Is There An LED Lightbulb In Your Future?

LED lightbulbs were not going to be in my future, I thought. My concept was that LED was a bad idea.  But as I climb ladders more often to replace bulbs I am beginning to see advantages of longer life bulbs.  Spirals are now commodities, and I like one or two brands.  Some I can hardly tell any difference from normal bulbs.  They are especially good in goose neck desk lights, as they don’t generate any heat.

But, LED reviews in Consumer Reports and other magazines have started to come on strong.  Spiral bulbs often have warnings against using dimmers, and against putting them in sealed fixtures. I have a number of sealed fixtures in my home.  As far as I know LED’s are fine in sealed areas.

LED’s have had, in the past, some strange qualities in addition to terribly high prices. Some of them look strange, and some send most of the light up, not around and down. And wavelengths were very white.  But now, Cree, a North Carolina manufacturer might be about to take the LED market by storm.  For under $13 (exclusive for the moment at Home Depot) Cree has a 60 watt (light output) bulb that burns only 9 watts.  Is warm white, mimics the look of the normal lightbulb, and is dimmable. Will last for 23 years under normal 3 hour a day use. In two years it would pay for itself in electricity saving.  After that, it saves massive money over the remaining 21 years.  I gather than the reviewers liked it best of all LED bulbs tested, light went normally around, not just up.

Phillips makes a build called A-19  420240, it was OK similar specs to the Cree, but it throws the light up, I will pass on that one. Also looks more like halogen light, not warm white. 

Ecosmart A19 Bright White 400674 is another dimmable LED, in the bright white spectrum. Price has dropped from $26 to about $14 in recent weeks.  So, you can see where this is going – soon they will be so competitive people will buy them in mass

Cree has not yet received certification for utility rebates, but I am sure it will.  Then it will be even less than $13.   

I will buy a Cree this week and test it.  Look for a Blog update when I have actual happiness (or not) with my first LED bulb. Note this link on Forbes .. worth a read, that's for sure. 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2013/05/22/how-cree-perfected-the-20-year-lightbulb/