Trying another LED bulb

[semipro]

Found these last weekend at HD.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...-A19-Dimmable-LED-Light-Bulb-433755/204730356
Bought one for $10 and tried it out. The light quality reminded me very much of the warm light put out by incandescents, more so than the other LEDs we're using presently.
It has an interesting shape, relatively flat, which may be useful somehow.

 

[Highbeam]

Is it directional?

 

[semipro]

Is it directional?

No. Which is strange given the shape.

 

[begreen]

Cree just came out with a 100w 1600 lumens bulb. It will be selling at Home Sleepo for $19.95

http://reviews.cnet.com/specialized-electronics/cree-100-watt-replacement/4505-3505_7-35843385.html

 

[peakbagger]

I bit the bullet on a LED flood to replace a 300 watt halogen. The flood is up on a pole and the snow plow driver shakes the pole on occasion while winging back the piles and the halogen bulb falls out. If the LED works it will save climbing up a ladder. Waiting for a warm day to install

 

[Highbeam]

I bit the bullet on a LED flood to replace a 300 watt halogen. The flood is up on a pole and the snow plow driver shakes the pole on occasion while winging back the piles and the halogen bulb falls out. If the LED works it will save climbing up a ladder. Waiting for a warm day to install

Does the LED flood have the same output as that halogen? Those buggers are bright! and hot!

 

[peakbagger]

Supposedly it does have equivalent lumens. I have see these high wattage LED flood used for portable lighting and they throw out a lot of light.

 

[Laszlo]

Cree just came out with a 100w 1600 lumens bulb. It will be selling at Home Sleepo for $19.95

http://reviews.cnet.com/specialized-electronics/cree-100-watt-replacement/4505-3505_7-35843385.html

Great news! And in addition to that, $3-4 price cuts across almost their entire line. New price for the 60W equivalent will be $9.97, while both the 75W and the 60W TW are dropping to $15.97.

I managed to snag a bunch of Philips SlimLine bulbs for $5 each. They're remarkably lightweight for LEDs, but otherwise they fail to impress. From the few I've tested out, too many emit a loud buzzing while on (even in non-dimmable lamps). Maybe I got a bad batch, but that's a dealbreaker for me in almost all use cases. Some of my old 12.5W Philips AmbientLEDs were silent to start, but developed a faint buzz as time went by. The SlimLine experience right out of the box makes me worry these initial buzzers could grow worse...

 

[peakbagger]

A general comment about LEDS is I am going to end up with a box full of CFLs, its easy to get used to the diminished performance as CFLs get older especially when in a cool house. I swapped in a few LEDs and wow what a difference.

 

[semipro]

I managed to snag a bunch of Philips SlimLine bulbs for $5 each. They're remarkably lightweight for LEDs, but otherwise they fail to impress. From the few I've tested out, too many emit a loud buzzing while on (even in non-dimmable lamps). Maybe I got a bad batch, but that's a dealbreaker for me in almost all use cases. Some of my old 12.5W Philips AmbientLEDs were silent to start, but developed a faint buzz as time went by. The SlimLine experience right out of the box makes me worry these initial buzzers could grow worse...

I only bought the one Phillips SlimLine and its installed in a lamp very close to my where I sit. I hear no noise from it.
I'll have to ask my wife and kids to see if they hear it buzzing.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Pricing still has a ways to go. And some of the Leds iv replaced actually had a higher watt usage than the CFL bulbs i took out. The power savings vary widely.

 

[firebroad]

I bought a bunch of CFL's a few years ago at ALDI when they had them for $2-3 each. Got about 6- 60w equivalent, 4-100. I will use those until the price comes down on the LED's. I put the CFL's in in 2006, only had to replace one so far. This may take a while.

 

[Highbeam]

I bought a bunch of CFL's a few years ago at ALDI when they had them for $2-3 each. Got about 6- 60w equivalent, 4-100. I will use those until the price comes down on the LED's. I put the CFL's in in 2006, only had to replace one so far. This may take a while.

You're like the guy still running an obnoxious tube tv with the poor definition and sqare shape and higb power consumtion because "it still works". At some point the suffering just isnt worth it. Yes, i still have a crt tv too for the kids.

 

[firebroad]

You're like the guy still running an obnoxious tube tv with the poor definition and sqare shape and higb power consumtion because "it still works". At some point the suffering just isnt worth it. Yes, i still have a crt tv too for the kids.

Am I? I thought I was doing a good thing by replacing my incandescent bulbs with CFL's...
I guess it is time to upgrade again?

 

[Seasoned Oak]

The power savings from LED is negligible if your replacing CFLs .Whenever you see a comparison electric savings they always compare LEDs to regular Incandescence bulbs which most people dont even use and cant even buy anymore. The price difference between the CFLs and LEDs is still to great for any kind of meaningful payback. No way im going to spend $100 on 4 can bulbs to save $5 in electric cost over several years time.

 

[TradEddie]

No way im going to spend $100 on 4 can bulbs to save $5 in electric cost over several years time.

Me neither, but I'll pay $7.99 for a bulb that comes instantly to full brightness in any weather, and saves money over an incandescent. I've got outdoor lights, bathroom lights and closet lights where I'll pay for the advantages of LED. All the other places will keep CFLs until they die.

TE

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Me neither, but I'll pay $7.99 for a bulb that comes instantly to full brightness in any weather, and saves money over an incandescent. I've got outdoor lights, bathroom lights and closet lights where I'll pay for the advantages of LED. All the other places will keep CFLs until they die.
TE

A CFL that size can be had for less than a Dollar. Iv seen 8 paks for $3 I use them everywhere even in outdoor lights.

 

[Slow1]

I've swapped out almost all our lights to LEDs. One flood outside I put an LED flood in. While the lumens were not quite as high as the original, the color is much more blue (it is a two bulb flood fixture so I can see them side by side). This is an interesting effect, but it 'seems' much brighter in terms of functional light. I think our eyes are more sensitive to blue or something... Anyway, I'm quite happy with the new flood.

My 'problem' now is finding a home for all the CFL's that I replaced throughout the house when I found LEDs on sale. I need to get rid of them in a responsible manner... not sure what that will be yet. If anyone wants a pile of random bulbs (incandescent as well as CFL) and are willing to pay shipping... ha.

 

[firebroad]

I've swapped out almost all our lights to LEDs. One flood outside I put an LED flood in. While the lumens were not quite as high as the original, the color is much more blue (it is a two bulb flood fixture so I can see them side by side). This is an interesting effect, but it 'seems' much brighter in terms of functional light. I think our eyes are more sensitive to blue or something... Anyway, I'm quite happy with the new flood.

My 'problem' now is finding a home for all the CFL's that I replaced throughout the house when I found LEDs on sale. I need to get rid of them in a responsible manner... not sure what that will be yet. If anyone wants a pile of random bulbs (incandescent as well as CFL) and are willing to pay shipping... ha.

Perhaps you could dontate them to a church or charitable organization?

 

[peakbagger]

NH makes LEDs affordable $3 a pop. I probably could fill a box of CFLs, some never used, to donate to a worthy cause.

 

[firebroad]

NH makes LEDs affordable $3 a pop. I probably could fill a box of CFLs, some never used, to donate to a worthy cause.

Wow, that is a good price, are they only 60 watt equivalency?

 

[Slow1]

I recently was offered a bundle of 3 LED bulbs and one of those power strips that turn off all other outlets based on draw drop on a control plug - $10/set. I figured it was worth the risk to get 2 of them (the limit). The power strips are decent (if a bit oversized) and it is nice ot power off the DVD player etc when powering off the TV. I haven't found a use for the second one yet. I had figured that at about $3.33/LED bulb it wasn't a bad deal with the power strips as bonus. The bulbs are nice - I have 4 in a bathroom fixture that has a dimmer and it works very well for them. Much better than some of the earlier dimmable LEDs I bought.

This offer came from some mailing list I subscribed to from the utility company (or directly from util company, don't know for sure). Point here being, watch for these offers as I'm sure that various areas will have them as they push to get this technology out.

 

[peakbagger]

http://catalog.nhsaves.com/-top-menu-/catalog page 8,. The $3 bulbs looks to be 100 watt equivalents. Looks like the 60 watt equivalents are $7. NH REGGI money subsidizes them.

I have gotten; a rebate for solar panels, my house audited and insulation upgraded for about $2k, a $900 rebate on a mini split and lots of bulbs all from REGGI money. What the heck they are offering it so I might as well grab it.

 

[Grisu]

I also still have plenty of CFLs lying around. Usually snapped up when they were on sale for less than $5 by our utility. I don't mind the light "quality" but the slow start can bother me. Thus, I started to mix them with LEDs. For example: in the kitchen we have 4 recessed lights. The CFLs took about 30 s before they were really bright. I replaced two with LEDs and now have instant brightness and energy savings. Similar thing in our bathroom fixture. That way I can use off the CFLs without just chucking money into the trashcan.

 

[Where2]

I replaced two CFLs with LEDs and now have instant brightness and energy savings. Similar thing in our bathroom fixture. That way I can use off the CFLs without just chucking money into the trashcan.

My spare CFLs are destined for my collection of ceiling fans that I have begun to retrofit with Edison medium bases to relamp with CFL or LED bulbs. I still have four fans in my house that are lamped with incandescent bulbs, because they use candelabra base bulbs. (I refuse to pay double or triple the price of a normal CFL for the same product with a smaller base, and I haven't seen any ~800 lumen LEDs with a candelabra base.)