> Chris -
>
>
>
> I ordered 3 LEDs from you back on the 2nd. (PayPal Transaction ID
> #7SX45890UH585561T)
>
> The 194 Superstar Super White W/Heatsink worked for about 2 days and
> then quit.
>
> I've ordered that bulb from you before and had about a 50% failure
> rate with it. The last set I ordered (PayPal Transaction ID
> #52V90154TS3563031), one of those bulbs was DOA (you replaced it for
> me). The bulb that this order replaced was one of those, having died after only 7 months.
>
> Is there something that can be done about that? It's a real pain to
> get those bulbs in an out and having to do it over and over again is
> getting annoying.
>
>
>
> Thanks.

Jeff

Wow. We have sold that particular bulb for about four years and have had absolutely zero come back. I am floored you have had trouble with it. It is one of the most reliable 194 bulbs made. I personally process every single return that comes in here so I know what is good and bad among the bulbs we have carried over the years. That bulb is Mr Reliable.

Somehow, your car is putting way too much voltage to that circuit. Either that, or the bulb is installed someplace where the temperature is too high for it to survive. For that kind of multiple failures of this bulb, something is going on in the application.

> This LED is being used in a marker light, so temperature is not an issue (other than ambient, and it hasn't even gotten to the 70° mark yet). The alternator is providing the usual 13.7 - 14.2 volts for charging. There are a LOT of very sensitive electronics in this car, so I am critical of charging voltage and current.
>
> The other marker LED is still going strong, even though I swapped it into the position that failed.
> The bulb that failed (from the May purchase) started strobing. It was pretty amusing. That was a replacement unit for the LED that showed up DOA.
> This new one was installed and the car essentially sat on the driveway for two days. I drove it to the Scottsdale Pavilions last night and on the way, the bulb quit.
> Just to summarize - I bought two bulbs in May, one was DOA. It was replaced by you immediately. Now, 7 months later, the replacement bulb failed. I just received a new bulb for that. I moved the other, still operative bulb to the position that just failed and installed the new LED in that position (to eliminate the possibility of the failure being related to that particular position) That LED lasted 2 days and failed.
>
> I have several other assemblies from you elsewhere in the vehicle that are all going strong, including the tail lights, the gauges and the interior lighting, but they are all a different model of LED. It is interesting to note that the design of this particular LED has changed since May. Those LEDs had 6 SMTs with a single resistor while the newer version only has 3 SMTs and two resistors.
> BTW - I check each LED when it shows up with my Fluke meter and a 9v battery so that I don't go through all the trouble of installing a bulb that is DOA, regardless of where it comes from.
>
>
> - Jeff Abrams

Jeff

As I said, we have never ever had one of those come back as having failed in use. That is a fact, and I would not be so surprised about your problems with it if that were not the case. It is always possible with any bulb to get a DOA. Generally a solder issue. But to have it fail in the exact same location time after time, when no others are failing, it is pretty clear the issue has been isolated to that circuit. The strobing you are describing says it is voltage, not heat that is the problem.

I think adding an led protector to just that one circuit will do the trick.

Tracy

> I don't think you are hearing me, exactly.
> This LED didn't fail "in the exact same location time after time". The first one was dead when I got it. The second one failed in a marker light on the right side after 7 months. The third one failed as soon as it was turned on for the first time after the car sat for 2 days, after being installed in a different position.
>
> I have LEDs from your company in nearly every other incandescent position on the car, including several 194 variants. The electrical system of the car is absolutely not an issue - I tune engine management systems for a living and this car is a test-bed for a lot of very sensitive electronics and is heavily damped and regulated. The marker lamp circuit that this bulb failed in is in parallel to 3 other lamps - all of which have LEDs and none of which have failed.
> Just as a test, I took two other bulbs of this type and hit them with short and long duration over-voltages and it took nearly 20 volts to smoke one. The alternator in my car is not capable of generating more than 18 volts, even if the field circuit is completely violated and anything over 16v or so would have taken out the LCD of my boost controller
>
> All I want are 194 equivalent LEDs of this color temperature and brightness in those positions on the car that last at least - if not longer - than regular incandescent bulbs. Despite your protestations about quality control and past performance, this particular model bulb has performed at less than 50%. Which, in light of the capabilities of your other products, is well beyond a statistical anomaly.
> If you are telling me that this is my problem and tough luck, then just say so and I'll take my business (and that of my customers) elsewhere. This is not an argument - I just need to plan accordingly.
>
> Thanks.
>
> - Jeff Abrams

There are several causes of voltage related failures on leds. Some vehicles chronically cause premature led failures. This is normally related to excess voltage, voltage spikes, high levels of AC current being generated from the alternator, or excessive ambient heat. While glass bulbs are slow to react to rapid surges, leds can be destroyed in milliseconds from a sudden spike or chronic high voltage, or excessive AC current from an alternator that has one or more burned out diodes. Additionally, led bulbs should only be used in areas where the ambient temperature is less than 150F.

If the bulbs are being used in DRL positions, especially GM DRL's, we highly recommend using only our patented 30 led SMT, 20 led tower II or 48 led SMT bulbs in combination with an led protector. If these precautions are not taken, the leds will fail prematurely in most DRL applications.

If the bulbs are being used in gauges with a dimmer, always set the dimmer to 80% or less. This minor adjustment will make the leds last ten times as long in some vehicles with chronic voltage issues.

If the bulbs are being used in an application with no dimmer, we have a new led protector that can be spliced into the + wire to protect against minor voltage surges. These work great in vehicles that have high voltage, or are prone to voltage surges. They can also help protect the leds from:

1. Switching on the ignition & starting the engine.

2. Changing or disconnecting the battery.

3. Charging the battery with an auxiliary battery charger, or revving the engine hard with a weak or dead battery.

4. Using jumper cables.

These are +$1.99 each, and can be purchased from the Load Equalizer page here :

http://autolumination.com/equalizers.htm

http://superlumination.com/images/au...otector_wm.jpg

For added protection, always look for the bulbs with our patented circuitry under this symbol:

http://superlumination.com/images/au.../patent_wm.jpg

This circuitry will prevent overdriving the leds and assures consistent color when using multiple bulbs or led bulbs with multiple leds on the bulb.