LED Lights

[Ian]

Maybe they're "driving lights" for filling in the gap on the near side of the main beams? Both my Tahoe and Sequoia have white driving lights mounted low in the facia, controlled by a separate switch. Yellow fog lights would get used a few times a year here but the white driving lights are quite nice to have all the time. I like to aim them to the sides to help illuminate deer eyes on the roadside but below the low beams so they aren't a nuisance to others.

 

[Bret4207]

Imagine that, someone who takes the other people on the road into consideration! Careful Ian, you might start a fad.......

 

[RicinYakima]

Like Ian, I have mine aimed outwards and low. We have little fog in the desert, but the whole state has fog lines on the outside edges of the roads. Plus this is range country so it is important to see the cows and horses before they step in front of the pickup.

 

[wquiles]

Definitely started a trend, as I will go and check mine this weekend. My truck is new to me, but over 10 years old, and who knows if the current setting is correct, let alone after installing LED lights. I found this guide:
Low beam adjustment

 

[Hawk]

My brother is a mechanic. He just replaced a Chevy Camero headlight to the tune of $1,000.

 

[wquiles]

I checked them headlights, and sure enough, they were too high!. I was able to get them lowered, and all is good now

 

[Bret4207]

Happened to be in our local Tractor Supply yesterday and saw they have 2500 lumen/36" LED lights on sale for $14.99. I'm going to go back today and get some for the garage. The old fluorescent units, about 8or 9 of them, are in rough shape. I think 3 might still sort of work. Having light might be a nice change.

 

[Gary]

Bret; here's what I've been buying when they are on discount: https://www.harborfreight.com/4-ft-led-hanging-shop-light-64410.html When on sale they're $19.99 and these are 5000 Lumens.

 

[Bret4207]

I was in HF yesterday after being in TSC Gary. I was going to pick up one or the other but I had SWMBO's Wrangler ("Take it so you don't break down in the Escape .......and you can run it through the car wash for me!" Yes dear...) and there just wasn't room. Either one would suit me, but TSC is 13 miles and HF is 45. So TSC gets the nod. I agree the HF is a better value with more light for sure.

Finally got ALL of the old furnace out of the basement! Had to take it apart and out in pieces. Between that and cleaning the garage my dump run today will be a full box of scrap metal on the F350. Good thing they take scrap metal for free or I'd be broke!

 

[L Ross]

When we remodeled the lower floor of our house we went to all LED. Love the light, but the 15 to 18 year bulb life has not proven out so far. Of 17 light fixtures, 4 bulbs have died in just about 2 1/2 years. I went back to Home Depot and while I didn't actually complain, I did express my disappointment. The very skilled and knowledgable guy in lighting, (a retired electrician) was sympathetic, got me upgraded replacements for 1/2 price, and said heat is the enemy. He made some suggestions about raising the adjustable socket plates in the cans to create more space.
I still find it amusing that one of the reasons we are supposed to do this is to "save" the environment. Yet when the light dies there is a lot more waste than an old incandescent bulb.

 

[462]

Mr. Ross,
It's all agenda driven.
For general household lighting, I still prefer incandescent's warm glow, however for reading and shop use LEDs outshine them (unintentional pun). Like many aspects of modern society, our only choice is that we don't have a choice.

 

[KeithB]

I think it is more the energy saving than waste material saving. And like a ot of new technologies it takes a few years to work out all the bugs. But I'll tell you this - laws and regs or not - I would never buy another incandescent bulb for any reason other than as a heat source for a dessicant locker.

 

[Rick]

They do make a soft white LED, I have them in the living room and bedrooms.

To me the light from LED's is far superior to incandescent, white light is much easier to see with making everything sharp and clear, incandescent's produce yellow light which makes everything harder to see and fuzzy.

Then of course there is the significant energy savings.

 

[462]

I edited my last post, because I originally wrote that I liked incandescent lights for reading and LEDs for reading . . . I prefer LEDs for reading.

 

[Rally]

Doesn't sound like they have worked all the bugs out yet for cold country. I think it was Ashland ,Wi. that installed the LED lighting and it failed badly in extreme cold. My son put them in his garage, and this time of year you couldn't hardly see to skin a deer.

 

[Rick]

My outdoor LED's with motion sensors won't come on with the temps in the single digits or lower. Luckily that's maybe one or two overnight lows a year here.

 

[Bret4207]

I have found the LED's I have work good in weather down in the 30 below 0F range. Incandescents always work of course. I still prefer them for reading myself.

 

[John]

My outdoor lights are are LED lights, not bulbs as are all in the house except the ceiling fans, They do OK but not great when it is colder than -10. There is a new bulb out now especially for garage door openers. I think there was something in the wiring that messed up the programing in the opener if you used it with LED. This is supposed to fix it.
We went all LED when we built and I am surprised at the output of light we get.

 

[Rick]

That's interesting about the garage door opener and LED's. I've had an LED bulb in my opener for the past few years and except for more light haven't noticed anything one way or the other. What is the LED supposed to do to the opener?

 

[smokeywolf]

Some of the higher wattage LED lamps when triggered by motion sensors will damage the motion sensors. This is believed to be caused by the sudden and higher inflow of current back to the motion sensor circuitry (Not something I've studied, just something I read). I've also read that if you keep the theoretical or perceived "replacement" wattage ("Replaces XXX watt incandescent") of the LED below that of the CFL that the motion sensor is rated for, it will work just fine.

Unlike incandescents or fluorescents, LEDs have a rise and fall time of 7 nanoseconds.
In addition to far less cooling of the lamp-house being needed, one of the great advantages of LEDs for projecting motion picture film was, no mechanical shutter was needed on the projector.