LED Replacement light bulbs

Thread Starter

Sparky

Joined Aug 1, 2005
75
Greetings,

I am curious what you all think of using LED replacement light bulbs?

Because the new and popular fluorescent bulbs contain hazardous material together with a child and wife in the house I would rather not to bring them in the house.

I figured Murphy’s law would kick in – we’ve not had a broken bulb in years (can’t remember ever breaking one) – but bring in those and every rare event would occur.

Here is a link to the site I was at where I first can across the LED bulbs:

http://www.ccrane.com/lights/led-light-bulbs/index.aspx


There price seems high, meaning I can buy several regular ones for what 1 LED version costs.

How can one cross a LED version for a standard bulb – example a 75w GE and LED light# xxx would look the same in the room?

There is a light in our laundry room that I cannot seem to get my wife to turn off – it’s always on when I come home.

I may gradually start replacing ours with the LED ones – starting with the laundry room.

(Or can you recommend a good marriage counselor? - I figure this site has more LED advice than marriage).

-Sparky
 

nomurphy

Joined Aug 8, 2005
567
Wattage is the expression of power usage, not brightness which is measured in lumens. Most light bulb packages, unfortunately not all, will provide a lumens rating.

A 60W bulb that is rated 700 lumens is brighter than a 60W bulb rated 600 lumens (I'm pulling these numbers out of my a$$), soft white vs. clear, etc.

So, try to find a flourescent or LED bulb that has the equivalent lumens rating.
 

HarveyH42

Joined Jul 22, 2007
426
I've got 4, 2 warm white, 2 regular, different manufacturer. No where near as bright as a 40 or 60 watt (cheap walmart brand). Don't use them much, prefer a little brighter for for most things. Mine were $11 each, on sale. Best you buy one, and see if it'll work is some areas, maybe a table lamp or somewhere you need softer lighting. Maybe I'm just more use to brighter lights.
 

Audioguru

Joined Dec 20, 2007
11,248
Are you rich or crazy?
$120 for a lightbub is rediculous.
An incandescent bulb costs less than $1.00.
A compact fluorescent lightbulb costs $2.00.
A 4' fluorescent tube costs $2.50.
 

hgmjr

Joined Jan 28, 2005
9,027
I have considered trying one out to see how it performs. I will check out one of the mega-hardware stores to see what they have available next time I am in there.

hgmjr
 

DC_Kid

Joined Feb 25, 2008
1,072
build your own LED bulbs. a small bridge rectifier and a bunch of super bright white led's can make light bulbs of almost any brightness. for my truck i had made a few arrays of led's, two arrays white and two arrays yellow. i forget, but i think each array is 50 10mm led's. i pulse them using a 555 circuit. these arrays are used as warning/caution beacons along with flash tubes i have in the 4 corners of the truck. i use this for safety purposes when towing or i am hauling something and have to drive slow, or have to stop to aid a traffic accident, etc. i get the super bright stuff off of eBay (all china stuff).

but i agree with the others. to be cost effective the florescent bulbs are the best choice right now for off-the-shelf item. and btw, there are dozens of other sites selling LED bulbs.
 

thingmaker3

Joined May 16, 2005
5,083
Incandescent bulbs put out roughly 15 Lumens per Watt and last 1000 hours or less. (With some exceptions.)

CF bulbs put out roughly 50 Lumens per Watt and last 5000 to 16000 hours.

LED bulbs put out 15 to 50 Lumens per Watt and drop to half output by 10000 to 30000 hours.


Better LEDs in the future may take the lead, but for now CF is the fiscal leader.
 

rwmoekoe

Joined Mar 1, 2007
172
i've been experimenting with room lighting using leds too. just like dc kid said, i've put together 3 x 80 red leds (red green blue each) in series plus a resistor ladder through 12 posistion rotary switch at each series.

now i can get 15watts maximum of led lights, and i can vary the color over the spectrum
and intensity by resolution of 12 x 12 x 12 through the 3 rotary switches.
 

Søren

Joined Sep 2, 2006
472
Hi,

There is a light in our laundry room that I cannot seem to get my wife to turn off – it’s always on when I come home.

I may gradually start replacing ours with the LED ones – starting with the laundry room.

(Or can you recommend a good marriage counselor? - I figure this site has more LED advice than marriage).
As the proverb go: A wife can be LED to the laundry room, but she can't be forced to drink (or something)

Giving the cost of LED lamps, why not consider a simple hallway timer, with timing range adapted to how the room is used - cheaper than a divorce as well :)


I'm about to replace a bedside lamp with a handfull or two of warm white superflux LED's (Just need to get my Lux-meter home to determine the amount of LED's needed), not for the energy saving, but since it's a lamp that gets knocked around a bit, it's been quite expensive in lamp replacements (the type of lamps that is used in a stove, not room for more in this sixties style magnetic ball lamp).
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
Personally I think they are inevitable, but they are also not quite ready for prime time. The technology exists, but the costs need to come down, that and there are new discoveries that need to filter down too.

If you see one you like and can afford it, get it, their life should be outstanding. By the time it goes out the next generation or two should have already hit them market.
 

Thread Starter

Sparky

Joined Aug 1, 2005
75
Thanks

I have enough interest that I will try 1+ sometime.

I agree that in a year or two it might be a no-brainer.

A co-worker / friend of mine has brought a couple of LED bulbs into work today. We will try them out later today.

I will let you know my thoughts.
 

krbtn

Joined Oct 3, 2007
2
I have considered trying one out to see how it performs. I will check out one of the mega-hardware stores to see what they have available next time I am in there.
I've not seen them in hardware stores yet, although I've looked. You can look at the ones I brought for Sparky.
 

DC_Kid

Joined Feb 25, 2008
1,072
led's are typically very narrow bandwidth so the light may seem harsh. a mix of whites and yellows may produce a softer more soothing light. i like the nVision soft white florescent bulbs (home depot) as they give a nice soft light.
 

Smodi

Joined Apr 17, 2008
2
Hey guys,

We may be able to help.
We are an Energy Efficient lighting distributor from just outside Toronto, Ontario, Canada specializing in LED Fluorescent Tube Replacements.

If you are interested we have 2-6' LED tubes in different colors and lumen.
As well as Mr-16, GU-10, E27, par 38 LED spot lights.


Thank you,

Sanjay Modi
President
 

thingmaker3

Joined May 16, 2005
5,083
Smodi, we are happy to have your expertise as part of our forum. I must caution, however, that we have a very strict policy against advertising. Company links are permitted in your profile page only, not in posts.
 

redacejr

Joined Apr 22, 2008
85
hey dude at 120$ a pop its cheaper to get a new wife =S

its a joke dude

at 120v ordinary bulbs with argon inside cost much less and can be bought at different wattage. wat if you buy this led bulb and it falls off your hand or sumthin... i would kill myself
 
(i've been experimenting with room lighting using leds too. just like dc kid said, i've put together 3 x 80 red leds (red green blue each) in series plus a resistor ladder through 12 posistion rotary switch at each series.

now i can get 15watts maximum of led lights, and i can vary the color over the spectrum
and intensity by resolution of 12 x 12 x 12 through the 3 rotary switches)...Plz send the schematic diagram of above LED circuit.i want to design 342 white LED tube light.can you help me?
 

subtech

Joined Nov 21, 2006
123
I agree with B. Marsden. If you want to try the LED, by all means do so. The cost/benefit analysis says the investment will pay out over time.

About the wife thing:
If you already have a wife, the cost/benefit analysis just says you will pay out...


It's probably cheaper to rent...
 

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
I can't get my spousal unit to turn off lights either. :p I have to make a loop around the house every hour or so to turn off lights just to have mercy on the meter. It's getting dizzy from spinning so fast. :rolleyes: She left my nightstand high-intensity lamp burning on bright all day the other day. No surprise to me, the bulb burned out. But she decided to troubleshoot it by unplugging my alarm clock, and plugging the H.I.L. into the clock's outlet. Well, nothing happend - so she went about other business. So the HIL is burned out, and the battery back-up in the clock went completely dead due to the clock being unplugged all doggone day. :rolleyes:

I bought a batch of high-intensity white LED's on an auction site a while back. I have yet to do something with them, but have been considering starting off by replacing the lights in the closets with LEDs, because they remain on despite my repeated attempts to turn them off.

I could save a lot of money over the long run by putting 30-minute timers on everything electrical in the house, but the up-front costs would be staggering.
 
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