Pitfalls of Buying LED: Avoid Bad Purchases

Many commercial and industrial facility owners are considering replacing their Metal Halide lighting or converting fluorescent lights to LED. When upgrading your lighting system to LED, there are many options available. Some approaches carry more risk than others.

Here are common pitfalls to avoid when making your purchase, plus solutions for facilities that have already encountered these issues. Much of our business comes from customers with problematic lighting installations who need reliable support and replacement solutions.

5 Common LED Purchasing Pitfalls to Avoid

Pitfall #1: Purchasing Outdated LED Technology

Manufacturers often clear older inventory through large eCommerce platforms. While this benefits the manufacturer, it can leave buyers with outdated technology.

The LED industry evolves similarly to computer technology. LED drivers improve in lifespan and efficiency. LED chips advance, requiring less heat management. Optics become more precise for better light distribution.

Unlike older lighting technologies such as metal halide or fluorescent tubes, LED technology continues to advance rapidly. However, identifying older products can be challenging, even for industry professionals.

LED Lighting Supply focuses on current technology, carrying the latest products with quick inventory turnover to ensure customers receive up-to-date LED Products.

Pitfall #2: Insufficient Technical Specifications

Many LED products are sold with incomplete specifications. For example, a 300-Watt LED Shoebox light designed to replace a 1000-Watt Metal Halide may lack crucial beam angle and optic specifications.

When you buy based only on watts and lumens, and price, the lighting distribution quality remains unknown. Different optics (Type 1, Type 3, Type 5) produce vastly different results. Poor optics can create uneven lighting in your parking lot with alternating bright and dark areas.

LED Lighting Supply provides complete specifications for all products and offers free lighting plans to eliminate distribution risk before purchase. This reduces the uncertainty of buying LED Lights from general merchandise platforms.

Pitfall #3: Limited Warranty Support and Vendor Stability

Large eCommerce platforms typically offer 30-day return policies and extended warranties. However, when products fail after this period, the original vendor may be unavailable.

Vendors frequently leave these platforms or are removed, leaving customers without support when warranty issues arise.

LED Lighting Supply has operated for 15 years with consistent support throughout the warranty period. Our commitment extends beyond the initial purchase to include warranty support and problem resolution.

Pitfall #4: Inconsistent Product Longevity

Warranty periods often indicate expected product lifespan. Manufacturers typically align warranty coverage with anticipated product life. Products with shorter warranties may require replacement sooner, negating maintenance cost savings.

LED Lighting Supply offers a minimum 5-year warranty on our products. While this may appear more expensive initially, the total cost over time is typically lower than replacing products with shorter warranties multiple times.

Pitfall #5: Cost-Reduction Compromises in Manufacturing

Lower-cost LED lights often use fewer LED chips operating at maximum capacity, using less material but reducing lifespan. Higher-quality lights use more LEDs operating below maximum capacity with appropriately sized LED drivers for extended life.

This is similar to operating a vehicle at its maximum speed continuously versus operating it at 66% of its capability for extended longevity.

LED Lighting Supply focuses on properly engineered lights designed for commercial and industrial longevity requirements.

Common LED Installation Problems and Solutions

1. Premature Component Failure

LED light failures typically occur in the driver rather than the LED chips themselves. Driver quality varies significantly between manufacturers and price points.

Solution Options:

• Replacement driver components for existing fixtures
• Complete LED fixture replacement with improved components
• Warranty support through LED Lighting Supply for qualifying products

2. Unresponsive Warranty Support

Business closures, bankruptcies, and unresponsive vendors are common in the lighting industry. Even extensive warranties become worthless without accessible support.

LED Lighting Supply provides consistent warranty support with accessible customer service through phone, chat, and email channels.

3. Unclear Warranty Responsibility

Marketplace vendors often appear and disappear without notice, leaving customers without recourse after initial return periods expire.

Before purchasing, verify the vendor’s stability and direct contact methods for warranty support.

4. Underperforming Light Output

Actual light output sometimes falls short of specifications due to manufacturing variations or inaccurate initial specifications. This can result in insufficient foot candle readings for the intended application.

Solution: Request photometric testing data and consider products from manufacturers with consistent performance records. LED Lighting Supply provides lighting photometric plans to verify expected performance before installation.

5. Poor Light Distribution and Uniformity

Uneven lighting distribution creates safety and visibility issues. Proper optics selection is essential for uniform foot candle readings across the intended area.

Solution: Obtain a professional lighting plan using the specific fixture being considered. General lumen calculations cannot substitute for proper photometric analysis with actual fixture data.

Important Note: Lighting requirements vary by application and local codes. Consult with qualified lighting professionals or engineers for critical installations. Warranty terms and availability may vary by manufacturer and specific product.