Cree releases a $20 100W-equivalent LED bulb–but do you want one?
Cree joined Phillips in offering an LED bulb in the 1600-lumen class, suitable for replacing 100W incandescents. The Cree bulb costs $5 less than the Phillips competitor, in unsubsidized markets. (Many...
View ArticleCompact fluorescent life expectancy
There’s a lot of talk about compact fluorescent life expectancy. I actually tracked my CFL lifespan. Here’s what I found. I noticed this week that a compact fluorescent bulb in the kitchen had burned...
View ArticleMy favorite LED bulbs for 2014
After talking about LEDs last week, a friend asked what my favorite LED bulbs today are. I’m not sure I would say I dislike any of the bulbs that are widely available today, but I do have two...
View ArticleLED bulb longevity report
Now that I’ve had a couple of LED bulbs burn out, I can actually give an LED bulb longevity report. I’ve been buying LED bulbs since 2010, and now I’ve lost three of them. It’s a little disappointing,...
View ArticlePhilips’ new LED bulbs are cheap but have caveats
Later this week, Philips will be releasing a new, cheap LED bulb at an introductory rate of $5 for a pack of two. They are 800 lumen bulbs, equivalent to a 60w incandescent in light output, use 8.5...
View ArticleThe Altair 837016 LED outdoor fixture from Costco
My front porch lights sustained damage in a recent storm, so I looked to replace them. Costco offers the Altair 837016 for about $38, and it has two energy-saving features: It turns itself off if it’s...
View ArticleWhen a ceiling light fixture doesn’t work
If your ceiling light fixture doesn’t work, let’s talk about one I worked on last weekend. It wasn’t my first time doing that. I ended up replacing the fixture, but then I fixed the broken fixture...
View ArticleFix bathroom light bulb flickering
Flickering lights can be a sign of a serious electrical problem. But bathroom light bulb flickering often is due to other issues. Let’s look at things that cause bathroom light bulbs to flicker and...
View ArticleAre LED light bulbs worth it?
I’ve been buying modern forms of light bulbs for almost 15 years now. So when someone asks me, “Are LED light bulbs worth it?” or “Do LED lights really save you money?” I can answer the question. I was...
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