CFL Bulbs that really last for 5 Years

[jimbo]

The problem with CFL AND LED is the hazardous raw material needed. The EPA and OSHA requirements to make those in the USA are cost prohibitive.

[BobL43]

Perhaps...

..........snipped......
What LED's aren't good at is general area lighting.
p.s. Enclosed CFL's like R30's are awful. They are slow to fully illuminate, have relatively low luminous efficiency for a CFL, and often are not instant on. Additionally they tend to project farther physically. On the other hand, the few I have are still plugging along with nary a failure.

I'm not in full agreement with that (LED's) , as the 2 LED R30 lamp/fixtures I bought at HD are great. I have 2 of them in the ceiling that light up my 12X16 foot den, which is not that big, but they light it up nice and brightly and evenly with a pleasant incandescant 2700K color. they seem brighter than the 575 Lumens they are rated at, and they are excellent with the Lutron dimmer in installed for them. As far as LED task lighting, I bought a couple of 40 watt equivalent (I think) at the Blue big box for table lamps, and I think, because they don't give off light in all directions like a normal incandescant lamp, and these table lamps have the bulbs mounted sideways, they suck. Talk about a run on sentence! Even if they were mounted vertically, they would project little, if any light downwards. Any light for the floor would have to be bounced off the ceiling. Not too good in my opinion.

[DonL]

The problem with CFL AND LED is the hazardous raw material needed. The EPA and OSHA requirements to make those in the USA are cost prohibitive.

Thanks all for the Good info.

What is in the LED light that makes them a hazard ?

I thought they got the lead out.

[BobL43]

Thanks all for the Good info.

What is in the LED light that makes them a hazard ?

I thought they got the lead out.

Google® is your friend: apparently Arsenic is in there too. Seems like all sources of light have hazards, including the Sun and candles too.

I should be OK though, as I am a mushroom, kept in the dark and fed horse manure

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20031779-54.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0210124136.htm

http://www.gizmag.com/led-bulbs-foun...-metals/17876/

[DonL]

Google® is your friend: apparently Arsenic is in there too. Seems like all sources of light have hazards, including the Sun and candles too.

I should be OK though, as I am a mushroom, kept in the dark and fed horseshit.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20031779-54.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0210124136.htm

http://www.gizmag.com/led-bulbs-foun...-metals/17876/

Good stuff Bob.

Sky lighting sounds like a better way to go.

To bad it is not as easy to install.

[BobL43]

Good stuff Bob.

Sky lighting sounds like a better way to go.

To bad it is not as easy to install.

I do have 8 skylghts already in the roof! they work well.

[mtcummins]

I'll second whoever it was (sorry, too lazy to look back ) that I like the Orange box brand bulbs. I've used all the iterations of them, and they're all pretty decent. They do turn on instantly, and the warmup period is very short. These are the ones that I've mostly used and had good luck with.

The downlights are more problematic... warm up slower, fail faster, etc. as others have said. They make some pretty nice LED drop in replacements if you use a 6" can. Most of my cans are smaller, so I can't go that route. Maybe eventually they'll catch up to my can sizes in the readily available market (6" is too big for any ceiling lower than 10'. I like 5" on 8' and 9' ceilings for general lighting, and 4" for task/accent lighting... the proportions just work better)

[DonL]

I do have 8 skylghts already in the roof! they work well.

I have heard that they don't work well at night.

But it must be very cool to be able to Howl at the Full Moon from your Arm Chair...

[DonL]

My Wife did some research on the cost to Covert to LED lighting.

This is what she came up with.

$250.00 for the LED lights ( I need about 10 ) @ 25.00 each
$100.00 for a permit
$72.00 for Electrician Certified to change them because it is a modification, Insurance You know. (I think I am Qualified)
$200.00 for the inspection by a qualified Electrical inspector. (I can not inspect my own work)
––––––––––––
$ 622 Total

Does that sound about right ? Or is her calculation Off ?


Seems a bit expensive just to change 10 Light bulbs, If you follow all the rules.

[mtcummins]

If you're doing the can light conversions, you don't need permits/electricians. Its just changing a light bulb. The ones I'm thinking of screw into a standard base and just replace the bulb and the trim on the can light housing, no electrical requirements.

Back to $250, seem more reasonable?

Although, I think if some people had their way about things, this would be a permit operation requiring union electricians and all that jazz... <sigh>

[jimbo]

What is in the LED light that makes them a hazard ?

.

Neodymium, and other rare earth minerals. Same is in the displays on your pad/pod whatever. Prices will rise as china starts to bogard their supplies. That is also true for lead, such as smaller sealed lead-acid batteries. Most of the worlds lead is now mined in china, and environmentally it was so out of hand, even china could no longer ignore it ,so some mines were temporarily shut down. Just starting to get back up to speed.

[DonL]

Neodymium, and other rare earth minerals. Same is in the displays on your pad/pod whatever. Prices will rise as china starts to bogard their supplies. That is also true for lead, such as smaller sealed lead-acid batteries. Most of the worlds lead is now mined in china, and environmentally it was so out of hand, even china could no longer ignore it ,so some mines were temporarily shut down. Just starting to get back up to speed.

I got cracked up when I read the word bogard Jimbo®. Sorry but You crack me up.

I have heard the term "Don't bogard that Joint"

I knew it had to be a special Plumbing lingo.

That is great, You are the best...

[mtcummins]

I have heard the term "Don't bogard that Joint"

Thats a good song too...

[Chad Schloss]

where are you buying LED lights so cheaply? $25? where? do tell I see one at big orange that i kind of like, since i am remodeling. i thought they were more like 50 or 60 each and came with trim. someone mentioned CREE, i think those are the same lights. they fit in a 5" or 6" can.

[DonL]

Thats a good song too...

True.

Tom P. did it well.

I never thought it was a Plumbing Connection.

Even tho he used a water pipe.

Now I understand.