LED lightbulbs: Are you ready to make the switch?
High price and a strange color. No, we're not talking about a hairdo. Those are the two factors that have kept light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, from becoming a mainstream light source.
But that might change soon, said Zach Gibler, chief business development officer of Lighting Science Group, which plans to announce distribution deals with major retailers for its LED bulbs that screw into a regular socket.
Lighting Science Group's new LED lightbulbs.
(Credit: Lighting Science Group)LED bulbs for household use have already been around for some time, but their success has been limited. The main obstacles have been that they cost more than incandescent lightbulbs and emit a sometimes unnerving color of light.
Lighting Science Group this week plans to introduce a portfolio of LED replacement white lightbulbs that it hopes will attract more consumer interest. The product line uses the same sockets as Edison bulbs.
According to Gibler, the bulbs perform well on a warmth and color rendering index--blue looks blue, yellow looks yellow, etc.--they have a long life cycle, and consume 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs.
Gibler believes 2008 could be "the year of LED" for residential use and lighting in general. The market potential is big, particularly considering that legislation will outlaw the sale of incandescent bulbs by 2012, he said. He compared the adoption of LED lights in homes to another lighting product, the flashlight.
"Three years ago you could hardly find an LED-based flashlight; today it's hard to find one that is not LED light," he said.
Lighting Science Group sells its products through wholesale stores and on its own Web site, but it expects to announce soon distribution deals with one or two retail chains to make the new LED bulbs more available.
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At $40 to $110 apiece, the LED "in-screw" bulbs may still seem too pricey for a lot of consumers. But Lighting Science Group's pitch is that a 50 cent Edison bulb will last for 750 to 3,000 hours, while an LED has to be replaced only every 50,000 hours (or 10 to 30 years). The company says the cost savings is almost $740 over a lifetime due to much lower energy consumption.
Vrinda Bhandarkar, a research analyst at Mountain View, Calif.-based Strategies Unlimited, said she is impressed if the "bulky looking lamps" actually perform as well as the company says. But the price has to come down a lot before consumers--and not just businesses--start buying them, she said. For a proper light in the kitchen it would take at least four big bulbs, which would cost about $440.
"They will be used for retail display, hotel lobbies, for paintings that hang up high, and places where you need a high ladder to change lamps," she said.
Gibler, who has a lengthy career in the lighting industry and took on responsibility for business development at Lighting Science Group last year, believes the price for LED lights will come down as chips get cheaper.
"They will be half the cost in another two years," he said.
Anthony Kraudelt
6897 Apache Trail
Wixom, MI 48393
I purchased my LED bulbs from LEDLight.com. They replaced the failed bulbs three/four times and now refuse to replace them. They tell me to contact the manufacturer in China if I am not happy with the quality!!!
Amar Sappal
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by sappala
April 29, 2009 12:50 AM PDT
- It is not the time to make the switch to LED lights yet. I purchased 13 LED bulbs from LEDLight.com (an Arizona joint) and paid $28.78 each. The bulbs were rated equivalent to 30 watts. The rated life cycle was stated as 50,000 to 60,000 hours. All the bulbs failed within a few weeks. The vendor has replaced the bulbs at least 4 times and they still keep failing on me. The bulbs were designed to work on 120v.
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Reply to this comment
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(5 Comments)I believe when the vendor claimed life cycle of 50,000 hours and in my mind implied that the bulbs should last almost 10 years. I am out of $405.43 plus shipping charges every time I returned the bulbs for replacement.
Guess what? The vendor, LEDLight.com has refused to replace the bulbs. At one point I was told to complain to the manufacturer in CHINA if the bulbs keep failing! I say what a rip off and based on my experience WE ARE NOT YET READY FOR THE NEW TECHNOLOGY even if they will sell you the LED bulbs cheaper than the $31.17/each I was suckered into.
I intend to complain to BBB in Arizona about the questionable business practices of LEDLight.com.
I should have learned my lesson that the LED technology is not yet ready and should not be marketed with exorbitant claims. As if that was not enough, I ordered 12 LED bulbs (rated 40 watts) from a manufacturer in Hong Kong (Besthongkong Technology). All of these bulbs have failed within weeks and have been replaced THREE times! It costs a bundle to return the failed bulbs by Air Mail for replacement.
I have given up on LED bulbs for household lighting until the technology is sufficiently improved - and that may be years away!
Amar Sappal
sappal@gmail.com