"Pete" wrote in message
...

I'm curious about the "Important" warning message I found on a wind-up
LED torch (flashlight) I just got for Christmas. It says:

"IMPORTANT: To extend the life of the LEDs allow 20 seconds between
turning ON & OFF. Do not turn ON & OFF repeatedly."

Hunh...? I can't imagine what effect that would have on LEDs. There's
no turn-on surge like an incandescent would have. How could the life
be shortened?

I searched the web for that message, and find a number of apparently
quite different and independent products with the same warning -- all,
interestingly from UK suppliers! (Though my unit is made in China.)
Could this be some kind of weirdly spreading myth?

The same thing on gadgets from the Lidl chain of stores (mostly made in
Germany) its nothing unusual to find senseless warnings like not to cover
ventilation grilles on products that don't have any and electric shock
warnings on battery powered gadgets that run on 18V or less, that's just 2 I
can think of off hand!