Diligent_Nature t1_j966znm wrote on February 19, 2023 at 3:45 PM

Reply to comment by trogloherb in LEDs flicker in old home - solutions? by The_Duke_of_Ted

Make sure you aren't using an LED in an enclosed fixture unless it is rated for it. Heat is a killer of LEDs and electronics in general.

Hattix t1_j97dily wrote on February 19, 2023 at 8:40 PM

It's very difficult to overheat an LED in an enclosed fixture. Typically the smallest fixture you're going to find would be designed with a 20-40 watt incandescent in mind. That is a lot of LED power! An ungodly powerful domestic floodlight is around 60 watts of LED.

Small LEDs, the kind which would fit in a very low-power restrictive fixture, would be running at less than five watts.

Diligent_Nature t1_j9a8pyl wrote on February 20, 2023 at 1:14 PM

There's two considerations. One is the fixture rating. An LED will certainly meet that because it is much lower power. The other is the temperature of the LED bulb. They rely on convection and radiation to cool. LEDs are far more efficient than incandescents but still only about 35% efficient. The other 65% is dissipated as heat. Many LEDs will overheat in an enclosed fixture.

Can an LED be used in an enclosed fixture? Yes, but only some brands. The issue is the amount of heat that can build up in the enclosed fixture. LED bulbs are very sensitive to heat; if the air in the enclosed fixture becomes too hot, it will shorten the life of the bulb.