LED Lighting

Have a few led floodlights got. Just to get time to fit them. Halogen filament lamps were a pure nuisance. Always blowing and hard on electricity, alot of heat off them and hard on electricity.

I see changing the flour tubes for leds involves cutting out the starter so not a straight swop. Another job that will be done down the line.

larthehar wrote:

Well flood lights you are going from 500w to 50w so @ average 5 hrs a day for 100 days/yr assuming €0.16/kWh is a cost of €40 reduced to €4.. that is €36 saving a year.. so it pays for itself in 4 years for a high quality one.. the tubes are a different story, 58w to 24w at the same usage as above has a saving of €2.70/yr... and if the life time is 50k hrs.. Led tubes don't pay in my eyes.. but floodlights do!

There is also the hassle of bulb changing to consider.

I'm about to put in a few Led. . Thought I'd do the inaccessible ones and use some new halogens in the easy spots (no pun intended)

Is 50watt the effective minimum? Would 2 x 30 be better spaced apart given the less intense light?

Also another fact that I learnt from an electrician is that the light from fluorescent tubes diminishes over time. So even though the tubes mightn't blow, they are not giving out the same light 10 years or so after they are fitted. They are still possibly using the same power though.

I'm not sure about your calculations iarthar with standard vs. Led tubes.
Starters use a lot of energy so I would have thought that conventional flour lights would use a lot more electricity over led equiv if used for short periods every day. Perhaps l am wrong.

Muckit wrote: »

Also another fact that I learnt from an electrician is that the light from fluorescent tubes diminishes over time. So even though the tubes mightn't blow, they are not giving out the same light 10 years or so after they are fitted. They are still possibly using the same power though.

I'm not sure about your calculations iarthar with standard vs. Led tubes.
Starters use a lot of energy so I would have thought that conventional flour lights would use a lot more electricity over led equiv if used for short periods every day. Perhaps l am wrong.

Hi Muckit,

Huge amount of variables... I am assuming an electronic ballast in my calculations, the magnetic ballasts use more.. approx 25% from memory? So that would help things..
also is lights being replaced were at end of life or not.. The T8 electronic start fittings are a more cost effective solution IMO.. but again depends on usage, etc..

We got a 50watt LED floodlight to replace a 500watt halogen that had given up the ghost, quite happy with it, different quality of light from the halogen but you don't be long getting used to it.

Got it from up North on ebay, he seems to be out of stock on 50s at the moment but when they come back in I'd be happy to get a few more.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Led-Floodlight-20-30-50watt-IP65-with-without-PIR-Low-power-Day-White-SALE-/331629425318?var=&hash=item4d36a772a6

blue5000 wrote: »

Has anyone put LED work lights on a tractor/ loader? I heard that the low wattage loads reduces heating in wiring by a good bit.

Didn't do it myself but was thinking of it. A neighbour has it done and only seen then in passing and looked powerful enough

vinne wrote:

The one thing I hate about the fluorescent tubes, if you use them a lot the starter goes and that can cause the tubes to blow. With the LED you will not have that problem.

Actually when a LED is rated for 50,000 hours this means it'll last this long when turned on and never turned off. Switching LEDs on and off will reduce its lifespan.
Yesterday myself and my brother wired 4 column round roof shed which will house lambing ewes for d auld lad. Existing lighting was of a sub standard so we put up a 5' twin fluorescent corrosion proof fitting per column up on the centre timber and den at 1 end of the shed up high we put a 40w LED floodlight which will b used as a nightlight great light off it.

Also I believe every 2 to 3 years tubes and starters should be changed and the covers cleaned every year before stock goes in.

vinne wrote:

Surly it would be more economical to put in LED tube's at the start rather than changing fluorescent tubes every couple of years. My electrician told me it does not make any difference to the lifespan of the LED light how many times you switch it on and off

This was told to me by a sales rep who sells both.
Honestly even though I put up a LED floodlight I often think we're still a ways off getting LEDs perfected. For reliability on a farmyard I think it's very hard to look past fluorescent and metal halides.

Which are the best LED lights, those with the single yellow square in the middle or with the lines of LEDS inside the lense? IYKWIM

Bullocks wrote:

I think it's the one with the small lad in the middle that are better

Yes they seem to endure better than the cluster. Some GU10 LED replacement bulbs in cluster form hav been a disaster

st1979 wrote: »

I just buy the cheap LEDs from eBay. About 25% of the cost of the ones in my local motor factors. Have the floodlights on tractor 2 yrs now cost about 15 euro each cause I bought 10 at a time. None blown and serious light.

Any brand in particular or a link?

Hard Knocks wrote: »

We’re going to put lights in the cattle shed
It’s a 3 bay double with creep/calving pens behind the slats on 1 side
What’s everyone’s thoughts on LED’s
For calving pens, would you have extra lights

LEDs are great and now the standard option for most lighting. This thread is five years old and in that time LED's have become the only option from many suppliers.

Got prices for electrics
Lights are 1x23w LED IP65 4K
Would this be bright enough in a calving pen?