Adventures in lighting (Or tek-monkey does LEDs)

[tek-monkey]

Not used those particular bulbs, but I got some SMD style over a year ago for the kitchen and only lost 2 so far (one within weeks, the other last week). Luckily I ordered 10 and only needed 8 so still going strong!

2 more blew last night together, bah! However I just looked and it appears they have actually lasted over 2 years not 1 so can't grumble. I probably have them on for about 4 - 6 hours a night depending on time of year. If I go with 4 thats 1460 hours a year or 7.3kw used vs 73Kw I'd have used with a 50w halogen. If we assume 10p a unit (which is on the low side) each bulb saves me about £6.50 a year on my electricity costs, 8 bulbs in the kitchen means £52 a year.

After thinking that through I don't mind buying new ones, curious as to how the new COB style GU10s work out.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10x6W-8X9...hash=item20f046bc1d:m:mOHNP9EYlqt1Z6Il-IoeFCQ

 

[Gramaisc]

There were dimmable and non-dimmable GU10s in Lidl the other day.

In separate bays, if you do go looking.

 

[hop]

You might want to phone your local wyevale garden centre. The nearest one to me is selling Belkin Wemo starter kits for £25 which is 2*800 lumen (60w equivalent) Led bulbs and a ZigBee WiFi bridge.
The wemo itself uses ZigBee and so can be used to automate further things such as the Osram lightify range (includes numerous bulbs, led strips lights, garden lights)
At £25 the price is decent (its £50 on Amazon) and you can use the phone app for simple rules or connect to ITFFF to create more complex logic (eg when I leave work switch the porch light, the hall and the lounge lights on and turn on the radio)
I bought the kit and 2 extra bulbs to do a quick test with. I like the result so I'm going back today to see if can pick up 15 more bulbs to automate more of my external lights.

 

[hop]

They didn't have enough for my garden lights but I got 12 bulbs, a smart socket and 2 starter kits (you only need one but with the 70% discount wyevale were doing it worked out cheaper getting another starter kit than it would be to get another bulb on the web)
Maybe it's a good thing they didn't have more bulbs. I think I might get some colour changing bulbs and use them to colour wash some of the garden walls or upright into the crown of a tree.

 

[Gramaisc]

Many years ago I fitted three GX53 fitments under the upper cabinets in my kitchen - they came with CFL bulbs back then, 11 watts, and everything worked OK, though they ran a bit hot for me (although not dangerously so, as it turns out) and two of the original bulbs failed in fairly spectacular explosions.

I have just replaced the (failing) current CFL bulbs with three 5 watt LED bulbs from Screwfix - much more light and only barely warm to the touch.