How many years would you run your LEDs?

How many years before retiring an LED fixture

  • 1-2 years

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3-4 years

    Votes: 1 6.7%
  • 5 years

    Votes: 1 6.7%
  • 6 years

    Votes: 3 20.0%
  • 7 years

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 8+

    Votes: 10 66.7%

  • Total voters
    15

Cpants

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Pretty simple poll. My Kessils are pushing....well I'm almost embarrassed how old they are. But how long would you use your LED fixture?
 

mike550

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Pretty simple poll. My Kessils are pushing....well I'm almost embarrassed how old they are. But how long would you use your LED fixture?
LEDs do dim over time but I think its I think most are rated for 50,000 hours before they hit some threshold of being less bright. So, let’s be conservative and say 25,000 hours is the target. If run for 12 hours/day that’s 2,083 days or 5.7 years. So I suppose replacing lights every six years is fine?

One other thought. If you measure every now and then with a PAR meter, and the lights start to get dim just turn up the intensity if you can
 
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mike550

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I'm on 7 or 8 with a Reefbreeders fixture.
My coral are still growing fast. I'm not sure of life expectancy but if there growing, it's still working.
i bought a ReefBreeder a couple of years ago — glad to see yours is still working!
 
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Cpants

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LEDs do dim over time but I think its I think most are rated for 50,000 hours before they hit some threshold of being less bright. So, let’s be conservative and say 25,000 hours is the target. If run for 12 hours/day that’s 2,083 days or 5.7 years. So I suppose replacing lights every six years is fine?

One other thought. If you measure every now and then with a PAR meter, and the lights start to get dim just turn up the intensity if you can

This was kind of my point. Kind of like will a t5 bulb burn for 3 years? Sure. But we still replace them sooner due to them not being as effective
 
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Cpants

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LEDs do dim over time but I think its I think most are rated for 50,000 hours before they hit some threshold of being less bright. So, let’s be conservative and say 25,000 hours is the target. If run for 12 hours/day that’s 2,083 days or 5.7 years. So I suppose replacing lights every six years is fine?

One other thought. If you measure every now and then with a PAR meter, and the lights start to get dim just turn up the intensity if you can

This was kind of my point. Kind of like will a t5 bulb burn for 3 years? Sure. But we still replace them sooner due to them not being as effective
 

JAC-

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I'd go till they don't work anymore or I notice a diode burned out because as @mike550 said they don't really dim over time. That said I change my T5s yearly because they do dim over time.
 

Freenow54

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LEDs do dim over time but I think its I think most are rated for 50,000 hours before they hit some threshold of being less bright. So, let’s be conservative and say 25,000 hours is the target. If run for 12 hours/day that’s 2,083 days or 5.7 years. So I suppose replacing lights every six years is fine?

One other thought. If you measure every now and then with a PAR meter, and the lights start to get dim just turn up the intensity if you can
I like that idea I have an apogee. Considering lights for me are $500 a pop
 
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