Off Topic - LED Lightbulbs - Any experience?

[Mr. Bloom]

I've followed the evolution of LED lights in automotive and now in cycling signals, flash lights, etc.

I'm starting to install compact florescents, but am just not satisfied with the color or brightness of these bulbs to counteract the family's habit of leaving lights on all the time

So, I began wondering if there is actually an LED lightbulb for residential application.

Then, yesterday on Mythbusters, they had a test with lightbulbs that included an LED 'encrusted' bulb that used next to no electricity.

So, despite past unsuccessful efforts, I have now found a website that sells LED bulbs for residential application.

So, before I plop down bucks to experiment, the question is:

• has anybody had experience using these in residential applications (I'm thinking recessed lighting fixtures to start)
• do they provide a diffused light or just spots
• are they too intense or are soft options available.
• are there reading lamp alternatives

Here's one of the sites I found:
http://www.ledlightbulb.net/store/index.php
I've found many others that don't seem to sell retail or that would require foreign shipping...

[OakLeaf]

I don't know anything about the bulbs, but I do know I would be EXTREMELY hesitant to buy online from a company based in China, using PayPal.

[smilingcat]

Dear Mr. Silver,

There are several brands of CFL bulbs. They now come in different color temperature (more yellow, or more blue, or more like daylight). And the brightness do vary on the size/wattage.

One thing to remember is that the base of these CFL bulbs have electronics in them. So its best to keep them where there is enough air circulating or the electronic will burn out. e.g. enclosed light fixture is a big NO NO.

White LED's tend to be rather harsh. Newer ones have color adjusted LED so it gives the familiar incandescent feel but I'm not sure if you can buy those yet.

One of the engineers at the company where I work developed a white LED driver. The thing was so bright it nearly blinded me. You can't plug a white LED into regular outlet without some fireworks.

In terms of conversion efficiency watts of electricity to lumens of light, I'm not sure which is more efficient. LED is definitly more expensive but manufacturers are trying to rate them with 30,000 hr life or more. At the end of life it still gives off 80% of initial light. That was my understanding. 10 years of regular use before having to replace the bulb.

CFL do use toxic mercury. LEDs are far more benign to the environment.

CLF can not be hooked up to a dimmer!! Nor are the first generation of white LED bulbs.

hope this helps,

smilingcat

[LBTC]

Mr. Silver, I'm with you on this one. CFLs suck the big cahuna. I am hoping there will be reasonable standard light options with LEDs very soon. I sure wish the government would be putting money into LEDs not CFLs.

I bought DH an LED worklight that is very cool. To dim it, it just uses half of the LEDs. Maybe they'll do something like that with interior lights.

Keep us posted as to how it goes!

H&B
~T~

[tulip]

I'm starting to install compact florescents, but am just not satisfied with the color or brightness of these bulbs to counteract the family's habit of leaving lights on all the time

Fine them $5 each time they leave a light on. It's amazing how fast people can learn.

[Mr. Bloom]

Fine them $5 each time they leave a light on. It's amazing how fast people can learn.

SILVER doesn't have THAT much money!

[luv'nAustin]

Love those LED lights!

Check out this site for more information.

www.llfinc.com

Looks like LED lights are ready for prime time now!

[emily_in_nc]

One downside of some LED bulbs is radio interference. They are starting to become widely used in marine applications, and we intend to replace all the incandescent cabin lights in our sailboat with LEDs. However, of the two we've replaced so far, one of them causes interference with our TV. Interestingly, it is the more expensive of the two lights. The one that doesn't cause interference is a cheapy I bought on ebay (an automotive light). I think the newer ones are getting better re. interference, but I'd buy and try one of the brand you're considering before changing over an entire home to them.

Neat that you're looking into LED for the home! I imagine they will be the next big wave. We use CFL in our home, and they're okay (better than they used to be), but they aren't as satisfying as incandescent, except for the "green" aspects.

Emily

[smilingcat]

Some of the engineers at my office are "playing" with next generation LEDs. You can't look into them because they are just too bright. They only need 3 or 4 of these LEDs to put out the same amount of light as a 100W incandescent bulbs. Yet, they consume only 10W to 14W of electricity.

The color of the light was really indistinguishable from the incandescent ones. I thought they were nice. The LED "bulb" still got really hot. Hot enought to burn your finger though.

The ones you can buy in stores right now are far cry from the ones the guys are "playing" with at my office.

-----------------
The radio interference is not from the LEDs themselves but the power converter they use. It's a high efficiency converter called switching regulators. They make lots of radio noise. If designed right, they don't make much noise, If poorly designed or made cheaply, they make lots of "noise".

smilingcat

[Mr. Bloom]

Love those LED lights!

Check out this site for more information.

www.llfinc.com

Looks like LED lights are ready for prime time now!

I've contacted the company since none of the distributors are near me.

I'd ike to see if they'll do a direct sell

[Trek420]

I'm not gettin' it. I know LED are very energy efficient. Do I need new lighting fixtures or can they be used in the ones I have?

Since my kitchen looks like this right now it's a good time to think about it.

[Mr. Bloom]

trek,

reading their spec sheets, it can be retrofitted into an existing recessed fixture. BUT, I don't know the cost yet.

After Silver overflowed the Jacuzzi last month, our den looks like your kitchen...so I'm thinking about changes myself!

But, at my core, I'm more convinced than ever that our country's prosperity is going to be tied to reduced energy consumption...but I also like bright, clean light...I'm hoping this offers a better solution.

[Trek420]

Well, I'm doing a remodel. I don't have a lot of dough but every time I get to chose something more energy efficient it is my chance to make a tiny difference and maybe just maybe show that a more energy efficient remodel can be beautiful.

Prosperity of this country? Whatever.

Survival of the planet I think This is something I've been concerned of since I was very young.

[smilingcat]

I think the cost of the LED "bulbs" to replace the incandescent one runs anywhere from $20 to $50 a piece. You do get a saving if you can amortize over their 10 to 20 year life span. If you were to include the savings from reduced electricity usage, it will pay back much quicker.

15W LED is about equivalent to 100W light bulb. so assume 20W instead of 15W to be conservative.

(100%-20%) x 100W x 6 hrs/day x 365 days = 344kw-hours of saving per year.

6 hrs/day x 365 days = 2190 hours. Regular bulb on average only last 800 hours. You would need 2.7 light bulbs per year.

Over the 10 year life span you would save 3440kw-hours per bulb and not have to replace 27 regular bulbs. Yes it will more than pay for itself over the 10 year period. and how many tons of CO2??

Now the problem isn't so much the LED bulbs themselves. It's the electronics that will burn out prematurely. I have several CFLs where the elctronics burnt out in 2 year timespan. never mind the bulb or the 5 to 10 year life expectancy. And do you have any electronic gizmos lasting 10 years or more? I can't think of any in my house.

The new high powered LEDs are just coming to market so it will be another 6 month before we will start to see them anywhere. The new white LEDs are so much more pleasing to the eye, it will be worth the wait. For now use screw based CFL. LED bulbs should have the screw base when they become available for retrofit. So not to worry about designing them in now.

Hope this helps.
Smilingcat

[Trek420]

OK, I'll just sit here in the dark and wait for screw-in LED with more pleasing light.

I expect a reminder from ya' in 6 months!