LED Bulbs: Expensive. Why do They Look Funny?
Nov 11, 2008 - The New York Times reported recently on LED lighting calling them “weird bulbs.” We have all seen them in expensive flashlights where they shine bright and don’t have the bulbs go bad when you drop the flashlight. They are ubiquitous in all our electronic equipment. But, why haven’t we seen them more of these very energy-efficient bulbs in Home Depot & Lowe’s instead of the compact fluorescent bulbs [CFL]? How about a price of $400 per specialized fixture? Special fixtures and bulb designs are needed because the LED light produces heat in the rear instead of the front as with a traditional flood light or spot light. Now, new designs are coming with innovative “heat sinks” with high surface areas as a means of dissipating the heat. Journée Lighting of Westlake Village, California is emphasizing the heat sink as a design feature rather than a drawback. Look at the accompanying picture and decide for yourself. Personally, I like the futuristic look of both the Journée Lighting and the Lighting Science Group Corp. bulbs that range from $80 to $145. As usual, greater manufacturing volume reduces the price and simultaneously technology increases the light output and efficiency. Finally, Costco will have you buy a dozen at a time along with your gallon of mustard and you will be able to get it at an even better price.
Photos courtesy of Journée Lighting [lower photo] & Lighting Science Group Corp
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