Gotta change the house bulbs again?

[niky]

Originally Posted by johnlvs2run

I like these 1 watt night lights, have three of them and might get some more.

They are bright white, with plenty of light.

Not bad... pretty cheap. Still want a warmer color.

I'm gradually getting there. We started out with a 5w... too bright... then 4w... too bright... 3w... 2w...* I'm pretty sure I will be going down there eventually!

-

*I rotated the bulbs out to where I needed more light as I went down the scale.

[Xist]

Someone came up with outlets with built-in LED night lights. I thought that was cool, but still just want lit switches.

[wdb]

Is anyone else learning yet about LEDs' "dirty little secret?"

I have 75W halogens in cans in our kitchen; those lights are on a lot and require a 10-foot ladder to replace. I generally swap in two or three new bulbs every year. Naturally I'm anxious to find a good alternative, but CFLs that fit the cans don't make enough light and LEDs have the same problem. Finally, finally! a 1150 lumen LED bulb is introduced, 4300K color which is very nice. I immediately buy one and start rooting for the halogens to pop so I can put it up there. It does, I do, and I'm thrilled at the fact that I can't tell it apart from the halogens. Same lumens, same color, w00t! My wishes have been answered.

A few months pass. Two more LEDs go in. I start thinking to myself "is it me, or is that part of the kitchen with the LEDs not as bright as elsewhere?" So I get a freebie light meter app for my 'droid and take some readings. Sure enough the LED-lit area is significantly dimmer than the halogen-lit area.

And therein lies the "dirty little secret"; LEDs may last a long while but they "burn out" by losing light output over time. In the case of my once-1150-lumen bulbs I'd say they're down to about 900 lumens after less than a year. That amount of loss may not matter in a lot of situations but unfortunately for me it leaves us with too little light in that area.

My search for a viable halogen replacement continues.

[vskid3]

Those looking for very bright LEDs, why not DIY?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JVqRy0sWWY

It's about $30 per 100w module (LED, driver, lens, and heatsink). Might be a little much for most indoor applications.

From what I've read, the issue with most LED lightbulbs is lack of heat dissipation. While they're very efficient, they still generate a lot of waste heat when they're outputting a lot of light. Bulbs that don't have good enough heatsinks cook the LEDs.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Xist

Redpoint, can you put the CFL on a sensor?

I think it depends on the sensor and the CFL, but in general, yes.

My timer has a calendar built in that takes into account my latitude and DST, and switches the lights on at dusk, and off at dawn. The only warning it had about CFL is to not use magnetic ballast bulbs, which I don't think any of the common ones use. Most are electronic ballast.

So, I'm running CFL outside, CFL in the can lights indoors, and incandescent in places that don't get much "on time", such as bathroom vanity lighting.

I can't wait to replace the can lights with LED because the startup time to reach full brightness is unacceptable, and it would be nice to have a dimmer.

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

My electric "cooperative" would punish you for conserving.

I once called the county to have my sewer disconnected, and they told me it wasn't possible. I told them that I didn't want to pay the crazy sewer bill, and they said the house will continue to accrue the by-monthly sewer fee until the house is no longer there, and there is nothing that can be done about it.

I'm paying $40 / month for sewer on top of the water bill, which fortunately is very small.

For $40 / month, I should get internet access thrown in for free.

[star_deceiver]

4000 lumens, 300watt equivalent, uses 38 watts. Expensive thing... Also too bright to look at directly.





2250 lumens, also marketed as 300 watt equivalent, 45 watts. Has a coating that makes it shatter proof.





They light up the basement quite well!

The rest of the house has 9, 13, and 27 watt cfl's. There's Edison style LED's on all the outdoor fixtures. The detached garage has 2-200 watt incandescent bulbs which do a good job of keeping the winter chill at bay.

[freebeard]

I feel sorry for Saving@Home - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com. There hasn't been a new post over there in a month.

[Fat Charlie]

El Niño is great for saving on heating oil.