LED’s are a lot more expensive, but don’t they pay for themselves in a few years?
No one’s lived long enough yet to see, but yup, they are good ~ and in a constant on/off situation (blinking) they have HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOURS of expected life ~
LED’s will eventually come down in price, once they catch on. What will help is the new LED lighting systems with a color temperature closer to traditional incandescents, instead of the intense blue emphasis. This may also help with automobile headlamps as well, since light with a lot of “blue” in it is useless in fog/mist conditions. While they might not reach the same price per unit as incandescents (but you never know, and I am trying to exclude goobermint imposing a “nanny state” tax on incandescents if they decide to allow them to continue), they are still far more durable than incandescents and compact fluorescents.
“LED’s are a lot more expensive, but don’t they pay for themselves in a few years?”
The LED bulbs I have been experimenting with are just not bright enough, or, the color is way too blue. I have a 3 LED reading light that throws a good beam, but it just barely covers a book in my lap, and has a 6000 color temperature (incandescents are about 3200). It cost close to $30. Yes, it draws 4 Watts, but I must put up with a lot to get that savings.
If more people buy them the cost will come down. They are being used in the theater more, but as washes and fills, because the RGB mix does not blend with the old tech of incandescent with a gel.