William Sommerwerck wrote:

His basic premise makes sense -- more components = lower reliability -- but
the fact is that one can easily find electronic devices 50 and 60 years old
that have never been serviced that continue to work. Members of this group
probably own them.

A failure rate of 1 in 10,000 (per year?) strikes me as unduly pessimistic,
even for devices used in vacuum tube equipment. Solid-state -- which almost
always operates at lower voltages and temperature -- should be even more
reliable.

I own devices that contain far more components than an LED bulb -- yet they do
not drop like flies. Flat-panel TVs are a good example. CU says the reported
breakdown rate is extremely low (3% for a few brands is on the high end), and
advises against purchasing service contracts.

Though the point he raises is valid, and not only deserves, but requires,
study, you can't assume these products fail prematurely simply because they
contain "too many parts". Why they failed is more important. I wouldn't be
surprised if it was due to SMD soldering failure.


I see a lot of LED traffic lights with groups of dead LEDs. The one
closest to me is on the fourth red LED lamp in the last couple years and
already has some groups that are quite dim.


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.