replacing CFLs with LEDs

Physics, not Peace. 2014.

 

For me I simply don't like the quality of light coming out of florescent bulbs. Really as costs continue to come down we will have native led wiring in houses and cheaper bulbs. Dimming is an issue as many want a color shift as they dim like incandescent bulbs and this is doable with leds.

I was slow changing mine. Like my mom, always did, turning off lights is way better in effiency, and this doesn't cut down useful life of led.

For home energy efficient HVAC including insulation is the most important. Then appliances finally light bulbs come into play. The push for light bulbs has been so strong because it is fast and easy, but ... most of my home energy dollars go for gasoline, then for airconditioning, others for heat, unless you are in a very moderate climate.

 

I love the pure, white light of the latest generation of LEDs. Older white LEDs used phosphors, as do fluorescent tubes and old television screens.

 

In my case, it is the florescent flicker. I haven't tested commercial LEDs but the lower voltage makes a flicker filter more practical. Hopefully P-factor requirements have also reduced electrical noise.

Bob Wilson

 

For LEDs which are DC devices flicker is entirely do to improper driver design. I'm not sure which bulbs or dimmers have flicker but the ones I am using are flicker free.

 

Puget Sound Energy often has deals for things like LED bulbs.

I think we're down to 2 CFLs in the place now. I also jumped into indoor gardening, and decided to take the deep plunge and go LED for that.
300w LED grow light. Plants are way healthier looking under it than they were with the 5500K full-spectrum grow CFL I had before.

I just got cheap LED puck lights for under the kitchen cabinets that have a warm, natural looking light. I'm really glad that technology has been improving in this.

 

Yes, entirely due to poor circuit design.

 

LED's in our applications seem to hold up better under mild vibration. CFL's in our garage door opener (cold in winder advantage too) suffered high mortality - LED's ... we're well into our 2nd year now, and they're holding up so far.
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It should be fairly easy to build LED bulbs that last 20 years and are vibration resistant. They probably cost a little more. Normal outdoor cold and heat shouldn't hurt any of them.

 

Opps. Wrong thread.

 

I bought several CFLs for bathroom, I think 11W, round vanity types. I thought they were poor: The first ones started dimly, then brightened over 30 s or so. Bought a couple GE Reveals, brightened much more quickly. But they all seemed to burn out pretty quickly (year or so).

Bought 1 LED bulb for vanity. It snaps to life in a split second and is brighter than several CFLs combined. It cost $15, but if it lasts long, well worth it. I kept receipt right above vanity. If it goes out, i go for free replacement.

 

The local "Ganahl Lumber" has a utility subsidized sale on LED's that I hope to take advantage of on the way home from work today . . . 10watt 800 lumen warm /normal shaped bulbs ... just $3.99 !! No limit - I'll be all over it.
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You can still buy 4-packs of incandescent light bulbs up here, for about that price. We're mostly switched over to compact fluorescent bulbs now, no light emitting diodes yet. The main use for the old-school incandescents is a few lamps with clip-on shades, and an older pit lamp. With the latter a compact fluorescent seems risky, and they don't seem to provide the same brightness, regardless of brightness.

Gotta say, it seems an ongoing lemming stampede, always trampling on to the latest and greatest.

 

I have not been impressed by the reliability of the cheap LED bulbs but the improved light quality over CFL keeps me buying the more expensive brands.

 

I'm the first to admit I grumble about everything, but I really think compact fluorescents have an identity crisis. I mean, couldn't it say "light bulb", or something along those lines, somewhere?



And yeah, all the other sides are similar.

 

At ~ 70 lumens/watt (and not getting better,) I'm not surprised. Crap LEDs can be bought in that range too, but I'm hopeful that near term we will see 100 lumen/watt at < $5 USD/bulb. Oh, and without 'minimal' Hg too.

Brand LED bulbs have at least 10 year warranties that one could rely on if the receipt is kept.
If a CFL is used 6 hours a day and electricity costs 14 cents a kWh, over $18 USD in electricity costs is saved over the warranty period by using an LED that outputs 100 lumens/watt instead. Put another way, you can pollute less for no more than you spend today. What is not to like ?

Addendum:
These Phillips
Philips 60W Equivalent Soft White (2700K) A19 LED Light Bulb (2-Pack)-455576 - The Home Depot
Are $2.5 USD a piece at HomeDepot and emit 94 lumens / watt.