Browse Forums What's New Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 81Oct 17, 2011 12:03 pm It's a good point - I think especially with LEDs that retailers often exaggerate the lumens output. But I'm kinda thinking look at any lumens quoted and take 30%+ off to get probably a more conservative estimate of lumens - perhaps these no-name brands can still punch out 700 or 800 lumens instead of the rated 1200 or 1100 lumens? Then you're still getting ~50w halogen light but at half the price of a Brightgreen. LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the question. 82Oct 17, 2011 3:46 pm Hi My concern with eBay lights is the longevity...$60 is still pretty expensive if they only last a year or so. Also at 21W they are getting close to a 35W IRC halogen. A $20 downlight with a 13W CFL can give the same light at 1/3 of the cost and uses less power. Paul Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 83Oct 17, 2011 3:54 pm Paul True - you'd hope they last longer than a year or so (they have 2 year warranties, but these companies might not be around in 2 years I guess). I've thought about CFLs, but they aren't appropriate for areas where you need instant light due to the warm up time factor. Also, I don't know of any 13w CFLs that put out > 1000 lumens - can you provide details? Thanks brendan LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the question. 84Oct 17, 2011 4:21 pm The other thing I just noticed about the eBay LED is that it has a beam angle of 90 deg, while the Brightgreen has a beam angle of 60 deg. If you assume the lights are a point source (which they aren't but it makes the math easier) then the eBay light gives approximately 55 lux (lumens per m2) at height of 2.4 meters while the d1000 (the cool white version of the d900) gives 165 lux - about 3 times the light for only twice the money. Paul Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 85Oct 17, 2011 4:32 pm Glad to hear someone has tested the brightgreen and finds it okay. We have always planned to use them throughout our house (for most of the lighting), I love they have different types now, not just regular downlights. Cost isn't an issue for us as we have an electrical company and will get them slightly cheaper. What is the active cooling though? I don't remember reading anything about that? Our dilemma is many of our lights will be in slab, and i've read that LEDs don't last because they burn out (or something to that effect). LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the question. 86Oct 17, 2011 4:33 pm Don't get hung up on lumens. Lux is what counts. A laser beam with 50000 lumens isn't going to light up your room very well if the light is across 1mm2. A13w cfl has about 800 lumens, but with a 60 degree spread it is about the same as a halogen. My previous calculations were somewhat simplified - a halogen doesn't have even lux levels across its beam - it is brighter at the centre. That is one of the reasons they look brighter and more 'sparkly' than a CFL, which is a more diffuse light. That is one way that an LED is superior to a CFL of equivalent wattage - they are less diffuse so they don't make your rooms look so flat; but this also all the more reason to look at the beam angle of the LED. Paul LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the question. 87Oct 17, 2011 4:37 pm MrsGreen What is the active cooling though? I don't remember reading anything about that? Our dilemma is many of our lights will be in slab, and i've read that LEDs don't last because they burn out (or something to that effect). The D900 I have doesn't have a fan, just a finned heat sink. After running the light for an hour you can still hold it in your hand quite comfortably. If you are putting lights in a slab you definitely need to make sure you can replace them, because any technology can fail. Maybe even look at fibre optic lights where the light source is mounted remotely? Paul Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 88Oct 17, 2011 4:49 pm Yep, my bad (sorry!) I thought the Brightgreen had an active fan, but it's just a solid state fan. Well, I'd certainly be interested in buying some, but wondering if there's any chance of getting them <$100 each? Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 89Oct 17, 2011 5:35 pm paulw11 MrsGreen What is the active cooling though? I don't remember reading anything about that? Our dilemma is many of our lights will be in slab, and i've read that LEDs don't last because they burn out (or something to that effect). The D900 I have doesn't have a fan, just a finned heat sink. After running the light for an hour you can still hold it in your hand quite comfortably. If you are putting lights in a slab you definitely need to make sure you can replace them, because any technology can fail. Maybe even look at fibre optic lights where the light source is mounted remotely? Paul I was under the impression if they had built-in drivers they could go in a slab? Then don't you just take them out through the light fitting to replace? I don't want to be replacing one every other month because it's getting too hot (which I was told will happen in the slab even if it doesn't get hot when not in a slab). Bit hard for us to test it prior to building it. It's a 3 story so I'm assuming there's going to be a lot of lights going in slabs and I really want to go all LED apart from a few feature lights. LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the question. 90Oct 17, 2011 5:38 pm The best I can find so far is $113 for quantity >24. The Brightgreen DR700 also looks interesting. It is an MR16 retrofit for around $70. It int nipping yet, but is due very soon I am told. I saw it at the home show in Sydney earlier this year and it looked very close to a halogen in terms of light. It needs a transformer but they claim it is dimmable with any existing downlight transformer. Even for a new build you can get halogen fittings and transformers for about $10 and just throw away the bulb.
Paul LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the question. 91Oct 17, 2011 5:50 pm MrsGreen I was under the impression if they had built-in drivers they could go in a slab? Then don't you just take them out through the light fitting to replace? I don't want to be replacing one every other month because it's getting too hot (which I was told will happen in the slab even if it doesn't get hot when not in a slab). Bit hard for us to test it prior to building it. It's a 3 story so I'm assuming there's going to be a lot of lights going in slabs and I really want to go all LED apart from a few feature lights. Whn you talked about putting lights in the slab I assumed you were talking about the floor (pointing up). If you are talking about the ceiling of a multi-story house then it is more likely that you will have a suspended plasterboard ceiling below the slab for the floor above. This gives you space of the light fitting, wiring etc. The D900 doesn't have a built-in driver. It has an external low voltage driver similar to that used with a low voltage halogen downlight. In my opinion lights with a built-in driver are more likely to overheat (particularly if they are the size of an MR16 or GU10 globe) because they need to dissipate the heat from the driver and the LED. I have some Osram Luxpoints that I picked up on super special and although they have a built-in driver I am not worried about heat because they are about the size of an old bulb style downlight, so there is plenty of room for air cooling. Paul Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 92Oct 17, 2011 7:14 pm Thanks for the info. I might send an email to our supplier and see what price I can get the Brightgreens for. I've looked as the Osram before actually, our lighting design consultant really liked them... but I plan to get a variety of different lights from Brightgreen and I liked that they would all be the exact same look. Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 93Oct 17, 2011 7:17 pm paulw11 The other thing I just noticed about the eBay LED is that it has a beam angle of 90 deg, while the Brightgreen has a beam angle of 60 deg. If you assume the lights are a point source (which they aren't but it makes the math easier) then the eBay light gives approximately 55 lux (lumens per m2) at height of 2.4 meters while the d1000 (the cool white version of the d900) gives 165 lux - about 3 times the light for only twice the money. Paul This one has a beam angle of 60 deg, so should be comparable to the Brightgreen IF the lumens claim can be believed at 1100. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/260749098817 ... 1423.l2649 Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 94Oct 17, 2011 7:23 pm I have just finished installing LED lights throughout my house. I experimented with a number of different units and light temp before deciding on 11.5W CREE in Natural White. This uses 6*2W. Warm White is too dull, and Cool White was too stark for our colour scheme, and even made the white kitchen look blue. I have also used a 10W Bayonet cap fitting in lieu of incandescant globes and they are awesome. At least 100w light equivalent. Also have led candle globes for the Chandeleirs:) LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the question. 95Oct 17, 2011 8:02 pm ralwig88 This one has a beam angle of 60 deg, so should be comparable to the Brightgreen IF the lumens claim can be believed at 1100. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/260749098817 ... 1423.l2649 That one looks like it might be worth trying. Paul Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 96Oct 18, 2011 6:39 am ozberg I have just finished installing LED lights throughout my house. I experimented with a number of different units and light temp before deciding on 11.5W CREE in Natural White. This uses 6*2W. Can you let me know the brand or website? would be very interested in seeing/trying out. By the way, what kelvin temp is "Natural White" - we're trying to find something not to yellow as warm white but not too stark white either. Thanks Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 97Oct 18, 2011 9:31 am ralwig88 Yep, my bad (sorry!) I thought the Brightgreen had an active fan, but it's just a solid state fan. Well, I'd certainly be interested in buying some, but wondering if there's any chance of getting them <$100 each? Maybe if we get enough people here in HomeOne to bulk-buy the BrightGreen D900 Curve, we can get it for < $100? Maybe we could get Groupon to organize this for us? Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 98Oct 18, 2011 10:57 am Hi, I've reading this thread with great interest as we too are building a home & are having LED downlights thru out our home. Hubby is very interested in a Philips GU10 as he read great reviews about it & he says that it doesn't need it's own transformer, it just plugs in like a normal light bulb ( making replacing the globe a very easy thing to do , & also does not emit as much heat ) , Does anyone know how this compares with the brightgreen everyone is talking about? we neeed 65 of them as we're building a 40sq two storey home? Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 99Oct 18, 2011 11:43 am Paul, where did you find Brightgreens for $113?
I can sell the Brightgreen D900 for around $111 gst inclusive (quantity 24+), plus postage. That probably doesn't even cover the fuel to pick them up and administration costs... but if it saves any other H1ers some money (or allows them to use better quality lights?) then i'd be happy to look at doing it. Re: LED Downlights: to LED or not to LED, that is the questi 100Oct 18, 2011 6:55 pm ralwig88 ozberg I have just finished installing LED lights throughout my house. I experimented with a number of different units and light temp before deciding on 11.5W CREE in Natural White. This uses 6*2W. Can you let me know the brand or website? would be very interested in seeing/trying out. By the way, what kelvin temp is "Natural White" - we're trying to find something not to yellow as warm white but not too stark white either. Thanks I wasnt happy with both the quality or value of products available locally. I am an electrician by trade, and father has accounts at electrical wholesalers and the value for money even at trade prices is very poor. So I sourced a manufacturer in China and imported them myself with a view of onselling. I would suggest not ordering any product (even via me) without viewing samples first. The difference between the colours is significant. It may be helpful if I list the products I have used: 5*2W Downlight Edison Cool White 5*2W Downlight Cree Cool White 6*2W Downlight Warm White 6*2W Downlight Natural White 2W Candle Globe Wrm White 2W Candle Globe Cool White 10W B22 light (direct replacement for incandescant globe) they are bulkier than a normal globe but great for wardrobes bedrooms etc. 36W Floodlight I dont have colour temps with me atm (at work) but can supply pictures, specs etc. Regards. Shane I work with owner, he/she is my man on the ground and I instruct them when to visit the site and take photos and I have other tools in the bag. 4 16357 1000000% definitely add insulation. I have in my home and it makes a big difference minimising sound transfer. Insulation is pretty cheap and definitely worth it 2 6799 |