Halogen bulbs 10 year life, should I change them for LEDs. Too many bulb types, I'm confused!

Mabel2012

I see a lot of people are changing older low energy, 10 year life, halogen bulbs for LED ones. Is that a waste?

Existing >>   Philips 11w Genie Energy Saving Light Bulb, BC/B22/Bayonet Cap, 10 Year Lifetime   Energy Class A++

• 11 watt (equivalent to 60 watt) BC (Bayonet Cap)
• Stick Shape
• Lasts 10 years**************
• Saves over 80% energy
• Saves up to £9 per year off your electricity bill
• Product Dimensions in mm: Height 115.5,

 Are people using the bulbs long enough to test the 10 year life.

Are the LEDs so energy efficient, the cost of them and scrapping working halogen bulbs is worthwhile for my purse.

I have about 11 halogen bulbs, but some are in lamps that are not used regularly. I have LED bulbs in the kitchen and bathroom so don't need to change them.

I shall be decorating my home shortly and have a 150watt old non energy saving bulb that lights the room perfectly. Is there an LED equivalent of that bulb. What are the highest watt LED bulbs. They seem low

Is there a guide to bulbs available anywhere.

I spent a lot of time trying to identify a small screw in candle dimmable bulb for a bedside touch lamp. It should not be so confusing.

Where is the cheapest LED bulbs and is the quality the same regardless of where you buy.

Whitefiver

Hmmmm, I believe the Philips Genie is a compact flourescent type bulb, and if you are happy with the light it gives out, and the slower start up time (to reach peak brightness) then there is little benefit from changing to LED bulbs from an economic point of view.

However, I would replace any that fail with LEDs as the quality of the light is better and they turn on to full brightness instantly. If you need dimmable, then some LEDs can be dimmed, but check before you buy.

Halogen lights are similar to the old incandescent lights, but are a bit more economical.

Farway

LED lamps and all others these days are measure in Lumens [light output] and not Watts

Watts is the power consumed, which once did accurately relate to light emitted, but no longer

Here is a link to a conversion chart, https://www.thelightbulb.co.uk/resources/lumens_watts/ no doubt others would turn up by searching

Seems no direct swap to 150W but given the extra brightness of LED I don't expect it would matter much, and for added confusion LEDs come in different colour temperatures, similar to daylight, warm white etc

https://www.lighting.philips.co.uk/consumer/advice-on-lighting-ideas/light-bulb-color-temperature

TBH, if the lamp is not on much I'd leave it until it needs replacing when it fails

Mabel2012

Whitefiver said:

Hmmmm, I believe the Philips Genie is a compact flourescent type bulb, and if you are happy with the light it gives out, and the slower start up time (to reach peak brightness) then there is little benefit from changing to LED bulbs from an economic point of view.

However, I would replace any that fail with LEDs as the quality of the light is better and they turn on to full brightness instantly. If you need dimmable, then some LEDs can be dimmed, but check before you buy.

Halogen lights are similar to the old incandescent lights, but are a bit more economical.

Thanks for your reply. I was reluctant to throw away working bulbs long before they reach end of life. We seem to be ready to do that with so many items, cars, boilers, TVs and long life bulbs. We don't seem to factor the manufacturing cost in our decisions.

I plan to replace any blown ones with new LEDs.

Mabel2012

Farway said:

LED lamps and all others these days are measure in Lumens [light output] and not Watts

Watts is the power consumed, which once did accurately relate to light emitted, but no longer

Here is a link to a conversion chart, https://www.thelightbulb.co.uk/resources/lumens_watts/ no doubt others would turn up by searching

Seems no direct swap to 150W but given the extra brightness of LED I don't expect it would matter much, and for added confusion LEDs come in different colour temperatures, similar to daylight, warm white etc

https://www.lighting.philips.co.uk/consumer/advice-on-lighting-ideas/light-bulb-color-temperature

TBH, if the lamp is not on much I'd leave it until it needs replacing when it fails

Faraday

Thank you for the links and the chart. I will print it and put it with my spare bulbs. Watts not related to light output now makes sense, as I was seeing different low watts quoted as the old 100 watts.

I will continue to use my existing bulbs until they blow or until LEDs are much cheaper.

Floss

Check the prices in Asda, Home Bargains & Poundland 😉

Mabel2012

Floss said:

Check the prices in Asda, Home Bargains & Poundland 😉

Floss, thanks for replying. 

Are all LED bulbs equal. I was in Poundland today and saw 3 x GU10 LED bulbs for £3. I was surprised that they had an 'F; energy rating. I thought LEDs were the bees knees of low energy bulbs. 'F' seems a poor rating to me.

I have earmarked Asda LED bulbs to check next time I go there.  I haven't got Home Bargains near me.

Hughmoz

Floss, I think F are the new A as, the original A's were becoming A++ etc., so it was recalculated to reflect this. Look up comparison charts which show this nowadays.  

Mabel2012, As far as the original question the halogen's are not very good for the universe, get dimmer over time and take longer and longer to get bright, but last for years with long guarantees.

LED's are far cheaper to run, get very hot at the metal end, get bright straight away, but I don't believe they last very long at all although, there are ridiculous claims of long life. So, better for the universe and not cheap to buy.
As with a lot of so called improvements you pay through the nose.

DullGreyGuy

Mabel2012 said:

Floss said:

Check the prices in Asda, Home Bargains & Poundland 😉

Floss, thanks for replying. 

Are all LED bulbs equal. I was in Poundland today and saw 3 x GU10 LED bulbs for £3. I was surprised that they had an 'F; energy rating. I thought LEDs were the bees knees of low energy bulbs. 'F' seems a poor rating to me.

I have earmarked Asda LED bulbs to check next time I go there.  I haven't got Home Bargains near me.

They have reset the scales to avoid the A+++++ we had a while back for washing machines

No, not all bulbs are equal, some are more efficient than others, some have longer expected lives than others. So Philips standard bulbs are F rated too but their new ultra efficient ones are A rated too.

In a GU10 they only do a single power output (2.1w) which is stated to be equivalent to a 50w bulb so would be slightly darker than what you currently have but instant on etc and a claim of 50,000 hours life/50 years of normal use.

So you have 9w difference and 11 bulbs so saving 99w per hour of use. Based on our electricity tariff inc VAT you'd be saving just under 3p per hour all bulbs are on. On Amazon they are £9.92 each so 353 hours of each bulb being on to repay 1 bulbs purchase price. Obviously if you consider they'll last the rest of your lifetime, in theory, the payback will happen but it won't happen over night.

You could get an F grade bulb which would be about 6w but cost circa £1 each and not decrease your electricity as much but get a quicker payback period, if generics will need replacing more often is an open Q. You can get branded bulbs for circa £1.80 each with F rating.   

Green_hopeful

You can get some very bright led bulbs. We got a couple for my in laws from b&q. They were quite expensive but they wanted to buy new lamps from one of those catalogues you get from the Sunday papers for £300 so £10 a bulb was good value. I think they were about 10w. They were so bright it felt like we were getting a sun tan but the in laws loved them. 

We have lots of 3w and 5w LEDs from screwfix on sale. They are great and have saved us loads of money replacing the halogen candle bulbs that were 40 watts each. 

Mabel2012

Who is going to have the receipt for bulbs, as proof of purchase, 5 years after you buy them. It's another racket to get us to spend outrageous money on a light bulb.

I will look at Screwfix bulbs and Asda. I use 3 x GU10 bulbs in the kitchen and they are the most used lights in the house. When I'm shopping and remember to get bulbs none of the stores have the selection I want. My hunt goes on.

I see quite a lot of GU10 Led bulbs but they are all Energy efficiency rating F. What else can I use to ensure I buy the most energy efficient bulb if I don't use the Energy rating as a guide?