# LED Lights



## Grandmotherbear (May 15, 2002)

I am getting fed up with CCrane and their interminable waitfor the LED 60 watt equivalent bulb. www.ccrane.com go to geobulb

Has anyone tried the www.X-tremegeek.com 150 LED 55 watt equivalent bulb?
or the www.earthled.com evolux s? 75 watt equivalent?
Or the 94-LED "stacked" ball bulb from www.ledliquidatorsInc.com ?
or www.earthtechproducts.com 5 watt LED replacement comparable to 75 watt incandescent?

Please discuss which you have tried and watt (er, what..) applications?

I had a 36 LED light bulb called Vivid, which did not answer our needs. Its proper application was in a directional or gooseneck lamp, which we don't have. We are looking for overhead and table lamp functions.


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

i had some cheap brand that screwed into a normal ac bulb socket and it became a fire hazard. it had circuitry that converted ac current to dc and the circuitry failed due to "brown out" conditions on the ac circuit and it melted the plastic housing and could have started a fire if i had not been nearby to smell it.

perhaps that was not ideal conditions, but i would feel better about using LED if it was on a more traditional dc circuit or powered from a seperate ac/dc power supply.


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

We have bought a number of different styles of LED bulbs from http://www.superbrightleds.com/led_prods.htm over the years, both household bulbs and car bulbs, and have been pleased with them. They offer different color LEDs, and we use some bluish ones for lights that we might leave on, like when we are out of the house but want a light on, and have some yellower ones more like we are used to for reading etc., but most of these are more spotlight or floodlight than regular bulbs. They do offer lots of choices and we have always been pleased with their service.


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## Grandmotherbear (May 15, 2002)

Meloc- do you remember the brand name. or what it looked like? There was some comment on the evolux about it possibly being a firehazard-I have 3 Geobulbs on backorder from MAY 2008, and just ordered 2 - 94 LED stack light bulbs from Ledliquidators and 2 150 LED clear bulbs from X-treme Geek.Edited to add- Wisjim- the one I have looks like superbright led's E27. Great for a gooseneck type study lamp, which we don't have. Looking really for an omni directional light


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## DenMacII (Aug 16, 2008)

I have recently used Super Bright LEDs too. 

They have been very helpful, but for some reason their bulbs are not working in my fixtures. I am trying to replace a 1141 bulb and they sent out a 1156 which their chart shows should work in my fixtures, but they are not. They fit in perfect and lock snug, just no light. This is on a battery bank system and the battery has maintained a full charge, so I am not sure why these bulbs are not working.

Any thoughts? 

Thanks for your input. Dennis


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## idahodave (Jan 20, 2005)

Polarity is wrong...reverse the wires at the socket.


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## DenMacII (Aug 16, 2008)

Thanks!!! That did the trick. 

Although this made evident a new problem, the LED bulbs are not nearly as bright as the 8w incandescent bulbs. I wonder if there are other options out there for this fixture.


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## danoon (Dec 20, 2006)

Ok.. it looks pretty silly but I use LED Christmas lights around my workshop [outside] for a yard light. Two 50 light strands light up the shop and yard quite well and only draw 8 watts. I have two strands around the fireplace in the living room for those romantic evenings.. lol.. you can't read by them but you won't step on a dog. The LED 110V bulbs are still too expensive for my taste and don't put out enough light.


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## Grandmotherbear (May 15, 2002)

As far as I am concerned the LED Liquidators Inc. 94 LED omnidirectional bulb in the exact shape of a 60 watt incandesant is a clear winner. It cost $19 and change, easily fit into any/all my lamps and open ceiling fixtures (fit the closed ones too!) and gave good reading light. I mean GOOD! I choose the warm white option. It also reached me within 72 hrs of ordering. We have small table top type lamps on the top of our bookcase headboard. The Xtreme Geek 150 LED arrived today and the only thing I found to recommend it was the amusing Extreme Geek Mail Order Catalogue, which accompanied it. It's $56 a pop and shaped like a barrel. I can't fit into a clip lightshade- the bulb is too fat and cylindrical. It's too wide for the lamps which utilize a "harp" for their lightshade. It gives about as much light as 40 to 50 watt equivalent Compact Fluorescent, not nearly a 60 watt equivalency. And its a bluish light, which gives me a headache.

C Crane and Co is out of the running, as far as I am concerned. I ordered their $119 Geobulb- Actually ordered 3 of them- in May 2008. They have been backordered and CCrane never contacted me till in late August AFTER I sent them an email asking if they knew how long the wait would be - and if they still had my order- and all they did was send me a $5 coupon good for any purchase thru C Crane and without answering my questions if I was still on their list. 
Anyone wanting to experiment with LED light bulbs instead of incandescant for household use, look up www.ledliquidatorsinc.com and check out the 94 watt omnidirectional LED bulb. Inside the heavy duty plastic housing bulb shape is a hexagonal "tower" with a double row of 7 LEDS on each side and about 9-10 on the "roof". It gives excellent coverage. I intend to order more for my adult children- once I get some more in both house and cabin and also try them out in enclosed ceiling fixtures. Since they draw 5-7 watts, I anticipate our electric bills will be moderated, and we won't have near the a/c bills from trying to overcome incidental heat gain from our lighting.
PS No mercury or lead - dispose in regular trash.


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## gobug (Dec 10, 2003)

I have become a LED addict. I have an off the grid mountain property with a few solar PV panels and batteries. I use 12V Led's and love them. They are far better than propane camp lights. My first experience I used a tractor battery that would not start the tractor. It kept 2 LED lights lit all night long on that battery. So, now I have 8. My biggest problem with 12 volt is how poor the supply is for connectors, and such. I also bought some 110 volt LED lights and they also are good. A 3 watt LED light emits about the same light as a 60 watt bulb, but better, longer lived, and sturdier. Another LED setup I bought are plant lights. That blew my mind. As a life long organic gardener, I used florescent grow lights for many years. A bulb costs about $10 and lasts 2 years. I found out that only 15% of the light it emits is used by the plants. A LED plant light is close to a 100% used and is 15 watts. It takes 4 of those to cover the same space as 2 florescent lights, so the electrical use is about 75% but to equal the herbal light consumption, it would take about 14 florescent light bulbs. Then the LED's will last about 50,000 hours. We are going to see a revolution in the lighting industry with LED lights. I did not even delve into flashlights.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

danoon said:


> Ok.. it looks pretty silly but I use LED Christmas lights around my workshop [outside] for a yard light. Two 50 light strands light up the shop and yard quite well and only draw 8 watts. I have two strands around the fireplace in the living room for those romantic evenings.. lol.. you can't read by them but you won't step on a dog. The LED 110V bulbs are still too expensive for my taste and don't put out enough light.


Ditto,my offgrid friend does the same.They light up pretty good,just as you say.And the price sure is right.His are around the front and back porch.


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

gobug, How long have you been using the LED plant lights, and where have you found the best prices etc.?


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

. .As plant lights . . .
interesting.....
Also do they come out as a "warm white" or "cool white" . . .?
or what ever . . . ? ? ?
And where is a source for them . ? ?

I'm ready to drop a buck on some thing like that. . . gotta help out my wheat grass during the winter dontchyaknow...


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## gobug (Dec 10, 2003)

I tried to respond a while ago, but it did not transmit.
I got the lights on Ebay. The first grow lights cost ~$60 each. That was 4 months ago. I bought more recently, and they had dropped to $35 each. The 12 volt light was $25 last week. It seems prices are dropping. As for regular lights, I just ordered 2 110V lights for $12 including shipping.

There are several different types of LED lights regarding the shape of the "bulb", how many LED's are there, what colors are chosen, and the voltage. I recently bought a UV blacklight flashlight. A blacklight is an exterminator's tool for finding rodent pathways because their urine floresces. I also bought a string of Christmas tree lights for $6 at Hobby Lobby. The big box places have almost no selection, except flashlights.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

help please

I have a new home being built. I have about 4 months of stall time due to it being winter. The wiring is up for standard grid ele. (line to home is not installed must wait for spring thaw (deep freeze area)

Ok, this gives me time to do the lighting right.

My needs will be.

Overhead lighting (led sounds great) What fixure will I need for over head lighting (links to sites apprecated)

There will be lamps as well I believe so a link to such fixtures as well.

Out door lighting is needed. Note temps spend a bit of time at minus 34 Fer. Tossing that info in case it matters. again fixture links for led bulb that are out There.

I am making a big assumetion that normal fixtures will not work with LED. I am willing to pay to invest in the future but I can not make a mistake with the money and I am an IDIOT in this area. I am in need of education. 

In a short 5 years top time I will only have taxes and utilities to pay for cover my housing ex. I must keep our living cost down in the comming years.


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## Kevingr (Mar 10, 2006)

Grandmotherbear said:


> As far as I am concerned the LED Liquidators Inc. 94 LED omnidirectional bulb in the exact shape of a 60 watt incandesant is a clear winner. It cost $19 and change, easily fit into any/all my lamps and open ceiling fixtures (fit the closed ones too!) and gave good reading light. I mean GOOD! I choose the warm white option. It also reached me within 72 hrs of ordering. We have small table top type lamps on the top of our bookcase headboard. The Xtreme Geek 150 LED arrived today and the only thing I found to recommend it was the amusing Extreme Geek Mail Order Catalogue, which accompanied it. It's $56 a pop and shaped like a barrel. I can't fit into a clip lightshade- the bulb is too fat and cylindrical. It's too wide for the lamps which utilize a "harp" for their lightshade. It gives about as much light as 40 to 50 watt equivalent Compact Fluorescent, not nearly a 60 watt equivalency. And its a bluish light, which gives me a headache.


SO, compared to a 60 watt Incandescent how much light is there with the 94 LED omnidirectional bulb? According to the website the lumens is only 270, but a 60 watt incandescent is 560 lumens. I know the light is different, but would you say they compare? Or is the 94 LED really only have the light?


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

Regarding the 94 LED bullb, it appears from the info on the website that it is equivelant to less than half the output of a 13 watt CFL, and uses 7 watts, so it looks like the only advantage of the 94 LED is that it lasts longer (?) and should give light instantly, with no warm up time. I may try a couple anyway, just so I can measure the actual power consumption and light output and compare them to other lights that I am using.


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## Grandmotherbear (May 15, 2002)

Kevingr-I am glad Wisjim was there to answer, because I'm not sure I understand the question!
The 94 LED light bulb gives better lighting, stronger for fine work, then the 150 LED barrel light, which has been banished to the bathroom fixture.


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## gobug (Dec 10, 2003)

First, check Ebay for LED lights. Add your voltage to your search. You will find 110 volt LED lights with differing numbers of LEDS. Most will fit into any existing incandescent lamp.

Second, wattage is not the comparison of light output. The wattage of LED's vary depending on what you have selected. Lumens are the measure of light output. It is hard to compare LED's to the other lights we are used to using. I don't use many 110 volt LED lights because my primary use is 12 volts. There are 110 volt LED lights which consume about 1 watt. These would not be the choice for a porch lite, kitchen light or bathroom light, but would be fine for a night light or reading light. The larger LED lights (both in count and size) on 12 volts put out about the equivalent of 60 watts and consume 4.


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

IMO, fluorescent type lighting gives you the best bang for your buck. Not many LED fixtures can compare to the light that many are accustomed to.

I've been messing around with some of these and find them to be really nice! They operate directly on 12 v.d.c. and only draw around 4 watts. These will blow any LED fixture away with the same current draw. 

I built a weatherproof outside fixture that lights the front area of my house. It takes a while for it to warm up in the cold, like a fluorescent, but it easily lights up a 20' x 20' area. From a distance it looks like a mercury vapor lamp.


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## Pink_Carnation (Apr 21, 2006)

Well I ordered some led lights to try...mostly in places where I don't really need more that safety lighting.

I dislike the fuorescent ones in manyfixtures since the compacts burn out faster than incandescent and have a terrible hum. I am also trying to avoid the whole mercury issues with disposal.


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## gobug (Dec 10, 2003)

12vman, thanks. I ordered some of those 12V (not LED) lights. Since I subsist at 12V, I will report back on my comparison.


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Those little buggers are pretty bright! You'll be impressed..


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

Pink_Carnation said:


> I dislike the fuorescent ones in manyfixtures since the compacts burn out faster than incandescent and have a terrible hum. I am also trying to avoid the whole mercury issues with disposal.



I have found that the CFLs marked "Energy Star" are of better quality than those without the markings. The mercury issue is another can of worms, the idea is that the power plants burning coal put a lot more mercury in the atmosphere and in to the water than is contained in CFLS,and CFLs are easily recycled properly, unlike the mercury in the air.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

One 36 LED flood light in my hen house provides enough light to see by. I go up after dark each night to lock the chickens in and gather eggs. No other light is needed.

Genebo


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

For all of you A.C.KindaFolks.. 

Here's some cheapies if ya wanna try some LED stuff..

http://www.ledshoppe.com/Product/hou/HE1035.htm

http://www.ledshoppe.com/Product/hou/HE1033.htm

http://www.ledshoppe.com/Product/hou/HE1040.htm


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

For all of you A.C.KindaFolks.. 

Here's some cheapies if ya wanna try some LED stuff..

http://www.ledshoppe.com/Product/hou/HE1035.htm

http://www.ledshoppe.com/Product/hou/HE1033.htm

http://www.ledshoppe.com/Product/hou/HE1040.htm


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

If I went with the old fashion wiring, which 110 or 220 would I order. I would really like the easy of transitioning to led by just being able to use fixures that are mainstream. sorta just use the led bulb in lieu of cf bulbs can I? think of me as stupid cause this stuff right now is So over my head.


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## Pink_Carnation (Apr 21, 2006)

Well the 94 led bulbs came and I really like them over the cf bulbs. I put 1 in the bathroom with a cf and incandecent in the fixture and the color is slightly blue. The other 2 are in a stairwell with 1 cf. I wouldn't use it where there is only one bulb and you want really bright light.

One other thing that makes the 94 nicer than the cf....it is the same size as a regular bulb so it fits better in the bathroom fixture.


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## Grandmotherbear (May 15, 2002)

Finally got my LED spozed to be 60 watt equivalents from C Crane on saturday- 1/31/09-after 9 months of silence. Right on the box in big letters- 40 watt equivalent. I am going to be asking C Crane for a refund. Based on their non responses to my earlier queries, I do not know if I could ever recommend them to anyone.


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Gobug..

Didga get them lights?


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

DH and I received a recent gift of solar itmes, We woud like to our replace grid-tied porch with solar power. We could practically live out there year-round with the ceiling fan, plastic covering in winter, and the large wood-burning stove. Can we change the light bulbs like some of you discussed or do we need to replace the wiring, fixtures, etc. We are looking at where to go from here. We are going to need batteries and an inverter, Does the ceiling fan need changing out. It is 110v. Thanks in advance, firegirl969


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## gobug (Dec 10, 2003)

firegirl69
you will need batteries, the inverter, if needed at all, is based upon what you choose for the lighting etc

unfortunately, our culture is focused upon 110 volts, so a 12 volt system does not have standard components unless you like cigarette lighter sockets

Still, I have installed several 12 volt LED lights and am very satisfied with the performance.

I did receive the 12V plant lights, but will not turn them on for at least 6 weeks. Mother Nature is not digital.


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## danoon (Dec 20, 2006)

I broke down and bought three LED light bulbs at Sams. The three pack is $14.00, the bulbs put out 40 watts of light and draw 1.5 watts each. I stuck two of them in cheap clamp on desk lights and put them in the shop pointing out the side windows. This has lit up the back yard [ high crime area] so that I can see much more of the yard than with the Christmas lights I have around the outside of the building. Its only been two weeks but so far I like them.. other than the price.


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## ReddyKilowatt (Feb 10, 2007)

12vman, I disagree on those "cold cathode" lights being better than LED's.

I purchased four of them after reading your comments on them and I am not too impressed. 

Yes, They are better than the LED's I got a few years ago. The white 30 LED cluster bulbs that plug into a car tail light socket. Those stunk!

What I prefer now is the Truck-Lite Model 44 4" DOME light LED.

http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wc...10001&storeId=10001&productId=23801&langId=-1

A big improvement over anything else I have tried.

The important thing is the lens difference between the Dome light Vs. the Back-Up light.

The Dome is more of a flood pattern and the Back-Up is like a fog light (a strip of light). 

For house lighting the dome lens is the best choice.

Oh, and on my Tri-Metric meter the "Cold Cathode" lights draw .5 to .6 amps @12v each. And the Truck_Light LED draws .3 amps @12v each.


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Yup.. Been there.. Done that..

You'll find over time the LED's will start failing.. One at a time..

How many big trucks have you followed down the road and seen the new and improved LED fixtures with LED's missing? I've seen many..

They run the LED's to the upper limit to get the brightness. This shortens their life considerably. The cost factor is another issue..

At $7 per a two tube unit isn't a bad deal. I've been using the cold cathode units for 3+ years and never had one fail yet!


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