Honest opinions about how to buy Appliances and Lighting.

Monday, November 26, 2007

The Future Of Lighting

Would you buy a light bulb that uses 85% less energy than incandesecent, is dimmable, produces almost zero heat and has a life of 20 years.

The light bulb is LED or Light Emitting Diodes. This bulb is the future of residential lighting.

LED is now saleable, because they cast a 2750 Kelvin degree light, which is almost identical to halogen.

These lights can also be retrofitted to existing 6" recessed cans.

Have a look:


LED Recessed



LED Recessed

14 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:08 PM

    Steve - if I were to retrofit my existing recessed lights what is the cost of each new can? Also, is the retrofit fairly straight forward or would an electrician need to do some new wiring? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous1:12 PM

    Steve,

    What is the cost of the LED replacement unit for 6" recessed cans? And how much electrical work is involved (i.e., how much should an honest electrician charge for the labor in the Boston area)?

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. One of the best part is ease of installation. I will podcast the process in the next day or so. The replacement is about $119 or with a can it would be about $130-135

    Its about double that of low volatge, but with the lamplife and efficiency will ceratinly pay for itself many times over

    ReplyDelete
  4. certainly is spelled like this...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous2:12 PM

    Steve,

    Are the LED units offered as replacements for existing 5" recessed cans? The 6" cans look oversized and sort of cheesy (but that's a matter of personal taste of course) Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  6. No arguments there....4 and 5 inch have been our standard for 10 years. The 5 inch is due first quarter 2008

    FYI, 6 inch cans are an option for taller ceilings and some commercial applications

    The current LED is a great retrofit option. It also looks neater than the regular baffle type

    But that you will see Tuesday AM

    ReplyDelete
  7. Steve, In my kitchen I have 4 6" cans with CFLs. How much more efficient would the LEDs be? I'm just wondering if changing them would be worth the expense - particularly if we don't live in this house for the next 20 years!

    Today we replaced our regular holiday lights with tiny LEDs. The tree is so bright the dog needs to wear her Doggles!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Good Question:

    LED is about 35% more efficient than CFLs and will last almost 3 times longer.

    At $119 per, you probably will not realize a financial payback especially if you do not stay in your current home

    However, the Kelvin color is superior to CFLs(even the good ones), so if you want optimum lighting then LEDs are definitely the best source currently available

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous8:25 PM

    Steve, my current recessed lights are the type that cannot come into contact with insulation. I am thinking of having loose cellulose insulation blown into my ceiling which would require me to get all new recessed lights. If I blow in the insulation and just use the retrofit led kit that you blogged about would that work or would I still need to get all new cans too?

    I am amazed at how easy these lights can be changed. I hope to stop by Yale this weekend and check out the lighting in person.

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Another good question,

    If you are blowing insulation, then you would need an insulated cans. There are a couple of lower cost solutions:

    A. Leave some room around your current can. Check the manufacturers specs, but figure 3-4inches of space. You will lose some air through the can, however.

    B. Buy insulated remodel cans. Remodel cans(I have postings on recessed that may help) are wired in through the ceiling not from above, so the install is easier. You may have to replaster, but that depends on the existing can aperture

    BTW, Insulation will save you a ton of money. Proper windows and insulation are the 2 best ways to cut heating and air conditioning costs...

    Kudos

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous1:22 PM

    Steve,
    I was looking on the Yale website and didn't see much in terms of trac lighting units. I stopped by the store this weekend but the wait for a someone to help was longer than I could stick around. I was wondering if you can recommend a trac light that is similar to an item I saw elsewhere. The item is made by George Kovacs and the model number is P4015-4084 in brushed steel. Does Yale have anything similar at a similar price ($85-$115)? Also, I am considering the Minka Aire Concept II brushed nickel 44" fan model F518 at Yale. Any thoughts on this fan or brand vs a box store fan or other brands you carry? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sorry for the delay in responding...I just returned from vacation...

    George Kovacs at one time revolutionized the lighting industry with the first modern lighting. His most notable design was the Feather desk lamp. George actually passed last year, but before he did, he sold his company to a Chinese importer about 5 years ago...At $85-120, there are options

    If you email me a picture, I can certainly suggest a few alternatives....

    I love the Minka fan. It is good quality and much less expensive than a Casablanca fan

    BTW, I am sorry about the wait on Saturday. We have about 20salespeople working on that day. Sometimes, it is not enoigh

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous9:44 AM

    Steve, what email address should I use to send the picture of the light? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  14. steve.sheinkopf@yaleappliance.com
    would be my direct line

    ReplyDelete