Electricians, San Francisco Bay Area, including:Incandescent to CFL to LED
Just as fluorescent lighting began replacing incandescet as the
enrgy saver's choice of lighting, LED light bulbs will eventually be
what we use to replace fluorescents (except induction fluorescent)
as well as most other types of lighting.
Recent developments in LED technology have 'clustered' LED
chips to provide more light, and mounted within diffuser lenses
which spread the light across a wider area. Advancements in
manufacturing technology have driven the prices down to a level
where LED bulbs are more cost-effective than CFLs or incandescent
bulbs. LED bulbs are being designed for more applications and prices
are going down.
The 'sticker shock' of the new LEDs remains a deterrent to their
widespread acceptance by consumers. The following comparison charts
illustrate the value of the latest LED bulbs when compared with CFLs
and incandescents for overall efficiency as well as
cost-effectiveness.
Cost Comparison between LEDs, CFLs and Incandescent light bulbs
| #/s and costs at 50,000 hours | LED | CFL | Incand |
| Projected Lifespan in hours | 50,000 | 10,000 | 1,200 |
| Watts per bulb | 8 | 18 | 75 |
| Cost per bulb | $35 | $4 | $1.25 |
| Total # of bulbs | 1 | 5 | 40 |
| Total Bulb cost | $35 | $20 | $50 |
| KWH used | 400 | 900 | 3,750 |
| 0.20 per kwh | $80 | $180 | $750 |
| TOTAL COST @ 50k hours | $115 | $200 | $800 |
| Number of times on ladder | 1 | 5 | 75 |
| Time buying/changing/disposing | 0 | 30 min | 450 min |
| Cost of fuel to store | |||
| Aggravation |
| COST OVER 50,000 hours | SAVINGS over INCANDESCENT | ||||
| TOTAL BULBS | LED | CFL | INC | CFL | LED |
| 10 | $1150 | $2000 | $8000 | $6000 | $6850 |
| 20 | $2300 | $4000 | $16000 | $12000 | $13700 |
| 30 | $3450 | $6000 | $24000 | $18000 | $20550 |
| 100 | $11500 | $20000 | $80000 | $60000 | $68500 |
|
Notes: - Cost of electricity will vary. The figures used above are for comparison only, and are not exact. - The cost per bulb for LEDs may vary and will go down over time. . - Estimates of bulb lifespan are based onmanufacturer's claims. - Bulb breakage and bulb replacement costs have not been factored into this comparison chart. Incandescent bulbs and CFL bulbs are more easily broken. - Aggravation and other associated variables have not been assigned values. - Most LEDs come with a minimum 2-year guarantee. Any defective LED bulb will usually fail within this time. - If you have a large home with high ceilings, you may hire people to change your light bulbs.... What might the savings be then? |
