We lived in an old house in central Los Angeles when I was a kid. The house had abandoned gas lighting. Converted to electricity. I discovered a working electric lamp on the back porch in 1952 labelled “Edison Electric Light Company”. The bulb was still working when we moved in 1958.
If I was replacing the bulbs as often as I replace the roof I would be happy. I started putting dates on my bulbs and its a rare LED that makes it past 12 months.
The use life of light bulbs is almost entirely dependent on the number of on/off cycles. This holds for both LED and incandescent bulbs. I have one incandescent that has been in continuous use for almost 13 years. It is a 25 watt bulb that is left on 24/7/365.
I can light most of the house for the wattage of one of the old style bulbs. You are a plugger if your wife keeps nagging you to turn off the lights when you leave a room.
The LEDs say the last 22 years, based on 3 hours per day. I might not need that in the summer, but in the winter, when it’s dark at 4, sorry, I’m not going to bed at 7 just so my lights last longer.
My large multi-generational house was changed to LED’s a number of years ago and I only lost 3 or 4 going bad. My electricity bill went down substantially after the change out.
This was true a good while back. Now the price of LEDs is very close to the those of incandescent bulbs when bought in multi-packs and the long run cost is exponentially lower since they last so much longer and use so little energy.
LED lights are not compatible with many older dimmers or electronic switches. Many lights in my house are controlled by an X-10 system from the 1980’s. I try to keep enough incandescent or halogen bulbs on hand to work with those controls.
I just thought of another use for incandescent bulbs… At the base of almost all AM radio towers, there’s a weather resistant box that houses the Antenna Tuning Unit, tower lighting controls, and the base current meter. All the Radio Frequency energy in that box drives LED and twisty fluorescent bulbs batty, so you must have incandescent bulbs in those.
My problem is not with the standard white light, but the Christmas leds in tubing that are supposed to last for x number of years. Individual lights will go out with the whole string lasting 2 to 3 years.
Templo S.U.D. about 2 years ago
know of anyone who still uses incandescent bulbs instead of florescent bulbs for everyday lamps?
suv2000 about 2 years ago
The LED lights I buy lasts about 12 months
jmolay161 about 2 years ago
The plugger won’t let himself be LED by advanced technology!
Zykoic about 2 years ago
We lived in an old house in central Los Angeles when I was a kid. The house had abandoned gas lighting. Converted to electricity. I discovered a working electric lamp on the back porch in 1952 labelled “Edison Electric Light Company”. The bulb was still working when we moved in 1958.
Zykoic about 2 years ago
WiFi LED bulbs in our backyard set me back $16/bulb BUT I can change the temperature, dim them and schedule on-off from my iPad. Slick!
PraiseofFolly about 2 years ago
It’s kind of depressing when you consider the effective life of a light bulb will likely be longer than yours.
Carl Premium Member about 2 years ago
If I was replacing the bulbs as often as I replace the roof I would be happy. I started putting dates on my bulbs and its a rare LED that makes it past 12 months.
pathfinder about 2 years ago
The use life of light bulbs is almost entirely dependent on the number of on/off cycles. This holds for both LED and incandescent bulbs. I have one incandescent that has been in continuous use for almost 13 years. It is a 25 watt bulb that is left on 24/7/365.
juicebruce about 2 years ago
The newer bulbs do last longer but not 25 years from what I have seen ;-)
david_42 about 2 years ago
I dread the day when one of the high living room lights fails, they are almost 20 ft up. So, we only use the lower bank.
pathamil about 2 years ago
You can get 60w equivalent LED bulbs at Dollar Tree for a buck…
(Well, a buck twenty-five now.)
wsears007 about 2 years ago
It might make him feel better that he’s using 83% less electricity.
rhpii about 2 years ago
I can light most of the house for the wattage of one of the old style bulbs. You are a plugger if your wife keeps nagging you to turn off the lights when you leave a room.
ctolson about 2 years ago
It is kind of depressing knowing that the LED lights and light bulbs in my house will out live me.
kaycstamper about 2 years ago
He won’t live 25 years!
Red Phantom about 2 years ago
The LEDs say the last 22 years, based on 3 hours per day. I might not need that in the summer, but in the winter, when it’s dark at 4, sorry, I’m not going to bed at 7 just so my lights last longer.
WilliamAdams1 about 2 years ago
I loose one a month, usually during a thunderstorm.
pheets about 2 years ago
YES.
rickmac1937 Premium Member about 2 years ago
Got that right
David Rickard Premium Member about 2 years ago
From today’s Comics Curmudgeon:
Pluggers? Caring about the long term of their home, or their planet? No way! They’ll be dead soon, so who cares!
wirepunchr about 2 years ago
My large multi-generational house was changed to LED’s a number of years ago and I only lost 3 or 4 going bad. My electricity bill went down substantially after the change out.
g04922 about 2 years ago
These LED bulbs are a scam.. ’Last 9 years. " They do NOT.
anomalous4 about 2 years ago
My 89yo mom just had all the overhead light fixtures in her house replaced with LEDs. She know they’ll pay for themselves!
Bill D. Kat Premium Member about 2 years ago
This was true a good while back. Now the price of LEDs is very close to the those of incandescent bulbs when bought in multi-packs and the long run cost is exponentially lower since they last so much longer and use so little energy.
James Lindley Premium Member about 2 years ago
I hate replacing the light bulb above our stairs to the basement. The last time I was able to do it, but my balance isn’t as good now.
Gen.Flashman about 2 years ago
Does he also have to flush his new low flow toilet 15 times?
SofaKing about 2 years ago
I know Pluggers who complain about tubeless tires.
Billy Yank about 2 years ago
LED lights are not compatible with many older dimmers or electronic switches. Many lights in my house are controlled by an X-10 system from the 1980’s. I try to keep enough incandescent or halogen bulbs on hand to work with those controls.
DaBump Premium Member about 2 years ago
Nah, I am fine with them — changing light bulbs can be a real pain I can live without, and if I don’t live so long, oh well, they go with the house.
John Wiley Premium Member about 2 years ago
I just thought of another use for incandescent bulbs… At the base of almost all AM radio towers, there’s a weather resistant box that houses the Antenna Tuning Unit, tower lighting controls, and the base current meter. All the Radio Frequency energy in that box drives LED and twisty fluorescent bulbs batty, so you must have incandescent bulbs in those.
findthewind about 2 years ago
My problem is not with the standard white light, but the Christmas leds in tubing that are supposed to last for x number of years. Individual lights will go out with the whole string lasting 2 to 3 years.