5 ms·

$40, though, really?

by illamint 15y ago

Shenglong 15y ago
Worth it, stretched over like 7 years?
- bcl 15y ago
  The LED's should last alot longer than that. The problem is going to be the switch-mode power supply. I'd hold off on these things until their price drops a bit, and until we have an idea how long the PS will last. Has anyone done a teardown on these yet? The CFL's I've bought from Costco are lasting less than a year for me, so I'm reluctant to start using them until they have the bugs worked out.
  - pacemkr 15y ago
    Here you go: http://www.edn.com/blog/PowerSource/40512-Remote_Phosphors_Philips_LED_bulb_Tear_down_Part_II.php http://www.edn.com/blog/PowerSource/40512-Remote_Phosphors_P... Doesn't look like a high quality circuit to me.
    - bcl 15y ago
      Maybe it is the photo quality, but that main board looks almost hand-soldered instead of reflowed. The blobs on the SMT parts aren't consistent, although that may be because they have a mixture of through-hole parts so close.
      - Daniel_Newby 15y ago
        That board is wave soldered, not reflowed. The through-hole parts are inserted from the top, the SMT parts are glued down to the bottom, then the bottom of the board is dipped in a fountain ("wave") of molten solder. The solder blobs are normal for wave soldering followed by hand soldering of the wires. Production costs can be very low, you just have to select SMT parts that can take the heat and thermal shock.
      - pacemkr 15y ago
        My thoughts exactly. It looks like something that I would build by hand (messy) as opposed to something that comes out of a factory. I guess it doesn't necessarily mean that it will be unreliable, but I can't help but think so. All would be forgiven if it wasn't $40. I was going to get a bunch of these, but at this price point it just doesn't make sense.
        sixtofour 15y ago
        "All would be forgiven if it wasn't $40." Early days.
  - gthank 15y ago
    Less than a year? That's really short. Have you tried busting out a multimeter on your wiring (since you sound like the DIY type) or calling an electrician?
- gmac 15y ago
  As long as it actually lasts that long (or has a credible guarantee) -- I've had plenty of CFL bulbs die within a year or less, which has made me wary of these sorts of amortized cost calculations.
brokentone 15y ago
Over a CFL for sure. This is dimmable, easier on the eyes (in my opinion), and doesn't have toxic mercury.

$40, though, really?

Shenglong 15y ago

Worth it, stretched over like 7 years?

bcl 15y ago
The LED's should last alot longer than that. The problem is going to be the switch-mode power supply. I'd hold off on these things until their price drops a bit, and until we have an idea how long the PS will last. Has anyone done a teardown on these yet? The CFL's I've bought from Costco are lasting less than a year for me, so I'm reluctant to start using them until they have the bugs worked out.
- pacemkr 15y ago
  Here you go: http://www.edn.com/blog/PowerSource/40512-Remote_Phosphors_Philips_LED_bulb_Tear_down_Part_II.php http://www.edn.com/blog/PowerSource/40512-Remote_Phosphors_P... Doesn't look like a high quality circuit to me.
  - bcl 15y ago
    Maybe it is the photo quality, but that main board looks almost hand-soldered instead of reflowed. The blobs on the SMT parts aren't consistent, although that may be because they have a mixture of through-hole parts so close.
    - Daniel_Newby 15y ago
      That board is wave soldered, not reflowed. The through-hole parts are inserted from the top, the SMT parts are glued down to the bottom, then the bottom of the board is dipped in a fountain ("wave") of molten solder. The solder blobs are normal for wave soldering followed by hand soldering of the wires. Production costs can be very low, you just have to select SMT parts that can take the heat and thermal shock.
    - pacemkr 15y ago
      My thoughts exactly. It looks like something that I would build by hand (messy) as opposed to something that comes out of a factory. I guess it doesn't necessarily mean that it will be unreliable, but I can't help but think so. All would be forgiven if it wasn't $40. I was going to get a bunch of these, but at this price point it just doesn't make sense.
      - sixtofour 15y ago
        "All would be forgiven if it wasn't $40." Early days.
- gthank 15y ago
  Less than a year? That's really short. Have you tried busting out a multimeter on your wiring (since you sound like the DIY type) or calling an electrician?
gmac 15y ago
As long as it actually lasts that long (or has a credible guarantee) -- I've had plenty of CFL bulbs die within a year or less, which has made me wary of these sorts of amortized cost calculations.

brokentone 15y ago

Over a CFL for sure. This is dimmable, easier on the eyes (in my opinion), and doesn't have toxic mercury.