What to know
We asked James Le page from Consumer a few questions regarding home lighting.
What is the difference between bulbs?
CFLs are designed to be left on for long periods, making them ideal for use in the workplace. Frequent switching shortens their lifespan. Incandescent/halogen types work by passing a current through a thin wire filament. The filaments get incredibly hot and degrade over time before eventually giving up. LEDs work in a different way and are not affected by frequent on/off switching. As long as they don’t get too hot, they should last for a long time.
What should consumers seek in a bulb?
The main thing is the correct light output for the space. They should have an equivalent wattage on the packaging; you want something suitable for the room it’ll be in, not too bright and not too dim. Check the fitting (bayonet or screw type) before you buy.
What is a reasonable life span for a bulb and what can you do when that expectation is not met?
If you’re not getting five years out of your LEDs, you should be concerned. They’re either getting too hot in the fitting, (which might be the case if they’ve been placed in a recessed downlight or spot light fitting) or they could be faulty. If they’re faulty or not durable, you have rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act.
How is it that some people claim to never change a bulb in some fittings?
Perhaps the bulb doesn’t get a lot of use. I’m not sure on that one. old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs.
Prices for LED bulbs have come down a lot over recent years.
LEDs light up to full beam immediately. Look at the packaging to find the right base, light colour and brightness. The more lumens, the brighter the bulb.
Information on the back of the packaging will help you find a bulb of a similar brightness to your old-fashioned incandescent bulb.
Warm white LEDs give a glow similar to oldfashioned incandescent bulbs. They are great for living rooms. Cool white LEDs are more suited to office, garage or work spaces.
If you have dimmer switches, choose a dimmable bulb. Some old dimmers don’t work well with LEDs.
Don’t wait for your old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs to fail. The sooner you switch to LEDs, the sooner you’ll save.
Information sourced from eeca.co.nz and consumer.org.nz