Smart Guys (Outdoor LED questions)

[skeets]

OK, I need some information here on LED lights. Along the driveway I have 3 post lights that have 3 candelabra base fixtures and 2 mounted on the garage. Regular bulbs burn maybe 2 weeks, this is on for 4 hours at night and 2 in the dawn hours. I replaced a couple with the CFE lamps, yeah they work longer but they go out too after about 6 months. SO I am wondering about LEDs, has anybody used them in an enclosed fixture? I know they make LEDs for enclosed fixtures but Im wondering about things like these post enclosures, I mean bugs get in so I figure there must be some air moving through as well. I wonder if it would be enough for cooling the circuits on the LEDs.
Anybody???

 

[85Hokie]

Re: Smart Guys

OK, I need some information here on LED lights. Along the driveway I have 3 post lights that have 3 candelabra base fixtures and 2 mounted on the garage. Regular bulbs burn maybe 2 weeks, this is on for 4 hours at night and 2 in the dawn hours. I replaced a couple with the CFE lamps, yeah they work longer but they go out too after about 6 months. SO I am wondering about LEDs, has anybody used them in an enclosed fixture? I know they make LEDs for enclosed fixtures but Im wondering about things like these post enclosures, I mean bugs get in so I figure there must be some air moving through as well. I wonder if it would be enough for cooling the circuits on the LEDs.
Anybody???

Skeets,

LED's typically run a lot cooler - that is the BULB itself.....the heat sinks are what gets warm!!! (LED's typically only need 1.5 to 3.3 volts) so the rest of the voltage is turned into heat on most stepdown transformers or resistors that reduce the voltage to what is needed.

I have LED's bulbs in an explosion proof spray room......old incandescents would get hot as a sumbeaccch in the air tight enclosures - and burn out very quickly. I have not had them in long enough to see what happens.

They are still a little on the $$$ side too.

Maybe you ought to try one or two and see if they will do the job - see them all the time at Samclub,Costco and Wally--world.

I have had to open several of those type of enclosures - some of them are a royal PITA!

 

[tlefire]

Re: Smart Guys

I put regular led bulbs in my outside fixtures that are on the garage wall. Just the plain ones that you buy for inside lamps and such. They usually don't get wet but are not bug proof. Never had a problem in over a year ànd they average being on 10 hours a day.

 

[bearskinner]

I have 6 led lights on night sensors that run all the time it's dark enough out. 2 are old lamps, that I replaced the CFL's with LEDs and the other 4 I replaced the whole fixture with the outdoor carriage style lights that are made only LED's. Extreme rain, snow, whatever, none have gone out in 3 years, and I know for a fact all 6 running all the time, is about the cost of one standard incandessant bulb. As a plus, the LED's are MUCH brighter too

 

[RCW]

I put indoor/outdoor LED's in outside fixtures. Do cost more than indoor bulbs - not sure if necessary or not.

Only been a couple years - but work great so far.

I prefer Bright White or Daylight for outdoors. I think they're 75 or 100w equivalents.

 

[skeets]

Thanks guys,, every one I looked at today said not for enclosed fixtures,, So maybe just for grins like hokie said give it a try,,what have I got to loose
And my thanks to who ever changed the thread heading,

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Don't worry about the "enclosed fixture" bit, or the indoor use only bit.

They are on there so that people don't put them in and indoor enclosed fixture thinking they don't get hot, and so that people don't use them outside where they would get wet.

I have 4 LED's outside, 2 in porch lights, they are on 24/7/365 and they have been that way for 5 years.
I also have 2 LED spot lights that are day night and dual bright motion lights and they have been going for 3 years.

One major advantage to LED's over other lamps is that vibrations, temp changes, and voltage fluctuations do not effect there operation or life.

When LED's hit we changed all of the lights inside and out and our electric bill went down $25 instantly, they work.

 

[RCW]

When LED's hit we changed all of the lights inside and out and our electric bill went down $25 instantly, they work.

A fact.

We noticed a difference with CFL’s, then again with LED 15 years later.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mattwithcats]

Home Depot has these nice candelabra LED***8217;s.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/EcoSmar...ED-Light-Bulb-3-Pack-B11-60WEW27E12/206694260
Come in 40 watt equivalent too...
Used a bunch in a church sanctuary, not yellow, but soft white light...

 

[bearskinner]

If you have a Costco near by, they regularly have packages of various LED screw in bulbs for a couple bucks each, when you purchase in 4,6, or 10 packs

 

[bans25]

LED bulbs have worked great for me outside, but its only been a year so far

 

[skeets]

Lowes had a 3 pack of soft white like a 40 watt equivalent, so I did take out the CFL s and put them in one coach light on the garage and 3 40 watt clear incandescent bulbs in the other just to see the difference. IN reality theres not much difference light wise that I can see but the LEDs are a more softer light. I might just try some daylight white and see how they work and how long

 

[Daren Todd]

Lowes had a 3 pack of soft white like a 40 watt equivalent, so I did take out the CFL s and put them in one coach light on the garage and 3 40 watt clear incandescent bulbs in the other just to see the difference. IN reality theres not much difference light wise that I can see but the LEDs are a more softer light. I might just try some daylight white and see how they work and how long

There is a difference between the soft white and daylights The local home depot has a display in the light bulb section. Shows all the different light choices with actual bulbs. I'm pretty partial to my daylights

Although with 3 of the 60 watt equivalents in the kitchen light it can be a slight shock if you flick the switch when half a sleep in the dark

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[imnukensc]

I have 10, 100w equivalent, daylights in my kitchen. (It's a big kitchen.) I'm near 65. I want to see what the hell I'm doing! Or eating!