L.E.D. light bulbs

[nodle]

I love L.E.D. light bulbs. They have sure come along way. Costco has some great deal on bulbs to. I got a 10 pack of led bulbs for 10 bucks. No weird fins or anything they look just like a regular bulb. Says last 15,000 hours or 21 years per bulb. I had CCFL bulbs in everything that they old owner did (way better than regular bulbs) but led ones are even better. I replaced all the bulbs in my garage lights. I looked at the back of the box and each led bulb uses 9.5 watts. They are a 60 watt bulb replacement but way brighter. If you do the math I can replace 6 bulbs and still use less power than a normal 60 watt light bulb. Plus way brighter and last way longer.

 

[C Pav]

I am in the process in switching all our bulbs to LED. Basement is done as is my bathroom.

I want to do the garage next. What type of lighting did you go with for out there?

 

[nodle]

I am in the process in switching all our bulbs to LED. Basement is done as is my bathroom.I want to do the garage next. What type of lighting did you go with for out there?

In my garage, I have 6 overheard regular sockets that I put in 6x L.E.D. bulbs. They are suppose to replace a 60watt, but I would compare the brightness to a 100watt bulb. Then I have 3x metal cold starting overhead lights that use florescent tubes (would like to switch to L.E.D. tubes someday) but florescent are pretty energy efficient. They hang over my work benches area. I have have 3 garage door openers with lights. I have replaced those bulbs with the old CCFLs but will probably pull them out and put these same L.E.D. bulbs in. I mean think of each time you pull a vehicle in that usually has two lights and they typically stay on for around 5 minutes. Each bulb you replace saves you money. Try to get L.E.D. bulbs in bulk. Costco is the best place I have found for the quality and price, Amazon can't even come close or Walmart.

 

[C Pav]

Yeah, I have replaced more than I would like on the garage openers. I meant soft white, yellow etc.

 

[nodle]

Yeah, I have replaced more than I would like on the garage openers. I meant soft white, yellow etc.

Oh sorry, misread it. The ones I got are the daylight ones 5000k or very white. No yellow to them , just crisp white.

 

[ndboarder]

We've been moving to LED for a while.  I replaced the old fixtures in the garage with worklight fixtures and put the 4' LED tubes in each of them.  that's 12 bulbs total, so they are much brighter and last much longer than the 3 100 rough service bulbs I used to use that would puke out every couple months from the minor vibrations of garage doors opening/closing.  Kitchen is all LED flood bulbs, most rooms are LED bulbs.  The primary hold outs are some track lights with halogen bulbs that can't really easily be updated to LED yet.

While LED bulbs do last, the one thing I have to watch for is how dimmable they are.  Most are dimmable, but how well they dim and how low they dim before just being "off" still isn't on par with older types of bulbs.  I haven't had to change any bulbs in quite a while of course, so the last time I checked Cree was by far the best option for dimmable LED bulbs.

 

[C Pav]

Have not even had to think about our dimmable and flood lights we have which is a good thing since those are all in high areas in our main floor and around the outside of the house. I am amazed that not one has had to be replaced yet and we use them, and have used them, quite a lot since we moved in over 3 years ago. They are all those larger flood like lights and we have a lot of them.

 

[ndboarder]

I've mainly focused on how dimmable the bulbs are, because the z-wave switches we've put in throughout the house are mostly dimmer switches.  They look the same as the simple on/off switch, but you press the top/bottom for on/off and the dimming ones just allow holding the top or bottom to brighten or dim the lights.  While not all that often used, most of the lights in the house can be dimmed if desired. 

 

[C Pav]

Our dimmable light switches are the type with the small metal "bar" right next to the switch. Was used quite a bit back when son was still a baby and we fed him out in the rocking chair in the living room.

 

[nodle]

I just never seem to use dimmable lights. I guess if you wanted a "romantic setting" or something. Other than that I don't really see a need for them.

 

[ndboarder]

I just never seem to use dimmable lights. I guess if you wanted a "romantic setting" or something. Other than that I don't really see a need for them.

The primary ones we dim frequently:1) Entry light above the foyer when you walk into the house or up/down the stairs.  It's a 500W halogen, when it gets later in the day having it at full brightness isn't needed and a bit overpowering really

2) Track lights in the family room.  The "normal" lights in the room are too bright if just sitting around watching TV, and the track lights at full strength are as well, but having some light is nicer than just sitting in the dark most of the time.

3) Kitchen lights and those over the dining room table - the kitchen has 6 flood bulbs and with the LED's it's incredibly bright when they are all on.  Great for cooking/cleaning, but nicer a little dimmer just to be in and out of the room.  Also the dining room is basically part of the kitchen, so sitting down for formal meals (holidays and such) it's nice to bring the lights down a bit for a nicer setting. 

 

[nodle]

My entire garage inside and out except for my fluorescent lights are now all leds. If my fluorescent lights go out they will be switched over to led also. I have been working on replacing all bulbs in the house now with leds also. The previous owns did ok and most all of them are ccfls, but led even use less and are more bright.