![](/boards/images/icons/default/book.gif) Anyone move to LED bulbs?
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185
connoisseur
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OP
connoisseur
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185 |
W/ a 2nd plasma in the house and new lighting (mostly flourescent T8 tubes), I've seen our monthly electrical bill go into a higher tier every once in a while.
I've used our Kill-a-watt meter and even watched our Smartmeter at times and know that most of it is due to the dual plasmas at night and various lights being used during the evenings. I have quite a few computers, a NAS, and Tivos that also eat up a chunk of power as well. I've got the computers on sleep modes but the NAS has to be on. One Tivo HDD just died and I'm replacing the existing HDD w/ a newer green drive (and got it just in time to be cheap enough before the Thai floods increased HDD prices this week...)
Now I'm looking at dipping into LED bulbs for the incandescent lights that are used most. I'm doing this because those lights use 75W to 150W bulbs. Just got the Philips 60W (800 lumens) equivalent from Home Depot and I'm going to try some other Home Depot brand ones for 50W flood lamps. Has anyone gone this route? Any recs? The Home Depot website showed an 1100 lumen Philips but they didn't have it in store, nor could I find it on Amazon.
If this works out, I may even look into modding our flourescent ballasts for T5 and T8 tubes. Unfortunately, we've got at least 200' of tubes to replace...
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![](/boards/images/icons/default/book.gif) Re: Anyone move to LED bulbs?
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,181 Likes: 1
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,181 Likes: 1 |
A few months ago I replaced one in-ceiling potlight with the direct screw in replacement LED from Home Depot as an experiment. The +$20 purchase price made it a 1 bulb experiment to start with!
Pros - very little heat generation which I am always conscious of with my lowish ceiling basement.
Con - light distribution and colour not as natural as I'm used to with the standard halogens. Has more of a 'honeycomb' pattern from the multiple LED's instead of a solid wash of light, not quite as illuminating.
I'm not sure at this point if I'll start replacing all pots with LED when they burn out. Still on the fence. Though anything as a night light that is almost always on I do use LED's for.
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![](/boards/images/icons/default/book.gif) Re: Anyone move to LED bulbs?
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488 |
I'm interested, but I feel priced out of the market at the moment.
We have ~20 65W recessed, incandescent flood lights in our house. My wife will not abide fluorescent bulbs, so I've just been buying cases of the regular ones at a restaurant supply store while I can still get them.
I'd like to try the LED bulbs, but I'm just not willing to spend ~$25-30/bulb to replace them. Rather die financially of a thousand cuts, I guess.
bibere usque ad hilaritatem
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![](/boards/images/icons/default/book.gif) Re: Anyone move to LED bulbs?
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185
connoisseur
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OP
connoisseur
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185 |
I hear ya. I bought 4 bulbs to try today and it was almost $100...
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![](/boards/images/icons/default/book.gif) Re: Anyone move to LED bulbs?
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044 |
I'm concerned about the light quality from the LEDs and the price. I love the idea of the tech, though.
I've found CFLs that are close enough to incandescents to pass, but we're still running a mix in the house.
I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
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![](/boards/images/icons/default/book.gif) Re: Anyone move to LED bulbs?
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210 |
I hear ya. I bought 4 bulbs to try today and it was almost $100... We replaced 4 recessed indoor 60 watt flood lights in our vaulted kitchen ceiling with dimmable LEDs for right around $200. I love the things, they are a very bright light when needed but can dim whenever we don't need the kitchen so bright. One of my projects for this winter is to replace the under counter kitchen cabinet halogen lights with LED lights. I did try a couple of the dimmable LED lights in our TV room but they didn't dim low enough to use as ambient lighting while watching movies and TV but I did replace the lighting over the DVD storage and equipment cabinets with LED floods.
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![](/boards/images/icons/default/book.gif) Re: Anyone move to LED bulbs?
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,745 Likes: 17
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,745 Likes: 17 |
A few quick things on CFLs for those new to them: Look for the colour rating and choose one you like. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_temperature#Categorizing_different_lightingUnlike the old incandescent, the new fluorescent bulbs come in different colour spectrums. Get a "warm" colour range if you want that incandescent look. The "cool" colour spectrum provides more of a true white light. We got the cool look first unknowingly and it took some getting used to the colour. Since then we've bought the warm lights and they do emulate incandescent well. Note that florescent bulbs can take a minute or so to get up to their full lumen level. Installation is now super easy, even with small sconces (many short fluorescent bulbs being sold). The bulbs are made with the same screw socket ends. Fluorescent are more expensive and will last a ton longer. In the past five years i've had only ONE F bulb burn out, BUT this one sits in the garage at -30C in the winter (they are only rated down to -15C). In that same time, i've replaced my closet bulb (incandescent) 3 times this past year, and two in the basement stairwell twice (they are all now fluorescent). Dimming: you can get dimming fluorescent BUT this has to be stated on the label. Otherwise do not use dimmer switches with fluorescent. Disposal: Many still contain trace amounts of mercury. Most bulbs can be brought back to Home Depot for proper disposal. Don't throw them in the garbage! http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/reviews/news/4215199I have yet to see any LED socket lights around our location but the idea is interesting in the perspective of saving power and being easier on the environment (no mercury).
Last edited by chesseroo; 11/02/11 09:07 PM.
"Those who preach the myths of audio are ignorant of truth."
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![](/boards/images/icons/default/book.gif) Re: Anyone move to LED bulbs?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6,015
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6,015 |
The office I'm working on, (that is when I finish paying everybody off and have money to work on it), I plan on putting 4 in-ceiling dim-able LED lights in it. The bulbs look to cost about $50-60 each. I want the 90-100 watt equiv if I can find them.
But it might be worth the effort to try 100 watt cheap bulbs first to see if that is too bright.
Last edited by CatBrat; 11/02/11 09:13 PM.
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![](/boards/images/icons/default/book.gif) Re: Anyone move to LED bulbs?
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,291
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,291 |
just don't buy Globe CFL's; i bought 4 of them a couple of years back and they all quit within a year, one within 3 months.
since then, i buy GE's.
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![](/boards/images/icons/default/book.gif) Re: Anyone move to LED bulbs?
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,357
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,357 |
I just tore apart the bedroom in the basement (I'm going to create a thread because I think some of you will find it interesting), and have done extensive research on LED lighting. As a result, I'm going to install Cree LED's coupled with Halo housings. They're quite expensive, but I've read many positive reviews about them-both from electricians and home owners-in numerous forums. Here's an excellent website with an extensive selection including user reviews - Polar-ray.com I have yet to see any LED socket lights around our location but the idea is interesting in the perspective of saving power and being easier on the environment (no mercury).
Mike, as an alternative to CFL's, I purchased these full spectrum bulbs for my bedroom mainly because I suffer from SAD, but the light is far superior to CFL's. They do contain mercury, but the amalgam fill prevents mercury release to due accidental breakage. They're located in Winnipeg, too. For LED socket bulbs, there's these (the Phillips one has good reviews). I know it's not local, but I thought I'd pass it along. Maybe there's Canadian retailers online. Peace
The only reasonable argument for owning a gun is to protect yourself from the police.
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