LED Bulbs

Dear All,

I wholeheartedly agree with Ken's sentiments!  These LED bulbs are really the last word in lighting not only a layout, but all over the home.  For example, I also have a 6W in my kitchen, which lights up the whole room like fairyland!

Then, I'm biased.  Here in Britain, I get Nectar Points (a loyalty card scheme for US readers) as well as coupons from consumer surveys I do, valid at UK discount chains such as Argos and Homebase.

This means that I get mine free!  Granted, the full price is several times more than a conventional low-current bulb, but they last forever, use much less 'juice' and give more light.

LED! Oi! Oi! Oi!

Regards,

Andy H.

ROI on LEDs

Thanks for the insight and narrative on your techniques & Dirk's excellent modeling. On the lighting advice, I've converted my home, 6 or so years past, to CFLs in most fixtures and enjoyed the savings over incandescent bulbs. CFL prices have now come down to sometimes only 2x equal candela incandescents making the ROI of changing quite short. Though you stated the cost (~$400) of the LEDs, what is the cost difference from the Halogen (incandescent) bulbs you replaced, so the ROI on replacement or the cost differential on a new installation can be considered. Also, your usage pattern, in a "business" environment would tend to quicken the ROI - most folks aren't regularly going to use ANY lights (let alone their layout lighting) ~10 hours a day...and, if the claimed service life of LEDs is not exaggerated (~20 years?), they may well outlast me (I'm an "old guy"), at least in this house. Were I renting, conversion might be an even harder "sell" unless the LEDs move with me - I'm sure the new owner / landlord would require that there be some "replacement lights" left when I departed. Thanks for the ideas...lighting, photography and modeling...lots to digest. Bob Carbaugh