms. Have not had one failure.

 

[American Locomotive]

I'd send them back and stick with a brand name. We have several Utilitech LED wafer lights in our kitchen and several Halo wafers in other rooms. Have not had one failure.

I mean, Utilitech is the same thing as "PLT". Its the Lowes house brand.

 

[BillK]

Take one of the "good" fixtures down and put it in the location where the ones are failing. If it works fine then you know you got some bad fixtures ?

 

[Bert_]

I mean, Utilitech is the same thing as "PLT". Its the Lowes house brand.

Yup. I wouldn't be surprised if I get garbage with either one.

*I have bought some PLT lamps before and they have been fine. At least you know you will have someone to stand behind the warranty

 

[dscheidt]

I mean, Utilitech is the same thing as "PLT". Its the Lowes house brand.

At this point, most of the brands you’re familiar with don’t make their own product, so buying PLT is not much different than buying cooper or lithonia, at least at the price point most of us are buying at. It’s just a question of will they support it and honor the warranty or not.

 

[bob smith1]

You bought the cheapest you can find, and they will all fail. Do your research on the mfg and chase that back to sellers if you can't get direct. Look for DLC certified. Yep, it costs more, but doing light replacements is not trivial and in the industrial sector, it's a big deal.

Realize the cheap ones do NOT perform at their advertised ratings, whether that is watts, efficiency, etc. My very first check with a light is to see if it pulls the power it should. Lost count how many say 100W, but I test them at like 30W. Yep, they go back instantly.

Cheap lights use the cheapest of cheap LED chips, lots of them, with small drive currents. This adds to the BOM and increases failure probability due to the lower quality LED. The other is heat management. LEDs do NOT want to be hot! I look at the PCB wafer, thermal paste, and heat sink (if any at all).

Good UFOs will be one and done.

 

[tarbellb]

Similar experience w wafer led in the kitchen remodel (boards failing, flickering between yellow and white LEDs)

I appreciate the advice @bob smith1 just gave. Feels like you can't really rely on legacy brands anymore. Hunting down a quality mfg is a challenge, so this info is helpful

 

[bob smith1]

Similar experience w wafer led in the kitchen remodel (boards failing, flickering between yellow and white LEDs)

I appreciate the advice @bob smith1 just gave. Feels like you can't really rely on legacy brands anymore. Hunting down a quality mfg is a challenge, so this info is helpful

My dad is beyond pissed because he replaced all his lights like 2y ago with Sylvania LEDs. Now many flicker.... I told him "they are programmed to fail man, deal with it!"

I'm not loyal to any brand, knowing 100% of them are made in China, and usually lie about the chips. Look at flashlights on Egay that say "cree LED"....********! But if you move up the ladder, sometimes you can find companies that use good chips.

But again, it's all out the window if thermal management is an air ball.

 

[justsam]

As suggested by BillK I would take a known "good" fixture and put it in the "fixture killer" location since it is odd that two fixtures failed and the common condition between the two is the location. Testing at the bench may not be conclusive if they were damaged after being installed at the location. I can think of no reason the location should matter but to be sure if you have a recording type hi/lo DVM you might put that in place for a while to see what the voltage is doing. I am not big on coincidences when troubleshooting and I can well believe you got two bad units shipped to you but the common location is a stretch amongst the 11 total units.

 

[BillK]

I just want to add that this is exactly why I decided to keep my existing fixtures and switch to LED ballast bypass tubes. If one of them fails I can replace it easily. Even if I was doing a new building that would be the route I would go. Fixtures with replaceable tubes.

 

[Norcal]

I mean, Utilitech is the same thing as "PLT". Its the Lowes house brand.

The Utilitech brand is the same thing as the skull and crossbones, a warning.