Low cost LED lights

RobertSmalls · 09-08-10, 09:47 PM

When I saw Edison screw LEDs at Sam's Club (the kind that fit in a light bulb socket), I was excited. Then I crunched the numbers on lumens per Watt, and I was disappointed. They're a little more efficient than CFL's, but not much.

My GE EnergySmart 13W bulbs are rated for 825lm, or 63lm/W.

The white StarLED is rated for 87lm/W, before the 120VAC->3.3VDC power supply and regulator.

LEDs have advantages over fluorescents, but the ones I've seen so far don't save substantial energy when you need hundreds of lm.

LEDs have a big advantage if you only need a few dozen lm, though. I'm using a 12V T10 automotive LED to light my desk at night, which saves me from having to turn on a 13W CFL. It's powered by my PC.

09-08-10, 09:47 PM	#11
RobertSmalls Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 344 Thanks: 3 Thanked 17 Times in 15 Posts	When I saw Edison screw LEDs at Sam's Club (the kind that fit in a light bulb socket), I was excited. Then I crunched the numbers on lumens per Watt, and I was disappointed. They're a little more efficient than CFL's, but not much. My GE EnergySmart 13W bulbs are rated for 825lm, or 63lm/W. The white StarLED is rated for 87lm/W, before the 120VAC->3.3VDC power supply and regulator. LEDs have advantages over fluorescents, but the ones I've seen so far don't save substantial energy when you need hundreds of lm. LEDs have a big advantage if you only need a few dozen lm, though. I'm using a 12V T10 automotive LED to light my desk at night, which saves me from having to turn on a 13W CFL. It's powered by my PC.