LED bulbs - why not mandatory or subsidised
Discussion
TheAngryDog said:
Our kitchen lights are all LED (they were halogen) and there are 16 of them. The LED lights I replaced them with made the kitchen brighter, which is what I wanted.
The light on our landing is one of these;
https://www.diy.com/departments/alani-brushed-chro...
We then have this LED light in one of our bedrooms;
https://www.diy.com/departments/jago-brushed-chrom...
The rest are halogen, which I should really think about replacing. The issue is that I need dimmable gold ball style ones for 4 lamps and then I need ones to replace the circa 30 halogens in my ceilings downstairs. I have 6 MR11's that just flicker on then go straight off when fitted with LED bulbs. Perhaps I need higher wattage ones?
Are you using a suitable LED transformer? Transformers for halogen may not work with LED.The light on our landing is one of these;
https://www.diy.com/departments/alani-brushed-chro...
We then have this LED light in one of our bedrooms;
https://www.diy.com/departments/jago-brushed-chrom...
The rest are halogen, which I should really think about replacing. The issue is that I need dimmable gold ball style ones for 4 lamps and then I need ones to replace the circa 30 halogens in my ceilings downstairs. I have 6 MR11's that just flicker on then go straight off when fitted with LED bulbs. Perhaps I need higher wattage ones?
We changed ours to GU10 (ie mains) when switching over.
We are on LED bulbs. the savings to us are not that big mainly because we only changed from the older energy saving bulbs.
I'm sure we saved money when we changed from normal bulbs to energy savers but its been a long time now
However when we went to LED we tried an experiment and went for daylight bulbs rather than warm light. This was accidentally as I purchased the wrong type bulb and installed it in the porch. The wife and I quite liked it .
We then did this in the lounge to see if we liked it and we all thought it looked a bit different. Then throughout the house. Interestingly a lot of friends have commented that it makes things look fresher and brighter. A few have switched to them also
Our house is on a slight hill and its a bit distinctive and when you walk or drive up the incline it looks quite distinctive. We now have the bulbs everywhere.
To be fair we bought ours quite cheap and they seem to be the same as more expensive ones we got. A standard type is as low as £1.60p ish ith the dimmable versions being nearer £3.60p
I'm sure we saved money when we changed from normal bulbs to energy savers but its been a long time now
However when we went to LED we tried an experiment and went for daylight bulbs rather than warm light. This was accidentally as I purchased the wrong type bulb and installed it in the porch. The wife and I quite liked it .
We then did this in the lounge to see if we liked it and we all thought it looked a bit different. Then throughout the house. Interestingly a lot of friends have commented that it makes things look fresher and brighter. A few have switched to them also
Our house is on a slight hill and its a bit distinctive and when you walk or drive up the incline it looks quite distinctive. We now have the bulbs everywhere.
To be fair we bought ours quite cheap and they seem to be the same as more expensive ones we got. A standard type is as low as £1.60p ish ith the dimmable versions being nearer £3.60p
Gradually changing over as B&Q have stopped selling the non-LED version of the majority of bulbs. Problem is, just the hallway upstairs and downstairs, vestibule and kitchen consist of around 34 big bloody spotlights. Not a mansion or anything just poor choice when the house was built. So just the bulbs for there are anywhere from £180-£250. Then add in bulbs in dining, lounge etc and it gets stupidly expensive.
Rod200SX said:
Gradually changing over as B&Q have stopped selling the non-LED version of the majority of bulbs. Problem is, just the hallway upstairs and downstairs, vestibule and kitchen consist of around 34 big bloody spotlights. Not a mansion or anything just poor choice when the house was built. So just the bulbs for there are anywhere from £180-£250. Then add in bulbs in dining, lounge etc and it gets stupidly expensive.
You have my sympathies. Our house is an older house. We have had it some 25 years now. We resisted the urge to put spots everywhere and its quite an older fashioned arrangement. Thing is though that means that the ceiling fittings are not excessive.The bathrooms for example are simple older type glass fittings. So nothing like the amount of bulbs you have to change. And the thing is it looks classic not dated. I know people who are removing the multiple spotlights/ downlights they have in theirs.
Trends eh !
techiedave said:
Rod200SX said:
Gradually changing over as B&Q have stopped selling the non-LED version of the majority of bulbs. Problem is, just the hallway upstairs and downstairs, vestibule and kitchen consist of around 34 big bloody spotlights. Not a mansion or anything just poor choice when the house was built. So just the bulbs for there are anywhere from £180-£250. Then add in bulbs in dining, lounge etc and it gets stupidly expensive.
You have my sympathies. Our house is an older house. We have had it some 25 years now. We resisted the urge to put spots everywhere and its quite an older fashioned arrangement. Thing is though that means that the ceiling fittings are not excessive.The bathrooms for example are simple older type glass fittings. So nothing like the amount of bulbs you have to change. And the thing is it looks classic not dated. I know people who are removing the multiple spotlights/ downlights they have in theirs.
Trends eh !
Irritating thing is the bedrooms, dining room, lounge etc are just standard fittings (A couple we've changed). Thankfully LEDs are getting cheaper but I still begrudge that amount.
techiedave said:
Out of curiosity Rod where are you getting yours from and what you payng ?
Last time I got from B&q as its just up the road from me. Pretty sure these are the right ones but hard to tell without one in front of me Online says £12 a pack of two for Diall ones. "diall E27 13W 1335LM...." product code 3663602668527Will be handy finding a job lot or bulk discount like but found it surprisingly tricky finding the right bulbs elsewhere!
Many of our light fittings are 12V Halogen.
The LED bulbs are expensive but you need to change the transformers also which are not cheap when you have many scattered around the house.
Changed a few 240V to LEDs and will continue to do so as they need replacing.
We are in a rural location so we have many outside lights which are all now LED.
The LED bulbs are expensive but you need to change the transformers also which are not cheap when you have many scattered around the house.
Changed a few 240V to LEDs and will continue to do so as they need replacing.
We are in a rural location so we have many outside lights which are all now LED.
borcy said:
Where did you buy yours from? We've got a strip light in the kitchen and I do wonder if it's worth bothering to replace with a LED strip light when it goes.
I bought an led striplight with the fitting to replace a dodgy old striplight in my kitchen, I just bought them both from B&Q as far as i remember. Its great, was dead easy to fit ( I`m by no means a diy god) works perfectly and is lovely and bright. It has been used regularly for roughly 5 years and is still finewe've tried to swap to LED bulbs. Mostly not very well. It's interesting to read the other comments on here about voltages and transformers etc. Surely if you want everyone to swap to LEDs then there should be some sort of grant to fix the electrics in the older houses that aren't 'compatible' and the bulbs should last a lot longer than they seem to be doing
If you have regular bayonet or even Edison screw fittings, then there should be zero problems regardless of how old your wiring is. Dimmer switches may be an issue as led bulbs still don't dim terribly well although you can now get led compatible dimmers and special dimming bulbs.
Only issues I can see occurring is with things like halogen fittings or non standard weird ceiling down lights etc. Regular light fittings should just be a non issue.
Only issues I can see occurring is with things like halogen fittings or non standard weird ceiling down lights etc. Regular light fittings should just be a non issue.
Evanivitch said:
Having to swap the gran-in-laws lighting to LED, she currently has two 5 bulb fixings with a variety of non-LED types installed.
Only issue is they are dimmers, so that's 2 new switches too.
For older dimmer circuits, one trick is to leave an old bulb in the mix. That way the total wattage is still within the capacity of the existing dimmer. e.g. a dimmer might be rated 50-300w, so leaving a single 50w halogen bulb in there keeps the wattage in the range. If it's a circuit with 10 halogens, you might need to keep 2 on the circuit.Only issue is they are dimmers, so that's 2 new switches too.
While it's less efficient, you save on replacing a dimmer switch which will probably cancel out any saving for decades to come! And landfill for the old switch etc.
On the question of leds and dimmers, do they generally not dim as low as incandescent? We've only converted one set do far, and while they do dim a fair bit from full on, the lowest setting could do with being a bit lower. Have already reprogrammed the dim switch per installation instructions. Any recommendations on kit, dimmer installed is from Screwfix.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/varilight-v-pro-1-gang-...
https://www.screwfix.com/p/varilight-v-pro-1-gang-...
Rod200SX said:
Last time I got from B&q as its just up the road from me. Pretty sure these are the right ones but hard to tell without one in front of me Online says £12 a pack of two for Diall ones. "diall E27 13W 1335LM...." product code 3663602668527
Will be handy finding a job lot or bulk discount like but found it surprisingly tricky finding the right bulbs elsewhere!
Hi Rod Online says £12 a pack of two for Diall ones. "diall E27 13W 1335LM...." product code 3663602668527Will be handy finding a job lot or bulk discount like but found it surprisingly tricky finding the right bulbs elsewhere!
Genuine question if you have a Home Bargains look in on them
FiF said:
On the question of leds and dimmers, do they generally not dim as low as incandescent? We've only converted one set do far, and while they do dim a fair bit from full on, the lowest setting could do with being a bit lower. Have already reprogrammed the dim switch per installation instructions. Any recommendations on kit, dimmer installed is from Screwfix.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/varilight-v-pro-1-gang-...
It depends on the bulb and the dimmer IME. https://www.screwfix.com/p/varilight-v-pro-1-gang-...
Dimmers and colour temps are the main reason holding me back from full conversion. Also chandelier bulbs... Candle shaped. Clear. Don't really want bright yellow filaments on show....
We’ve done most of the house with LIFX bulbs and LIFX LED strip for under lighting.
Not cheap, but
- use sod all power
- you can forget all the colour temp and brightness issues, you can have whatever colour you want
- all remotely controllable - one press, everything is on.
- very convincing from a security POV.
- the kids think I am god when I stick the lights on party mode when they’re, er, having a party.
If you’re doing a house from scratch and have decent WIFI, they’re awesome.
Not cheap, but
- use sod all power
- you can forget all the colour temp and brightness issues, you can have whatever colour you want
- all remotely controllable - one press, everything is on.
- very convincing from a security POV.
- the kids think I am god when I stick the lights on party mode when they’re, er, having a party.
If you’re doing a house from scratch and have decent WIFI, they’re awesome.
V6 Pushfit said:
ambuletz said:
try telling most people 'spend £100 to replace all your bulbs'. I get that it could save you money in the longrun..but who's really going to do that unless you have a high disposable income for something that many would consider frivielous.
lights are one of those things.. people will only replace once the current one dies.
Exactly - Govt raises awareness big time and introduces subsidies to encourage. lights are one of those things.. people will only replace once the current one dies.
In my view, while some of it is appropriate and justifiable, we already have too much regulation and mandatory compliance - especially when it relates to what we can/can not have, or can/can not do in our own homes.
The government should be producing and issuing advice, guidance, suggestions, recommendations, and backing it up with incentives, and leaving it at that.
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff