Kichler undercabinet LEDs keep failing

11 years ago

We installed Kichler UCL LED fixtures in our kitchen in August 2010, and by October 2011 most of them had failed. We had an electrician come at our expense to replace the fixtures (the lighting retailer provided replacements at no cost) and now two of the five units we replaced have failed.

I am so very disappointed in this product! Kichler was held out to us to be a very reliable brand, and we were looking forward to a no- or low-maintenance UCL. I just did a search for Kichler LED warranty information and see that it says if you use their fixtures for more than 7 hours per day you will void the warranty.

This just blows my mind. I was never told by anyone that there was a use restriction on these lights. I think Kichler has added this wording recently because they are having reliability problems across their product lines (the lighting store told us they'd had a lot of replacements to make). The transformer is what I think must be failing - maybe it's got a heat issue?

When we turn on our UCL it's usually at dusk and we leave them on until we go to bed. So it's easily 6-7 hours at a time, or maybe even longer if it's a cloudy day.

Has anyone had similar problems? Any other brands to recommend? Should we ditch the fixture and just go with tape?

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Comments (4)

mountaineergirl
11 years ago
wow I can't believe they would have a warranty like that. Does it have to do with heat sinking? I knew that LEDs will gradually (over the course of 10+ years or more) get dimmer, but they shouldn't just stop working unless they were faulty to start with. I had LED from environmentallights.com and the worked great for the 2 years I had them. Due to water damage/renovation we are getting lights from Lowes called Good Earth to be hardwired this time. I sure hope I don't have that kind of trouble with them but you can bet I'll be looking at the warranty before they go in! LEDs are way too expensive to have them quit on you after 2 years.
badgergal
11 years ago
I have Kichler under cabinet LED lights. The model number on mine is 12056. I have had them for a year now and so far none have failed. I often keep them on for up two 6 hours. I better keep my finger crossed that they don't fail. I guess my 1 year warranty was up last week.
You are correct about the terms of the warranty if you have one of the the proline series listed below. I see that mine is a different number than those.
This is exactly what their warranty says, "Design Pro SeriesTM LED Cabinet Light models # 12301BRZ, 12301NI, 12301WH, 12303BRZ,
12303NI, 12303WH, 12305BRZ, 12305NI, and 12305WH for normal use for as long as the original purchaser owns the Product. Normal use means residential nonÃ¢ÂÂcommercial use for no more than 6 hours per day in an environment that does not exceed 25 degrees Celsius (approximately 77 degrees Fahrenheit)." That seems ridiculous to me.
It is strange though that you had 2 sets fail. Mine have a built in transformer. If yours have a separate transformer than perhaps your transformer is not working properly and not reducing the voltage the way it should.
Hope you get your lighting problem loved soon.
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Karen0408
10 years ago
Our new Kichler flourescent undercabinet lights kept failing. In the 4 years since home was built we've had 3 fail at different times and each time electrician recommended replacing failed one with a Kichler LED. So now I have a mixture of LED & flourescent light, which is not attractive. If I could have afforded to replace them all at once I would have. However, based on your problems with the Kichler LED's I now wish we had gone with another company's products - and will, once these fail. And I thought Kichler was one of the best brands there was.
karen_belle
Original Author
10 years ago
Hey, maybe it's being named Karen?

I'm with you, Karen0408. I haven't bothered to go back to the lighting store with the replacements that failed, and I'm too discouraged to go to Kichler to complain, but that seems like the best avenue.

Maybe your Kichler LEDs will go the distance. I still have two working units!