Residential Lighting with LEDs: Retrofitting the Pink Ranch

[JR.]

I have a working fireplace but haven't burned wood indoors since networking too many PCs and mac minis in the same room that don't love smoke.

I burn branches and cut down trees outside pretty much every weekend.

I had so much firewood after hurricane Katrina that I just stacked it by the side of the road and it magically disappeared as people helped themselves.

JR

[mediatechnology]

Finally got around to replacing the last 3 CFLs in the house.
There was one left in the attic - at the far end of course - and two in the basement also at the far end.
The basement ones required crawling - they're work lights.
I hadn't been looking forward to that walk down the attic catwalk or crawling on my belly in the basement or I would have replaced the final hold-outs sooner.

I'm really liking the ballast-free T8 TOGGLED LED garage lamps.
The only T12 tubes left are 2 in the basement (in the part where you can stand up) over an old unused workbench.
I run those to keep summer plants going during the winter.
As soon as LED grow lights drop in price I'll replace them.
Last time I looked they were about $45 each.

With the exception of incandescent lights in the Lava lamp, ovens and sub-zero freezer, and the T12s in the basement the entire house is LED.

[JR.]

A perhaps odd observation about outdoor lighting.

For years I have used those cheap solar recharged driveway lights. They were more than adequate to help me avoid the rain ditch while trying to find my driveway at night, something i rarely do these days. But one odd change I have noticed is that while both used to run down and go dark later at night, depending on how sunny of a day it was, but now one driveway light never goes dark Not magic, but my suspicion is that it is recycling light energy from the post office across the street which must have upgraded the parking lot lights and leaving them on overnight.

It has been a while since I dug around inside, but apparently the battery can both charge and power the light at the same time. In the daytime the light is not on, it definitely turns on at dusk, so an interesting combination of thresholds.

JR

[mediatechnology]

Your post made me remember this thread: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=654&p=7721

The pdf download for the QX5252 Landscape lighting LED controller is one of the most-popular on the entire site.
Jim Williams Op Amp Buffers, Cyril Bateman's capacitor series and SSL schematics are popular as well but usually run a distant second.

[brianroth]

Digging around on an old thread....

My back porch light fixture is designed for an Olde School A-19/A-60 bulb (as I recall the numbering) with an Edison base. The typical 60W or 100W incandescent.

Down to one spare incandescent bulb, so I am looking for a LED brand/model designed to work in +100F down to below -0F that will last awhile.

Thanks!

Bri

[mediatechnology]

Wow its been so long since I had one fail that it's been awhile since I looked at current stock.
They keep getting cheaper and brighter for sure.

As far as low/high temp operation goes I've been using some in the freezer.
The PARs outside operate easily in 110°F.

What I found is that modern ones have less heatsink but may be more efficient and not need it.
Or, due to falling cost they may have reduced lifetime expectations.

I've had good luck with Sylvania and Feit in particular.

[JR.]

I would expect incandescent to be more sensitive to temperature than LED.

I still have incandescent bulbs in a leg warming fixture mounted under my desk for cold mornings... I worry about future availability so have a stash and even with intermittent use have had them burn out too...

The CFLs seem pretty unhappy with hot environment. I had at least one fail inside a closed globe likely due to overheating.

I have almost forgotten how the IC bulbs would constantly fail... modern LEDs are more reliable.

JR

[mediatechnology]

I have about 3-4 big Bankers Boxes full of incandescent lamps.

[brianroth]

Thanks for the suggestions. I remember seeing a variety of Sylvania and Feit LED bulbs at Menards (big box hardware store chain up here in the midwest).

Bri

[JR.]

LED lamps are getting cheaper every year and better... early ones had poor reliability compared to modern and cheaper stuff...


JR