I just bought a 5 pack of 9 led flashlights for $5. I looked at a 60W equivalent light bulb and it was $15. Why is there such a difference in price between LED flashlights and light bulbs?
- posted
11 years ago
I just bought a 5 pack of 9 led flashlights for $5. I looked at a 60W equivalent light bulb and it was $15. Why is there such a difference in price between LED flashlights and light bulbs?
The LEDs are cheap and the LEDs are expensive.
Bulbs must also dissipate heat.
Greg
Your answer is given by the reason that you didn't list the power output of the flashlights.
Jon
equivalent light bulb and it was $15. Why is there such a difference in price between LED flashlights and light bulbs?
What is the lumen output of 9 flashlights versus an equivalent 60W light bulb.
I'm not buying any more led devices without a lumens quote. I've got a 21 led lantern you cannot even read by. OTOH I have a couple of led flashlights with single 3 watt Cree led's with over 150 lumen output. Flashlights are good enough outside but 60 watt bulbs put out ~850 lumens.
equivalent light bulb and it was $15. Why is there such a difference in price between LED flashlights and light bulbs?
And you can buy one LED flashlight for a lot more too. The ones you bought use older inexpensive less efficient LEDs.
Bulbs need dropping resistor, diode, and whatever other parts.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
Good idea. I've also bought some 110 volt "corn cob" bulbs that were too dim to be useful.
I got a couple "5 watt" LED lights off Ebay that draw 2 watts of electric.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
I'm not buying any more led devices without a lumens quote. I've got a 21 led lantern you cannot even read by. OTOH I have a couple of led flashlights with single 3 watt Cree led's with over 150 lumen output. Flashlights are good enough outside but 60 watt bulbs put out ~850 lumens.
Got to watch out for three things. Lumens, lux, color temp. Lumens is total light output, no matter how spread out it is. A flashlight in a one foot spot, is going to be high lux in that spot. A 100 lumens spot is much brighter than a 60 watt led lamp, within the spot area. I never buy LEDs unless color temp is specified.
Greg
Yes, but all you will see will be lumens on specs. For example,"Old Brooklyn Lantern" advertised on TV says zilch about output even at their website.
All the old spots gave candle power.
Greg
Here's a MagLite flashlight that puts out 320 lumens:
With expensive lithium batteries.
Still, if you really need it, the battery cost is not an issue.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
Here's a MagLite flashlight that puts out 320 lumens:
Attribution corrected. If you have a quote? You didn't write that!
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
From: "Frank"
Here's a MagLite flashlight that puts out 320 lumens:
I always get these thing screwed up..
equivalent light bulb and it was $15. Why is there such a difference in price between LED flashlights and light bulbs? Simpler current control for one - larger sales volume for another - and no regulation like UL to meet.
equivalent light bulb and it was $15. Why is there such a difference in price between LED flashlights and light bulbs?
Actually pretty close if the flashlights are 1 watt.
Exactly right. Lumens are the right way to do light output comparisons.
Tomsic
It's not just the brightness difference of the bulbs, but also the associated electronics. A flashlight is just LEDs and a few resistors. A 120v bulb has electronics that have to convert 120 volts AC to a regulated low voltage DC. This adds to the price. However, I do agree that the LED light bulbs for the home are still overpriced. They will come down in a year or two, the same way the CFL bulbs did. Anything new on the market is always overpriced. Look at the first HDTV prices compared to what they are today. And I recall when making a cellphone call cost over a dollar per minute in the early days.
Many LED flashlights, (torches to Brits) have some fairly sophisticated electronics between the LED and the battery. It's usually a small IC chip in even the least expensive ones to regulate voltage or boost it in LED flashlights that have a single 1.5 volt battery. The LED replacement modules for standard flashlight bulbs have the electronics inside the case which is basically the same size as an incandescent lamp housing. My little cheap key chain LED lights have an LED and a single 3 volt lithium battery, my more expensive LED key chain lights have an electronic circuit between the battery and LED. The LED flashlights that may only use a resister to regulate voltage are those with three 1.5volt batteries. ^_^
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