Stairwell Lights Failed After Just 100 Days
– Now Property Owners Demand Smarter Lighting Solutions

Swedish company Optoga proves professional LED modules withstand over 1 million switching cycles
– even at high temperatures

Arboga, Sweden – May 2025
When a property owner recently installed new lighting in several stairwells, they didn’t expect the fixtures to fail so soon. But within just three months, the lamps were burning out at an alarming rate. The culprit? Retrofit LED bulbs (E14, E27, GU10) that weren’t built for the high switching frequency triggered by motion sensors.

“We learned that the lights were turning on and off over 150 times per day,” says Stefan Larsson, CEO of Swedish lighting tech company Optoga.
“Standard retrofit lamps – many of which are mass-produced in China – are often only rated for 15,000 switching cycles. At 150 cycles per day, they reach that limit in just 100 days.”

To make matters worse, the lamps were installed in enclosed luminaires without proper heat dissipation – accelerating their degradation. The result: constant replacements, increased maintenance costs, and frustrated building managers.

Professional Testing: 1,000,000 On/Off Cycles Without Failure

To verify the difference in performance, Optoga conducted its own lab tests on their fixed LED light engines. The results were striking:

• 500,000 on/off cycles at 85°C ambient temperature
• 1,000,000 on/off cycles at 25°C ambient temperature

That’s a level of durability that translates into years of uninterrupted service, even in high-demand environments such as stairwells, corridors, or tunnels.

A Market-Wide Issue, Not Just a Technical One

According to Optoga, the problem is more widespread than many realize.
“We still see tenders specifying retrofit lamps in professional environments with intense switching. That’s a technical and financial mistake,” Larsson explains.

Instead, the company advocates for lighting solutions designed from the start to handle high-frequency switching, thermal stress, and long service life. Optoga’s fixed LED modules are not only optimized for durability but also compatible with advanced controls like DALI, Casambi, and other IoT ecosystems – helping reduce energy consumption and improve maintenance planning.

About Optoga

Optoga is a Swedish LED technology company, founded in 2004 and based in Arboga. The company develops and manufactures LED light engines and smart lighting modules for professional luminaire manufacturers across Europe. Their solutions are widely used in public and commercial applications, including stairwells, schools, hotels, hospitals, and industrial facilities.

Press Contact:
Stefan Larsson
CEO, Optoga AB

+46 (0)589 490 951
stefan@optoga.com
www.optoga.com