Are LED floodlights all they’re cracked up to be , are they cost effective in the long long run ??

[Phil Thompson]

I use Ansell & Osram brands in Led floods, find them reliable.

The domestic sizes are well priced for savings, however once you go over 50W the prices are very high to offer much of a cost saving.

Gu10 and 50w and under floods can cover their costs and be making savings inside 6 months.

Suspended ceiling fittings are well down in price so are offering better savings.

But some fittings are that expensive it would be 5, 6 & 7 years plus before the client would see a saving.

When someone asks me for a security light they still tend to end up getting a halogen, simply because the price for a reliable Led PIR or separate flood and sensor is so much higher.

A local driving range asked me to call and have a look at saving on the lighting running costs this coming week.

The cost of the big wattage Led floods and fitting and then only being used for about 4-5 hrs a day for 6 months of the year will mean savings over cost and warranty will take a long time.

At least with their current fittings they can replace lamps and control gear and at a fraction of the cost of replacing an entire led fitting, and they’re over 20 years old, Led is doing well if it lasts 5 years.

I think it’s definitely individual job dependent, certain fittings, or client usage patterns just do not allow for much if any long term savings.

 

[Dozer 73]

I seem to use a lot of Loxa LED floods, they seem decent and never let me down yet.

Have they past the 5 year mark , do you know if it’s easy to pick up spare drivers and leds
Something I will be enquiring about this week with ours , no doubt

I use Ansell & Osram brands in Led floods, find them reliable.

The domestic sizes are well priced for savings, however once you go over 50W the prices are very high to offer much of a cost saving.

Gu10 and 50w and under floods can cover their costs and be making savings inside 6 months.

Suspended ceiling fittings are well down in price so are offering better savings.

But some fittings are that expensive it would be 5, 6 & 7 years plus before the client would see a saving.

When someone asks me for a security light they still tend to end up getting a halogen, simply because the price for a reliable Led PIR or separate flood and sensor is so much higher.

A local driving range asked me to call and have a look at saving on the lighting running costs this coming week.

The cost of the big wattage Led floods and fitting and then only being used for about 4-5 hrs a day for 6 months of the year will mean savings over cost and warranty will take a long time.

At least with their current fittings they can replace lamps and control gear and at a fraction of the cost of replacing an entire led fitting, and they’re over 20 years old, Led is doing well if it lasts 5 years.

I think it’s definitely individual job dependent, certain fittings, or client usage patterns just do not allow for much if any long term savings.

yes a tricky one really , not really investigated how maintable led fittings are , can’t see any replaceable parts in the 600*600 ceiling lights for offices presume they are disposable ????

 

[Phil Thompson]

You can replace the drivers in those, however the floods and most other fittings are pre-flexed fully sealed units,

 

[Dozer 73]

Under HMRC guidelines you should keep all business paperwork for 7 years, so yes you should have the invoices from the suppliers..

We will have for sure , tracing it could be a problem , to be honest these fittings lasted 5year well above their warranty period

 

[Jim90]

Loxa are sealed and pre flexed. I don’t think you can replace any parts on them. I put some in about 3 years ago at a local college. Still going strong.
Thing is, they are out living the life of a lamp. So by the time they fail you’d have to arrange access equipment anyway to re lamp. Not much return on the energy saving side when you take the cost of a new fitting into consideration. Although they are fairly cheap. Off the shelf for about £90 for 120W

 

[Dozer 73]

On a large scale though the cost of say 30 new light fittings compared with 30 new lamps could start adding up
Don’t get me wrong really like led lighting but not sure they are living up to expectations and do people realise some are non maintable , which may have massive cost implications every 5 years ish

 

[Dozer 73]

On a large scale though the cost of say 30 new light fittings compared with 30 new lamps could start adding up
Don’t get me wrong really like led lighting but not sure they are living up to expectations and do people realise some are non maintable , which may have massive cost implications every 5 years ish

Similar to the electric cars and having to replace the full battery pack at a cost or thousands

 

[Jim90]

I agree but remember an old Metal halide would set you back a few hundred. But also a lamp would be say £20 I guess.
If you have 500W Fittings and swap them out for 100W LED that’s a fair saving for over 30 lights.

I guess you could start fitting LED corn lamps to replace SON and Halide. Done that a few times with faulty control gear.

I like LED. But I do agree that they could make them more maintenance friendly!

 

[Toneyz]

I agree but remember an old Metal halide would set you back a few hundred. But also a lamp would be say £20 I guess.
If you have 500W Fittings and swap them out for 100W LED that’s a fair saving for over 30 lights.

I guess you could start fitting LED corn lamps to replace SON and Halide. Done that a few times with faulty control gear.

I like LED. But I do agree that they could make them more maintenance friendly!

Out of interest the corn lamps what make were they?what wattage did you fit like for like.

 

[ipf]

Changed a few 400w metal halide low bays for 120w corn lamps (can't remember the make). I would think 100w would give off similar to the 400's. A good point to remember, though, when doing a replacement...the existing reflector can be discoloured due to heat and, as a result, the light output is affected. Can be a bit tight in the fitting, sometimes, too.

 

[pirate]

My tuppence worth...in domestic situations LED is sometimes a good option, because you are usually only fitting 1 or 2, so the upfront cost isn't that high...however, the reliability/longevity is a factor for most householders. If they have existing halogen floods, it's a quick fix to replace the lamps, and very cheap too. Thus, I usually do that for a few quid, rather than recommend new LED fittings at more cost and with questionable reliability. These "security" lights are only illuminated for a few hours per year, in the winter months mainly, if PIR controlled. Ask the question...2 new bulbs @ £2 each that will last probably 3 - 5 years, or new LED fittings and if they go wrong, it's my fault for recommending the change? Nope, use the simple existing fittings which are reliable and cheap to replace. In high use commercial locations the considerations are quite different. It is important to buy the best quality with a proven record...and there lies the problem. Cherry-pickers, operatives, down-time...or just use old-fashioned wind-down luminaires with the usual bulbs...that gets my vote.
New installation? I have no idea! The reliability of LED is still in doubt, whether it be driver problems or others. So, a thumbs up from me for the old technology...which is a pity as I love to embrace the new stuff...but up a ladder in the cold and wet? Bung in another halogen tube and job done!

 

[Jim90]

I have used Venture LED Corns. They are half decent and never let me down but they are big and they kick out a fair bit of heat!

Venture 20W Retrofit LED Corn Lamp ES 6000K Daylight - http://www.ledlightbulbs.co.uk/Venture-20W-Retrofit-LED-Corn-Lamp-ES-6000K-Daylight

 

[plugsandsparks]

Did you find out what component failed?. This is a terrible failure rate the trouble you sell this to your clients that it will save them money and two years later all fail makes you look bad.

Exactly my point and quite frankly its a horrible job getting to them. I usually get a heads up when the wholesaler suddenly stops using a particular brand because of high failures, its pretty endemic. However its not as simple as that as i have some BG ones still going after 3 years on dusk til dawn, just not the 50W ones. Each one either was just flickering a single row of leds or were totally dead. They are the type that are sealed with a very very short tail, lol.
I am sure i can find the invoice since i know when i fitted them but in a state or pure rage, i threw them in the bin and screamed at the wholesaler... lol