LED Update

[Nick Grant]

We had a good forum discussion on LEDs some time ago now and I was wondering how things had moved on as big changes seemed about to happen. Certainly I can recommend high quality LED torches which are now very bright, if rather expensive.

I have just purchased a 3W cluster (rather than single chip type) GU5 12V led from RS for about £15 (will be cheaper elsewhere but was an impulse buy). Box says Fawoo technology LUMIDA-H. RS part No. 660-3598, made in S Korea. Colour temp is 3000K, warm white.

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=6603598 for info and data sheet.

Certainly the nicest light colour I have seen (cheap ones were blue before) and gives a very bright focussed beam that looks like it would be good to read by. Lumens per watt speculation aside (data sheet says 80) it is much brighter for tasks such as reading. I have a 9W CFL with reflector in a desk lamp that is giving just over 200 Lux when placed 700mm from surface (some background light), Swapping to the 3W LED at same height I get about 600 Lux.

Obviously this is a mid price lamp so curious to hear if people have had good results with other products.

Problem I have is no halogen fittings to put it in as they are banned from our house but I will make a reading lamp with switch mode PSU.

Certainly seems to be far more efficient than equivalent small fluorescent in terms of useful lumens on work plane per Watt. Certainly seems promising for the near future.

Nick
 

[Tahir]

This is a 5w MR16:

http://www.lyco.co.uk/p7167.aspx

I'd be interested to hear from anyone that's used anything similar to this or the one in Nick's link

[Martin Levien]

Nick,
I have been playing around with 12v DC LEDs and 12v DC flourescents as I have been living off grid with photovoltaics for the last 4 years. I have found that good quality ones of both types have a satisfactory colour spectrum. The best LEDs I have found are made in china, they are almost as efficient as the best low energy flourescents but as the light is emmitted in one direction they are in effect many times more efficient when you want directional light as in spots, downlighters, reading lights etc. They also have the advantage of lasting longer and being almost indestructable. They are expensive at the moment but I am expecting to import direct from china and cut the price down by half. The ones I am particularly looking at are the V3 series MR16--BT3-V3VS-IP and the S series MR16---BT7-SVN-3SC/BT7-SVS-4SC.
                Martin.

[Nick Grant]

Impressed by the 12V Led in my office task light I wanted to upgrade the reading lights in our bedroom. I had previously fitted a couple of IKEA spot lights that take small Edison screw (SES) bulbs on the assumption that a small CFL would be fine given the proximity to the book.

However we always seemed to end up with main bedroom lights on as well, due to old age and failing eyesight.

Some time in Google failed to turn up a suitable direct fit LED so I finally took the plunge and ordered a couple of GU10 bulbs from Amazon and hacked a GU10 to SES adaptor (don't try this at home!)

http://tr.im/BbB5

Very pleased with the result, much more efficient than CFLs I have tried. Beam angle is quite narrow and the wider version that costs a few quid more might have been better in this application.

I'm still sceptical of the approach of ceilings full of LED downlights as so often seen, eg BRE Innovation Park, but for local task and accent lighting I think LEDs have come of age. Can expect to see price drop and performance increase still further in next year or two but current offering seem to work well enough and the price isnt silly unless you insist on lighting your kitchen with an array of 20 down lighters (fit one T5).

Look forward to hearing of other's experience and recommendations now Philips and others have products available or about to be.

Nick

[Tahir]

How would you say it compared to 12v35w halogen, in brightness and light colour?

[Dave Howorth]

50,000 hour life but only 1 year guarantee!?

Apart from the guarantee period being illegally short in the EU, it appears to be about 6 years short! Could you sue for misrepresentation 6 years later?

That seems to me to be the weakness of the LED case at present. Pay capital now to avoid paying income later and trust in the integrity of the supplier to honour his word? Not in the world that this government has built, I'm afraid.

[Nick Grant]

Tahir

I have no halogen fittings in the house so can't do a comparison (not going to buy a bulb just to see) but there is photometric data on Amazon. The 12V one I tried first has a wider beam and is probably a warmer white but both are fine to my eyes.

As I said I think we will see some big changes in the next year or two.

Dave, I am sure consumer law would cover failure if significantly under claimed 50,000 hours. Electronics tend to suffer occasional random failures rather than wear out gently. Looking forward to trying products from some of the big names.