I hate LEDs

FlyingScot · 08-08-2023, 04:45 PM

But I finally found a decent one!

We've thrown away hundreds of dollars worth of LED replacements for incandescent bulbs over the past few years because we hated every one--too harsh, flickering, etc. We kept trying, like Charlie Brown and the football. But with the new rules on August 1, it was either go to the dark web or look around again...and I'm low on Bitcoin. Pleased to report we found one we really like through Wirecutter. The Feit Soft White Enhance 2700K, 60W. They also save lots of $ over time, with 9 watts replacing 60.

If you hate LEDs, I recommend

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FFBGD59...KFDP5SN3AT6ZK2

pondguy · 08-08-2023, 05:10 PM

My whole house I use soft white LED 60 watt uses 9 watts 800 lumens that I buy at Dollar Tree for $1.25 each. I'm very happy with them, they last and save big on my electric bill.

loony · 08-08-2023, 05:19 PM

I just bought a dual 4ft LED shop light from ocean state job lot for my workshop. It puts out so much RF (RADIO INTERFERENCE) I can't listen to the radio any more. I guess you get what you pay for.... are there better ones out there?

ishoot308 · 08-08-2023, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loony

I just bought a dual 4ft LED shop light from ocean state job lot for my workshop. It puts out so much RF (RADIO INTERFERENCE) I can't listen to the radio any more. I guess you get what you pay for.... are there better ones out there?

I have 8 sets of these (4 bulb fixtures) on the ceiling in my shop and they are great!! No interference with TV, radio or any other electrical equipment at all. Super efficient and instant on even in the coldest of temps…Love em!

https://www.primelights.com/collecti...pl-4srhbld88fm

Dan

Biggd · 08-09-2023, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loony

I just bought a dual 4ft LED shop light from ocean state job lot for my workshop. It puts out so much RF (RADIO INTERFERENCE) I can't listen to the radio any more. I guess you get what you pay for.... are there better ones out there?

Maybe you need a better radio!

ApS · 08-09-2023, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loony

I just bought a dual 4ft LED shop light from ocean state job lot for my workshop. It puts out so much RF (RADIO INTERFERENCE) I can't listen to the radio any more. I guess you get what you pay for.... are there better ones out there?

I bought two strings of LED lights @$12 each. One has failed after only a couple of months!

A Smartphone could be the answer. You can tune-in to iHeart.

iHeart will tune-in AM and FM stations across the nation; maybe further? For Hawaiian music, I listen to a station in Maui! Humorous Chris Plante speaks of skulduggery (on WMAL-FM) from his hometown in Washington, DC.; and, of course, most of the Boston stations, and...

It's free!

John Mercier · 08-09-2023, 07:30 AM

Certain brands of LED do put out a lot of RF.
FEIT had this problem when used with garage door openers.

For the LED failure, check the warranty information for where to get a replacement/refund. Some are direct to manufacturer, some are to retailer.

8gv · 08-09-2023, 08:02 AM

I had some "bulbs" in my garage door opener that interfered with the remotes.

When they were replaced by another brand labeled "FCC Compliant" the problem went away.

ishoot308 · 08-09-2023, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8gv

I had some "bulbs" in my garage door opener that interfered with the remotes.

When they were replaced by another brand labeled "FCC Compliant" the problem went away.

Same here...I inadvertently put an LED bulb in my garage door opener and it really messed it up. Door wouldn't open with the fob unless I was just a few feet from it. Once I removed the LED bulb and put in an regular incandescent, all was fine...

Dan

marcucci · 08-09-2023, 11:28 AM

I've converted almost all my bulbs to LEDs and other is a lot to know about them, some of which have been pointed out. Here's a dump of thoughts.

All LEDs flicker but they should flicker so fast your eyes can't detect it.
If you see a flicker, it could be from bad wiring, a bad fixture, a bad switch, or "dirty" electricity. If they flicker everywhere in your house it's likely "dirty" electricity and you'll need a whole house filter to clean it. This happens when you run your house on a generator sometimes because generators are notorious for producing dirty electricity.
LEDs almost never fail, the other electrical components in the bulbs (circuits) usually fail. This is typically the difference between high-quality LED bulbs and lower-cost bulbs.
Understand what "color" of white you like. Lots of LEDs are like 5000K which makes your house look like a Walmart (IMO). 2700K gives that old fashion warm incandescent look. Some bulbs offer a switch to adjust the color, if you don't know what you like start with this.
Some older fixtures may not work with LED bulbs, so if they don't work at all it could be because of that. This is common for those old workshop, tube fluorescent fixtures.
Some LEDs can not be dimmed so dimmer switches won't work. Check the LED packaging to see of the LED is dimmable.
There is an inconsistency between the conversion from wattage to lumens between manufacturers so if one company says their 8-watt LED is like a 60-watt incandescent, producing 700 lumens, that doesn't mean that an 8-watt LED from a different company will produce 700 lumens. Check the package.

This is just some of my experience....

The Real BigGuy · 08-09-2023, 01:28 PM

Another thought: not all dimmers work with LEDs. I found this out when I converted to LEDs several years ago. I had the older rotary dimmer switches in a couple of rooms with several bulbs on a dimmer. When I turned them on they started to strobe but, not in unison. Nice for a disco but not great for a living area. Changed to LED compatible dimmer switches and all better.

Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

upthesaukee · 08-09-2023, 01:38 PM

One thing we discovered with 3 way LED light bulbs was that unlike old incandescent bulbs or fluorescent bulbs that go from low to medium to high, our three way LED bulbs to from high to medium to low, the opposite of what we were used to. Not a big deal, we got used to it quickly.

Dave

ishoot308 · 08-09-2023, 05:47 PM

What amazed me most was when I changed out all my bulbs is how many bulbs you actually have throughout ones home….

The savings was easily seen on our first electric bill…

Dan

loony · 08-09-2023, 08:59 PM

maybe ill get one of thoes cassette adapters to place in my 45year old boom box...no wait a minute, my new phone doesn't have an audio jack

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApS

I bought two strings of LED lights @$12 each. One has failed after only a couple of months!

A Smartphone could be the answer. You can tune-in to iHeart.

iHeart will tune-in AM and FM stations across the nation; maybe further? For Hawaiian music, I listen to a station in Maui! Humorous Chris Plante speaks of skulduggery (on WMAL-FM) from his hometown in Washington, DC.; and, of course, most of the Boston stations, and...

It's free!

ApS · 08-10-2023, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loony

maybe ill get one of those cassette adapters to place in my 45year old boom box...no wait a minute, my new phone doesn't have an audio jack

Adapters for headphones are available from AliExpress.

One type charges while you listen...

brk-lnt · 08-10-2023, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Same here...I inadvertently put an LED bulb in my garage door opener and it really messed it up. Door wouldn't open with the fob unless I was just a few feet from it. Once I removed the LED bulb and put in an regular incandescent, all was fine...

Dan

For the same reasons, be careful about using LED lights anywhere on your boat. The cheap ones can really interfere with a lot of electronics from the RF noise they put out. In particular VHFs, which aren't as common on Winni, but still worth being aware of.

(posting this as a general comment, not just directed only at you

)

Winilyme · 08-10-2023, 06:09 PM

Before LEDs, you could buy virtually any incandescent bulb and it would work fine. Over the last year, I've converted our homes in CT and in NH to almost all LED. I learned that in some cases, it takes trial-and-error. For example, recessed high hats didn't always work well with the standard Home Depot brand, flickering constantly in some situations or poor control with our many dimmers. We swapped those out with (I believe a Phillips brand) and the flickering stopped. We have two fixtures that require candelabra bulbs - 24 in total. Found some LED ones on Amazon, installed them only to have most of them fail after about two months. Got a refund and invested in another brand. Haven't lost one bulb after about six months of heavy usage.

The trial-and-error process is a pain but once you work through it, what's not to like? LED's save money and their cost is so much cheaper than just a few years ago. What I like most about them is they give off very little heat. I appreciate that in the summer especially.

Guess my biggest worry is that they won't last as long as they say they will. It's not like I'm tracking that and I'm pretty sure quite a few bulbs I purchased in the past only lasted a few years. I chalk that up to the industry still being in a learning curve.

NH.Solar · 08-11-2023, 07:24 AM

If you have a string of LED lights and they suffer from flickering the problem can often be cured by replacing just one of the bulbs with an incandescent. LEDs are voltage driven whereas incandescents are much more heavily amperage driven and the increase in the current draw will stabilize the wattage flow in the string.

Outdoorsman · 08-12-2023, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

But I finally found a decent one!

We've thrown away hundreds of dollars worth of LED replacements for incandescent bulbs over the past few years because we hated every one--too harsh, flickering, etc. We kept trying, like Charlie Brown and the football. But with the new rules on August 1, it was either go to the dark web or look around again...and I'm low on Bitcoin. Pleased to report we found one we really like through Wirecutter. The Feit Soft White Enhance 2700K, 60W. They also save lots of $ over time, with 9 watts replacing 60.

If you hate LEDs, I recommend

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FFBGD59...KFDP5SN3AT6ZK2

What is "the dark web"?

LikeLakes · 08-14-2023, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NH.Solar

If you have a string of LED lights and they suffer from flickering the problem can often be cured by replacing just one of the bulbs with an incandescent. LEDs are voltage driven whereas incandescents are much more heavily amperage driven and the increase in the current draw will stabilize the wattage flow in the string.

Thanks for this, I plan to give it a try!

shifthappens · 01-18-2024, 06:08 PM

I get it—I had my fair share of LED frustrations, too. The harsh light and flickering drove me nuts. I finally stumbled upon the SURNIE LED Neon Lights—game-changer. It's like finding a needle in a haystack. I needed them to add more colour to my living room, and they are perfect. I even saw them on this cool website called Leds; they have all types of LED lights and bulbs. If you ever need more lights, you can find more information about them here, and the best part is that they describe their products so well that it's easy to understand if they are an excellent fit for you.

08-08-2023, 04:45 PM	#1
FlyingScot Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Tuftonboro and Sudbury, MA Posts: 2,472 Thanks: 1,358 Thanked 1,050 Times in 652 Posts	I hate LEDs But I finally found a decent one! We've thrown away hundreds of dollars worth of LED replacements for incandescent bulbs over the past few years because we hated every one--too harsh, flickering, etc. We kept trying, like Charlie Brown and the football. But with the new rules on August 1, it was either go to the dark web or look around again...and I'm low on Bitcoin. Pleased to report we found one we really like through Wirecutter. The Feit Soft White Enhance 2700K, 60W. They also save lots of $ over time, with 9 watts replacing 60. If you hate LEDs, I recommend https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FFBGD59...KFDP5SN3AT6ZK2

08-08-2023, 05:10 PM	#2
pondguy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 292 Thanks: 599 Thanked 213 Times in 135 Posts	My whole house I use soft white LED 60 watt uses 9 watts 800 lumens that I buy at Dollar Tree for $1.25 each. I'm very happy with them, they last and save big on my electric bill. Last edited by pondguy; 08-09-2023 at 05:55 AM.

08-09-2023, 11:28 AM	#10
marcucci Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 78 Thanks: 1 Thanked 18 Times in 14 Posts	I've converted almost all my bulbs to LEDs and other is a lot to know about them, some of which have been pointed out. Here's a dump of thoughts. All LEDs flicker but they should flicker so fast your eyes can't detect it. If you see a flicker, it could be from bad wiring, a bad fixture, a bad switch, or "dirty" electricity. If they flicker everywhere in your house it's likely "dirty" electricity and you'll need a whole house filter to clean it. This happens when you run your house on a generator sometimes because generators are notorious for producing dirty electricity. LEDs almost never fail, the other electrical components in the bulbs (circuits) usually fail. This is typically the difference between high-quality LED bulbs and lower-cost bulbs. Understand what "color" of white you like. Lots of LEDs are like 5000K which makes your house look like a Walmart (IMO). 2700K gives that old fashion warm incandescent look. Some bulbs offer a switch to adjust the color, if you don't know what you like start with this. Some older fixtures may not work with LED bulbs, so if they don't work at all it could be because of that. This is common for those old workshop, tube fluorescent fixtures. Some LEDs can not be dimmed so dimmer switches won't work. Check the LED packaging to see of the LED is dimmable. There is an inconsistency between the conversion from wattage to lumens between manufacturers so if one company says their 8-watt LED is like a 60-watt incandescent, producing 700 lumens, that doesn't mean that an 8-watt LED from a different company will produce 700 lumens. Check the package. This is just some of my experience.... __________________ ----------- Boat #3: Premier Sunsation 220 Tritoon Boating on Winnipesaukee since 1989 Vacationing on Winnipesaukee since 1975

08-09-2023, 01:38 PM	#12
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,614 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,483 Thanked 1,987 Times in 1,087 Posts	Three way lights One thing we discovered with 3 way LED light bulbs was that unlike old incandescent bulbs or fluorescent bulbs that go from low to medium to high, our three way LED bulbs to from high to medium to low, the opposite of what we were used to. Not a big deal, we got used to it quickly. Dave __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

08-09-2023, 05:47 PM	#13
ishoot308 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford, NH / Welch Island Posts: 6,373 Thanks: 2,423 Thanked 5,351 Times in 2,095 Posts	What amazed me most was when I changed out all my bulbs is how many bulbs you actually have throughout ones home…. The savings was easily seen on our first electric bill… Dan __________________ It's Always Sunny On Welch Island!!

08-08-2023, 05:19 PM	#3
loony Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 105 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts	I just bought a dual 4ft LED shop light from ocean state job lot for my workshop. It puts out so much RF (RADIO INTERFERENCE) I can't listen to the radio any more. I guess you get what you pay for.... are there better ones out there?

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to ishoot308 For This Useful Post:
Biggd (08-09-2023), FlyingScot (08-08-2023)

08-09-2023, 07:30 AM	#7
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 3,565 Thanks: 3 Thanked 635 Times in 522 Posts	Certain brands of LED do put out a lot of RF. FEIT had this problem when used with garage door openers. For the LED failure, check the warranty information for where to get a replacement/refund. Some are direct to manufacturer, some are to retailer.

08-09-2023, 08:02 AM	#8
8gv Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 64 Thanked 754 Times in 488 Posts	I had some "bulbs" in my garage door opener that interfered with the remotes. When they were replaced by another brand labeled "FCC Compliant" the problem went away.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to ishoot308 For This Useful Post:
Descant (08-09-2023), TCC (08-10-2023)

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to marcucci For This Useful Post:
ApS (08-10-2023), beagle (08-13-2023), FlyingScot (08-09-2023)

08-09-2023, 01:28 PM	#11
The Real BigGuy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,310 Thanks: 125 Thanked 473 Times in 288 Posts	Another thought: not all dimmers work with LEDs. I found this out when I converted to LEDs several years ago. I had the older rotary dimmer switches in a couple of rooms with several bulbs on a dimmer. When I turned them on they started to strobe but, not in unison. Nice for a disco but not great for a living area. Changed to LED compatible dimmer switches and all better. Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

The Following User Says Thank You to brk-lnt For This Useful Post:
ishoot308 (08-10-2023)

08-10-2023, 06:09 PM	#17
Winilyme Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Ice in = CT / Ice out = Winnipesaukee Posts: 548 Thanks: 160 Thanked 311 Times in 169 Posts	Before LEDs, you could buy virtually any incandescent bulb and it would work fine. Over the last year, I've converted our homes in CT and in NH to almost all LED. I learned that in some cases, it takes trial-and-error. For example, recessed high hats didn't always work well with the standard Home Depot brand, flickering constantly in some situations or poor control with our many dimmers. We swapped those out with (I believe a Phillips brand) and the flickering stopped. We have two fixtures that require candelabra bulbs - 24 in total. Found some LED ones on Amazon, installed them only to have most of them fail after about two months. Got a refund and invested in another brand. Haven't lost one bulb after about six months of heavy usage. The trial-and-error process is a pain but once you work through it, what's not to like? LED's save money and their cost is so much cheaper than just a few years ago. What I like most about them is they give off very little heat. I appreciate that in the summer especially. Guess my biggest worry is that they won't last as long as they say they will. It's not like I'm tracking that and I'm pretty sure quite a few bulbs I purchased in the past only lasted a few years. I chalk that up to the industry still being in a learning curve.

The Following User Says Thank You to Winilyme For This Useful Post:
FlyingScot (08-11-2023)

08-11-2023, 07:24 AM	#18
NH.Solar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Jackson Pond, New Hampton Posts: 247 Thanks: 48 Thanked 142 Times in 79 Posts	If you have a string of LED lights and they suffer from flickering the problem can often be cured by replacing just one of the bulbs with an incandescent. LEDs are voltage driven whereas incandescents are much more heavily amperage driven and the increase in the current draw will stabilize the wattage flow in the string. __________________ Peter NH Solar

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to NH.Solar For This Useful Post:
Biggd (08-11-2023), LikeLakes (08-14-2023)

01-18-2024, 06:08 PM	#21
shifthappens Senior Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Usa Posts: 101 Thanks: 16 Thanked 8 Times in 5 Posts	I get it—I had my fair share of LED frustrations, too. The harsh light and flickering drove me nuts. I finally stumbled upon the SURNIE LED Neon Lights—game-changer. It's like finding a needle in a haystack. I needed them to add more colour to my living room, and they are perfect. I even saw them on this cool website called Leds; they have all types of LED lights and bulbs. If you ever need more lights, you can find more information about them here, and the best part is that they describe their products so well that it's easy to understand if they are an excellent fit for you.