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February 22, 2007 4:01 PM PST

Behold the power of the LED home lightbulb

by Michael Kanellos
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She's holding a lit lightbulb in her hand. Is the prophecy true? Is she the chosen one?

Amber Nystrom (Credit: Michael Kanellos/CNET Networks)

No, that's just Amber Nystrom, founder of Social Fusion, holding up the Pharox, an LED light by Lemnis Lighting that's designed to fit into an ordinary lamp socket (there's a battery in this one; the home models just screw in). It offers about the same amount of light as a 40-watt bulb but consumes about 90 percent less energy. If you haven't heard by now, lightbulbs waste a lot of energy. Around 95 percent of the energy turns into heat.

LEDs, which are silicon chips, produce heat too, but they crank out far more lumens per watt than regular lightbulbs and they are beginning to challenge fluorescent bulbs. LEDs last longer, so advocates say they'll become the light source of the future. (Fluorescent folks disagree). The Lemnis runs on about 4 watts and lasts 50,000 hours.

I met Nystrom standing in line at the Cleantech Forum in San Francisco. Never know who you'll meet waiting for the buffet.

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Add a Comment (Log in or register) (19 Comments)
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When can I buy one?
by dshin February 22, 2007 4:59 PM PST
I've been amazed by the power, efficiency, and durability of LEDs since the
popularization of mini-LED flashlights and such. I've been waiting for LEDs to
take their rightful place in society, and it seems like we're one big step towards
this happening.

I can't wait for these lightbulbs to hit the shelves. Hopefully the quality of the
light will be similar to the cozy spectrum of incandescent light, as opposed to
the often harsh glare of fluorescent lighting.
Reply to this comment
You can buy one NOW!
by surfbored February 26, 2007 7:04 AM PST
These have been on sale for a while, you just need to go look...

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/lights/7aa8/
Very Dune-ish!
by Ali Siddiqui February 22, 2007 8:38 PM PST
I'm hoping for the day when they start making glowing blue orbs! Sign me up
for a dozen!!
Reply to this comment
A dozen?!? I hope you're rich!
by surfbored February 26, 2007 7:06 AM PST
Check out the glowing blue (and other colored) orbs here...

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/5da2/
I'll save a bundle each time I open the fridge
by qprize February 22, 2007 8:44 PM PST
Anybody else use 40-watt bulbs to light their home? From what I've read
getting enough light is problematic, because while one LED is relatively cool, a
bunch of them might get hot enough to cook their circuit boards. Until they can
get at least 700 lumens (about the same as a 75-watt Soft White bulb) on a
single fixture -and 1200 for reading lamps, these are just not ready for prime
time.
Reply to this comment
40 Watt Bulbs
by tdbriz February 26, 2007 1:29 AM PST
I use 40 watt florescents in my home. Over the stove and kitchen, dining room has 3 40 wat bulbs bath rooms are 40 watt except over the mirrors. Bed rooms are also 40 watt. Computer rooms are 40 watt which is easier on the eyes. Just might try these new LED bulbs.
could not agree more
by dirtfarmer February 26, 2007 8:37 AM PST
a waste of time puting a 40 watt in the home
you can not see very goos even with a 60 watt

a 100 watt s better
on til ther get ther act in geat, LED 40 watt a w aste of time and money
Please Come Back ...
by markdoiron February 23, 2007 1:55 AM PST
Please come back when you've got a real light bulb to brag about. 40 watts is ridiculously dim for practical use in most home lighting situations! --mark d.
Reply to this comment
Technical Correction
by hightechfuture February 23, 2007 5:33 AM PST
Since cnet and crave are trying to provide information about the latest technology it would be very helpful if Michael Kanellos actually knew what she was talking about. The light emitting (active region) of all commercially available LEDs are III/V materials such as gallium-arsenide, gallium-nitride, or gallium-phosphide for example. LEDs are NOT silicon chips. Silicon is used for computer chips or solar cells.
I agree with others in the blog 40-watt bulbs are not sufficient for most home applications. The most important point however is that LED lighting has not received UL approval for use in the USA (for political reasons), and therefore we will not be seeing LED lighting in homes anytime soon. Let?s keep feeding the US addiction to oil, shall we?
Reply to this comment
LED may not be all they're cracked up to...
by cyberpoet February 26, 2007 1:29 AM PST
As an early adopter, I've already had LED bulbs around the house for a couple
years, figuring they would easily replace the low-wattage compact flourscent
bulbs used for all-night lighting. Perhaps it's the source (some nameless
Chinese firm), but the LED bulbs lasted all of about 300 hours before something
inside of them gave out (most likely voltage regulator circuitry to step the 120V
down to the LED wattage of 1.5 - 3 watts). After replacing a couple, I decided to
step back and wait a few more years for the reliability factor to go up, or a major
firm with a reputation for higher quality to put their label on such products
before I try it again.
Reply to this comment
Anyone else use a 40 watt light bulb to light...
by tarnette February 26, 2007 6:24 AM PST
Yes - my wife!
Reply to this comment
Me too! (40 watts IS useful.)
by surfbored February 26, 2007 7:11 AM PST
I use 40 watt bulbs in several places -- As a desk lamp or on a bedside table -- you don't want a 100 watt bulb burning your eyeballs.

And, you could always turn on two lamps, it's still less electricity!
I have a few.
by myeckwaters February 26, 2007 9:42 AM PST
We've got four LED bulbs. I bought them all from "closeout" places like geeks.com so they were already obsolete models. Two were bought a couple of years ago, and are bulky (I had to use an extender to get one to fit in a utility lamp), fairly dim and have a seriously blue glow to them. The newer two are much smaller (smaller than the bulbs in my fridge or oven), brighter, and only slightly blue.

None of these would be sufficient for primary room lighting, but they're great for nighttime navigation use. By the way, they are built from discrete plastic-blob LEDs mounted in an asembly, rather than some sort of purpose-built LEDs, which may be holding back the miniaturization.

I expect every year or so we'll see them get improved brightness/volume and color tone. These puppies are going to be ready for primetime pretty soon.
Reply to this comment
LEDs, are NOT silicon chips
by unklhugh February 26, 2007 10:59 PM PST
Get your facts correct. Lght emitting diodes cannot be made from silicon chips. Silicon has an indirect bandgap in the infrared NOT a direct band gap in the visible. Most LEDs are made from III-V compounds. At least do us the favor of identifying which LED you are talking about.
Reply to this comment
Unintended consequences
by Renegade378 February 28, 2007 11:56 AM PST
We use 40 watt bulbs in wall sconces and multi-bulb ceiling lights. Better and brighter will come. However, major buildings count on heat loss from bulbs and such in heating plant calculations. Wholesale conversions could require more heat or even bigger boilers! Nothing is free.
Reply to this comment
Australia to ban incandescent bulb
by mcoz March 1, 2007 12:50 AM PST
This might be the sort of tech we in Australia will need before too long as the government intends to ban incandescent bulbs
Reply to this comment
LED light bulbs @ Reasonable Prices
by newmexhik917 March 7, 2007 11:21 AM PST
You can't get an LED light bulb to be an equal replacement for an incandescent bulb and only use 4 watts. Also the price of this one must be in the stratosphere. LED bulbs are inproving and in maybe 5 years they will be up to the task of replacing 40 watt, or even a 60 watt bulb. Currently they are just dim bulbs not much good for anything else than a small reading light, or a night light. If you want to try some at at about the best prices to be found try DonsGreenStore.com I got a oouple from them to use as night lights. They use less power, will last longer, and are brighter than even a 7 watt night light bulb. But you sure can't put them in a ceiling fixture and read a paper with one.
Reply to this comment
My LED Worklamp is very directional
by donmcanally March 13, 2007 12:14 PM PDT
I bought B&D's new rechargeable worklamp (shop droplight).
Looking at the array of Led's it would appear bright enough to use in normal Auto Repair environs, but I found that the array needs to be hand held, constantly adjusting to the work plane. A slight movement right or left, or moving the focus of your eyes only slightly right or left, brings a need to adjust the positioning of the beam. It appears more suited to be a flashlight rather than a localized illuminator or local floodlamp. The cordless operation and rechargeability is nice, but the quality of the illumination/ appropriateness is disappointing for a $40.00 price.
Reply to this comment
newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/bfs/354492517.html
by sonny86 June 22, 2007 6:39 PM PDT
Wholesale Price LED bulbs house type to the public!
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