The new LED lighting that’s available.

Chdamn

Chdamn

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I posted this picture in the “projects” thread. Within the last year or so, the amount of LED lights has exploded. There is just a ton of really neat options out there. And they’re relatively inexpensive.

I started with a flat (1 inch) profile light in my son’s room.

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And just modernized the look of the front of the house with this, dusk to dawn light.

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Trying to take a picture of a light always produces a glare but try to picture it without that lol.

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It really looks great and it’s sealed so no more fighting wasp nests in my front porch light.

I’ll keep posting up pics as I go through the house and change the lights.

If any of you are doing the same post them up.
 
I replaced half a dozen or so contractor “boob lights” with flush mount LED fixtures from Lowes, because I was sick of trying to find the right size candelabra bulbs, and wasn’t going to pay $20ea for candelabra LEDs when a whole fixture only cost $50.

Much brighter and more energy efficient. They also had a switch integrated that let you adjust the color temperature so it’s not hospital white. All the floods in my kitchen are now LED bulbs as well.
 
I'm usually not a fan of new fangled stuff. But I do like led lights. Wasn't a big fan at first but when they started adding the different tinting like old bulbs so you can have some options on color and brightness I like them now. Went with led shop lights in my workshop no stupid tubes burning out every month or having that flicker until they warm up. And they have 12 year warranty.
 
LEDs are definitely the shiznit and
I’ve got to get around to replacing all the fluorescents in the basement with LEDs.

I changed out the lighting in my safe to LEDs and it was a huge difference.
 
Saw YouTube video a while back that documented the history of the blue LED. It becomes increasingly difficult as you move up the spectrum from red toward blue. But you have to have red, green and blue in order to get white. Without blue, LEDs were just limited to dashboard indicators and Christmas lights.
 
I got a sheet of acrylic mirror on amazon, I cut pieces to fit behind the LED bulb in the porch lights, shines the light out front compared to the brass reflector that is stock on the light. Just slipped in place, no adhesives needed.
 
Prices have dropped, many made in Vietnam now vs ChiCom, you can set the color temperature with a switch, one model replaces five and prices are better.
 
I don’t have a pic handy since it was my mom’s house…but I recently swapped out the two 60w bulbs in my mom’s garage (moved to a new house after ~38 years) last week for two of these:


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She was extremely appreciative. All kinds of options at various places to get similar lights, but I’ve used those at her new place and at my dad’s house (in the attic) with great results. I put a different style in my own garage that has a downward facing LED in the center, and then a different one in my own attic.


With LEDs in general, I swapped a bunch out around the house once I wired my place up to run on generators.

Think about the difference in 20 lights running 60w bulbs vs 7w, or whatever the equivalent is. Instead of limiting which ones can be on, we keep on living as normal. This works well since I’m using two smaller (3000W running) generators to run everything except the 220/240/whatever stuff (A/C, dryer and oven).
 
BigWaylon said:
I don’t have a pic handy since it was my mom’s house…but I recently swapped out the two 60w bulbs in my mom’s garage (moved to a new house after ~38 years) last week for two of these:


View attachment 774005

She was extremely appreciative. All kinds of options at various places to get similar lights, but I’ve used those at her new place and at my dad’s house (in the attic) with great results. I put a different style in my own garage that has a downward facing LED in the center, and then a different one in my own attic.


With LEDs in general, I swapped a bunch out around the house once I wired my place up to run on generators.

Think about the difference in 20 lights running 60w bulbs vs 7w, or whatever the equivalent is. Instead of limiting which ones can be on, we keep on living as normal. This works well since I’m using two smaller (3000W running) generators to run everything except the 220/240/whatever stuff (A/C, dryer and oven).
Click to expand...
I have a couple of those in my garage as well. I need to relocate the attic crawlspace box to fit one of those up there as well, but haven't gotten around to it.
 
Make sure to look at the Kelvin on the box when buying.
2700k (Kelvin) will be more like the old incandescent bulbs that we grew up with.
It's warmer and has a more cozy feel.
5000k will be white, think of a hospital, doctors office, or an old flourescent that whites everything out.
A candle flame is around 2000k and fire embers are around 1000k.
Just for reference.

Most LED bulbs that you can buy right now vary from 2700k to 5000k.

Try not to mix them if you can. I'd pick either 27k or 3k and stay with the same Kelvin if you're replacing them all or as your old ones go out.
 
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Pineapple said:
Make sure to look at the Kelvin on the box when buying.
2700k (Kelvin) will be more like the old incandescent bulbs that we grew up with.
It's warmer and has a more cozy feel.
5000k will be white, think of a hospital, doctors office, or an old flourescent that whites everything out.
A candle flame is around 2000k and fire embers are around 1000k.
Just for reference.

Most LED bulbs that you can buy right now vary from 2700k to 5000k.

Try not to mix them if you can. I'd pick either 27k or 3k and stay with the same Kelvin if you're replacing them all or as your old ones go out.
Click to expand...

Most of the new fixtures will change K with a switch from 2700 to 5000.

3 choices on the ones I bought.
 
What are the best bang for the buck “thin” tubes?

I have been replacing the incand thin tubes around our house w led tubes I picked up at WM and they are NOT lasting long, at all!
 
73Chall said:
What are the best bang for the buck “thin” tubes?

I have been replacing the incand thin tubes around our house w led tubes I picked up at WM and they are NOT lasting long, at all!
Click to expand...
We carry Philips and Halex at Home Depot, we never get any returned for defects.
 
I put two of the 4 foot single tube leds in my shed. $16 each from Home Depot. Made a huge difference. Now I can see I need to organize better.
 
Chdamn said:
Most of the new fixtures will change K with a switch from 2700 to 5000.

3 choices on the ones I bought.
Click to expand...

New ones are coming with 5 options. 27k, 3k, 3500k, 4k, and 5k. Mostly task lighting fixtures.

Warm / dim bulbs are going to be the next new thing soon. You can change color temperature with a dimmer.
 
Another LED change I did was put a replacemet LED tube in place of a fluorescent bulb that allows use of the original ballast. Improved light in the closet liket 30% and no more flicker or delay when you hit the switch.
 
The 20 year old ceiling fan in our bedroom gave up the ghost recently. It was pretty useless even before. High ceiling and small close mounted fan really didn't move much air. And the light fixture was anemic even with a good LED bulb.

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This thing keeps the menopausal ladies in my life cooler and is like turning on the freaking sun.


Don't do that accidently at 2am BTW. It's an insult to the optic nerves.
 
I found a picture on the internet of the style light that was in my son’s bedroom, our bedroom and the hallway.

These ugly ass lights, that I’m sure were haute couture back in the 60’s. But the bulb was recessed into the ceiling so the light they gave off was abysmal.

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And when you take the heavy glass out you’re left with this.

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I replaced 16 4 bulb florescent fixtures in my garage with 4 of those fan like LEDs.
The increase in light was amazing and the electricity cost reduction was immediately apparent.
 
Going to need a good pair of sunglasses in the garage. :cool:
 
BigWaylon said:
I don’t have a pic handy since it was my mom’s house…but I recently swapped out the two 60w bulbs in my mom’s garage (moved to a new house after ~38 years) last week for two of these:


View attachment 774005

She was extremely appreciative. All kinds of options at various places to get similar lights, but I’ve used those at her new place and at my dad’s house (in the attic) with great results. I put a different style in my own garage that has a downward facing LED in the center, and then a different one in my own attic.


With LEDs in general, I swapped a bunch out around the house once I wired my place up to run on generators.

Think about the difference in 20 lights running 60w bulbs vs 7w, or whatever the equivalent is. Instead of limiting which ones can be on, we keep on living as normal. This works well since I’m using two smaller (3000W running) generators to run everything except the 220/240/whatever stuff (A/C, dryer and oven).
Click to expand...
best ten bux each "I" have spent for some basement illumination...
 
llaht said:
best ten bux each "I" have spent for some basement illumination...
Click to expand...
You buy them due to this thread? Or already have them? I got a heckuva deal, or at least that’s what I told her. $30 worth of lights for $10. $15 on sale for $10, and I had somebody here send me a $10 off $10 coupon they had. 😎

Just remembered she sent me a pic to prove she’d emptied enough moving boxes to get her car in the garage. First garage she’s had since ‘76.

Both light figures are close to the house wall, opposite end of the garage door. And I haven’t readjusted them since all the boxes have been moved. Can probably turn the panel on the far side a little more vertical. No before pic, but this is what is looks like now:

IMG_1286.jpeg
 
Button Pusher said:
We carry Philips and Halex at Home Depot, we never get any returned for defects.
Click to expand...

Timfoilhat said:
Another LED change I did was put a replacemet LED tube in place of a fluorescent bulb that allows use of the original ballast. Improved light in the closet liket 30% and no more flicker or delay when you hit the switch.
Click to expand...
I did the same with two cases of Phillips bulbs a few years back. Half of them failed within a year or two. Since they were under warranty, but over HD’s support (30 days?) It took months for Phillips to honor their warranty. Enough so I’ll buy another brand instead of poor performance, and a yuge hassle.
 
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I bought a 10 pack of 8’ long led tube lights when I was wiring the building here at the house. They’re so bright, I actually only needed 4. I’m gonna replace some of the fluorescent lights in my other buildings with the rest
 
I replaced the old style outside floodlights with LED motion activated floods. They light up the yard much better than the old floods ever did.
 
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