LED bulbs... any good?

Strat_a_tat_tat

The sort that you put in normal household light fittings (to replace tungsten filament bulbs). Are they an improvement on the older type of energy saving bulbs (the mini fluorescent type things)?

Thanks

Grunfeld

YES!

Because:  instant on, no fade with age, and you can get super-bright and don't use much juice.  And I like the colour temperatures available. 

octatonic

Yes!

crunchman

I've got several LED GU10s.  They are a definite improvement.  They last a lot longer.  Just don't buy the really cheap ones on Ebay or Amazon.

I've not yet used any in a traditional bayonet fitting though, although I do need to buy some.  I've used up all my spare bulbs.

They come in difference "colours" - warm white vs a brighter bluer light.  The colour is often given a temperature in Kelvins - higher will be harsher and bluer.  You might want to buy one or two difference ones to see what you prefer.

Strat_a_tat_tat

@Grunfeld, @octatonic, @crunchman. Great... thanks guys. I'll get some Philips warm white ones and give 'em a try.

Hootsmon

Rubbish......planted mine in March and they have STILL tae come up

professorben

Lamps.......

EricTheWeary

Got some GU10 LEDs but some not as they won't go in all our fittings. But they have survived so far ( couple of years at a guess) in our kitchen light fitting which used to pop standard GU10s with alarming regularity.

crunchman

EricTheWeary said:

Got some GU10 LEDs but some not as they won't go in all our fittings. But they have survived so far ( couple of years at a guess) in our kitchen light fitting which used to pop standard GU10s with alarming regularity.

Apart from the energy saving this is the big benefit.

When we got our kitchen done, 3 out of 4 bulbs in the light fitting went within 3 months.  I think they get really hot in those fittings.  The current LED ones have been in there for more than 2 years.

Sporky

Chateau Sporky is mostly LED these days, apart from the poncy filament bulbs in the living room lights which look like a demented steampunk spider. In a good way.

snakemanStoo

Similarly we have two light fittings that pop filament bulbs really quickly.  Put LEDs in them and they've lasted yonks.

Just started swapping out GU10s now.

octatonic

Sporky said:

Chateau Sporky is mostly LED these days, apart from the poncy filament bulbs in the living room lights which look like a demented steampunk spider. In a good way.

We have those on our patio.
They are nice.

Majorscale

Just spent a fortune kitting out our house with LEDs. Our house came with GU10s installed in every room so it added up, but hoping the savings will pay back the investment. Just got a variety of different types from B&Q and so far so good. I actually prefer the "cool white / 4000K" GU10s to the halogen aping "warm white / 2800K". 

randella

Sporky said:

Chateau Sporky is mostly LED these days, apart from the poncy filament bulbs in the living room lights which look like a demented steampunk spider. In a good way.

Carbon filament bulbs, love them.  I've gone for some weird gothic look in my living room without realising it.

Traditional dichroics are a pain in the arse - I used to rent a house lit entirely by GU10s and they'd pop all the time.  Trouble was they'd take out the main breaker with them so you'd be plunged into darkness about once a fortnight.

Handsome_Chris

I've got Phillips' Hue lights around the place.  I love 'em.

Hootsmon

hootsmon said:

Rubbish......planted mine in March and they have STILL tae come up

here's what I was expecting....

 

Hootsmon

Daffopedals....... ^

ToneControl

only buy the best brands: Philips, etc
the cheap ones are not bright, and self-destruct

Also watch out for dimmers.  Most dimmers can not handle LEDs

Sambostar

Yeah, you can get a pack of 5 half decent lumen output ES, SES or Bayonet fitting for around a tenner from Screwfix and Toolstation and the like these days.  Check your lumens though, especially of it matters, although compared to CFL you shouldn't have to.

ArchtopDave

I'm steadily changing over to LED's.

Have a look at SimplyLED on line - they sell a whole range of LED Bulbs in various fittings.

Roland

The price of LED bulbs has dropped over the last two years as the designs stabilise, and volume production kicks in. In the last 18 months I've replaced all of our halogens with LEDs, and most of the incandescent bulb fittings too. The reduced electricity consumption is noticeable, although it's too early to claim an annual saving.