Ever have a LED (flashlight bulb) grow CRYSTALS...?

[AJMD429]

The light works fine still. The 'crystals' grew while the light was in my gun safe, and had no batteries in it. Put the LED replacement bulb in about a year ago and haven't used it much, so don't keep batteries in it.



As you can see, the 'crystal' growth is not just on the outside of the plastic (?) LED, but actually is also inside it.

I always thought the LED's were just a semiconducter chip embedded in some fairly ordinary and inert plastic to form a protective covering and lens. Last time I saw a crystal growth like this it was on a ceramic hot-plate in Organic Chemistry lab, just before the hot-plate exploded - teacher said some sort of picrate crystal had formed from a previous spill-over of whatever the class before us had been doing. I think I'll continue to keep the batteries OUT of this flashlight!

Just makes me wonder what about all the other LED's we have all over in alarm clocks, cars, lights, computers, and so on - what are they quietly growing and doing, and when will something not-good happen because of it...?

The crystals/growth did wipe off easily with toilet paper, though of course there is still some 'inside' stuff.

[FWiedner]

I think I'd light that candle...

[3leggedturtle]

No I havent, not even ones I left outside for a week while on the beaches around Galveston.

[Rusty]

Maybe constant use keeps the crystals away?

[1894c]

never seen that before, been using LED's for eight years...that might be evidence that the Mayan's might be right...the END might be near... :(

[olyinaz]

That's pretty strange. I suspect that some component supplied to the manufacturer was out of spec. As another said, I'd light it just to see what happens!

Oly

[Hobie]

Sounds like an opportunity to say, "hey honey, watch this!"

[Blaine]

Dilithium crystals.... Spock was right....

[1894c]

Dilithium crystals.... :shock: :o Spock was right....

that's funny...but it also may be true... :)

[Old Savage]

Once upon a time in the holy land of Indiana ...

[Trailboss]

As you can see, the 'crystal' growth is not just on the outside of the plastic (?) LED, but actually is also inside it.

You wouldn't happen to have a packet of silica gel in your gunsafe would you?

[AJMD429]

You wouldn't happen to have a packet of silica gel in your gunsafe would you?

No, and the cover/lens has always been on the MagLight since the bulb was put in.

[Blaine]

I was snooping the internet, and found this. I'm too much the dimbulb to know if this is connected or not...Might shed some light on the subject...

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/ ... 101102.asp

[JReed]

Crazy. Been working with LED's and electronics for almost 20 years and have never seen anything like that.

[1894c]

Crazy. Been working with LED's and electronics for almost 20 years and have never seen anything like that.

see---i tell yah it's the Mayan thing... :(

[Mescalero]

I sure will be glad when 01-01-2013 gets here, and we can put all this bovine scatology to rest.

[mikld]

Mebbe corrosion at the solder joint? Some times the acid/flux in solder continues to be active after the soldering is done. Mebbe reactivated by humidity?