Converting house to LED light bulbs

[Resipsa]

Has anybody bit he bullet and done this?

What kind of energy savings have you seen?


At 30-40 dollars per bulb it would cost me several hundred dollars, could use some input:banger

[SSDVC]

I have taken a look at this over the past few years and have been watching the market and evolution of the bulbs for a while.

You can cut lighting consumption by 90% by going to all LED bulbs. However, they are just now starting to introduce better, warmer lighting 'color" and it is not perfect...yet. I think that over the next 2 years you should see a drastic drop in price for the bulbs, a better color rendition from them and a more robust "spreading of the light output from the bulb. Once this happens, I will jump in.

I am going to purchase several sets of commercial Christmas lights next season. I am not impressed by the Home Depot specials, but places like Planet Christmas have some links to some really good companies selling some nice stuff. Putting those lights up for the holidays will save some decent dollars for me, again about 90% of my normal "seasonal" increase.

Anyway, that's my limited knowledge dump.

[mmblz]

last time i looked at them in person i still felt like i was in a morgue, even for the "warm" version.
for me that's the end of the story until they look better. same reason i've never switched to CFLs
until recently, leds could not be dimmed, but now there are dimmable leds.
as of a couple of years ago, CREE seemed to be the one company with a quality dimmable led (this was mostly for recessed lights). at the time they could go up to $70 a bulb.

[ninjavanish]

I think LED's... given prolonged exposure... and the terrible terribleness of them... will rot your cigars and give you a brain cloud.

EDIT: Actually in all reality LED's are the best light source for cigars because they cause no fading (unlike fluorescent) and little heat (unlike incandescent)...

But the brain cloud is a real threat. Don't underestimate it it. Otherwise you'll find your self on an island full of the orange soda drinking native tribe of the Waponii-Woo.

[MrClean]

We have two ceiling fans in our living room that use halogen bulbs. I swear I can feel the room temp increase whenever I turn on the lights. They seem to be going out all the time (to me anyway) so I decided as these 6 bulbs fail I will replace them with the LED version.
Only one halogen has gone out so far. I really like the LED bulbs for this particular room/set up. The LEDs are $30 and have a 6 year warranty, which I've filed the receipts away for these bulbs.
Replacing the bulbs for the can-lighting downstairs will be scary. There are 9 I think, and those LED bulbs are still $50-$60, so we'll keep it with the CFL's for now.

[LigaPrivadaT84]

The City requires us to put in LEDS or energy saving bulbs in construction for all our residential homes. The energy saved will justify the costs via your electric bill.
:tu

[RGD.]

I don't plan on going full scale on the LEDs anytime soon. I am considering them in some of the case lighting (curio, china cabinets, etc.) I have installed CFL wherever possible. I have a lot of motion sensor switches going into various rooms and hallways that don't always work well with CFL's.

We don't burn a lot of table lamps, ceiling lights etc - but we do have a lot of accent lighting. I also use a lot of halogen ceiling lights for picture lighting. In these cases all of them are on dimmers to get the right effect. Using LEDs I don't think I could get the same effect without the yellow light cast. In most all cases the 50w halogens are dimmed down to about 10/15 watts.

So I don't know - not looking forward to the expense nor the color.

Ron

[SvilleKid]

I'm thinking about replacing my candles and kerosene lanterns with those new-fangled electrical things as my candles burn down.

Heck, I can't get my money's worth out of the CFLs (they just don't last much longer than regular incandescence bulbs for me!) Not likely to pay $40 per bulb for sure!!

[T.G]

I'm thinking about replacing my candles and kerosene lanterns with those new-fangled electrical things as my candles burn down.


So you finally upgraded from whale blubber oil lamps?

[ninjavanish]

So doing some quick research and math... Something just doesn't add up to me with the led lights as a cost savings.

According to the Energy Star website it claims that on average the led will save about $6 per year on energy and about $40 over the span of its lifetime. If the bulb itself costs $40 then you haven't saved any cost at all really. Most places I look have 75w incandescent bulbs for about $1 a piece. So even if you have to replace the incandescent every 2 months (which I highly doubt) you are still on par with the yearly broken down cost of an led
Bulb ($40 / 6 years = $6.66 cost per year of usage for LEDs)

So with a little quick albeit potentially flawed math the cost/benefits analysis seems to show that you would still actually save money by sticking to incandescent.

However if you are one of the greenie tree hugger types that needs to believe that they have somehow protected an emperor penguin by spending $40 on a lightbulb... Then LEDs are definitely for you.

[Resipsa]

So doing some quick research and math... Something just doesn't add up to me with the led lights as a cost savings.

According to the Energy Star website it claims that on average the led will save about $6 per year on energy and about $40 over the span of its lifetime. If the bulb itself costs $40 then you haven't saved any cost at all really. Most places I look have 75w incandescent bulbs for about $1 a piece. So even if you have to replace the incandescent every 2 months (which I highly doubt) you are still on par with the yearly broken down cost of an led
Bulb ($40 / 6 years = $6.66 cost per year of usage for LEDs)

So with a little quick albeit potentially flawed math the cost/benefits analysis seems to show that you would still actually save money by sticking to incandescent.

However if you are one of the greenie tree hugger types that needs to believe that they have somehow protected an emperor penguin by spending $40 on a lightbulb... Then LEDs are definitely for you.

If this is the link you're looking at, that is not talking about LED bulBs, it's talking about plain old bulbs with an energy star rating:)

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGro up&pgw_code=LB

Thanks everybody for the input. I'll probably buy a few and test them out in the kitchen

If nothing else, I figure the bulbs have a 6 year warranty on them, and are supposed to last for up to 23 years. If they only last 6, how many light bulbs do you go through in that time. 30 dollars for 6 years of light bulbs seems like a fair trade to me, not even counting in any possible energy savings

[hammondc]

Too damn bright. I don't really even like the curly spiral thingy lights.

[aich75013]

I have taken a look at this over the past few years and have been watching the market and evolution of the bulbs for a while.

You can cut lighting consumption by 90% by going to all LED bulbs. However, they are just now starting to introduce better, warmer lighting 'color" and it is not perfect...yet. I think that over the next 2 years you should see a drastic drop in price for the bulbs, a better color rendition from them and a more robust "spreading of the light output from the bulb. Once this happens, I will jump in.

I am going to purchase several sets of commercial Christmas lights next season. I am not impressed by the Home Depot specials, but places like Planet Christmas have some links to some really good companies selling some nice stuff. Putting those lights up for the holidays will save some decent dollars for me, again about 90% of my normal "seasonal" increase.

Anyway, that's my limited knowledge dump.

Scott, if you want to buy some good LED Christmas lights, check out http://illumimax.com. He's a friend of mine here in TX. Good guy. He does a large Group Buy of lights every year around February. They won't get delivered until July/August. He buys direct from China and has certain specs that have to be met (we use them for animated lighting, so they have to be able to turn on/off hundreds of times for our displays. His prices will fluctuate yearly due to copper prices at the current time, but once he sets the price, it won't change. I've bought from him for years and have only had one issue and he made it right (someone took part of my order, so he replaced everything at no cost to me.) Yuo can become a member at http://www.lone-star-holidays.com/ to check when the group buy is or send him an e-mail from his website and he'll add you to his list. You can tell him Adrian from Allen, TX referred you.

[cricky101]

Too damn bright. I don't really even like the curly spiral thingy lights.

I've had mixed experience with the CFLs. The bulbs in my bathroom are great - nice light and no weird colors and they turn on right away unlike some that seem to "warm up" to full brightness.

I recently put some in my kitchen ceiling fixtures and it's like you're in some kind of laboratory. The light is harsh and really, really blue.

I'm sure they were two different brands so I'll have to pay closer attention to what I'm buying.

[Resipsa]

I've had mixed experience with the CFLs. The bulbs in my bathroom are great - nice light and no weird colors and they turn on right away unlike some that seem to "warm up" to full brightness.

I recently put some in my kitchen ceiling fixtures and it's like you're in some kind of laboratory. The light is harsh and really, really blue.

I'm sure they were two different brands so I'll have to pay closer attention to what I'm buying.

Incandescent bulbs, which is what we are all used to come in one flavor,
2700k. That gives the yellowish light we are used to.

LED/CFL bulbs you need to look at the package to see what you're buying. Warm White (2700k), Bright white (4000k) and daylight (6000k).

In general, the higher the number, the whiter the light.

[aich75013]

Incandescent bulbs, which is what we are all used to come in one flavor,
2700k. That gives the yellowish light we are used to.

LED/CFL bulbs you need to look at the package to see what you're buying. Warm White (2700k), Bright white (4000k) and daylight (6000k).

In general, the higher the number, the whiter the light.

Yes. The daylight CFL bulbs look odd to me. I bought a pack and had to change them with the warm white ones. I tried to get used to them, but couldn't.

[rizzle]

I put blue LED's under the gunwales of my boat. I don't think that'd be real cool inside though. :D

[proguy747]

I have 6 in my house and it reduced my bill from $100 a month to $82. I am an electrical contractor and have installed several different models ranging in price. For recessed light I prefer the whole driver/trim in one piece. They offer a cleaner look when off because of the frosted lens. I prefer the 3k models as they give close to the incandescent color everybody want and still high lumen output. The 2700k is not as bright and the 3600k and 4k make you feel like your in a office. This is a great model and is what I have installed in my house. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202240932/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 I have installed more expensive models but the main factor to look for is CREE technology.

[Resipsa]

I have 6 in my house and it reduced my bill from $100 a month to $82. I am an electrical contractor and have installed several different models ranging in price. For recessed light I prefer the whole driver/trim in one piece. They offer a cleaner look when off because of the frosted lens. I prefer the 3k models as they give close to the incandescent color everybody want and still high lumen output. The 2700k is not as bright and the 3600k and 4k make you feel like your in a office. This is a great model and is what I have installed in my house. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202240932/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 I have installed more expensive models but the main factor to look for is CREE technology.

Out of curiousity can you guess at how much more your bill would drop if you replaced all of the bulbs in your house?

[J0eybb]

From a buddy of mine.

"Ok, just converted 16 of my recessed lights to LED. These use 10 Watts instead of 65 each. Cost me $480 bucks to convert them all, and they will save more than $2800 in energy costs over their 20 year lifespan. (oh ya, did i mention they last 20 years). They dim lower than regular incans, and are brighter on high. Half are at full dim, and half are on full high in this pic. The color temp is cooler than incan, but VERY neutral. Not blueish like most LEDs, and none of that greenish CFL tint. And they put out VERY little heat."

[shilala]

I was going to change my reef over to LED's this past summer. I read on the stuff till I was about ready to go mental.
I ultimately decided to wait for 2 more years until the pricepoint comes down and the technology gets worked out on someone else's dime.
LED's cast a very directional, focused beam compared to regular lighting. I'm not sure how they disperse the beam(s) in home ligthing, but I did look at some of the bulbs at Lowe's. Just looking at the bulbs there made me decide to wait. Soon there will be options everywhere and there will be something that's appealing.

[SvilleKid]

I was going to change my reef over to LED's this past summer. I read on the stuff till I was about ready to go mental.
I ultimately decided to wait for 2 more years until the pricepoint comes down and the technology gets worked out on someone else's dime.
LED's cast a very directional, focused beam compared to regular lighting. I'm not sure how they disperse the beam(s) in home ligthing, but I did look at some of the bulbs at Lowe's. Just looking at the bulbs there made me decide to wait. Soon there will be options everywhere and there will be something that's appealing.

The comment on the "focused beam" has me thinking, and wondering.

I currently use track lighting with a variety of spotlight fixtures to highlight the various paintings on the walls. All but a few are originals, and the remaining are very limited artist proofs. I'm thinking the focused beam of the LEDs might be great, especially if they provide a clean, white light. I would not consider CFLs, because I know what that kind of light can do to colors over time. I'm now wondering if there have been any long-term studies (or experiences of members herein) with the LEDs in terms of their possible fading effects on colors? I'd hate to damage artwork on un-tested lighting!

[MTB996]

I have 6 in my house and it reduced my bill from $100 a month to $82. I am an electrical contractor and have installed several different models ranging in price. For recessed light I prefer the whole driver/trim in one piece. They offer a cleaner look when off because of the frosted lens. I prefer the 3k models as they give close to the incandescent color everybody want and still high lumen output. The 2700k is not as bright and the 3600k and 4k make you feel like your in a office. This is a great model and is what I have installed in my house. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202240932/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 I have installed more expensive models but the main factor to look for is CREE technology.


Couldn't agree more, but then again I am biased. I make em...

The biggest problem with LEDs out there is all the crap that give the technology a bad name. LEDs can look great, have excellent CRI, the correct color temp, exceptional lifetimes, fully dimmable, etc. Just have to buy the right brands.

[SvilleKid]

Couldn't agree more, but then again I am biased. I make em...

The biggest problem with LEDs out there is all the crap that give the technology a bad name. LEDs can look great, have excellent CRI, the correct color temp, exceptional lifetimes, fully dimmable, etc. Just have to buy the right brands.

Just wondering, since you are involved in the LED field, do you have any data on my question posed in the post before yours? If I was sure there would be no damage to the artwork, I could see me replacing my spots with the LEDs. The halogen and the incandescent bulbs I currently use do not have great lifespans, and they are not really that cheap ($3-$6 each). With close to a dozen spots, it might make sense to replace these with LEDs. But only if they won't leach out the colors!

[MTB996]

Just wondering, since you are involved in the LED field, do you have any data on my question posed in the post before yours? If I was sure there would be no damage to the artwork, I could see me replacing my spots with the LEDs. The halogen and the incandescent bulbs I currently use do not have great lifespans, and they are not really that cheap ($3-$6 each). With close to a dozen spots, it might make sense to replace these with LEDs. But only if they won't leach out the colors!

I doubt that the LED emitters would cause any harm. One advantage to LEDs is the lack of UV or IR, as compared to std bulbs, reducing fading and food spoiling. Additionally, with high CRI, you get true color representations.

Let me double check with the applications team on the artwork question to be sure.

[MTB996]

Found this article from LSI about using our LRP-38 PAR lamps in museum applications and color fading. You should be good to go.

http://blog.lightingservicesinc.com/Blog/bid/69750/Light-Sensitive-Materials-LED-Lighting-vs-Traditional-Sources

[SvilleKid]

Found this article from LSI about using our LRP-38 PAR lamps in museum applications and color fading. You should be good to go.

http://blog.lightingservicesinc.com/Blog/bid/69750/Light-Sensitive-Materials-LED-Lighting-vs-Traditional-Sources

Thanks for the article. Looks like it is being studied indepth, but it's probably still highly dependent on the quality of the bulb. Hopefully the LEDs will turn out to be color-safe. Think I'd better wait for a bit, but keep an eye on the development of these!

[physiognomy]

...At 30-40 dollars per bulb it would cost me several hundred dollars, could use some input:banger

Vic,

I noticed there are many options on dealextreme.com (same site has awesome cheap lighters). Quality might be a little up and down, but the price definitely makes up for it.

http://www.dealextreme.com/c/led-light-bulbs-907

[Silound]

I have very mixed feelings about LED lighting in my apartment. Currently, to sum it in an easy phrase, putting LEDs in my place would be about like buying a new truck to squeeze that extra 3-4 miles of fuel economy: it won't pay off well enough.

I've done the math numerous times, and everything I can calculate mostly suggests that the real long-term savings is more closely related to the ever-rising price of energy rather than the efficiency and life expectancy of the lighting. Not even going as far as to mention the fact that most people's power bills are largely made up of appliances, heating, and cooling; not lighting.

If and when the price drops, like it did for CFLs, I will further investigate the possibility of upgrading.

[the nub]

Really depends on your usage and electrical costs. Where I live, electricity is cheap- $.08 /kwh. On any given night, I have one 13w CFL on for the entire house. In other words, if I'm not in the room, it's not lit. If I'm reading, I sit closer to the light. I've changed one light bulb in the 4+ years I've been here, so given my usage, it would take what, 40 years to pay back? IMO the average family would do much better by exercising energy conservation rather than swtiching to LED- or you could do both but there's no sense in throwing out a perfectly working bulb.

[bonjing]

For those that have been using the LED's what brands are you recommending? I saw someone mentioned cree bulbs, but I'm guessing just like flashlights that some are still better than others.

Also can LED be used in three way lamps?

[ktblunden]

I have CFLs in every socket in the house and really, my electricity (when we're not running the AC) isn't high enough to justify the massive expense to convert over to LEDs throughout the house. I don't really want to wait a couple decades to recoup my cost.