Ecosmart LED bulbs keep failing

Other Types of Lights LED Light Bulbs
1

I bought EcoSmart bulbs from Home Depot in 2021. Have had nothing but bad luck with them.

The first ones began failing in early 2023, and then in later 2023 and into 2024, they began failing left and right. Both the non-dimmable and dimmable versions. Around 2024 and 2025, I had more of them go out. Right now, I have a few of them left in closets and the garage but I’m sure those will fail eventually. I just replaced a dead EcoSmart bulb in the living room lamp (surprisingly that one lasted 5 years).

I switched to all 5000K EcoSmart 60W equivalent bulbs, was very happy with them at first (full brightness instantly, white light), but I’ve replaced so many of them.

Thw first bulbs failed in the bathroom light. I replaced them all in 2023 and now one of those replacements already burned out.

Is EcoSmart just a garbage brand? Are GE and Philips bulbs any more reliable?

2

Are you using them in an enclosure? It should state on the package if they are meant for one or not.

3

All boxes of EcoSmart bulbs say “suitable for use in enclosed fixtures”. I’ll try a different brand next time. I’m now using GE bulbs as the EcoSmart ones continue failing. I might try Philips.

Also, not all fixtures are enclosed.

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4

Most of the ecosmarts I have circa 2016ish failed within 2 years. I dunno if it was heat, dirty power, bad components…no matter where I had them, they would do the low voltage flicker thing. The philips bulbs I have, even the motion sensing/dusk to dawn ones, have held up for over 5 years. I haven’t tried GE yet, but just for pewps and giggles, I had picked up some more eco smarts in 2023 because there were more sales then…they have been failing since early last year, lol. Just spend the extra scratch for philips, they even have high CRI options now. The Feit bulbs I got from costco are still going strong as well, still powered, 4 for 4.

5

I have been using the EcoSmart bulbs for a number of years and have not been impressed with them Too many total failures or flickering. Only using them now until my stockpile runs out. My next purchase will be something different.

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6

Thanks for joining the gang, Greatguy2806!
My mom is a great-grandmother.
I teased her, “Are you really that great?” :face_with_tongue:

12 Johnny Depp
12 Johnny Depp2000×1352 138 KB

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7

I just treat LED bulbs as disposable and go for the cheap throwaway ones in closets, basement, outside, etc. You could pay more but still get crap.

I can’t get too arsed about cri, but do about flicker/strobing. Again, basement, outside, closets, etc., it doesn’t really matter. But living areas like the living room, kitchen, etc., I’ll go for no-flicker bulbs.

Eg, I got a Kinur 3-way blub in the LR that’s lit probably 12-16 hrs per day, since 2024.

Kinur is good, Hizachi is good, GE is good (dusk to dawn, also lit forever the past few years), gotta experiment.

Amazon Basics are shiite. 6pak of MRwhatevers in 4 overhead downlights over the sink, the other 2 in rarely used yardlights outside (1min/day is pushing it), and ALL of them flicker randomly when cold, and even out when they warm up from use.

Still using those mislabelled (60W equivs, claimed 75W-100W) Tsunkatse bulbs that were viponned ages ago. No failures yet. They strobe, but I use them a lot in the basement, under the stove-hood, and upstairs hallway.

Go on vipon, get what’s cheapest. Easy to tell if they strobe (fan).

8

Actually, I shouldn’t say MRwhatever, as they’re floodlights, but screw-in, not the weird little Frankenstein nubbins.

9

I’ve never had the Walmart brand fail me, I buy the 100 watt equivalent, Daylight versions and they even sell those in a 12 pack for $23.97, they also sell a 300 watt equivalent for $6.88 which I use in some places.

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10

I don’t know what that robot or human stuff is about, or why it is there.

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11

It’s a Walmart link issue.
You can avoid it by posting something like this…
<https://www.walmart.com/ip/GV-100W-9YR-DL-12PK/17347700525>
and that will look like this…
https://www.walmart.com/ip/GV-100W-9YR-DL-12PK/17347700525 :+1:

12

I believe Feit is one of HD’s suppliers for their bulbs.

Feit has a mixed reputation, to say the least, but oddly, all the ones I’ve used (the 100W Edison and shop lights) from Costco, have been fine.

I’ve had rotten experiences with Cree bulbs, when they were still available.

The early Edison bulbs were notorious for many failures before HD dropped them, and half the candelabra bulbs I purchased more recently in their second go at HD have failed. At least their customer service was good and fully refunded the purchase price.

Still have many of the “basic” non-dimmable Philips bulbs from HD going after many years. They were (at the time), and still are a good value, and a pleasing 3000K or so.

13

Could just be junk QC or purposely crap quality. I try to stick with Phillips, GE, even Feit branded bulbs from Menards. All three of those have been solid for me

14

That is Feit LED? I used their flourescent lights and a couple fixtures a good while back and they were pretty lousy. So I routinely avoid the brand now. Maybe they’ve improved?

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15

Is it really that surprising that a bulb that costs $2 and has 14W doesn’t last forever? These things probably run at 80°C+ case temperature and cooks the electric parts at well above 100°C.

Usually the LED Chips just suffer in brightness, but the other parts, mainly capacitors are the one who fail, but that’s common knowledge by now I guess.

In the early years, manufacturers brought out bulbs that had a real aluminum heatsink, but now, essentially all the bulbs have the same white plastic casing to make them look nice.

16

Old Cree bulbs had heavy heat sinking, I had a 100W one with a massive one that made up most of the weight

17

maybe…The bulbs are bigger than average, and slightly heavier as well. I’ve found that alot of my bulb failures are caused by dirty power, random surges, old wiring, that kind of thing.

18

The Walmart brand cost $2.00 is 15 watts and never fails, no one uses them?

19

Feit Circline LED bulb I was using in the bathroom was really strobey.

Swing around a white shirt like a windmill and you could see individual “spokes” vs a white blur.

Wasn’t a fan…

20

Life’s too short to worry about short lifespan of these LED bulbs.
Buy the cheap ChingChangChung and flip a coin as to the lifespan. They take a crap, pull them out and put another one in.
Had more failures with the early expensive ones than the ginsu ones from Vipon sale 2 years ago.
YMMV

When we ask for the low price goods, we should expect the race the the bottom to come.
What it is.

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