Posted on 02/16/2014 10:23:31 AM PST by EinNYC
Well, one of the 3 CFL bulbs in my kitchen ceiling fan light fixture has now burned out. The 2 still-functioning bulbs are candelabra-base dimmable CFL bulbs with the teardrop at the end. They lasted about a year or two. I am wondering if this burned out bulb is an opportunity for me to finally take the plunge into LED bulbs as a replacement.
What experiences have FReepers had with candelabra-base omnidirectional LED bulbs with a 40W incandescent equivalence, in the 2700-3000K range (so it looks natural and not like the kitchen is under an interrogation light)?
I heartily thank all contributors to my knowledge base in advance!
They’ve both worked fine for me. We had a CFL last several years in my parent’s old house. LEDs are pricey but they’re incredibly bright for the equivalent wattage of an incandescent. As with anything, YMMV.
I have several LED bulbs, mostly for outside flood lights and entryways. I don’t know about the candelabra-base types. The LEDs I have were expensive ($29 for a 100W equivalent floodlight) and burn hot. Hotter than incandescent bulbs. They’re also instant-on like an incandescent. They consume about 1/4 of their incandescent counterparts and are rated for 20,000 hr.s.
LEDs are expensive. They use almost no electricity. Look great. Are cool to the touch. Work well with dimmers.
Use them in rooms where the lights are on all the time.
The Canadian Football League?
"How many 'Hardastarboards' does it take to change a light bulb?"
"None - because of LED's, he forgot how."
The LEDs sound good but are too expensive. I’ve had good CFLs but those were from a time when we actually produced them here, now I get nothin but crap.
CFLs do not last for me. Just before they may actually begin to pay for themselves they burn out. Some have been rather interesting with the sizzling and smoking when they go. I bought a LED and wrote the date of purchase on it so I don’t forget to check how long they last. I love it so far.
Never heard that before. Interesting.
I’m using some candelabra bulbs outdoor in front porch and replacing ones as they burn out. The color isn’t perfect but got tired of beating the children and wife for not turning out the lights( jokingly). Now I don’t give a rats.ass.
I have converted to LED lights almost everywhere in the house. They are great, and no failures in 2 years of service.
CFLs have many downsides. CFL’s contain toxic mercury, have limited life, generate audible and raido-frequency noise, occasionally catch on fire, have to warm up to reach full light output, have poor light quality.
I’ve got a few LED bulbs in our porch fixture that are running like champs. I tried CFLs there, but they get too hot and burn out nearly as quickly as good ol’ Tungsten bulbs do.
I recently installed three in various locations in the house. They are bright, instant on and have a good “warm temperature”. They say they will last for 22 years. I won’t be around that long so I’ll have to take their word for it.
Just save the receipts for all the bulbs and get new ones when they go out.
You have the receipts, right?
</sarcasm>
LED are awesome in cold climates because they give great light at any temp unlike CFLs that dim when it gets cold outside.
My house is painted green, and I found a green cfl on sale at Lowe’s for 2 bucks, so I put it in the outdoor fixture next to the front door. In this weather it takes forever to warm up to full light. I had a white non-dim one in a fixture over my kitchen counter. My friends and I would be havin’ a beer, and I’d dim that sick puppy anyway. Gave off the freakiest illumination ever!
Mine are made by Utilitech, sold at Lowes. I had to do some adjustments on them and they run hotter than incandescents probably due to all the ceramic. They are well built and heavy. If they hold up to their advertised life I will get at least 12 years from them.
Just last weekend , Saturday morning about 5:00 am, the local SWAT team boots in my door, holds me and the wife at gun point while all the goons rifled my entire house and confiscated every incandescent light bulb I owned! They took the 40 watters out of the kids lava lamps and even took the 7 watt night lights!
To add insult to all this they wrote me a ticket for the wasteful toilet I have in the basement bathroom.
Lounge, have you any specific brands which seem to be better than others? There aren’t that many brands offering candelabra-based torpedo drip-tip (I could, if I had to, live without the drip-tip and just get a plain torpedo) dimmable LED bulbs in the 40W equivalent range. And yes, I definitely would rather get a U.S.-manufactured product than support China.
Had the Fire Dept. out for a CO leak and while in house they noticed all CFL’s I had in the garage. I was in the process of changing out all my old bulbs.
I was told the CFL’s are turning out to be a bit of a fire hazard and the department was seeing more and more fires started by these bulbs as they become more widely used. I plan on switching to LED’s as the price comes down. They produce better light anyway.
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