Friday 6 March 2015

I heart LEDs


I have been waiting for quite a few years now until LEDs have become good enough to replace all the tungsten lighting in our house, and I believe that it is now or never.

Never mind that they save about 85% on electricity bills, each bulb is guaranteed for between 15 and 25 years as well. As I installed a couple of warm-light LED units into the hall and living room last night, I had a rather sobering - not to say depressing - thought.

I seemed to have replaced the old tungsten bulbs every couple of years up until now, but I sat down last night and as soon as the proud words, "Those bulbs are also guaranteed for 25 years, so let's keep the receipts in a safe place," came from my mouth, it dawned on me that the bulb would still be glowing brightly long after my light has gone out.

I shook myself out of the mortality reverie and began to see things in a different light.

The speed of advancement of technology in the development of LEDs does have its draw-backs. You find a light which seems to fit all your current requirements (no pun), only to find that it is not stocked by your local electrical wholesaler, and you have to buy it direct from the manufacturer.

The reason for this is that the wholesaler does not want to be left with a load of stock which he cannot sell for anything but a loss, due to a slightly superior model coming out 5 minutes later. This is the main reason I have left it so long to buy the things, and the things used to give out a ghastly, pallid and cold blue light which made it seem as though they had already out-lived you, and you were walking around your own house like a zombie.

Now it is possible to install them without anyone noticing a change, or if they do, it is a change for the better. They have just reached the stage whereby they can simulate all the nuances of hue, soft dispersal, harsh spotlight and bright to dim that any former bulb could.

Basically, I am too old to wait for them to get any better, so I have become almost evangelistic about them - but not to the young.

P.S. It's going to be great weather for John and Chris!

16 comments:

  1. Aren't the little devils amazing beyond description. My new bathroom/hallway require four bulbs. I mused in the electrical aisle of the hardware store and then decided to use LED's marked the equivalent of the bulbs I'm replacing. Holy Crap, they are blinding. I've never washed up in such brilliance. As soon as some other bulb in the house goes out, I'm swapping out these for less brilliance.
    Interestingly, it did not cross my mind these bulbs will outlive me. My sister did point out my cat might.

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    1. Yes, you have to look out for the wattage equivalents - ours, so far, have been just right. Your cat might outlive the lightbulbs... no.

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  2. I think these lights take a while to warm up so to speak - we have one in our outside lantern and it takes a good few minutes for it to be bright enough to make any difference.

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    1. I think the ones you have are energy-saving bulbs, not LEDs, Weave. those use about 15 watts and take a while to get bright, whereas LEDs come on instantly and take about 4 to 6 watts. The energy-savers are a form of tube light - sometimes all twisted to save space.

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  3. I never know what kind of light bulbs to buy anymore. I'll have to look for LEDs.

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  4. We have been replacing ours with LEDs at home and in our factory. They have improved so much, well worth the investment now.

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    1. I agree. It's taken a while but now they are really good.

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  5. I spend a lot of time comparing all the new options at the DIY store, only to leave with a pack of the older kind.
    *sigh*

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    1. Take the plunge - buy one LED equivalent and install it (don't go for the 12 volt ones which need a transformer - waste of time) and you will be convinced.

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  6. When I bought an LED-lamp at Ikea, I said: I want a replacement-bulb, so I don't have to come that often. They told me that there are no replacement bulbs for this type of lamp - when in over 20 years the light goes out, I have to throw the whole lamp away. They don't give guarantees here for their long-life; only words. And I am convinced I will last longer (just to find out).

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    1. Like printer-ink cartridges? At our age, LEDs are now worth buying and settling on.

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  7. My first ever blog post in December 2009 was about candles masquerading as light bulbs. I have never got over not being able to buy 100 watt light bulbs.

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    1. Yes, a lot of people became upset that you cannot get 100 watt bulbs anymore, even after the energy crisis - the financial one. You can get the equivalent of 100 watts in LED as small banks, but they only take up about 8 watts. Like I say, I am almost evangelistic about them these days.

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  8. Most of my lamps have bayonet bulb fixings (I don't have ceiling lights), and I now find that screw fixings are taking over. Just one more inconvenience to deal with... Bloody people.

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    1. You can get screw to bayonet adaptors quite cheaply, but I agree - it's a pain.

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