Low energy Halogen light bulbs

Poppycat

I got my from http://www.edmundson-electrical.co.uk/ wholesaler m local one doesnt keep a huge stock but they did on one occasion to to reorder them. I find them cheaper than a few well known online sellers if you take P&P into account too.

B&Q are just starting to sell them

Snapelover

Thanks for all the advice on the bulbs.

Have been out today and bought both CFL's and LED's so that we can try them tonight and see what we think.

Can anyone direct me to a web page or give me information on the different W outputs of the LED bulbs and what they are equivalent to. I think 1.8W = 20W.

gavint_3

I've been testing a few of these over the last few months in my small kitchen, as the light fitting is for 3 GU10s and I've been trying to save energy, especially as it's a small galley kitchen between two other rooms and doesn't get much natural light so the lights are on most of the time I'm at home.

First I tried some 1.8W LED lights with multiple LEDs from Maplin but I was quite disappointed with the light output, so when one died after a few months I looked to see what replacements were available. I bought a couple of CFL GU10s to test and whilst the light output was good one lasted 3 seconds and the other lasted a week. I took them back to Maplin but they refused to swap them as they are "consumable items". I couldn't be bothered to argue but informed them that I would no longer be shopping in Maplin. They didn't seem that bothered.

Onwards to some "warm white" cold cathodes from YourWelcome... sadly the slightly different shape of the bulbs meant these wouldn't fit in my light fitting, so I gave them to a friend, and they are working well for him, and he's pretty fussy about the colour of his lights.

I then tried some 1W Luxeon LED bulbs, which were quite good but still had lower output than I was looking for, before finally settling on 3W Luxeon GU10s this week. The light is a bit "cool white" for some people but I don't mind, and the output is starting to get comparable to a halogen bulb now. I'm going to stick with these for a while.

Hope that helps someone.

Gavin

cypher007

i recently noticed an article in Which magazine where they where recomending the Savaplug as an energy saving device? im thinking of buying one for my 6yr old chest freezer. also i read an article that said chest freezers are more energy efficient, which id probably agree with as cold air sinks, but nearly every one ive seen in the shops has an energy rating one or two level's lower than an upright fridge freezer. so whats the deal?

gromituk

One possibility is that the energy ratings ignore doors being opened (which is where an upright freezer is at a big disadvantage).

CrazeUK

gavint wrote: »

I then tried some 1W Luxeon LED bulbs, which were quite good but still had lower output than I was looking for, before finally settling on 3W Luxeon GU10s this week. The light is a bit "cool white" for some people but I don't mind, and the output is starting to get comparable to a halogen bulb now. I'm going to stick with these for a while.

Right i have just read the whooole article..and boy its a long one.

Anyways i have 16 x 50 watt Gu10's split into 3 zones in a open plan living space (Lounge = 8, Kitchen = 6, dining = 2), yes its a small space lol.
ANyways we rarely use the lounge lights (always have a lamp).

The mrs who like most women looks at how pretty something is as opposed to the practicality. Likes the warm glow from the lights, which is quite evenly spread so their no hot spots.

Now i have 3 problems.

1. Amount of elec being chewed,
2. Gu10 life span.
3. The mrs!

Because of this, i was looking at other light sources, i bought a low energy bulb from Maplins, but it looks odd as hell with a chunky profile.

So i am considering buying some luxeons.
On Flee bay, i have found a seller that sells a 1x 3watt GU10 (£13 inc p+p) or a 3x1watt (I think) GU10 (£17 in P+p). This seller has a option of a warm white or a cool white.

So i have a few questions:
1. How does the light compare from both.
2. At £61 for 6 single emiiter 3 watt Luxeons GU10's is it worth the cost to replace them?
3. DOes anyone know of anyone that sells them cheaper?
4. does anyone in manchester have these installed so i can come take a look.

If someone can help me come to a decision, i will take a picture of the room with standard 50Watt GU10s' and IF i buy the Luxeons with them.

Pssst

Can you fit a dimmer to the supply of a U10 4 branch light fitting and will it save money?

gromituk

CrazeUK wrote: »

On Flee bay, i have found a seller that sells a 1x 3watt GU10 (£13 inc p+p) or a 3x1watt (I think) GU10 (£17 in P+p). This seller has a option of a warm white or a cool white.

Make sure there's a cast-iron guarantee: in my experience these things are not reliable yet - though my experience is a couple of years old.

2. At £61 for 6 single emiiter 3 watt Luxeons GU10's is it worth the cost to replace them?

You can work that out; assuming a given life (ha!) you will save (consumption of ordinary bulb - consumption of LED lamp) x hours life / (cost of electricity unit x 1000), plus the cost of the number of ordinary bulbs you'd use up in that time. You then have to consider the interest lost on the investment, how the price of electricity might go, etc.

Abbok16

I bought a house recently which has 25 halogen GU10s. Having looked long & hard at how to reduce both electric costs & regularly replacing the halogen bulbs, I decided on Exergi 4w GU10s from amazon. Based on the fact that I have a 4 bulb fitting at the top of the stairs, from which I cannibalised for spare bulbs and still had enough light with just 2 working, I figured if the LEDs were a little dimmer, the shear number of them will make up the light. £20 each was not cheap, but they work! They are a direct replacement for halogen bulbs. They are the same size and emit approx the same light in the same pattern. I went for the warm white, which honestly look like natural daylight. The bulbs were immediately moved to the most used fittings in the house. The key to buying LEDs that are direct replacements for halogen appears to be getting cree bulbs.

What I want to know now is are some of the other cree LEDs just as good? And where are the cheapest ones available?