10 Watt Halogen light bulbs

[Jim Godward]

All of the LED's that I have seen are rated in "lumens". How does that compare to the usual "watt" rating for a regular light bulb?

Ned's comment is correct but if you look on the package of most incandesent bulbs there is a Lumen rating given, sometimes 2, one when new and the other after some use.  You can use this to compare the various types of light sources.

 

[Ned]

Of course you can compare lumens to lumens, but that wasn't the question

 

[quiviran]

Could you share which of the several configurations of G4 replacements you used? I'm a big fan of LED lighting and considering changing them all out.

I have previously tried LED replacements for the ever popular reading lamps and had no luck. One or more of the LEDs in the arrays begins to flicker after a time and becomes so annoying as to be useless. Have you had any success with them?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I'm using the 205 lumen model in the reading lamps (mounted high above the sofa) and the 120 lumen model in some under-cabinet lights.

http://www.rvledbulbs.com/product-p/18-0249.htm
http://www.rvledbulbs.com/product-p/18-0903.htm

I'm really pleased with the 205 lumen bulb - nice and bright.  They have a metallic strip that acts as a heat sink, but it just tucks in the side of the housing. At first I thought the heat sink strip would be a problem, but it turned out to be no sweat.

 

[SCVJeff]

http://www.clarkhoward.com/watt-to-lumen-lightbulb-conversion/

 

[SCVJeff]

Could you share which of the several configurations of G4 replacements you used? I'm a big fan of LED lighting and considering changing them all out.

I have previously tried LED replacements for the ever popular reading lamps and had no luck. One or more of the LEDs in the arrays begins to flicker after a time and becomes so annoying as to be useless. Have you had any success with them?

And THAT's because the regulators on the lamps break down from high supply voltage (at least the earlier or cheaper ones. Run them on unassisted 12V batteries ans they are happy.

 

[SargeW]

So Jeff, are you saying that the LED's are NOT a good idea with the kind of voltage that I am running?  I would hate to spend $9 for a replacement LED that is going to burn up almost as fast as the .42 halogens..........

 

[jje1960]

So Jeff, are you saying that the LED's are NOT a good idea with the kind of voltage that I am running?  I would hate to spend $9 for a replacement LED that is going to burn up almost as fast as the .42 halogens..........

Sounds like a good ol' test in the making.... Buy one ($5.95) or what-ever, change the bulb, grab a beer and watch the light until it blows.... Your retired right Sarge? 

 

[Jim Godward]

Sarge,

IF the LED package is properly designed to handle the auto eletrical system we all have in our RVs, then they should last a long time.  If they are not able to handle the transient voltages, the LEDs will have a short life.  The most recent ones I bought are supposedly good for voltages from 10 to 40 volts DC.  I hope so as they cost a few bucks more than some others I was looking at.

 

[SargeW]

Sounds like a good ol' test in the making.... Buy one ($5.95) or what-ever, change the bulb, grab a beer and watch the light until it blows.... Your retired right Sarge? 

Absolutely! Of course to do a really good test, it may take a case or so.......

Sarge,

IF the LED package is properly designed to handle the auto eletrical system we all have in our RVs, then they should last a long time.  I hope so as they cost a few bucks more

Hope so too.......

 

[SCVJeff]

So Jeff, are you saying that the LED's are NOT a good idea with the kind of voltage that I am running?  I would hate to spend $9 for a replacement LED that is going to burn up almost as fast as the .42 halogens..........

I love LED's, but there are a slew of them with regulators that are breaking down at ~15V. Jirah was selling them in Q several years ago and I managed to get one. Brought it back the following year and he swapped it no questions asked, as did others. There's an interesting LED club out there where everyone is basically buying from the same guy who is also the main supplier in Yuma, AND owns the manufacturing plant in China, and I think he got snookered by a very large batch of bad LED's (and who knows where else they went). Seems like the vendors stood behind them all.

Some of the better ones are manufactured by Starlighhts and designed here. Problem is that they don't do ALL shapes and sizes yet. Lesson learned is to run them for several hours on the inverter, or better, during a charge and see how they survive.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Starlights' Revolution brand is what I get from www.RVledbulbs.com. Excellent quality Leds that are designed for automotive & RV use. No hinky 12.0v vs 12.6 or 13 to worry about - they work across a wide range of voltages. I think you will find they now have a full range of bulb types and sizes (lumens) - pin base, wedge, bayonet, festoon, fluorescent tubes, etc.

 

[codgerbill]

Gary,

Just curious.

Are the LED's available in different colors and if so what color do you use for your reading lamp's?

 

[vermilye]

Gary,

Just curious.

Are the LED's available in different colors and if so what color do you use for your reading lamp's?

They are available in all kinds of different colors of "white" light. If you want to choose, look at the color temperature specification.  3200?K is the color temperature of a typical halogen incandescent lamp.  6000?K or higher is considered daylight or a cool white fluorescent lamp. The 3200?K  LEDs tend to be less efficient and don't produce as much light (lumens) but many prefer them to the harsher daylight versions.

 

[jje1960]

Absolutely! Of course to do a really good test, it may take a case or so.......

Well, in all fairness... it was my idea... so in order to be listed on the scientific test results, I feel obligated to help watch the LED on it's way to it's eventual end (and drink a beer watching) so... next time you are around your stop #33, we need to park next to each other at the KOA and get down to business.  Actually, we have a bit of life's travel paths in common... we lived in Fallbrook in the late 80's while I was Stationed at Camp P.  Good luck with the LED's Sarge.

 

[SargeW]

we need to park next to each other at the KOA and get down to business. We lived in Fallbrook in the late 80's while I was Stationed at Camp P.  Good luck with the LED's Sarge.

Absolutely! Some of my favorite people have spent time at Pendelton!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Are the LED's available in different colors and if so what color do you use for your reading lamp's?

Some models are available in either warm white or bright (cool) white. I'm using the ultra bright 205 lumen G4 pin base bulb in my reading lamps, and those are available only in bright white. Warm white or other lower K value bulbs will never be as bright as a bright white.

Here is an article that explains colors and K. values in layman's terms:
http://www.rvledbulbs.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/datasheets/understanding%20lighting%20colors%20and%20light%20output.pdf

 

[jje1960]

Some models are available in either warm white or bright (cool) white. I'm using the ultra bright 205 lumen G4 pin base bulb in my reading lamps, and those are available only in bright white. Warm white or other lower K value bulbs will never be as bright as a bright white.

Pretty cool chart there (no pun intended). Our LED bulbs are definitely "cool" and probably not suited to full-time living in an RV.  However, all n' all considered, wanting to change over completely and weighing the costs, we are happy with the cool bulbs with 1/11th the amp draw for now.  Honestly, we still don't do enough dry camping where we can't/don't use the 1K Misubishi to worry about power anyway, but we dream about it!  I just have fun being prepared for when the 'balloon goes up', just a hobby I guess!

 

[SargeW]

Well I got the package today with the JC10 Hallogen's I bought on line for .42 cents apiece. They are made by some Chinese company (no surprise) for a company here in NY. There is no mention of how many Lumens they are. The package just has marking for "High Lumens" and "The Brightest". I guess for .42 you don't waste a lot of money on research.......

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I bought a similar "high brightness" wedge base Led from a company on Amazon and quickly returned it. Had only about 2/3's the brightness of the incandescent bulb i was replacing. Still looking for a really bright wedge-base Led that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. rvledbulbs.com has a 250 lumen model but its $22. We don't use this particular light very much, so it's not really worth the price to upgrade it to Led.