Harvesting LEDs from LED bulbs

Other Types of Lights LED Light Bulbs
1

I Have a couple malfunctioning LED bulbs and wondered if the LEDs (or other components) are worth de-soldering for use in flashlights builds or mods



Thanks

2

I had thought of using them in a build . Wasn’t sure if they’d work well . Hopefully someone with knowledge will chime in .

3

I thought they weren’t worth my time. In a 8 or so real watt bulb, you have around 10 or so mini leds. Each emitter gets 800mw? Good emitter prices are cheap enough that it’s not worth harvesting leds from bulbs.

Also think about how much LED lightbulbs cost. Some as low as $3 at the dollar store. That includes the price of a driver, the heat sinking, the body, and all the little LEDs. They even need to make profit on top of that! Thus the little LEDs inside the bulbs must be dirt cheap and likely no good unless you want to power them off alkalines

4


I just feel bad throwing perfectly good LEDs to the garbage. It is high CRI bulb so the LEDs must be good for something

5

This is low value. They use mid-power LED’s that aren’t really appropriate for more than a AAA light, and they don’t fit the solder pads on the MCPCB’s we usually use.

They can be really cost effective in groups like in that bulb. For example, these are similar to what you have in hand. Look at the price when you’re buying more than a handful - 7 cents each for 100:

6

I mean, you can… but many of these are like 60mA or maybe 150mA rated each and normally cost like a couple cents each.

7


OK so to the garbage, thanks for all your answers

8

another reason i never bother salvaging any leds from those bulbs, is that leds may have been running too hot, i had several such bulbs go dim over several month span, and their “health” is really not in optimal condition. you go thru troubles of removing them, install them in whatever you install them, but they may be close to the end of their useful lives.