POLL: LED lightbulbs - Yes or No?

Emily H

8 years ago

How do you feel about LED lightbulbs?

VOTE and tell us about it in the comments! (photos encouraged)

"Edison Style" A19 LED Filament Bulb - 6w Dimmable · More Info

Yes!

No!

Other -Tell us!

Featured Answer

PRO

Julia & Elizabeth

8 years ago

Actually how we feel about them is irrelevant. The government made that choice for us.

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Comments (233)

User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Ledelco Custom LED Lighting said:

"Printessa: The Lotus LEDs require NO octagon boxes or ENCLOSURES of ANY KIND."

The Lotus has a Square junction box and enclosure for the driver. The HALO ones cost less and come in more color temperatures, appearantly. From what I have found, the Halo are also brighter.

They will both need about the same amount of space between the ceiling finish and ductwork. It shouldn't make any difference to your electrician as far as installation is concerned. It is more important that the end result is what you want. As far as ease of installation, I would usually rather use the Halo if you are still at tthe rough-in stage, but might give an advantage to the Lotus if the ceiling finish is already applied and you have to fish in the wiring. The Lotus would also have an advantage (for some models) if part of the actual lamp had to be under a joist to get it centered correctly, as the driver and junction box can be off to the side. You shouldn't have that problem in this situation at rough-in stage.
PRO
Ledelco Custom LED Lighting
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I've already stated that the Lotus fixture has a remotely mounted power supply that needs to be tucked up inside the cavity which requires less than 2" clearance. I also linked to the spec sheet which clearly shows the driver and its dimensions. Since the power supply already has an integrated junction box, no octagon boxes or enclosures are required. But thanks for your helpful diagram in case it wasn't already clear enough.
chiflipper
8 years ago
Incandescent bulbs are readily available from many companies such as www.1000bulbs.com I prefer LED's in the 5000 k range.
printesa
8 years ago
Thank you both for the details. For the area where I need these pucks or shallow recess, there is nothing other than the framing. My husband is making the walnut panels, so everything is open. I'll take all these suggestions and discuss them with the electrician tomorrow. Thanks a lot!
User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
The clarification was because you said that "The Lotus LEDs require NO octagon boxes or ENCLOSURES of ANY KIND." It is only true that the REQUIRED enclosure is integral to the luminaire.

The reason that I brought this up is that there are LED lights out there that look similar, but can be run by one driver for many lights. Some of those claim that no enclosure of any kind is required, and suggest using wire nuts to splice the wires without any junction box at all. That would violate the NEC in the US. Splices must be in an enclosure, and all transformers/drivers shall be readily accessible for inspection and maintenance. (getting the transformer back out of the ceiling via the hole after taking out the LED is sufficient as long as there is enough slack in the cables)

I wouldn't want anybody to order the wrong type on line, just to find out that they can't use them.
printesa
8 years ago
Thank you for the details. Anything that we end up ordering will need to be verified by the electrician and tested before we order the entire thing..Online shopping can be a tricky thing..I've learned that when we looked for faucets
printesa
8 years ago
I don't want to take over this thread, so I could post on my old post if that is better..We are back to square one..I am trying to find LEDs that are 2700K because that is what we have in the rest of the basement..If I go with recess lights, they need to be small diameter 2"-3" and not deeper than 3".
My other option would be surface lights...not sure how they would look..If any of you have an idea, please go ahead...the run is about 40 feet long by 7 feet wide with a bar area in between
PRO
Ledelco Custom LED Lighting
8 years ago
I don't think the thread matters unless you think it does. It is information that could be useful to anyone.

I would have recommended these but they are only available in 3000k.

http://www.gmlighting.net/products/12vdc-mini-led-dimmable-recessed-downlight

I used them on this project. They are a great little light.

Modern Condo · More Info

A lot of LED manufacturers have decided that 3000K is going to be as low as they want to go in color temperature for warm white. 3000K is still plenty warm but there will be a noticeable difference between 2700k and 3000k if they are in the same room together. It may be tricky to locate something that will meet all of your requirements and still be UL approved. Nothing comes to the top of my head but I will check around for you.
printesa
8 years ago
Thanks! Yes, the basement has recess lights in drywall, LED, that are 2700K and this run is next to it..I am looking now at ceiling lights as well..like these below..not sure how it will look on the a walnut panel

http://www.ylighting.com/fabbian-quarter-1-light-led-ceiling-wall-light.html

http://www.ylighting.com/pablo-circa-flush-ceiling-light.html
PRO
Ledelco Custom LED Lighting
8 years ago
That square ceiling light in the first link says its 3000K. The round one was 2700k. Its wickedly expensive though. How dark is the walnut panel?
printesa
8 years ago
The square ones would work great because they recess..I wonder if it would look very different given that it has a cover..The walnut will be natural color..no stain added to it.
They are expensive, but if I were to get the 3 bulb ones, I wouldn't need many..the 3 bulb ones are 1200 lumens
PRO
Ledelco Custom LED Lighting
8 years ago
Remember the squares are 3000k so they won't match the other lights you've planned at 2700k. The squares do have a choice for color on the integrated trim. I would use the satin burnished on wood myself if I had to choose.
printesa
8 years ago
We called the maker, but the person who answered either didn't get the email address right or she's taking her time to send over the specs. She said that they come in 2700k, which would be great.
I could change the recess lights to 3000k, just not sure if I will like it,,,I'll get a bulb in 3000k and one in 2700k and see if I'm ok with the 3000.

As for the trim, yes, we are between the burnished and the black. I'll see if I can order a sample of the color.
PRO
Ledelco Custom LED Lighting
8 years ago
If you can get the color you need than your search might be over. 3000 is definitely whiter than 2700k but it also depends on the setting and overall light level. Both of these pictures are 3000k but they look quite different due to the surroundings.

Custom LED Kitchen Projects · More Info

LED Accent Lighting · More Info

The exact same product in the same penthouse yet they look different due to their surroundings.
printesa
8 years ago
that is what I am curious about..I'll wait for a confirmation from the maker about the bulb...hopefully they get back to me tomorrow.
User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Printesa, as soon as you decide which color bulb to put in the other recessed fixtures, you should get enough for all the recessed in that room and put them in and turn them on to see how the light fills that part of the room. LED light does not spread out like incandescent unless you make it spread by turning the diodes in different directions. Unless you are trying for some extremely bright spots compared to the rest of the lighting in the room, I would stick with a size and spacing of lights that is comparable to the other side of the room. I am guessing that you will only be able to find bulbs at around 500-600 lumens for the 4" cans. A difference from 500 to 800 lumens might be acceptable, but a difference from 500 to 1200 lumens on a lower ceiling needs to be highlighting something for a definite purpose. In general, the lower the ceiling, the more recessed you need, but with less lumens to get even lighting. Since LEDs are inherently directional, even the surface mount fixtures you are looking at will shine mostly straight down, unlike a traditional surface mount incandescent, making it behave much more like a recessed baffled fixture. (though I haven't found any specs on that yet) I am afraid that the three light fixture is designed more for high bay applications rather than a lower ceiling so that the usable light has more time to spread out before it hits the floor.
User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I can't find any photometric data for the square lights, but imagine if the round ones were grouped together instead of spread out. Especially, on a lower ceiling.
printesa
8 years ago
Fred, the recess lights in the general area are 5" cans, with 800 lumens each. I've seen them in the room (the electrician brought several types of bulbs and we tried them). Apparently they have now bulbs of 1100 lumens for the 5" cans..to bright for me.
For the 4" cans I don't know how many lumens those have, but it's not a problem,,it's on the other side of the are, in the tv area so those would be dimmed most of the time anyway.
I so wanted to have those square ones work, but apparently they only make them with 2700K for Europe for now..here it's only 3000K and the spread is just 4 feet diameter.
The round ones in the photo was another option I was considering, but I think they are too large..it would look similar to the photo above..just not sure I would like it. I'll probably need to make a 16" circle out of cardboard and stick it to the ceiling too see how it looks on a 8 ft high ceiling
User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I probably knew the other cans were 5" with 800 lumens before, but was too lazy to go back and read it again ;). Anyhow, the point being that you probably would not want 1200 lumens concentrated together for an LED ceiling fixture like those either, if you want both sides of the room to feel the same. I may have missed something reading too fast. Are the ceiling lights for under the ductwork, or for the middle of the room besides the recessed?
User
8 years ago
As if you haven't heard it a thousand times by now, a sketch of the room with the lighting layout would be very helpful ;D

OR a link to another post with that information already on it?
printesa
8 years ago
The ceiling part where I have trouble finding lights is under the ductwork..At one end, the space is limited, meaning just 3" depth possible..that is for a section of about 4ft long.
I had a discussion posted regarding a different light question and you can see some photos from there. I can't go now to take photos because there are people downstairs installing drywall. Below is the link. On the left side is the bar area, which is under the ductwork...so from the back wall of the bar and until the end of the ductwork (width) there are 7 ft..The plan was to have small puck lights (about 40 of them) for this entire run (two rows everywhere except the bar area where we would have needed a different arrangement so that it covers the island and the back wall).

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/would-this-light-work-dsvw-vd~3305924
User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
OK, the pictures help. I thought I might have been confused when you said the lights were going on an 8' high ceiling, as that is a more standard basement ceiling height. But, I see that the main ceiling is more like 9' and the soffits are 8'.
printesa
8 years ago
Yes, standard is 9..when the house was built we were able to specify a few things (not a custom home) and we asked to have the basement with higher ceiling
printesa
8 years ago
Ok, I went downstairs and took some photos..I posted them on my dilemma (the link listed earlier). You can see there better I think the room..Right side is the bar, 2nd photo shows the bar area closer, 3rd photo shows the area for the TV and last photo is taken from the other end of the room..Closer to the furnace is where the problem is,,not enough space for recess..
I thought I could do so channel lighting, but those are just as deep as a regular recess..I also found these, but it doesn't say how much coverage they have..if it's a 4ft diameter,,not enough
http://www.interior-deluxe.com/modul-l-63-recessed-light-p17044.html
stryker
8 years ago
The party's over. And I mean that in a good way! The electrician came by and replaced some of the bulbs. The areas he's worked on so far no longer strobe. The very first bulb he replaced stopped the strobing of the remaining bulbs on that circuit, as we on this thread anticipated. The new bulbs have a more frosted appearance and don't spotlight my eyeballs, so that's a bonus.

This is the replacement bulb:
printesa
8 years ago
that's great!
stryker
8 years ago
It is!

I wish I could get the strip lighting under my cabinets changed out as easily, and for free. Unfortunately, evrything about it was called out in the specs so I'm either stuck with that sulphuric peach or am looking at about $1000 to switch it out. I wish I'd either got better guidance on that one or had tried it out before buying.

If I do decide to take the plunge, the electrician will get me a strip to test out here at home before makinga purchase.
printesa
8 years ago
We were lucky to find an electrician who wanted to first check every light before we decide on it. Now, all I have to do is fine one:) I wish it would be easier, but something will show up
printesa
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
@Ledelco, you were mentioning that there are different LED strips, quality-wise. Could you recommend some that are also dimmable preferably with a forward phase dimmer? Thanks!
PRO
Ledelco Custom LED Lighting
8 years ago
Printessa: I can recommend and even sell you a quality strip product but to be dimmable with a forward phase/leading edge dimmer, it has to be matched with the proper LED power supply. I use and sell Magnitude products for this application.

https://www.magnitudeinc.com/products/led-voltage-drivers/

If you can tell me what the total linear feet you plan to be using in a particular location I can tell you what size and model transformer you would need.
printesa
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Hollywood Glamour Meets Modern · More Info

Thank you! We are trying to figure out these days how much we would need. We couldn't find something that we liked for the ceiling, and we want to see if we can use an aluminum channel with a frosted lens cover and led strip inside the channel (Klus makes some channels that seem to be ok,,,we ordered one to see what it looks like and a cover). The same strip would probably be used in the bar shelving. Here is a photo of the shelving that we are planning to have (the top of the shelf will be made of some Plexiglas or resin and the led strip will be inside)
User
8 years ago
It may help to know the model number of the dimmer module the electrician is planning on using for these lights if you plan on having them as part of your Vantage lighting control system.
PRO
Ledelco Custom LED Lighting
8 years ago
You can use a different product with the same color temperature for each of those areas. It sounds like the ceiling would have to cover a large area with light so you could go with the highest lumen output for that and use a less bright version for the shelves since you have less area to cover. 200 lumens per foot is a lot of light on multiple shelves that are 18-24 inches high. There is also a cost savings in going this way. Just bear in mind that if there is a lens/diffuser it can reduce the light output. If cost isn't a huge concern you could use the same product and rely on the dimmer.

My 200 lumen strip uses 4.5 watts per foot and the 100 uses 2.25 per foot. You then scale the power supply based on your total length for each dimmer/switch and add 20%. A power supply with extra capacity runs cooler and potentially lasts longer. They are often installed in hot environments so this is a good practice. They come in sizes from 30 to 300 watts.
printesa
8 years ago
Thank you for the details.

For the ceiling, we are thinking of doing strips of 26" long about every 4 feet and in the bar area, every 2 feet so that it looks different there and it gets more light..It would be similar to this photo without the edge lighting
All the lights will be on dimmers. As for dimmers, the person who is installing the system said not to worry about the type of dimmer..I can tell him the light we want to use and he'll test it and find the right dimmer.
PRO
Ledelco Custom LED Lighting
8 years ago
That concept looks very nice. Make sure you get the highest lumen output you can for the strips if you go this route.
printesa
8 years ago
Thank you for the info. We are waiting for the channel and the cover to see how it looks,,we'll try it with an LED strip (don't know if they person who is testing has some for testing purposes, but we'll see when it comes). I'll post updates as soon as I have some. Thanks again! Now I have to find some time to look at some flooring and tile for the bathroom:)
ybrik23
7 years ago
I, like many other posters really don't like being forced to use a specific type of bulb. I can not find any viable replacement for a good old 100w incandescent for my needs. I stockpiled about 1000 bulbs 5yr ago (at about $ .25 each) and now I am running out. There is no cost effective alternative available as now those same 100w incandescent bulbs go for a premium if they can be found. I need about 1500 lumens to do my sculpting/welding/fabrication work and the only fixture that has ever worked perfectly for my needs is a basic mechanics drop light. I typically destroy about 3-5 bulbs a day while working. I have tried all other variety of LED, CFL, halogen etc. but they succomb to the same fate just as quickly as my old cheap incandescents and outside of the halogen they don't provide the type of light I really need. So for me there is no concern of bulb longevity ratings nor is there any ability to recover my cost over the service life of the bulb (since it is only a few hours). What's next, no more toilet paper or facial tissues because they are disposable?

Oh well, if anyone has had any luck finding a bulb that might meet my needs (severe duty) and last long enough to justify the expense, please chime in.
PRO
ParrotUncle
6 years ago

Dimmable 6W ST64 Vintage Edison LED Bulb Warm Light, 6 Pack · More Info
Laura Salama
6 years ago
HATE the LED lights, have an incandescent 200 watt light bulb in my dining room fixture. It has a nice warm light and I can dim it if I need to. I cannot find anything in an LED to replace it. LED light bulbs only come to an equivalent of 100 watt incandescent. The light from an LED is also so cold. I am stocking up on incandescent light bulbs!
PRO
Michael Kieley Design Studio
6 years ago
Generally LED's are amazing. The make a massive difference in energy consumption. I always use warm, 2700-3000 Kelvin LEDs, and once in a while the ones that are color changing.
Downside is the very bright once can be harsh. I have a 45 watt 'corncob' LED's and it needs a really effective diffuser.
I'm designing some 3d printed diffusers for some sculptural light fixtures, and my first attempt to print a diffuser wasn't thick enough.
slesliet
6 years ago
Awesome! You might just change my mind.
Theresa Doell-Hahnel
6 years ago
I always hated Cfl bulbs from the first time I saw one in the early 90s,

I hate Led even more.

Led has a horrible color spectrum, even the so called "good ones".

The list goes on though, they also have an awful strobe effect that gives many people headaches.

I work in the new home industry, Led lighting makes me feel like I just entered an underground parkade.

Garbage lighting can ruin an otherwise nice new home.

I began stock piling incandescent bulbs and halogen reflectors back in 2007, when I fist learned of the incandescent bulb ban.

I am more than willing to spend the extra $13.00 on my utility bill to not have crappy substandard lighting in my home.

The whole reason the majority of the population is buying into these energy efficient bulbs, is that they a heavily marketed as being "efficient".

Yet everyday on the roads, all I see is people driving fuel guzzling SUV's and crossover / truck type vehicles. ?????????????
matt832
6 years ago
As someone who is quite sensitive to lighting I have to mostly disagree. Not quite sure what kind of strobing you are seeing - is it on circuits with dimmers? That can happen when there is a mismatch between the bulbs and the dimmer. I really doubt you are seeing 60hz. strobe, the only place I notice that is on the cheap Christmas lights, and it does drive me crazy. Adding a simple bridge rectifier would solve it but many companies are too cheap to spend the $.02 to do that. I have used LED lighting extensively and can say none of the bulbs I've uses flicker or strobe.

I've come to like the 3000k color, it's warm enough to mix with the few incandescent/halogen bulbs I still use and white enough to make a pleasant color renditions. I do a cost/benefit in determining which bulbs to replace with LED. Those that get constant use, certainly, but in my dining room I have a 15 light chandelier and a 16 light chandelier in my foyer. The cost to replace that many bulbs with LED far out weighs the moderate cost of operation. I also have 10 short neck halogen spots in my kitchen, I'd like to replace them with LEDs but while the form factor is available, finding narrow spots is difficult and expensive, so again the halogen remain.

As someone who hates with a passion the 5000-6500k "daylight" bulbs and wish they would be all destroyed I have zero issue with good quality LED lighting.
Susie .
6 years ago
The technology has improved a lot, and the soft white is actually pretty nice. In our new build we went with all LED bulbs, and I don’t notice a difference at all!
quirkycabin
6 years ago
The comment from canuck64 early in this thread referring to "dumb mouthbreathing idiots and LED bulbs" was unworthy of a Houzz contributor. There are many folks who have difficulty with color and flickering, causing visual and yes, balance problems.
Theresa Doell-Hahnel
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Honestly, I cannot stand LED lighting.

I never liked cfl lighting at all either, I remember seeing a few of them back in the early 90s and wondered who would want these in their home?

The color rendering is better with some of the LEDs, but the annoying pulse/flicker they all seem to have is almost sickening. Especially the 4 k bluish color range.

The flicker is more noticeable with some brands than others, some people may not notice as much as others.

The flicker is most noticeable when you are moving though a room ,or by simply waving a pen back and forth while under LED lights. Sometimes I only notice the flicker out of the corner of my eye from a reflection of light from a sink or a railing.

It's also up to the manufacturer to decide the frequency or on off cycle to regulate the flicker, it doesn't necessarily directly relate to the 60HZ cycle of the main power. Which is why some may be a better or worse.

My hand with the wedding band is the best , if I wave it a few feet in front of my face, I can usually pick out the strobe effect.

I find LED lighting makes homes look bizarre, cheap and very unappealing, and maybe a bit cheesy. The color rendering of the majority is very reminiscent of flourescent, and inconsistent from brand to brand. Very cold and Institutional look and feel. Perhaps like a subway car at night , or the apple store. Neither of which are an environment I find appealing.

Yes , there is a good variety of LEDs that are dimmable, the problem I have with them is they don't dim like normal lights of the past. As they dim, the light actually turns grey. Like pale grey moonlight. Not at all appealing, unless you have vampire friends over for dinner, lol!

The light does not seem to diffuse the same as natural incandescent , it reflects off of shiny surfaces with an intense blinding flash.

Even the (good) par 20/30 LEDs that give an almost halogen-ish light , still have a purple halo that outlines the spot of the surface being lit.

I am a little confused, and perhaps many are a little misled. If approximately 12% - 15% of the average power bill is lighting, then how are people claiming to be saving sooo much $$$ on electricity with LED lighting?

I mean, it isn't like the average household is saving $150.00 every month?

Especially when the largest power consuming items in the home are appliances most people need and use every day, fridge , furnace, dryer , washing machine , oven...

I would estimate that the portion of lighting on my power bill would be $15.00. I would also guess that another portion, $40.00 of my power bill is fees.

Ridiculous fees with seemingly made up names , rider fee $5,50, network fee$6.75,maintenance fee$8.69, system fee$10.99, variable fee$7.50.......................

The fees vary from month to month, causing bill payments to go up or down , more so than consumption.

Don't forget , less than %1 of all electricity generated goes toward residential lighting alone. The largest portion of electricity goes toward commercial and industrial use.

A typical fridge will use $16+ a month, most homes have two or more. Clothes dryer will vary depending on the size of family , $18 - $40 a month. Electric range/oven $15-$30 a month. LCD tv ,average $8.00 a month.

A furnace blower alone will use $25 a month during the heating season, and using A/C in the summer will be more than three times that.

Also , don't forget the hot tub. During the summer will be around $30 a month, during winter can be near $100 a month! in cold climate regions.

Given the choice of paying $15.00 a month for lighting, or paying $7.00 a month for lighting? I'd choose to pay the extra $10.00 a month and continue using my incandescent and halogen bulbs (most are on dimmers) , rather than live with substandard , strobe/ flickery lighting that gives me headaches.

Most people have no problem paying out an extra $300.00 for gasoline every month to drive enormous - heavy fuel guzzling suv's and pick up trucks, Lincoln navigator, Toyota Sequioa, Dodge Ram..................

Hmmm... An extra $10.00 a month for electricity, or $300.00 a month for gasoline?

Yet governments mandated that sale of incandescent / inefficient bulbs banned, yet people can still purchase fuel thirsty suv's and truck type vehicles that consume fuel amounts like vehicles of the 1970s, which are responsible for a thousand times the emissions of inefficient light bulbs.

Any how, everyone has the right to their own opinion. I'm not trying to change anyone else's opinion of Led either.

I am disappointed that after all the hype of how much better LEDs were going to be compared to cfl bulbs, they are really about the same in my opinion.

I also find it interesting that so many people didn't like cfl's , but chose to use them anyway. Is this the case with LED too?

I'm also disappointed that the only options for lighting now are only cfl or led, as there are many people who share my viewpoint on LED lighting.
lmfi
6 years ago
Too bright to the eyes.
Ian
6 years ago
Here on the island of Phuket in SW Thailand, I replaced 35 Halogen Bulbs with 4,000K LED’s. Ourelectrical bill went down 10-15%. The 4,000 Kelvin is a nice pure white light against white walls and teak T & G ceilings. 2,900k is too yellow. 6,000K is just God awful.
Theresa Doell-Hahnel
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Both fluorescent and LED lighting utilize phosphor, which would be the reason they are both very similar , at least in the color rendering. Not at all natural, in any way shape or form.

I see a lot of homes where people have switched everything to the bluish 5-6k , looks absolutely awful! From outside at night, makes The place look like ghosts should be living there. Ha!
Aca Miln
6 years ago
I tried a lot of LED bulbs and all of them went to trash cans.
The last time was yesterday. I do not care about money, $30.00 or so, but I
cannot live with it. I tried 5000K, 3000K.

Did you hear for LED diode? That is it.

LED diode is very bright and lights very small area around
itself. The same about LED bulbs.

I can see very bright LED bulb and dimmed things around it. I
like to say that LED bulbs have BLACK light.:)

POLL: LED lightbulbs - Yes or No?

Comments (233)

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