LED bulbs (domestic)

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 2:51 pm

Just over a year ago, I thought I would change half of the 20 bulbs in the kitchen from Halogen GU10 bulbs to LED ones, as I thought it would mean less bulb changes and lower usage costs. The LED bulbs (9watt) were expensive at just under £20 a shot at the time, but were supposed to last for 10+ years etc.

So, what has it been like. Of the 20 bulbs, 2 failed last year but neither were the Halogen ones that I was expecting to fail (and then replace by LED if they did), they were both the bl**dy expensive LED light bulbs

Any potential electricity savings have been well and truly wiped out by the £40 cost of the two bulbs! In other words, if you want to save overall (not just elec), don't waste your time with LED bulbs ....

I will try to see if I can get them replaced by CEF where I got them, but as they are just over 12 months old somehow I don't think warranty will apply.

Nictrix · Post by **Nictrix** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 2:59 pm

Where I work, one of the floors has an area with a lighting track with 12 GU10s on it.
In the last 4 years I have used around 60 bulbs replacing the ones that blow.
Glad its not my money that's paying for them, GU10s are useless.

Das882 · Post by **Das882** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 3:18 pm

pvr wrote:Just over a year ago, I thought I would change half of the 20 bulbs in the kitchen from Halogen GU10 bulbs to LED ones, as I thought it would mean less bulb changes and lower usage costs. The LED bulbs (9watt) were expensive at just under £20 a shot at the time, but were supposed to last for 10+ years etc.

So, what has it been like. Of the 20 bulbs, 2 failed last year but neither were the Halogen ones that I was expecting to fail (and then replace by LED if they did), they were both the bl**dy expensive LED light bulbs

Any potential electricity savings have been well and truly wiped out by the £40 cost of the two bulbs! In other words, if you want to save overall (not just elec), don't waste your time with LED bulbs ....

I will try to see if I can get them replaced by CEF where I got them, but as they are just over 12 months old somehow I don't think warranty will apply.

I replaced all my kitchen Halogen lights about 3 years ago with 12V ones along with new driver/transformers, I bought some spare bulbs but so far I've not needed any

The initial cost was fairly high but the long term running costs are low.....( the initial cost for me was even higher as my other half decided she would like 'cool white' but on fitting them she thought the light was too Blue so I ended up getting a complete set of 'warm White' bulbs!!!!

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 4:05 pm

I had moved from the 12v to mains halogen as the transformers would get too hot in the ceiling space and would keep going on and off. The mains halogen worked fine but just so surprised that the led ones are so short lived despite the supposedly long lifetime.

chapeau · Post by **chapeau** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 4:09 pm

Hope i'm not tempting fate but i swapped the kitchen bulbs to gu10 5w led from wickes and they have been fine for over 12 months. They come in a pack of 5,10 or 20. I had the 20 pack for around £25 and think they are plenty bright enough for a kitchen in my opinion.

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 4:52 pm

Just googled your price and they sure have gone down in price. I still have 4 spare bulbs which cost me £20 each

I do have dimmable ones which are a bit more expensive.

BRC · Post by **BRC** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 5:18 pm

Changed all GU 10's for those offered by Screwfix: http://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical-li ... -_-iconLED
Work a treat and much brighter than halogen. You might like to consider the "warm" white where appropriate. Fraction of the cost you previously paid and mine have been running for well over a year without a single blown example.

Pastry · Post by **Pastry** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 5:22 pm

BRC wrote:Changed all GU 10's for those offered by Screwfix: http://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical-li ... -_-iconLED
Work a treat and much brighter than halogen. You might like to consider the "warm" white where appropriate. Fraction of the cost you previously paid and mine have been running for well over a year without a single blown example.

I've got the same in 'warm' white and they work a treat although take a bit of getting used to as they really are much brighter

firebobby · Post by **firebobby** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 8:54 pm

PVR, I would have contacted the place where you bought them and complained that the LED's had not lasted long. We bought gu10 bulbs from the LED hut https://www.ledhut.co.uk/spot-lights/gu ... bulbs.html and I got a set of 10 for the price of one of yours. I had a couple fail after approx 6 months and they replaced them straight away.

Ducklakeview · Post by **Ducklakeview** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 9:04 pm

Costco sell some gu10 led's, can't remember the brand. We have had 10 in our kitchen for about the last 4 or 5 years, used everyday and still fine. If they'd have failed before now they'd have been going back for a replacement..

Mike

Jbtco · Post by **Jbtco** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 10:07 pm

I moved to LEDs for the whole house over two or three years starting around 4 years ago. I have only had 1 fail and it was replaced by supplier (2 year g'tee). I do not have electric heating and have found that electricity use over the period has decreased very significantly. (I live in the northern isles so use the lights a lot in winter).

un1eash · Post by **un1eash** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 10:39 pm

Replaced about a dozen GU10 bulbs with led ones a couple years ago, none have gone yet. There all TCP brand ones, some are dimmable that I got cheap when homebase were having a clear out. Paid £1.93 for 2 dimmable ones so stocked up and bought 10, also had some non dimmable from screwfix which were 10 for £9.99

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/2-x-led ... re-2241040

Ewazix · Post by **Ewazix** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 10:59 pm

I swapped 12 in the kitchen 2 years ago, all good ........ so far

hopz121 · Post by **hopz121** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 1:26 pm

I have the screw fix ones, fitted 18 months ago and still good and saving cash along the way

gannet · Post by **gannet** » Wed Mar 08, 2017 2:54 pm

I too replaced all our kitchen ones (14) a couple of years ago as I was sick and tired of transformers or the halogen bulbs blowing (or the holders burning out)...

All have been fine since. About a year changed the bathroom ones (4) too, again without fail.

pvr - I'd be going back to the place you bought them and complaining!

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