The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20090410145015/http://www1.eere.energy.gov:80/buildings/ssl/lifetime.html
Skip Navigation to main content U.S. Department of Energy U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Bringing you a prosperous future where energy is clean, abundant, reliable, and affordable EERE Home
Solid-State Lighting
 
About the ProgramR&D ProjectsMarket-Based ProgramsUsing LEDsInformation ResourcesFinancial OpportunitiesHome
Using Light Emitting Diodes
LED Basics How LEDs Work Glossary of Terms Common Types Energy Efficiency Color Quality Lifetime Lumen Depreciation Useful Life Measuring Life Thermal Management LED Applications LED Measurement

Lifetime of White LEDs

One of the main "selling points" of LEDs is their potentially very long life. Do they really last 50,000 hours or even 100,000 hours? It depends on LED quality, system design, operating environment, and other factors. This section provides information on lumen depreciation and life measurement for LEDs compared to other light sources.