CFL or LED replacement?

D.Craftsman

Hi. Can any one please tell me if I should replace halogen GU10 50w with CFL or LEDs?I know that 8 x 50w in one room is far too much, so use lower watt?How much power do halogen use compared to CFL or LED?Can they be dimmed?What is the light like from each?I have asked in stores but don't get clear answers.

Davy

Ah their is loads of different types makes wattages and voltages. Everyone has different favourites. You can get dimmable ones too yes' Cfl normally range between 7 - 11 w, where led usually around the 3 watt. They wont be as bright as 50w gu10 but they can come quite close.

Dardania

This would be a good one: http://www.megamanuk.com/megaman-products/lamps/sku.php?order_code=417699&series_id=7&sub_series_id=20

PeterPepper66

It all depends on how much you use your lights on average.
Decent LEDs are quite expensive to purchase, but when you take account of the true cost of your lighting (purchase price, energy used, repurchase frequency) LEDs usually come out on top as the energy used is a fraction of competing technologies and they can last for 50,000 hours (L70 rated life).
Good LEDs will also compare with halogen dichroics when it comes to brightness, but again the better qualty LEDs usually come with a price tag to match.
There are lots of LEDs available in hardware and electrical wholesalers but, in my opinion, they usually dont last, dont have uniformity of light colour and have no independent testing data - so completely nullifying the reason for going with LEDs in the first place.
CFLs can take an age to brighten up, contain mercury (so you have to dispose of properly) and look pretty ugly.
If you use your lights alot, the energy cost is likely to be a bigger factor in the true cost of lighting your home, than the purchase cost of the lamps. However, if you dont use your lights alot, the energy cost is likely to be a smaller factor in the true cost of lighting your home, than the purchase cost of the lamps.
Think holistically about the associated costs, not just the purchase price. As they saying goes...look at the big picture

Dardania

PeterPepper66 wrote: »

It all depends on how much you use your lights on average.
Decent LEDs are quite expensive to purchase, but when you take account of the true cost of your lighting (purchase price, energy used, repurchase frequency) LEDs usually come out on top as the energy used is a fraction of competing technologies and they can last for 50,000 hours (L70 rated life).
Good LEDs will also compare with halogen dichroics when it comes to brightness, but again the better qualty LEDs usually come with a price tag to match.
There are lots of LEDs available in hardware and electrical wholesalers but, in my opinion, they usually dont last, dont have uniformity of light colour and have no independent testing data - so completely nullifying the reason for going with LEDs in the first place.
CFLs can take an age to brighten up, contain mercury (so you have to dispose of properly) and look pretty ugly.
If you use your lights alot, the energy cost is likely to be a bigger factor in the true cost of lighting your home, than the purchase cost of the lamps. However, if you dont use your lights alot, the energy cost is likely to be a smaller factor in the true cost of lighting your home, than the purchase cost of the lamps.
Think holistically about the associated costs, not just the purchase price. As they saying goes...look at the big picture

spoken like a true consultant!

2011

IMHO use 20W 12 volt downlighters. Why?
1) best light quality
2) no issues with dimming
3) total wattage is only 160 watts.

I agree with Peter. The better quality LEDs cost a fortune. I do not think that they are financially viable and even the best ones do not have the same light quality as halogens.

Personally I think that there is too much focus on saving energy in homes by using expensive (to buy not run) lamps that often produce very poor quality lighting with bad color rendering that (often) can't be dimmed. Lighting only represents a fraction of the energy costs in a house.

PeterPepper66

Dardania wrote: »

spoken like a true consultant!

Thanks Dardania. Yes, I should be getting paid for this advice