I like energy saving bulbs, not just because they produce light more efficiently and, therefore cheaply, but also because they last longer, look funkier, run cooler and require changing less often.
Well, that's the theory. Unfortunately I seem to have been through a bit of a run of them lately causing me to take a closer look at how these things work.
My failed units are all from the same manufacturer and they haven't put in the distance so I won't be buying that brand again. I wouldn't mind if they were some cheap and nasty things bought off a nasty online auction site, but I purchased them from a reputable supplier and paid a premium price. I could probably get away with returning them as faulty however I'd rather take a peek inside to see how these things work and whether I can get away with my own repairs.
I'm looking today at an R50 LED bulb. This one is in green and is used for decorative purposes only (accent lighting around my aquarium).
This particular model has fifteen LEDs and,
no doubt, some clever bit of circuitry to convert the AC mains to a DC voltage to drive them.
Surely there can't be that much to go wrong?
Only one way to find out. The thing is encased in quite thick glass.