LED lights

I have seen in articles that white LED lights use less power than regular lightbulbs. Nearly always, they say something like "much more efficient than incandescent." But when you look up the specs, they usually work out to 12-20 lumens per watt. That's not better than incandescents at all. What gives?

JoeSP wrote:

I have seen in articles that white LED lights use less power than regular lightbulbs. Nearly always, they say something like "much more efficient than incandescent." But when you look up the specs, they usually work out to 12-20 lumens per watt. That's not better than incandescents at all. What gives?

All lights are not created equal. The incandescent bulbs used in flashlights are many times less efficient than 60W (and up) bulbs. This means that you can replace a flashlight bulb with a white LED and it'll run off the batteries a lot longer. You can't replace a 60W incandescent room light or 100W halogen fixture with LED and expect to save any energy.
Single color LED is much more efficient than white versions so for places that you would use an incandescent with a color filter (turn signals, brake lights, stop lights, etc.) you'll save lots using LEDs.
Anthony

White leds were apx 18 lpw max a year ago , now I hear 70 Lpw are out and 110 Lpw designs are working. I think alot of sales is lies, but soon people will benefit from efficient Leds, but at what price. Now T8 tube is best for home use. In the future who knows.

JoeSP wrote:

I have seen in articles that white LED lights use less power than regular lightbulbs. Nearly always, they say something like "much more efficient than incandescent." But when you look up the specs, they usually work out to 12-20 lumens per watt. That's not better than incandescents at all. What gives?

You just uncovered marketing's dirty laundry. More efficient for task lighting, not more "electrically" efficient. For reading a book, an incandescent is overkill, the wrong tool for the job. LED's are directional, perfect for putting a small amount of light right where it's needed.
-- Steve Spence Dir., Green Trust, http://www.green-trust.org Contributing Editor, http://www.off-grid.net http://www.rebelwolf.com/essn.html

"Anthony Matonak" wrote in message

JoeSP wrote: I have seen in articles that white LED lights use less power than regular lightbulbs. Nearly always, they say something like "much more efficient than incandescent." But when you look up the specs, they usually work out to 12-20 lumens per watt. That's not better than incandescents at all. What gives?
All lights are not created equal. The incandescent bulbs used in flashlights are many times less efficient than 60W (and up) bulbs. This means that you can replace a flashlight bulb with a white LED and it'll run off the batteries a lot longer. You can't replace a 60W incandescent room light or 100W halogen fixture with LED and expect to save any energy.

The only reason an LED lasts longer in a flashlight than an incandescent bulb, is because as the incandescent bulb dims, resistance in the filament becomes less and less, speeding up the battery discharge. An LED bulb will stay lit much longer as the battery dies, albeit at a lower light output. It also remains the same white color, not a reddish yellow as the battery dies out.

Anthony Matonak wrote:

JoeSP wrote: I have seen in articles that white LED lights use less power than regular lightbulbs. Nearly always, they say something like "much more efficient than incandescent." But when you look up the specs, they usually work out to 12-20 lumens per watt. That's not better than incandescents at all. What gives?
All lights are not created equal. The incandescent bulbs used in flashlights are many times less efficient than 60W (and up) bulbs. This means that you can replace a flashlight bulb with a white LED and it'll run off the batteries a lot longer. You can't replace a 60W incandescent room light or 100W halogen fixture with LED and expect to save any energy.
Single color LED is much more efficient than white versions so for places that you would use an incandescent with a color filter (turn signals, brake lights, stop lights, etc.) you'll save lots using LEDs.

Plus longevity of the bulb - one reason why everybody is using LEDs for traffic signals these days.
My LED flashlights definitely don't get the power output that my big incandescent lantern does, but I only replace the batteries (2 D cells) twice a year as opposed to every month (the big square 6V battery). -- derek

Another issue is that standard 5mm LED's, while they may 'go' for 100,000 hours, their light output degrades quite quickly- in the order of 30% after 9000 hours and this degradation continues past this time frame. Google 'LED degradation' for some 7,000,000 pages!
OzDave www.rpc.com.au

"JoeSP" wrote in message

I have seen in articles that white LED lights use less power than regular lightbulbs. Nearly always, they say something like "much more efficient than incandescent." But when you look up the specs, they usually work out to 12-20 lumens per watt. That's not better than incandescents at all. What gives?

Derek Broughton wrote:

Anthony Matonak wrote:
JoeSP wrote:
I have seen in articles that white LED lights use less power than regular lightbulbs. Nearly always, they say something like "much more efficient than incandescent." But when you look up the specs, they usually work out to 12-20 lumens per watt. That's not better than incandescents at all. What gives?
All lights are not created equal. The incandescent bulbs used in flashlights are many times less efficient than 60W (and up) bulbs. This means that you can replace a flashlight bulb with a white LED and it'll run off the batteries a lot longer. You can't replace a 60W incandescent room light or 100W halogen fixture with LED and expect to save any energy.
Single color LED is much more efficient than white versions so for places that you would use an incandescent with a color filter (turn signals, brake lights, stop lights, etc.) you'll save lots using LEDs.
Plus longevity of the bulb - one reason why everybody is using LEDs for traffic signals these days.
My LED flashlights definitely don't get the power output that my big incandescent lantern does, but I only replace the batteries (2 D cells) twice a year as opposed to every month (the big square 6V battery).

I installed LED nightlights throughout the house. The battery pack barely knows they are there.
-- Steve Spence Dir., Green Trust, http://www.green-trust.org Contributing Editor, http://www.off-grid.net http://www.rebelwolf.com/essn.html

"Steve Spence" wrote in message

Derek Broughton wrote: Anthony Matonak wrote:
JoeSP wrote:
I have seen in articles that white LED lights use less power than regular lightbulbs. Nearly always, they say something like "much more efficient than incandescent." But when you look up the specs, they usually work out to 12-20 lumens per watt. That's not better than incandescents at all. What gives?
All lights are not created equal. The incandescent bulbs used in flashlights are many times less efficient than 60W (and up) bulbs. This means that you can replace a flashlight bulb with a white LED and it'll run off the batteries a lot longer. You can't replace a 60W incandescent room light or 100W halogen fixture with LED and expect to save any energy.
Single color LED is much more efficient than white versions so for places that you would use an incandescent with a color filter (turn signals, brake lights, stop lights, etc.) you'll save lots using LEDs.
Plus longevity of the bulb - one reason why everybody is using LEDs for traffic signals these days.
My LED flashlights definitely don't get the power output that my big incandescent lantern does, but I only replace the batteries (2 D cells) twice a year as opposed to every month (the big square 6V battery).
I installed LED nightlights throughout the house. The battery pack barely knows they are there.
-- Steve Spence

Your point being? Low lumens per watt mean less than your own opinion that they are very efficient?

"JoeSP" wrote in message

Your point being?

And your point is?

Low lumens per watt mean less than your own opinion that they are very efficient?

The only thing that I can think of in that size, and for that use (night light) that would be more efficient than LEDs might be small neons or perhaps cold cathode, but both of those take an inconvenient voltage.
Vaughn

"JoeSP" wrote in message

"Steve Spence" wrote in message Derek Broughton wrote: Anthony Matonak wrote:
JoeSP wrote:
I have seen in articles that white LED lights use less power than regular lightbulbs. Nearly always, they say something like "much more efficient than incandescent." But when you look up the specs, they usually work out to 12-20 lumens per watt. That's not better than incandescents at all. What gives?
All lights are not created equal. The incandescent bulbs used in flashlights are many times less efficient than 60W (and up) bulbs. This means that you can replace a flashlight bulb with a white LED and it'll run off the batteries a lot longer. You can't replace a 60W incandescent room light or 100W halogen fixture with LED and expect to save any energy.
Single color LED is much more efficient than white versions so for places that you would use an incandescent with a color filter (turn signals, brake lights, stop lights, etc.) you'll save lots using LEDs.
Plus longevity of the bulb - one reason why everybody is using LEDs for traffic signals these days.
My LED flashlights definitely don't get the power output that my big incandescent lantern does, but I only replace the batteries (2 D cells) twice a year as opposed to every month (the big square 6V battery).
I installed LED nightlights throughout the house. The battery pack barely knows they are there.
-- Steve Spence
Your point being? Low lumens per watt mean less than your own opinion that they are very efficient? Lumens per watt is lighting effeciency.....are you saying LEDS are not

effecient?

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Steve Spence wrote:

I installed LED nightlights throughout the house. The battery pack barely knows they are there.

Yeah, we have one of those - something like 0.04W, iirc. -- derek

JoeSP wrote:

"Steve Spence" wrote in message
I installed LED nightlights throughout the house. The battery pack barely knows they are there.
Your point being? Low lumens per watt mean less than your own opinion that they are very efficient?

The point that both Steve and I made is that you choose your lights with the purpose in mind. If all you want is a nightlight, you want simply the lowest possible wattage - because maximum lumens is not only inconsequential, some studies have shown that even the light output from an incandescent night light can be detrimental to your health. If you want a reading lamp, small CFs are perfect. If you want to light the bathroom mirror, wattage becomes almost pointless - it doesn't matter how much power you've saved if your wife says it makes her skin look green! -- derek

"Arnold Walker" wrote in message

"JoeSP" wrote in message
"Steve Spence" wrote in message Derek Broughton wrote: Anthony Matonak wrote:
JoeSP wrote:
I have seen in articles that white LED lights use less power than regular lightbulbs. Nearly always, they say something like "much more efficient than incandescent." But when you look up the specs, they usually work out to 12-20 lumens per watt. That's not better than incandescents at all. What gives?
All lights are not created equal. The incandescent bulbs used in flashlights are many times less efficient than 60W (and up) bulbs. This means that you can replace a flashlight bulb with a white LED and it'll run off the batteries a lot longer. You can't replace a 60W incandescent room light or 100W halogen fixture with LED and expect to save any energy.
Single color LED is much more efficient than white versions so for places that you would use an incandescent with a color filter (turn signals, brake lights, stop lights, etc.) you'll save lots using LEDs.
Plus longevity of the bulb - one reason why everybody is using LEDs for traffic signals these days.
My LED flashlights definitely don't get the power output that my big incandescent lantern does, but I only replace the batteries (2 D cells) twice a year as opposed to every month (the big square 6V battery).
I installed LED nightlights throughout the house. The battery pack barely knows they are there.
-- Steve Spence
Your point being? Low lumens per watt mean less than your own opinion that they are very efficient? Lumens per watt is lighting effeciency.....are you saying LEDS are not effecient?

Of course I'm saying that about white LEDs. Haven't you ever looked up the specs? Or are you content to believe the myth that they are all equally efficient and use almost no power?

JoeSP wrote:

"Steve Spence" wrote in message
Derek Broughton wrote:
Anthony Matonak wrote:

JoeSP wrote:
I have seen in articles that white LED lights use less power than regular lightbulbs. Nearly always, they say something like "much more efficient than incandescent." But when you look up the specs, they usually work out to 12-20 lumens per watt. That's not better than incandescents at all. What gives?
All lights are not created equal. The incandescent bulbs used in flashlights are many times less efficient than 60W (and up) bulbs. This means that you can replace a flashlight bulb with a white LED and it'll run off the batteries a lot longer. You can't replace a 60W incandescent room light or 100W halogen fixture with LED and expect to save any energy.
Single color LED is much more efficient than white versions so for places that you would use an incandescent with a color filter (turn signals, brake lights, stop lights, etc.) you'll save lots using LEDs.
Plus longevity of the bulb - one reason why everybody is using LEDs for traffic signals these days.
My LED flashlights definitely don't get the power output that my big incandescent lantern does, but I only replace the batteries (2 D cells) twice a year as opposed to every month (the big square 6V battery).
I installed LED nightlights throughout the house. The battery pack barely knows they are there.
-- Steve Spence
Your point being? Low lumens per watt mean less than your own opinion that they are very efficient?

My point is that they use less electricity than a standard nightlight, and I'm saving watts. incandescents are less appropriate for that particular usage, LEDS are more so.
-- Steve Spence Dir., Green Trust, http://www.green-trust.org Contributing Editor, http://www.off-grid.net http://www.rebelwolf.com/essn.html