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You'd have to cram 100 LED's into one bulb for it to be bright enough. I have some outdoor lights that have four LED's in them and they are so dim they're useless.
Depends on the LED. The ones that are good enough to use for replacing standard bulbs and producing as much or more light are very expensive. The technology is evolving though. The ones I saw used around 8-10 watts and put out at least as much light as my 14 watt flourescents at home, with a much more real looking light instead of the the cruddy lighting that most CFL's produce. I think my friend paid around $30 per bulb. But the lights will last about triple the amount of hours as a CFL. So right now, they still cost a little more over the lifetime of the bulb, but they are better light and no mercury in the landfills. Next time one of my CFL's die, I'll be replacing it with LED.
CFL's are useless. LED is where its at. Right now though, all the big companies are trying to rake in more money on CFL's rather than admitting they are completely inferior in both performance and energy conservation compared to LEDs.
I have a house full of CFL's, but have a friend who has LEDs and they are much better. You also have NOTHING to worry about with mercury as they don't contain any. People who truly care about the environment will help spread the word about LEDs since the CFL manufacturers are not in any hurry to do so. They'd rather rake in profits pretending to be green for a few more years and see a slow transition to LED's.
I'll be quite happy to move to LEDs -- once they don't cost $150 per bulb for a decently bright one.
No thanks, not yet. LEDs aren't really within the normal consumer's price range right now.
Yeah, these are fine if you are using them for a night light. The highest light output is 145 lumens. which is less light than you get from a GE 25 watt regular bulb. (97492 - Features & Photos - GE Home Lighting Products)
The $20 bulb puts out 90-110 lumens which is the light output of a GE 15 watt bulb. Not something you would be using to light a room with anytime soon.
LED lighting has a ways to go before they are affordable and practical for home use. I have been keeping an eye on their improvements for several years and think that someday they will be the light of choice. Today is not that day yet. I am an Electrician and really am following this close. I want to be able to give real energy saving options to customers, but cannot do that yet with LED lights with a clear conscious. They are still far too expensive for the light output and the payback is non-existent yet. When they hit the break even point I am getting them for my own house (I really, really hate to change light bulbs at home).
Depends on the LED. The ones that are good enough to use for replacing standard bulbs and producing as much or more light are very expensive. The technology is evolving though. The ones I saw used around 8-10 watts and put out at least as much light as my 14 watt flourescents at home, with a much more real looking light instead of the the cruddy lighting that most CFL's produce. I think my friend paid around $30 per bulb. But the lights will last about triple the amount of hours as a CFL. So right now, they still cost a little more over the lifetime of the bulb, but they are better light and no mercury in the landfills. Next time one of my CFL's die, I'll be replacing it with LED.
I bought LED replacement bulbs for my outdoor Christmas lights (the big C9 bulbs) at close to $2 a piece, but they're very bright - much brighter than the mock C9 bulb strings they had at Target and Home Depot. The only place to get them is online that I know of.
I have some CFLs, and recently tried the dimable ones. They still suck, barely dimable, and give off such a funky tone that I hesitate to invest in many more. I did get a few non-dimables that said something like "soft light" that look more like regular bulbs, but the dimables are just ugly light.
I hate the things. I call them "soul stealers" everytime you turn one on, they steal a little bit of your sould. lol I get bad headaches from them, and the light quality leaves something to be desired. I have started to buy incandecant lights to keep on storage after 2012, so i can at least go a few more years headache free.
I've been wondering about these compact flourescent light bulbs, myself. I actually do have a few, (three in bedroom lamps, and three in the kitchen). Initially, I thought they weren't too bad, and Wal-Mart was selling theirs for cheap, so I figured I would try them out. After having read about the problems with mecurcy, (especially the accumlative problems in the landfills), I'm not so sure about them. I haven't bought any more of them, and I actually bought some more incandescent ones the other day.
Honestly, I really don't like the CFL's all that much anyway. I don't like the type of lighting they put out, and because they do seem to cause headaches for some people, (as Noahma mentioned), and I am prone to headaches, that is yet another reason not to put too many in my house. I'm considering replacing the ones I do have. I've been thinking about putting more of the incandescent ones aside also, for that inevitable time when "they" decide we can only use the CFL's, and everyone stops selling the "old" bulbs. Besides, I tried one of the CFL's in my lamp on my computer desk, and my little Russian Blue cat was decidedly against the change! She likes to lay under the lamp, as I sit at the desk, and she definitely did not like that compact bulb! Gosh, that alone is enough to convince me to steer clear of them. I think I'd better make a trip to the store, and grab some more incandescent bulbs! I won't get headaches, I won't poison myself, my family, or the landfills, and my cat will be much happier!
The way I understand it, the amount of mercury vapor used in the CFL is miniscule and does not present a health hazard unless you break a lot of them and breath the vapors regularly.
The bigger problem is the accumulation of them in landfills. Many retailers are starting to lauch programs to collect these at the store level for proper processing. Some do it free, others may charge a disposal fee. It is still at the cutting edge of servicing right now, but it seems like this will become a standard service in the near future for most of the big vendors of CFLs.
Mercury is Mercury. Technacially a coal burning plant doesn't give out that much of the stuff but people pee and moan about it I bet most schools have more Mercury laying around and you don't even know it. Remember the silver liquid metal stuff you used to play with
P.S. the bulbs suck...
and yea I work for a power company
There's a reason we don't use mercury thermometers anymore.
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).
I actually do have a few, (three in bedroom lamps, and three in the kitchen). Initially, I thought they weren't too bad, and Wal-Mart was selling theirs for cheap, so I figured I would try them out. After having read about the problems with mecurcy, (especially the accumlative problems in the landfills), I'm not so sure about them. I haven't bought any more of them, and I actually bought some more incandescent ones the other day.
I bet most schools have more Mercury laying around and you don't even know it. Remember the silver liquid metal stuff you used to play with
