Dr. J.,
Yes, and I went immediately, spent lot's of time on the site. U tube
presented on the link. Spirals were either no longer on the site, or were
extremely expensive. I want the spiral if possible, and they seem to be
available in the 13 to 15 watt as opposed to the U tube which seem only in
the 20 to 25 watt. Either way, I have yet to find that desirable price
range. I have not yet checked boat suppliers and what solar suppliers I
found were pricing in the range of $50 to $60, I guess because they think
they are somehow special folks.
I have spent a lot of time trying to find a typical standard Edison base
bulb full of LED's, and they are out there on ebay and several sources.
Pricing was not as bad as the spiral CF, but the best light output I have
found is about 25 watt equivalent, and in my old age, it is just not enough
light. I doubt I could ever find a 60 watt equivalent LED bulb, and the
white super bright LED is very available, but the 120v and 12v manufacturing
for market seems to have yet to catch up to the times.
There is no questioning that ten 60 watt equivalent CF spirals use 130 watts
total, vs incandescent use of 600 watts. The same if available in LED would
use less than 3 watts. The LED is almost zero heat which equates to no lense
melting or heat, no air conditioner compensation for heat, and an incredible
reduction in power cost. I would love it if I could replace my home entire
lighting with good usable lighting in LED. What a massive reduction in cost
I would achieve.
Ten years ago when I replaced every bulb in my home with CF spiral, my light
bill immediately reduced $34 monthly. Now that same power is substantially
more. The bulbs put out a super white light since I chose the bright white
over soft or cool white. The light is much better than the yellow light of
the incandescent, and without the shadow. I run 11 yard lights on photo
controllers nightly. That was very expensive, but now is equivalent to
running just two. Most of the bulbs are now ten years old. If the power rate
remained unchanged from the past, my minimum savings has been $4,080 dollars
at least. I consider that more than worthwhile.
Electrical power in Houston is extremely high. It is sometimes compared to
other states and is said to be disproportionately higher, just like our
gasoline is higher, yet we are practically filling our vehicles off the well
head. If I could buy a bulk box of super white bright LED's, and a box of
resistors, I'd seriously consider taking two weeks at a table with a
soldering iron and making enough of my own LED bulbs to replace every bulb
in my home. The savings in power cost would be incredible.
The nation is only now seriously considering CF spiral. Those still are not
consistently available in choices such as the Super White. We are arguing
about the minute amount of mercury in the light. We have TV media idiots
that are even pig-headed and want the barn burning incandescent forever. So
it appears we are no where near or even interested in LED lighting
technology for homes. Probably it's a greed factor of selling bulbs since
the incandescent and fluorescent are short lived compared to the LED life
and lack of fragility.
So we appear to have such a market interest in LED lighting for trucks,
buses, and some in new auto's that we are innovative and progressive in
technology and price reduction. Same thing in TV's where a 42" LED HD is now
$980 of less and work good, at least in the Sanyo. So market is innovative
and price competitive there.
I want LED lighting and CF spiral at least in my RV for long battery and
less demand on shore power available for my AC when those RV park outlets
are marginal. I think my quest is justified, but maybe not doable.
-Eddie-
Houston, TX