Looking to replace several 150W halogens with something a bit more energy efficient.
I suspect LED isn't up to the task, yet, at those light levels (in an outdoor fixture).
Best I can seem to come up with is though that's probably a bit more light than we currently have.
(and, lamp life isn't too good -- stock up on spares?)
Anyone with experience with non-incandescent BIG, outdoor light sources?
Your suspicion is incorrect. Outdoor 150W LED floods and spots work quite well and provide similar lumens when compared to equivalent halogen or incandescent bulbs. Available at CostCo.
Do you have a model number? The closest I can find is: which appears to be *half* the intensity (per lamp) of a (single!)
150W halogen.(I'm not keen on having to replace each fixture with a two-headed fixture; it'll just look silly)
Lots of city and highway "street lamps" have gone to LED with excellent results. Lots of parking lot / carlot lights as well.
The entire factory where I work 2 afternoons a week is lit with LEDs, including their parking lot.
There are now plenty of LED floodlights that are equal or brighter.
Start with Amazon
I'm not concerned with *availability* but, rather, practicality! I've found lots of lamps -- with varying degrees of disappointed reviews.
Only rated to 104 degrees. So, sitting out in the sun all day -- with an ambient temperature of 100F (on at least 60-100 days/year), do you think it's internal electronics are going to cool down quickly enough to light at sunset?
(i.e., it is often 90+ degrees at midnight, here)
And how practical are they ($$$) for a homeowner's deployment? A business that can factor in the labor costs of replacing a lamp (along with power costs) uses a different calculus to justify expenses -- that aren't consistent with what a homeowner expects.
Yesterday a friend showed me a work light that was really awesome. Said it came from Costco. Somewhat like this:
but square cree emitters. Pure white light, and shines all over the room. Not like the HF LED one which throws a spot on the far wall.
I did not find any thing similar on
Wonder what replacement cost. Bunch of china direct led floods.
Greg
Those halogen (tube type) fixtures have always been troublesome. I always installed the bulbs without touching them with my fingers as instructed. But I found so many of them burn out quickly. Far too often they also burned up the contacts in the fixtures. They burn so hot that they seem to self destruct, and can be a fire hazzard as well. I'm referring to both the fixtures that are made to be permanently mounted to something, as well as the portable (so called) "Work Lights".
Although I have not yet purchased any, I have seen LED "work lights" that are as bright, use much less power, and dont get hot. I plan to buy one when they are on sale for a good price.
I replaced my farm "Yard Light" on the pole, with a LED fixture. I was very impressed. It's brighter than the old 175 watt Mercury Vapor bulb, and it only used 38 watts. It was costing me around $15 to $20 a month (depending on the season) to run that old Mercury Vapor light all night every night. It's now costing me $4 to $5 a month for the LED fixture. That's a savings of at least $120 a year. The LED fixture complete with bulb and mounting arm, cost about $100. So it paid for itself after about 10 months. Plus, I wont have to replace the $12 M.V. bulb every 2 years or less....
I replaced a 175 watt metal halide bulb in a flagpole light fixture with a 100 watt equiv LED from Lowe's. I picked cool white and no one has noticed the change. (I, of course, had to remove the ballast from the fixture). The new bulb isn't quite as bright, but with no other lights nearby, I can't even tell. The old bulbs lasted about 2 years and cost from $30 or $40 to replace. The new LED uses about 12 watts and will likely last for many years. Even if it doesn't, the power savings is worth it.
Don Y posted for all of us...
I posted this link before. Have not purchased but they came to my attention from a trade magazine. I have my eye on several for residential use. Prices seem competitive.
We use the halogens to light the yard; i.e., they need to *throw* light pretty far into the darkened yard. The lamps have to be sited in the afternoon sun (exposure) so they are pretty warm before they are ever turned on. (LED/fluorescent lamps have electronic ballasts that tend not to like to be warm)
We've had no problems with the halogens but they are power hungry. The fixtures allow us to control where the light "spills" so we don't annoy neighbors by shining bright spots into their homes.
We need the same sort of capability with replacement lamps -- but with lower power requirements.
I'm leary of much of this chinese stuff -- it may work *today*, but how will it hold up to long term use? Replacing a *bulb* that has reached it's natural end-of-life is one thing; replacing a FIXTURE because someone saved a few micropennies on the ballast (or, failed to provide adequate heatsinking for the emitter) is just a fool's game!
Have to wonder how seemingly identical fixtures can be priced at $20 and $140!
100W equivilant is not all that bright for your use, but as long as it works, that's good....
My yard light is 4000 lumens.
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