replacing CFLs with LEDs

I got a 5000K bulb in and I like it for the recessed kitchen lighting, maybe the bathroom, and garage.
I'm going to order a 4000K and 3000K bulb to see how well (if at all) the light blends and to get an idea just how yellow my old CFLs really are.

I'm still not sure if I'll buy more 5000K bulbs until I experiment with the 4000K and 3000K.

 

I just looked for the sunsun 6.5 watt bulbs and they were twice as expensive on ebay after shipping vs amazon with free shipping.

 

what is the model number? I'm still using CFLs in my candelabra base socket, haven't found a LED I'd like to try there yet.

 

ouch those are $18 /$20 a bulb

amazon.com/Feit-Electric-CFC-500-LED/dp/B00GP9MAE4

amazon.com/Feit-CFC-DM-LED-Chandelier/dp/B0097DEFPW

I was doing the math and 1w saving is worth about $2 a bulb for me (4w saving breaks even with a $8 bulb).

I can't afford to replace bulbs all around the house at this price point.

 

I got to test 5000K vs 4x00K vs 3000K. Unfortunately I'm not sure the exact color temp of the "4000K" bulb as they mark it on the box as being between 3700K and 5000K. I'm sure it is well below 5000K but I don't know any cheap way to measure color temp at home.

LED Light Bulbs Purchasing and Procurement : ENERGY STAR says that the Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) has to be one of Nominal CCT: 2700K, 3000K, 3500K, or 4000K to get the energy star approval.

Will they reject a bulb that is 3700K or will they just test it vs the nearest marker?

Personally I hate the 2700K level, but I'm ok with the 3000K. I'd like to see more bulbs at 3500K or 4000K (or somewhere in between).

The Simple Energy Works LED is smaller and better than the 5000K version of the sunsun but it is also $2 more a bulb. If I could get it at the same price as the sunsun I'd do it but since I can't I'll just have the one bulb like that in my house.

I think if I had to buy a ton of bulbs right this second I'd just order the Sunsun 3000K 6.5w and call it good.

As is I'm still waiting for another price drop or a more competitive bulb.

I wish Cree would make a 3750K version of their new 6w bulb. It'd be nice to have a less directional bulb in some fixtures. Of course I'd also like to see that at under $8 a bulb as well.

Also I'm still finding the 6.5W/7W LEDs to be similar to a 9W/10W CFL for glare on my TV. I'd like to see some lower priced 4W or 3W LEDs in the Cree style and the directional style that is more common. Something like $4 a bulb would be nice. Again I want this between 3000K and 4000K preferably on the high end.

 

Does any utility subsidize the NanoLeaf?

amazon.com/NanoLeaf-NL1200BN120V-1200Lm-Light-Black/dp/B00DT5K544

I like the 120 lm/watt and the 3500K color temp but the cost per bulb of $30+, low CRI, and the minimum wattage of 10W are drawbacks to me.

It looks like the bulb uses 33 leds at about .3 watt each to make a 10W bulb. I'd be fine with deleting 10 of those from the neck faces (nearest the screw thread base) leaving a more directional light bulb for a 23 led 7W design. I'd also like to see a version with one more LED per upper face deleted for a 18 led 5.4W design.

I'm not sure why they put so many leds facing into the socket in the first place. Its so rare to see a bare exposed bulb so the fixture is likely to block much of the light facing that way. It's almost like they consider obscuring the base of the bulb in a shroud of light to be more important than efficient use of the light they are producing.

 

I would say most of my bulbs are not in recessed fixtures.

I have 4 can lights in the kitchen which are recessed ceiling fixtures. 1 bulb with a plastic cover under the hood that is over the stove.

I have 4 diagonally down facing sockets per ceiling fan (each one with a glass shade that varies in opaqueness/translucentness from room to room) something like 16 or 20 there. Do you consider these recessed? They are open on one end of the V/flower shape/cone so you see the bare bulb if you are at the right angle to where they are pointed. They might be better with a Cree or Phillips design that puts more light to the side to reduce the directionality.

I have some enclosed fixtures (ceiling mount with translucent cover) in hall ways and two rooms for a total of 6 to 10 sockets (I'd have to open them to count). The bulbs inside these are mounted horizontally on the ceiling so omnidirectional is a plus but not required due to the cover diffusing the light.

I have vanity lights in the bathrooms that have glass shades that are transparent and swivel. About 7 to 10 sockets. I don't consider these recessed in any way. Very close to being bare bulbs. In these rooms the light fixtures are over the sink in the left and the shower is on the right so I need to be able to throw light across the room. The directional bulbs work here for me. If you had vanities with the flush mount 90 degree sockets you might want the cree design instead.

I have floor lamps that are tall enough to be over your shoulder when you sit on the couch. 2 sockets. I've tried the directional sunsun 6.5w and it puts out light in a very similar pattern to my 8w cfl. I don't think an incandescent tosses that much more down light than either of these though I guess there is some difference between the three. Honestly the 6.5W led is still too bright for this use as it still puts glare on my TV. I need a lower wattage LED for that spot or ceiling mounted light to direct light down on the couch without putting glare on the TV.

edit: I have 2 nightstand lamps (one on each side of the bed). Ideally these would be low K bulbs 3000K or 2700K of the lowest wattage possible so as to not suppress melatonin production. These site about 2 feet left or right of the pillow we lay our heads on so it's radiated and reflected light that counts not the downward light directly from the bottom of the shade.

I have 3 bare bulbs in the garage and 2 that are covered by plastic covers (garage door opener lights). Some are placed vertically and some are horizontal.

I have 2 bare motion detector bulbs outside plus several porch light (4 sockets inside glass/metal boxes). The motion detector originally had incandescent floods in it so directional LEDs should be a fine switch.

Not sure if I missed any (looks like I have between 50 and 60 bulbs listed) but I'd say I have a wide variety of fixture types between angle of mount/placement in the room/covers and shades.

If cree made something in the 3200K-4000K range that uses their new design that favors lighting to the sides of the fixture I'd use that in the horizontal placement ceiling fixtures. I suppose I could use the 5000K version for the garage if the price drops. I might prefer the cree pattern for the ceiling fan sockets as well but I'd need that 3x00K temp option.

The 120 degree beam LED bulbs are fine for the majority of my use though I'll concede that they work best in my kitchen can lights and I haven't tested them in the motion detectors yet.

I guess my contention is that between reflected light off the ceiling and walls, the diffusion of shades, and the ability to aim/place a light you really don't need truly omnidirectional bulbs.

I'd even go so far as to say incandescent aren't omnidirectional (they have a distinct shadow created by the socket).

 

aye, and how many people sit directly below the lampshade? My bedside lamps on the nightstand are about 2 feet away from the center of the pillows on each side.

In my case if it weren't for the radiated light through the side of the shade and the reflected light from the ceiling my nightstand lamp would give zero light to anything in my hands while I lay in bed.

Maybe your bedside reading light is an articulated tensor lamp that you can swing over the bed? Or maybe you lean out of the bed with one elbow resting on the nightstand to read?