holland_patrick
Well-known member
what's the best out there???
I'd like to same money but the wife doesn't like CFLs
are the LED's worth it?
I'd like to same money but the wife doesn't like CFLs
are the LED's worth it?
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Lightbulbs
- Thread starter holland_patrick
- Start date
I've gone almost completely cfl. They've come a long way, and it is worth going to a lighting showroom to see which ones are bluish, or warm, or bright, etc. The led's are better looking, but I'll wait till they become price competitive. Right now they're ridiculously expensive. Can't recommend specific brands, but where I live the local power administration will subsidize certain bulbs. I converted two houses to cfl on costco bulbs that had an instant rebate paid by the power people, bringing my per bulb cost to pennies. They are made in china though and are not dimmable.
mmhouse
Well-known member
Halogens are good in my opinion. The quality of light is similar to conventional incandescent bulbs, just a bit whiter to my eye. They are instant on and dimmable which is important to me - most of the bulbs in my house are either 3-way or on dimmers. The only downside is that they put off a lot of heat. They are not as efficient as CFLs but considerably more so than conventional bulbs.
I don't like the quality of light that CFLs provide, the warm-up time or the dimmability. I tried the ones saying they were dimmable but they didn't work well.
I like the idea behind LEDs but they don't seem to be quite ready for prime time yet.
I don't like the quality of light that CFLs provide, the warm-up time or the dimmability. I tried the ones saying they were dimmable but they didn't work well.
I like the idea behind LEDs but they don't seem to be quite ready for prime time yet.
Halogens are good in my opinion. The quality of light is similar to conventional incandescent bulbs, just a bit whiter to my eye. They are instant on and dimmable which is important to me - most of the bulbs in my house are either 3-way or on dimmers. The only downside is that they put off a lot of heat. They are not as efficient as CFLs but considerably more so than conventional bulbs.
I don't like the quality of light that CFLs provide, the warm-up time or the dimmability. I tried the ones saying they were dimmable but they didn't work well.
I like the idea behind LEDs but they don't seem to be quite ready for prime time yet.
Halogen is nothing more then incandesant on steriods they not very efficient, I have tried a couple of "A" lamp* LED brands & one is doing pretty decent (Phillips) & the other (Utili Tech) failed rather quickly, the light is good, even better then the CFL's they replaced...
* A standard lamp is a "A" lamp.
OP
holland_patrick
Well-known member
well i'm doing CFL for now I'm seeing if the wife notices the difference...
I do because my brown couch looks green now
I do because my brown couch looks green now
I H8 the CFL made out side the USA. I am not very fond of LED technology at this stage of development.
And am a whole lot less than happy about both LED and CFL's of our public servants in Washington having done us the dis-service of REGULATING a booming business of getting into "OUR" business by taking away our freedom to manufacture a Made In America (USA) filament style light bulb. And NO ONE PRODUCES the new crappy bulbs CFL's and LED's in the USA.
PLEASE America "WAKE-UP"
And am a whole lot less than happy about both LED and CFL's of our public servants in Washington having done us the dis-service of REGULATING a booming business of getting into "OUR" business by taking away our freedom to manufacture a Made In America (USA) filament style light bulb. And NO ONE PRODUCES the new crappy bulbs CFL's and LED's in the USA.
PLEASE America "WAKE-UP"
ddawg16
Well-known member
what's the best out there???
I'd like to same money but the wife doesn't like CFLs
are the LED's worth it?
Yea...my wife had the same comment a few years ago.....
I replaced a bulb in one of our floor lamps with a CFL....6 months later she had not noticed the difference....you should have seen her expression when I told her.
Now, about 95% of the bulbs in our house are CFL....
mmhouse
Well-known member
Halogen is nothing more then incandesant on steriods they not very efficient, I have tried a couple of "A" lamp* LED brands & one is doing pretty decent (Phillips) & the other (Utili Tech) failed rather quickly, the light is good, even better then the CFL's they replaced...
* A standard lamp is a "A" lamp.
True, halogens are not nearly as efficient as CFLs or LEDs but, as I noted, will dim and give off very pleasing light. As I understand they are about 30% more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs.
If instant on, dimmability and quality of light are important to you (they are very important to me) then halogens are the best option. If energy savings are your top priority and you are willing to sacrifice on some if not all of the other qualities then CFLs or LEDs are for you.
For more energy savings I'm waiting for LEDs to increase in quality and decrease in price. Hopefully the manufacturers will also come up with ways to make the light they produce less directional.
LED's are the future. When CFL's first came out there was very little selection. Led's are in that position now. I've installed recessed cans where the leds were part of the fixture, (not replaceable). Very nice, great light output and color, dimmable and you guessed it, expensive. You and I could not afford it, but the local high school could. Most of the common CFL's made by the big three, Sylvania, Phillips and GE are all made overseas. The specialty stuff is mostly made here. If I have to buy China, I'm not paying more for it.
LED's are the future, but they ain't here yet, not for general lighting. If your wife objects to the appearance of the twisty CFL bulb, there are jacketed CFL's availablethat look pretty much like traditional bulbs. I like them for drop lights. All the benefits, but they don't shower glass all over when they break. Uncommon compared to the bare twisties, but can be found at Home Despot, probably even easier online.
gonefirefighting
Well-known member
I use LED's, take them with me when I move, never have to buy again, cheaper bills and waaaaaay brighter. all kinds of sizes, types and usages out there.
kert
Well-known member
I H8 the CFL made out side the USA. I am not very fond of LED technology at this stage of development.
And am a whole lot less than happy about both LED and CFL's of our public servants in Washington having done us the dis-service of REGULATING a booming business of getting into "OUR" business by taking away our freedom to manufacture a Made In America (USA) filament style light bulb. And NO ONE PRODUCES the new crappy bulbs CFL's and LED's in the USA.
PLEASE America "WAKE-UP"
Incandescent bulbs aren't actually being banned from production, but new incandescent bulbs must be more efficient. There are already incandescent bulbs on the market that are more efficient than the traditional incandescent bulbs.
RivennHewn
Well-known member
The problem I have with LEDs, is they are directional. Are they coming out with floods, or lights that are any good for other than 'task' lighting?
ddawg16
Well-known member
I H8 the CFL made out side the USA. I am not very fond of LED technology at this stage of development.
And am a whole lot less than happy about both LED and CFL's of our public servants in Washington having done us the dis-service of REGULATING a booming business of getting into "OUR" business by taking away our freedom to manufacture a Made In America (USA) filament style light bulb. And NO ONE PRODUCES the new crappy bulbs CFL's and LED's in the USA.
PLEASE America "WAKE-UP"
You are so off target.....and have no clue as to why the regulations.
I bet that you didn't know that the US lags most of the other countries in implimenting new effeciency standards for lights....what the naysayers love to call a "ban".
What you fail to see is that we have only so much energy to go around....lighting 'used' to account for about 35% of residential energy use. And when you apply economics 101 (assuming you went to school), the common sense thing is to modify the item that has the cheapest change cost....and lighting is that item.
If America "Wakes Up", it will find out that we are wasteful slobs....
You need to wake up...
gatchel
Well-known member
The problem I have with LEDs, is they are directional. Are they coming out with floods, or lights that are any good for other than 'task' lighting?
Every LED bulb I have installed performs better than the same style incandescent it replaced. You must be talking about the sub $10 LED bulbs that are **** to begin with.
Start with a quality product and you will never know the difference.
FASTRAKR
Member
Do you have any links to 'quality' LED lights? I would like to try switching some of my lights over to them.
Thanks,
Thanks,
gatchel
Well-known member
Do you have any links to 'quality' LED lights? I would like to try switching some of my lights over to them.
Thanks,
Honestly, your local Home Depot is probably the best option due to the local power companies subsidizing the costs, (usually).
A19 Philips bulb probably can only be used in fixtures that "hide" the bulb due to the visible Yellow phosphors being exposed. Some people don't like the yellow bulb look when it is off. They also have a 75w version.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...053&langId=-1&keyword=LED+light&storeId=10051
6" Recessed fixtures:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...&langId=-1&keyword=Ecosmart+LED&storeId=10051
4" Recessed fixtures:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...&langId=-1&keyword=Ecosmart+LED&storeId=10051
I use these in outdoor spot fixtures. NOTE: they must be installed in a contemporary spot housing like the 2nd link shows.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...&langId=-1&keyword=Ecosmart+LED&storeId=10051
http://www.homedepot.com/Red-Dot/Re...&langId=-1&storeId=10051&superSkuId=202573596