The process of installing LED lights can sometimes be tricky, but for the most part, you’ll be rewarded with modern lighting. But in some cases, you realize that your LED lights are not bright enough, which can be frustrating.
Sometimes, LED lights start to dim almost immediately after installation or within a few periods of use. In this article, we’ll look at common reasons why are my led lights not bright.
Sometimes LED lights dim due to wear and tear. Other times, the wires become loose or overheating occurs. You may have chosen the wrong type of bulb for your ceiling light fixture or you need to fix a problem with your power supply.
Finally, it could be an early LED model with an expired warranty. We’ll take a look at how you can troubleshoot and solve most dim LED light problems.
Why are LED lights very dim?
You may only think that the light is dim, so you need to check your fanciful hypothesis. To avoid doubt, you can use a light meter. Light meters measure the LED light brightness to see how dim they become.
Typically, LED lights lose brightness at the end of their lifespan. This happens in LED light when it is rated L-60 or L-50 brightness. The current bulb emits 60 to 20% of the original light.
How do you fix a dim LED light?
You can easily fix this problem by removing the light button from the remote with remote controls. Using the remote, simply press and hold the light button on the remote. The light will start to get brighter.
If you have experience with electrical DIY, the easiest solution is to simply disconnect and replace the bad LED on the board. Drawing current in series in each faulty LED will solve the dimming problem.
Sometimes, a bad LED can cause a drop in overall brightness or flicker. You should also realize that if you short the faulty diode inside the lamp, it will become naturally dimmer because that one diode was contributing to the overall brightness.
How to make LED lamps brighter?
Modern LED lights are the best type of lighting in almost all cases. This applies to home lighting, office lighting, and even industrial lighting.
LED lights are designed to last a long time and are very energy efficient. With the right lumen output, your LED lights should be bright enough and you won’t have any problems.
The beauty and allure of temperature lighting are irresistible compared to a hot light source, regardless of energy consumption. The more kelvins, the brighter the light. That’s why household fixtures are typically rated at 2700 K (hot incandescent), 3000 K (warm white fluorescent), and 3500 K (home fluorescent).
Soft and warm light can be relaxing depending on how many different things you want to highlight. Some incandescent bulbs are too bright for some people.
But since you are reading this article, it means you have asked yourself why are my led lights not bright. There are many reasons why your LED lights don’t shine brightly. They range from improper use, loose wiring, inadequate power supply, etc.
With prolonged use
LEDs, like all electrical devices, tend to fade or rust, which happens naturally with use. These bulbs can last for many years, and some brands claim a lifespan of up to 20 years, depending on usage.
When fully illuminated, LEDs can reach maximum brightness in about 20,000 to 60,000 hours. At this point, 70% of the light decreases. At that point, the LED light is operational and ready to be replaced.
If you are wondering why an LED light is not shining brightly, it means it has reached its maximum light intensity. This can also be described as LED depletion.
Loose wire or led bulb connection
If there is a fault in the electrical system, LED lights will be affected. This will affect the LED light brightness and can also lead to problems such as shorting or flickering.
A short circuit is a common occurrence in an electrical system. In such cases, it affects the LED light and its brightness. When problems are not identified immediately, it can lead to flickering and eventually failure.
LED light chips often suffer when there is a loose wire or loss of LED lights; the light will blacken and become dark. If you have the opportunity, check the connection and make sure the tightening is tight. Similarly, if there are dust particles in the drivers, make sure they are removed to achieve maximum brightness.
Choosing LED lights by light output
This can be determined by the wattage of your bulb. Always purchase LED lights with the correct brightness for the wattage of your light. Incompatible fixtures can be brighter or darker. This also hurts your bulb and bulbs.
Incandescent bulbs require a change in the light output of the bulb. This fixture is easily compatible with a 20-watt LED bulb. Its wattage can be increased to 50 watts to make it work perfectly bright. If the light is not bright enough, you can find dimmable LED light bulbs.
Outdated LED models
Before the advent of LED lights, traditional light bulbs had a disgusting reputation for poor lighting performance. Lumen output and wattage ratings were poor. But that’s no longer the case.
The capacity limit of outdated light fixtures suitable for residential and industrial use was closely related to the insufficient amount of light emitted. The newest versions are more reliable than previous models. They are also more durable than their predecessors.
When buying LED bulbs, you should keep in mind that cheap does not mean good. This is a common misconception among buyers because the popularity of LED lights has grown due to their low prices.
Check the warranty before buying any light fixtures, you can file a warranty claim if you have dim led ceiling lights. However, buying traditional light bulbs may leave you with an expired warranty.
Always remember to check the year of manufacture when buying LED products.
Choosing the wrong new bulbs
Sometimes the problem is not with the LED light, but with the environment in which it was installed. Examples include the ceiling being too high for ceiling light, or the light output I too low for a large room. Also, the walls may be too dark for the brightness of the lamp to be sufficient.
When it comes to perception, slightly different shades in the same color family can make a big difference. In general, you can use light and bright colors to paint the walls of your room. A combination of natural and artificial light will give you a more welcoming and bright space.
Incorrect or insufficient power supply
Lack of power supply will result in dim light output if they are not properly illuminated. An LED bulb only operates at its rated current. Darkening occurs if unlimited power is supplied to the driver, which is lower than the voltage and therefore causes less brightness.
For your LED bulbs to reach their maximum brightness, it is important to know the rated voltage before using them. You can even choose the right source for low-voltage LEDs. Power supply plays a crucial role in the LED optimization process.
The power supply plays a crucial role in the LED optimization process. An LED emits light when voltage flows through it. At the same time, a current flows through it.
The voltage must be equal to or higher than the direct voltage drop across the LED. Thus, the bulb can fail when the applied voltage exceeds the direct voltage rating of the LED.
Excessive current flowing through the LED will cause the temperature of the LED chip to rise significantly, eventually causing the dim bulb to fail and malfunction.
High-temperature
The LED lighting can operate at both temperatures. High-temperature LED lights typically perform well in both cold temperature and hot temperature conditions. While LED lights can be even brighter at low temperatures, their brightness often drops to 65% to 70% at very hot temperatures.
Pay attention to the ambient temperature when you get around to replacing the bulb. Sometimes there are small bulb housings where heat buildup will cause the brightness of the light to decrease. The LEDs will return to maximum brightness when the temperature returns to normal.
Old wiring
Your wiring can affect the performance of your LED lighting. When high-voltage devices are connected to old wiring, it can affect their voltage, resulting in lower overall voltage.
Connecting old wiring and electrical devices can significantly reduce the voltage, resulting in lower overall voltage. Old wire has low resistance and can cause problems if you have LED lights. This situation can change the brightness of your LED lights because the old wiring is often too weak to handle the high load of modern appliances.
Another problem with old wiring is that LED bulbs work differently than traditional bulbs. Connecting LED lights to the same circuit used for old bulbs can affect the overall brightness of the LED bulbs.
Why do LEDs dim over time?
So, your LED lights have reached the end of their service life and now work dimly for a short period. If you’re into electronics, opening up the bulb can help you understand several possible causes, as this example shows. Look for broken capacitors and damaged LED arrays.
If another capacitor is present, it will remain intact. It reduces the total power due to the lack of current flowing through the other capacitors. It also reduces the voltage at the source and reduces the visible light.
Why do LED lights suddenly start flashing?
While factors such as faulty drivers, inadequate power supply, or transformers are factors that can cause a sudden loss of brightness, you may also notice this problem when you turn off your lights. LED lights can suddenly darken or flare up momentarily for a moment.
Surge wattage
In some scenarios, the lights in a room with LEDs flicker. Surge wattage is involved. Usually, if the appliances are connected to the same circuit and the appliances are plugged in, you may see voltage spikes in watts.
The appliances need a higher voltage to turn off rather than continue to work. Therefore, sudden surge wattage can affect the intensity of the light bulb, which is corrected in seconds.
The dimmer switch is not compatible with your bulb
Often when you first install a new dimmable LED light bulb, a common mistake occurs. In particular, when you try to adjust its intensity, you may experience a slight led lights flicker or an annoying hum. During use, the bulb may fade and stop working.
The main reason for incompatibility is the low wattage characteristic of LED lights. Especially if the existing dimmer worked with incandescent bulbs. For example, a 60-watt incandescent bulb does not require the same rated load as a 7-9 watt LED bulb.
Incorrect installation
Even when you turn off the switch, electrical voltage still runs through the wires and into your flood light. Over time, this voltage burns out the power supply and the LEDs start frantically turning on and off.
Electrical voltage passes through your appliances if the installation was done poorly. In other words, if the installer didn’t connect the wires to the switch correctly. You may have misconnected the metal strands after you removed the dimmer. Or unwanted contact between the wires occurred in the corrugated pipes due to other problems.
You can troubleshoot the installation by removing the switch from the outlet. Of course, you need to use protective gloves to do this. Moreover, de-energize the room or house from electricity. Then look at the color of the wires. The color should match so that the current flows in the right direction and does not harm your LEDs.
Installing a capacitor
There is another way to eliminate the flashing problem. This is the installation of a capacitor on the luminaire. Outdoor lighting needs high-quality capacitors because they suffer from high temperatures. Especially during the hot season. When the capacitors break down, flicker begins and LED lights last much less.
If you install the capacitor correctly, the LEDs will no longer flash. Then when you turn the lights on and off, it works smoothly. Since you will be dealing with live wires, take the proper precautions. Better yet, call a professional to fix it.
The new LED bulb is not bright enough
LED lights are less bright and very different from conventional light bulbs, they are measured in lumens and watts compared to the watts that are typical for conventional light bulbs.
The brightness of LED bulbs depends only on their luminous flux. Another problem can arise if you install new LEDs in an existing light fixture. Your dimmable LEDs must work properly, otherwise, you may run into problems with the dimming function of the LEDs.
Buying a dimmable LED light bulb is very different from buying a traditional bulb, you need to look at the lumen output per watt, not the wattage. This will help you buy a bright light.
Another scenario is that the bulb is stuck at a low brightness with a dimmer, this could be a case of a component failure with a dimmer, due to the nature of LED dimming. i.e. high on/off cycling rates.
This can cause your LED bulb to be stuck at a low brightness because the dimmer cannot deliver a higher voltage.
In this case, the bulb may work properly, and it just needs a compatible dimmer switch.
Finally, older homes may have outdated wires that can no longer handle the load of today’s high-powered fixtures.
Some of the newer LED lights may have contributed to the visible symptoms of loose wiring. Old wires can’t handle high currents, they will deliver low voltage, and your new led lights may be dim.
FAQ
Why are my LED strip lights not as bright?
Surge wattage can be introduced if a strip of lights has too short wires, faulty wires, etc. The resistance in these capacitors grows and the LED lights function in an unbalanced voltage range and dim.
Why is my light so dim?
Lights light up or dim due to wiring or ballasts malfunctioning or electrical overload. Or maybe you have an old light bulb.
Why is my LED light bar dim?
This usually results from low current in the circuit. You may require dimming or alternating lights if the light exceeds this requirement. Replace the battery if it isn’t working properly. Make sure everything has been properly reconnected to prevent any weaknesses.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, LED lights provide better lighting than traditional incandescent bulbs. As you can see from this article, your LED bulb may not be bright enough for several reasons.
The dimness of LED lights indicates that we may be looking for a problem with the electrical circuit. If the electrical system is not the cause of the loss of lamp brightness or flickering, the quality of the product may be poor. Also, the wires may have connected in an undesirable way during the installation process.
This article contains all the basic possible answers to the question of why are my led lights not bright. By reading it, you can better understand the causes of light problems. In any case, getting professional equipment or hiring an expert to look at your dim LED lights would be a great way to find long-term solutions to brightness problems.
With the proper equipment, fixing the basic problems associated with intermittent flickering is not difficult. But if you want to fix the problem faster, you need to call a professional. Wonder How to Install Outdoor Light Fixture on Stone, read