LED Bulb Shopping

[PADemD]

We went shopping yesterday at Home Depot because their bulbs on line were on sale for $2.97. When we got there, the sale was over, of course. So, I purchased 8 candelabra base LED bulbs and 17 regular base LED bulbs. I can switch the incandescent bulbs around to the least used lights and wait for them to expire.

I'm really skeptical about these bulbs lasting 11 years. I tried the fluorescent bulbs, and I don't think they lasted long at all. I plan to mark the date of the bulb switch to confirm the life of the bulb.

It remains to be seen how much money will be saved as the total cost of these bulbs was $123. Last month's electric bill was $83.

[TexasProgresive]

1. My experience with the life of CFLs

If they are open to the air they last nearly the life span listed. If they are in an enclosed fixture they might not last as long as an incandescent bulb. I think the ballast goes bad from excess heat build up.

About LED bulbs I think they should be quite long lasting, however I noted that a 60 Watt equivalent LED draws just slightly less current than a CFL. LEDs run on DC voltage so there is a transformer and rectifier in the base of these bulbs that may experience the same heat build up as the CFLs. I don't have any experience as I haven't bought any LED bulbs yet. I might have bought some at $2.97 a pop.

[OKIsItJustMe]

5. Many LED bulbs have a surprising weight to them

This is a metal heat sink. It’s important for that heat sink to be able to do its job.

Cree came up with a brilliant idea. They realized that the need for a sealed light “bulb” to prolong the life of a filament no longer exists. So, they cut vents in theirs!

http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/semiconductors/devices/cree-loses-heat-sink-to-engineer-cheaper-led-bulb

[Sienna86]

2. Have bought Cree at HD and Ikea LED bulbs

ikea had a 50% sale a few months ago. I imagine this repeats once or twice a year. So far son good with all the LED bulbs.

[GP6971]

3. I converted to

LEDs 2 1/2 years ago and I've seen a marked decrease in our electric bill. Not one has failed and it's really nice not having to get on a ladder to change the bulbs in the ceiling lights.

If there is a Costco near you, try there.......their pricing is pretty good.

[DrewFlorida]

4. Longer life is not the only way LED bulbs add value. Reduced electrical use saves $$$.

[hatrack]

6. Hint for CFLs (and there have been times they haven't lasted very long for me)

The first time you screw one in and then turn on the lamp or fixture, leave it on for at least an hour, maybe a little more if you can. For whatever reason, the first burn-in seems to be really critical.

Beyond that, CFLs seem to last longest in areas where they're not switched off all the time - as a porch light, or in the bathroom, where you've got a bunch of people in and out each morning.

[TexasProgresive]

7. That's true fluorescent lights whether tube or curly

don't take to being turned on and off. I remember reading back in the 60s the optimum minimum time for a fluorescent light to be on is 45 minutes. This was a ratio of bulb life to energy use. I hope this post makes sense. I couldn't get the right wording.

[-none]

9. I put 4 CFL's in the bathroom when I moved in here.

They are still working fine after 4½ years.

[JeffHead]

8. I have 4 coach lights on my garage. ..

I swapped them out about 3 years ago with Cree bulbs. They run dusk to dawn every night and they are still going strong.

[Kilgore]

10. Overall good experience with LED's so far

Installed twelve led retrofit kits in can lights a year ago with no failures. Just swapped ten cfl lights to led this week after Finding a sale on Amazon.

Not happy with cfl lamps. We had around forty in our home and every year around three would fail. Usually the base, where the electronics are located, would look discolored and overheated. They really don't like heat. Hopefully the LED's do better.

[OnlinePoker]

11. Bought 10 Phillips LED bulbs 3 years ago

Two of them burned out already and were being used in places where their use is sporadic and short term (laundry room and stairwell to basement). Is there an issue with LEDs being turned on and off that shortens their lifetime? At the time, they were $27 apiece if I remember correctly. The incandecent bulbs they replaced had been there over 10 years and probably would still be working now.