Beyond Bright "Lightwave" Review, Pros and Cons & Comparison

What is Beyond Bright "Lightwave"?

The Beyond Bright Lightwave is an ultra-bright LED garage light from Ontel. It has a central triangular light reducing shadows and dark spots. It comes with 72 ultra-bright LEDs. It delivers 3,700 lumens of white light. It uses 21 watts and can last up to 30 years depending on usage.

The new "Lightwave" model available at beyondbrightlightwave.com, is the next version of the original Ontel Beyond Bright LED Ultra-Bright Garage Light. The original model has three adjustable panels with 96 LEDs and produces 3,500 lumens at 40 watts. The beyondbrightlightwave.com's Lightwave model has a more compact design with a central light 72 LEDs and higher brightness at 3,700 lumens. It uses less power at 21 watts. It’s an upgrade in efficiency and light output. The Beyond Bright Lightwave LED Garage Light is designed to provide bright illumination for large spaces like garages, basements, and workshops.

Beyond Bright Lightwave LED Garage Light - Image courtesy: beyondbrightlightwave.com

How does Beyond Bright Lightwave LED Garage Light work?

The Beyond Bright Lightwave LED Garage Light works by using Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) to produce light.

Electroluminescence: BeyondBrighLightwave.com's LEDs generate light through a process called electroluminescence. When an electric current passes through a semiconductor material (usually gallium nitride), electrons recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons (light).

Energy Efficiency: Unlike incandescent bulbs that produce light by heating a filament, Beyond Bright Lightwave's LEDs directly convert electrical energy into light with minimal heat loss, making them more efficient.

Light Color and Intensity: The white light emitted by the Beyond Bright Lightwave comes from a blue LED coated with a phosphor layer. This model emits a high lumen output (3,700 lumens), which makes it appear bright.

Heat Dissipation: LEDs produce less heat compared to traditional bulbs. The BeyondBrighLightwave.com Lightwave's design includes a heat sink or cooling mechanism to prevent overheating and maintain brightness.

How is it powered: The Beyond Bright Lightwave LED Garage Light is powered by standard household AC electricity. It screws into a regular light socket (like an E26 or E27 base), similar to a typical incandescent bulb. It operates at standard voltage (usually 110-120V in the US). It draws 21 watts of power when turned on.

Pros and Cons of Beyond Bright Lightwave

Early Failure of LED Panels: The BeyondBrighLightwave.com's Lightwave has LED panels that fail within a few months of use, leading to reduced brightness or complete malfunction.

Non-Dimmable Feature: The Lightwave has no dimming functionality, limiting control over light intensity.

Build Quality Concerns: The Beyond Bright Lightwave has components that are prone to breaking during installation, such as screw threads or internal parts, due to subpar build quality.

Overheating Issues: The Lightwave’s heat sinks have excessive heating during operation, posing a risk of burns if touched and affecting the longevity of the light.

Inconsistent Quality Control: The Lightwave has inconsistent manufacturing standards, leading to units that are defective upon arrival or fail shortly after installation.

Incompatibility with Small Spaces: The Lightwave’s high brightness has a tendency to overwhelm small or confined areas.

The most common complaint of Beyond Bright Lightwave is the short life-span of the LEDs. Here are the reasons why the Beyond Bright Lightwave has early LED panel failures:

Heat Buildup: BeyondBrighLightwave.com's LEDs generate heat during operation. If the heat isn't properly dissipated, it builds up. The Beyond Bright Lightwave has limited cooling mechanisms, so heat accumulates, causing internal components to degrade. This leads to flickering or complete failure.

Cheap LED Chips: High-quality LEDs are expensive. To keep costs low, the BeyondBrighLightwave.com Lightwave has budget LED chips. These chips don't handle stress well. Constant high-intensity output weakens the semiconductor material, making the LEDs fail earlier.

Voltage Fluctuations: LEDs need a stable voltage. If the Lightwave is plugged into a circuit with voltage spikes or drops, it stresses the driver circuitry. This stress weakens components over time, leading to sudden failures.

Poor Solder Joints: LED panels have many solder connections. If these aren't properly made, they crack from heat expansion and contraction. The Lightwave has mass-produced solder joints that might not hold up long, leading to intermittent lighting or complete burnout.

Moisture and Dust Ingress: The Lightwave isn't fully sealed against moisture and dust. In garages or workshops, exposure can corrode the circuit board or cause short circuits. This corrosion interrupts the power supply to the LEDs.

Overdriven LEDs: To achieve high brightness, LEDs are sometimes driven harder than recommended. The Lightwave has a high lumen output for its size. Over time, this overdriving causes the LEDs to degrade faster, leading to dimming or failure.

Inferior Heat Sinks: The Lightwave's heat sinks might be too small or made of lower-quality materials. If they don't pull enough heat away from the LEDs, the temperature rises. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures reduces LED lifespan significantly.

Inconsistent Manufacturing: The Beyond Bright Lightwave has mass production, which sometimes results in inconsistent quality. If the thermal paste between the LEDs and the heat sink isn't applied evenly, some LEDs overheat faster than others, causing uneven failures.

Compare With Other Popular Garage LED Lights

Our Verdict

We do not recommend the Beyond Bright Lightwave. It’s not the only option when it comes to garage LED lights. Even though it’s an upgraded version of the original Beyond Bright, it still has the same problem: early failure of LED panels. The Lightwave’s LED panels tend to fail within a few months, leading to reduced brightness or even complete malfunction.

The capabilities of Beyond Bright Lightwave are honestly overhyped. Ontel, the company that promotes it, isn’t really known for making high-tech LED lights. They’re more of a distributor than a specialized manufacturer, which raises questions about long-term reliability.

There are plenty of other lights on the market that perform way better than the Beyond Bright Lightwave. If you’re buying LED garage lights, it’s important to consider the manufacturer. Go for brands that actually specialize in LED lighting and have a solid track record of quality and durability.

In short, don’t just go for the hype. Make a smart choice by investing in lights from companies that know what they’re doing.