Led Floodlights

[gerrymoore]

What kills all filament type bulbs is the surge when switching them on. Floodlights suffer even more 'cos they are on/off on/off all the time. Many years ago I built a little soft start circuit for my 500 watt halogens and never changed a bulb in 5 years. There used to be a little soft start IC that was fairly simple to use but not sure if it's still available. Thinking about it, might be handy to make a soft start 'box' to plug in some of the tools I have that kick like hell on switch on!!

 

[eSCHEn]

I just got a 10W LED lamp to try one out before I bought them to replace the linear halogens I have. £7.50 from fleabay and even though the colour was advertised as 3300K - 3700K it's much more like < 3000K as it's quite yellow. If you like that tint like halogens have then there's definitely models out there which will suit you. Agreed on that high intensity blue you get with some of them, it's bloody awful

 

[MCKDAVID]

depends how you install the halogens as well. Seem to remember you've got to get the lamp in without touching it, they usually provide a sleeve of somekind. Maybe that's one of the reasons why they've gone, going through 7 so quick would make me want to check for a fault somewhere, dodgy connections or suchlike.

 

[Parm]

depends how you install the halogens as well. Seem to remember you've got to get the lamp in without touching it, they usually provide a sleeve of somekind. Maybe that's one of the reasons why they've gone, going through 7 so quick would make me want to check for a fault somewhere, dodgy connections or suchlike.

I've done all the usual things like using the sleeve to handle bulb and check connections. Problem is it not just on one lamp it's quite a few. I'm begining to suspect that it may be a dodgy batch of bulbs

 

[rich r]

It's not unheard of for the bulb to be physically too long, or the clamps too tight - resulting in it being held under too much pressure. When it gets hot it needs to be able to expand a little, and if it's held too tight the glass can crack where the ceramic end caps are. This either results in the bulb shattering, or air getting in and causing the filament to fail. But yes, it goes without saying that all high temperature halogen bulbs (eg car headlight bulbs) must be absolutely free of contaminants on the glass, or that'll result in a hotspot which also will cause the glass to crack.

 

[normspanners]

normspanners - each of my 20W LED ones is mounted above the centre of each door on my double garage.

Thanks for that thinking about it if i used 4 x 20w that is still only 80w total for the drive area which makes the 1100w for 3 i now use, crazy. I could leave them on just a timer and still use less, if the hals are on for 1hr, for equivalent cost I could leave the leds on for 14.

 

[Parm]

It's not unheard of for the bulb to be physically too long, or the clamps too tight - resulting in it being held under too much pressure. When it gets hot it needs to be able to expand a little, and if it's held too tight the glass can crack where the ceramic end caps are. This either results in the bulb shattering, or air getting in and causing the filament to fail. But yes, it goes without saying that all high temperature halogen bulbs (eg car headlight bulbs) must be absolutely free of contaminants on the glass, or that'll result in a hotspot which also will cause the glass to crack.

I never thought of that but it does make sense! My lamp fittings are all new and a range of either 150w (small tube) or 500w (long tube). Bulbs are all from screwfix so one would have thought they'd be ok quality

 

[Parm]

Right next question,

I've come across LED replacement bulbs that can be fitted in place of the halogen bulb, anyone have any experience of these, about 8 quid is from eBay

 

[Wallace]

I have a 10w LED floodlight that's supposed to be equivalent to 100w, it's not bad but when plugged in I get interference on the radio.

 

[monkeymark]

Has anyone tried the colour changing ones?
I was thinking of getting one for mood lighting over a patio area but ive not actually seen how good they are.

 

[rich r]

I don't see why they'd be any different to the white ones, just using different colour LEDs. Probably more expensive and available only in lower powers due to less demand though. But for mood lighting 5W or 10W will probably be all you need anyway.

 

[Parm]

I have a 10w LED floodlight that's supposed to be equivalent to 100w, it's not bad but when plugged in I get interference on the radio.

Why are you plugging it into the radio ?

 

[Parm]

Has anyone tried the colour changing ones?
I was thinking of getting one for mood lighting over a patio area but ive not actually seen how good they are.

I've seen these too, come with a credit card type remote, planning to order a couple of theses at 12 quid each for exactly the same application

 

[monkeymark]

Why are you plugging it into the radio ?

He was hoping it would make the treble brighter.

 

[monkeymark]

I've seen these too, come with a credit card type remote, planning to order a couple of theses at 12 quid each for exactly the same application

Let me know how you get on please.

I've tried the strip ones in our caravan and the kids love changing colours with the remote.

 

[Parm]

Let me know how you get on please.

I've tried the strip ones in our caravan and the kids love changing colours with the remote.

Will do, I've got an assortment of led jobbies of the bay. Best one is a bayonet fitting bulb that changes colour, flashes and all sorts of other stuff, ace for mood lighting

 

[monkeymark]

Will do, I've got an assortment of led jobbies of the bay. Best one is a bayonet fitting bulb that changes colour, flashes and all sorts of other stuff, ace for mood lighting

I saw one of the bayonet types the other day. Must admit I was tempted.
The RGB floodlights ones when just looking, about £11 for 10w or £21 for 20w

 

[Parm]

I saw one of the bayonet types the other day. Must admit I was tempted.
The RGB floodlights ones when just looking, about £11 for 10w or £21 for 20w

All this electrikery stuff has come on leaps and bounds recently. I've just ordered remote control dimmer switches of the bay. About 10 years ago I paid nearly 100 quid a switch and now about 14 quid

 

[mr migwire]

i have 4 of the small halogen security type lamps as my lighting in the workshop and have just purchased these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251596514...49&var=550497905803&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
as a replacement to the standard halogen bulbs which as others have said keep blowing at the drop of a hat and dont seem to be as good as they used to.
i have a gooseneck lamp over the welding bench and a small flurecent over the grinding bench but the main lighting is the halogen lamps. i dread to think how much i have spent on bulbs in the past but hopefully these will do what they say and cut my leccy bill whilst lasting a lot longer with the added bonus of not toasting me whilst im working...

 

[Wallace]

Why are you plugging it into the radio ?

I've been trying to get the BBC Light Service, thought it might help.