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LED Light Fixtures for the Home?

Posted by Cliff on from the replacing-the-burning-filament dept.

HBergeron writes "Despite some exhautive searching I have able to find very little about LED based light fixtures for the home. There are some in marine use, and a spare handful of others come up on a Google search but from all I have read on Slashdot I have to believe there are more out there. I am in the final stages of a home remodel and would very much like to use 'the lighting source of the future' (tm) in a number of places. For one, the bedroom, LEDs could make a nice bedside sconce/reading light, and a red/white option could be just the like for those late night stumbling across the room expeditions. A vanity light seems like another good place. Not to mention energy and bulb replacement savings." While these may not be economical for most people, I'm sure there are a few folks out there who have put these new lights to the test. How well did they stack up to the use of traditional filament lights?

2 of 101 comments (clear)

  1. A couple of places to check out... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    LED light bulbs

    LED brass desk lamp

    Several models to choose from

  2. Compact Fluorescent by Yonder+Way · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I can't believe I haven't seen it mentioned here yet (maybe I am browsing at too high a threshhold), but compact fluorescent lights are the current way to get the best bang for your buck in home lighting.

    You get roughly a 4:1 amount of light per watt in a compact fluorescent as compared to a conventional incandescent bulb.

    I recently went through my parents house replacing bulbs. I used mostly ~15 watt bulbs (60 watt equivilant) and in a couple of areas where really bright light was needed I used 27 watt bulbs (~100W equiv.)

    There were two fixtures in the hall that used a total of 600W of light originally and now use a total of 60W using compact fluorescent bulbs. The hall is still quite bright, but now use four 15 watt bulbs as opposed to eight 75 watt bulbs.

    It doesn't take a math genius to see that these bulbs pay for themselves relatively quickly via savings in the electric bill. Not only that, but they last a long time. I've been using them for about six years and I've had only *one* bulb die in that timespan (that was a Philips if anyone wants to know).

    Home Depot is selling them pretty cheaply right now. There is no excuse to not buy a pack and try them out. You are totally justified in spending the money for the bulbs up front and put them in now, knowing that if you annualize your costs you are actually saving money.

    These bulbs cannot be used in dimmer type sockets, and other than the really small 9 watt models some of them have a hard time in very small enclosed fixtures.

    You will realize the most immediate savings if you replace bulbs that are in use for extended periods, like driveway lights or hallway lights.