Incandescent lightbulbs out by 2014; hate CFLs; anyone use LED bulbs?

Perks · Sep 30, 2012

So we're building a house and we're looking into what we're going to do for lighting. Last January saw the end of 100 watt incandescent bulbs. (Whatever is still out there is just the selling off what was already made. They can't be manufactured or imported anymore.) 75 disappear in 2013 and 60 and 40 watt bulbs are next until they're all gone.

Fine. Whatever. But I tried the CFLs and that's the most miserable, soul-stealing light I've ever sat under. The claim that they last longer than incandescent is rubbish - they don't. Then they are a pain to dispose of.

So, I'm looking at LEDs and wanted to know if anyone here has used them in any large quantities? Is the light any good? They are shockingly expensive, but it sounds like there's not going to be much of a choice.

jennontheisland · Sep 30, 2012

See if you can find the CFLs that have "daylight spectrum"... make sure it says 6500K (usually in very small print) somewhere on the packaging. Nowhere near as bad as the yellow tinged ones. My plants actually lean toward the daylight ones.

jjdebenedictis · Sep 30, 2012

The only LED lights I've ever seen were, in terms of light quality, far, far more soul-sucking and arctic than CFLs, which I don't mind.

*wistful sigh* In university, I saw a demonstration of a high pressure sulphur lamp. One bulb lit an entire auditorium (fit to seat 400 people) brighter than the normal roof lights did and the light quality was so great it looked just like sunlight.

The problem is it generates so much heat, you need a special mechanism to keep the bulb from melting itself.

leahzero · Sep 30, 2012

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/limemouse/lifx-the-light-bulb-reinvented

(They're sold out, but man, so getting one...or five...when they're available for purchase again.)

Ambrosia · Sep 30, 2012

leahzero said:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/limemouse/lifx-the-light-bulb-reinvented

(They're sold out, but man, so getting one...or five...when they're available for purchase again.)

That is very cool.

Perks · Sep 30, 2012

leahzero said:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/limemouse/lifx-the-light-bulb-reinvented

(They're sold out, but man, so getting one...or five...when they're available for purchase again.)

Ha! That's cool. I think turning on the lights via smartphone is a little beyond what I need just now, but I can see the day when it's standard fare. Isn't is neat to get a sneak-peek into the future?

KellyAssauer · Sep 30, 2012

Perks said:
The claim that they last longer than incandescent is rubbish - they don't. .

All of mine have.
All my cfl's have lasted anywhere from 5 to 10 years.

Perks said:
So, I'm looking at LEDs and wanted to know if anyone here has used them in any large quantities? Is the light any good? They are shockingly expensive, but it sounds like there's not going to be much of a choice.

I have 3 of them. To call them a light bulb is a lie, they are more like weak about-to-die night-lite. Sure they take almost no energy, that's because they don't do squat.

If you want to save money with LED lighting, buy them buy the 100 strings and place them under a cove molding six inches to a foot down from the ceiling.

I've seen them, and it works. =)

Perks · Sep 30, 2012

KellyAssauer said:
All of mine have.
All my cfl's have lasted anywhere from 5 to 10 years.

That's weird. Mine lasted about 10 to 13 grisly-lighted months.

Gah. I don't know what to think.

regdog · Oct 1, 2012

Don't look at me, I'm hoarding incandescent lightbulbs.

Ken · Oct 1, 2012

... whatever you decide on, make sure you're happy with the choice and try out the lights as much as possible first. Maybe you could just do one room as a test and get a feel of how it'd be before going ahead and doing them all. G'luck.

Lavern08 · Oct 1, 2012

regdog said:
Don't look at me, I'm hoarding incandescent lightbulbs.

LOL - Me too.

Incandescent lightbulbs out by 2014; hate CFLs; anyone use LED bulbs?

Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower

jennontheisland

the world is at my command

jjdebenedictis

is watching you via her avatar

leahzero

The colors! THE COLORS!

Ambrosia

Grand Duchess

Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower

KellyAssauer

The Anti-Magdalene

Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower

regdog

The Scavengers

Ken

Lavern08

Sit Down, and Shut Up!