TomSeller
Super Member
Walmart recently had 60 and 40 W equivalent non dimable LED bulbs for $0.44 each. Yes, two for a buck and you got change back after taxes. I bought some to try out. They have a high temperature plastic base rather than the more ceramic type base you usually see. I have them above the kitchen table where the lamps point up and are open. I occasionally reach in and feel the base and they are warm but not hot. Visual inspection of the base indicates the plastic to look new (no discoloration). I also put them in a few can lights intended for a much larger flood style lamp with plenty of space. That room is dark with the lights off so we never really see the ugly inside of the fixture around the bulb. I've only had them a few months but so far so good. I did put one in an enclosed fixture but it is in the pantry so, unless someone leaves the light on, it is only on for a moment while we grab something.
I also had two 4' fluorescent tube fixtures, one in the laundry room and one under a kitchen cabinet with ballast problems. I wanted to keep the "long" light output but did not want to buy a new ballast and keep dealing with the delays, flickering, etc of a fluorescent tube. I also did not want to patch and paint the holes in the laundry room if I put up different fixtures. They now make LED tubes that use the 2 pins at each end to hold the tube. The tube has a 4' pigtail that you wire straight to 120 V and ditch the ballast. I had to create a spot for the cord to get to the old ballast compartment so I just used a pliers to put a nice radius on the divider. I believe they make LED tubes that use the ballast but that kind of defeats the purpose since ballasts use power and go bad. On the laundry room I only put one tube in instead of two and it is plenty bright. Looks kinda funny but it is the laundry room.
I also had two 4' fluorescent tube fixtures, one in the laundry room and one under a kitchen cabinet with ballast problems. I wanted to keep the "long" light output but did not want to buy a new ballast and keep dealing with the delays, flickering, etc of a fluorescent tube. I also did not want to patch and paint the holes in the laundry room if I put up different fixtures. They now make LED tubes that use the 2 pins at each end to hold the tube. The tube has a 4' pigtail that you wire straight to 120 V and ditch the ballast. I had to create a spot for the cord to get to the old ballast compartment so I just used a pliers to put a nice radius on the divider. I believe they make LED tubes that use the ballast but that kind of defeats the purpose since ballasts use power and go bad. On the laundry room I only put one tube in instead of two and it is plenty bright. Looks kinda funny but it is the laundry room.
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