Post by: Inspector on October 30, 2020, 11:27:10 AM
Before we moved I went back through and replaced all of the CFL’s with the filament bulbs I had saved and packed all my CFL’s in my container. When we moved to the Big Island we rented a house on the Hilo side for a while. I did the same thing, I went through and replaced all the filament bulbs with my CFL’s. And before we moved to Oahu I replaced all the CFL’s with the filament bulbs. I brought all my CFL’s to my home on Oahu. After we bought the house in Kapolei I went through and replaced all the filaments with all those old monstrosity CFL’s I still had. Needless to say, I saw some cost savings and after 9 years I had one box of CFL’s left before we moved back to the mainland. This time I left the CFL’s in the house for the new owner. And I left all the filament bulbs for the new owner. But somehow that last box of CFL’s that I intended to leave for the new owner ended up with me here in AZ. 😂
Now here in my house in AZ I have solar panels from Tesla. And I have an app that I can monitor how much power the panels put out, how much power the house is using and how much power I am selling back to the grid. And the app shows all of this in real time. A couple of days ago I was monitoring the power the house was using when my wife turned on the kitchen lights. The power usage with my 65” TV and router running is 0.3 KWpH. When she turned on the kitchen lights the power usage doubled! The kitchen lights were using 0.3 KWpH. And being that my wife spends a lot of time in the kitchen they stay on a lot. I went around the house and turned different lights on to see how much power they used. I was amazed how much regular filament bulbs use. I went to Home Depot and checked out LED bulbs. They make them in all sorts of sizes and shapes to replace filament style bulbs as direct replacements. They are also bright and they make them dimmable. So today I went through and replaced every bulb in the house with LED bulbs. Now the kitchen uses 0.1 KWpH. Some of the other rooms don’t even register a power increase on my app. The total replacement cost for all bulbs in the house is $70. I also added a dimmer on my dining room light fixture that cost an additional $30. With the dimmer on at full brightness, the dining room fixture now shows 0.1 KWpH. But when I dim the bulbs down to where we want it, the power usage doesn’t register on my app. So now during the day, I not only use less power and not pay for it, but it increases the amount of power I sell back to the grid. Without selling power back, I expect to break even on my bulb investment in probably 6-8 years. But with selling power back I figure I break even in about half that time.
Even tho the technology for solar panels is not at that point yet where it is financially viable to invest in them without massive taxpayer subsidies, the technology for light bulbs is at that point where it is worthwhile to invest in replacing all of your filament bulbs with LED’s IMHO.
Post by: groveler on October 30, 2020, 12:29:27 PM
My shop is 2400 sf and I wanted it lit up for old eyes.
It was about 1/3 the cost of comparable florescent fixtures for the
same amount of light. I'll never run all those lights at the same time
but it is 20 A max @ 120V consumption for all those lights.
Plus I don't have to deal with Ballasts and bulb replacement.
LED should last 100,000 hours. That is approx. 11.5 years.
of "ON" time. Brute force, an LED only needs a capacitor to run off 120VAC.
I'm converting my whole property to LED as older bulbs fail.
Down side is, it was the Chinese that took this technology and ran with it.
so they are presently the only suppliers of "daylight" color temperature
LEDs and fancy diffuser fixtures.
Post by: Inspector on October 30, 2020, 12:36:34 PM
LED is the way to go. I recently installed 60 ea. 4 foot fixtures in my shop.
My shop is 2400 sf and I wanted it lit up for old eyes.
It was about 1/3 the cost of comparable florescent fixtures for the
same amount of light. I'll never run all those lights at the same time
but it is 20 A max @ 120V consumption for all those lights.
Plus I don't have to deal with Ballasts and bulb replacement.
LED should last 100,000 hours. that is approx. 11.5 years.
of "ON" time. Brute force, an LED only needs a capacitor to run off 120VAC.
I'm converting my whole property to LED as older bulbs fail.
Down side is, it was the Chinese that took this technology and ran with it.
so they are presently the only suppliers of "daylight" color temperature
LEDs and fancy diffuser fixtures.
I went with the “Soft White” instead of the Daylight color temperature. I have fluorescent lights in my laundry room and my garage. As the ballasts/bulbs go bad I’ll be replacing them with daylight LED’s. The added brightness is much appreciated for my old eyes. Hopefully I’ll have 20 years before I have to replace one. I think the technology is terrific in this case.
Post by: omnigun on October 30, 2020, 01:54:08 PM
I was an early adopter of CFL’s when they first came out. I lived in SoCal and I paid a lot of money for my first box of them. They were large helical monstrosities, too large to fit in some applications, they were not dimmable, they were not supposed to be used in an outside application and they were not as bright as advertised. Not too long after they came out Costco and other stores had some special deals on them like buy one box at half price and get one or two boxes for free. I imagine they were not great sellers at first. After a couple of years they reduced the size, made them dimmable and made them brighter. However, I never got a lot of longevity out of them. They just didn’t last as long as advertised. I replaced every bulb in my house with them and while I saw some costs savings it was pretty obvious I would probably never break even on my investment. When I replaced all the bulbs I saved all the filament bulbs for some stupid reason.
Before we moved I went back through and replaced all of the CFL’s with the filament bulbs I had saved and packed all my CFL’s in my container. When we moved to the Big Island we rented a house on the Hilo side for a while. I did the same thing, I went through and replaced all the filament bulbs with my CFL’s. And before we moved to Oahu I replaced all the CFL’s with the filament bulbs. I brought all my CFL’s to my home on Oahu. After we bought the house in Kapolei I went through and replaced all the filaments with all those old monstrosity CFL’s I still had. Needless to say, I saw some cost savings and after 9 years I had one box of CFL’s left before we moved back to the mainland. This time I left the CFL’s in the house for the new owner. And I left all the filament bulbs for the new owner. But somehow that last box of CFL’s that I intended to leave for the new owner ended up with me here in AZ. 😂
Now here in my house in AZ I have solar panels from Tesla. And I have an app that I can monitor how much power the panels put out, how much power the house is using and how much power I am selling back to the grid. And the app shows all of this in real time. A couple of days ago I was monitoring the power the house was using when my wife turned on the kitchen lights. The power usage with my 65” TV and router running is 0.3 KWpH. When she turned on the kitchen lights the power usage doubled! The kitchen lights were using 0.3 KWpH. And being that my wife spends a lot of time in the kitchen they stay on a lot. I went around the house and turned different lights on to see how much power they used. I was amazed how much regular filament bulbs use. I went to Home Depot and checked out LED bulbs. They make them in all sorts of sizes and shapes to replace filament style bulbs as direct replacements. They are also bright and they make them dimmable. So today I went through and replaced every bulb in the house with LED bulbs. Now the kitchen uses 0.1 KWpH. Some of the other rooms don’t even register a power increase on my app. The total replacement cost for all bulbs in the house is $70. I also added a dimmer on my dining room light fixture that cost an additional $30. With the dimmer on at full brightness, the dining room fixture now shows 0.1 KWpH. But when I dim the bulbs down to where we want it, the power usage doesn’t register on my app. So now during the day, I not only use less power and not pay for it, but it increases the amount of power I sell back to the grid. Without selling power back, I expect to break even on my bulb investment in probably 6-8 years. But with selling power back I figure I break even in about half that time.
Even tho the technology for solar panels is not at that point yet where it is financially viable to invest in them without massive taxpayer subsidies, the technology for light bulbs is at that point where it is worthwhile to invest in replacing all of your filament bulbs with LED’s IMHO.
Nice! Do you have the tesla panels that replace your roof? Was always curious on those. I also switched all my bulbs to LED. Made a difference in the power bill.
Post by: wirecounter on October 30, 2020, 03:35:06 PM
I replaced the florescent light fixture in my kitchen after almost twenty years with a LED light fixture. Now we need to put on sun screen (J/K) since it is almost twice as bright!
I am looking at replacing the florescent fixtures in my garage with 4' LED fixture . . . soon.
Post by: Flapp_Jackson on October 30, 2020, 03:50:18 PM
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I replaced the florescent light fixture in my kitchen after almost twenty years with a LED light fixture. Now we need to put on sun screen (J/K) since it is almost twice as bright!
I am looking at replacing the florescent fixtures in my garage with 4' LED fixture . . . soon.
Two words: dimmer switch. :rofl: :thumbsup:
That assumes your LED bulbs are dimmable. Most are, unlike the Compact Fluorescents. Many of those were not compatible with dimmers. They wouldn't run on less than full brightness, flickered, caused a "humming" noise, or just didn't turn on and off as they should. I've not seen very many non-dimmable LEDs lately, although some do recommend specific models of dimmers -- either they were tested to work, or were their brand. :wacko:
One of the best things about garage and storage space LEDs now is you can get really compact fixtures that are very lightweight, can be installed on the edges of 2-by rafters and joists without hanging over the sides, and several can be connected in series, eliminating the need for junction boxes, outlets and/or additional wiring. One switched outlet or junction box lets you light up every nook and cranny in no time.
I bought the motion activated LED fixtures from Costco when they were on sale. Just plug it in. Comes on when I enter, and turns off a few minutes after I leave. Yeah, these kinds of devices spoil me, but I'm worth it! :geekdanc: From a safety perspective, who doesn't want a light that comes on in pitch black conditions -- whether it's you starting down some steps, or someone who isn't supposed to be there?
Post by: Flapp_Jackson on October 30, 2020, 04:07:08 PM
This guy attached 2 @ 4ft LED fixtures end-to-end near the top of his overhead garage door. Each fixture has 2 bulbs.
Now he can have light in the front section of his garage whether the door is open or closed. My 2-car garage door takes up all the space at the ceiling from the front of the garage to the center of the garage, so the one light fixture is installed where the door's tracks stop. Sure, the door opener has a light, but that's just for visibility when you open or close the door. It's not bright enough to use if you intend to do any work in the garage.
Anyway, with the lightweight LEDs that can be connected to just one outlet, this makes perfect sense for use in both the closed and open positions.
If you only need light when the door is closed, LEDs may be small enough to fit above the open door on the ceiling, but why limit yourself?
One more project on my list ....
Post by: groveler on October 30, 2020, 04:57:33 PM
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:Pretty cheap from Amazon.
I replaced the florescent light fixture in my kitchen after almost twenty years with a LED light fixture. Now we need to put on sun screen (J/K) since it is almost twice as bright!
I am looking at replacing the florescent fixtures in my garage with 4' LED fixture . . . soon.
I bought Sunco's. 4 footers.
You can string them together.
Post by: oldfart on October 30, 2020, 10:09:58 PM
I bought some led replacement tubes that supposedly drop in.
It seems like the ballast overheats with the led replacement tubes.
After a while, the lights go off until the fixture cools down.
Suspect an impedance mismatch.
Better to buy a fixture made for led bulbs rather than retrofit.
Post by: Flapp_Jackson on October 30, 2020, 10:27:18 PM
I have a florescent shop light fixture in my reloading shop.
I bought some led replacement tubes that supposedly drop in.
It seems like the ballast overheats with the led replacement tubes.
After a while, the lights go off until the fixture cools down.
Suspect an impedance mismatch.
Better to buy a fixture made for led bulbs rather than retrofit.
There are parts you can buy to retrofit an old fluorescent fixture to LED. Just don't try putting LED tubes in Fluorescent fixtures without at least changing the "tombstones" -- the brackets that the ends of the tube-bulbs fit into.
Sometimes it's better to just replace the whole fixture if for no other reason than aesthetics or to use a different size fixture that maybe fits the space better. Sometimes, it's just cheaper to get a fixture and bulbs as a unit that looking for individual bulbs. When I looked at HD last year, 2 standalone LED bulbs cost more than the Costco/FEIT 2-bulb complete fixture. Hawaii Energy (The State) offers instant rebates at check-out on certain energy efficient products. The FEIT kit was less than half normal price at the time.
Post by: Inspector on October 31, 2020, 02:19:08 AM
Nice! Do you have the tesla panels that replace your roof? Was always curious on those. I also switched all my bulbs to LED. Made a difference in the power bill.No, the panels were already installed over my roof when I bought the house. I almost didn’t buy the house because of the panels. It was a huge hassle trying to contact Tesla. Especially during this pandemic. I averaged over 2+ hours on the phone on hold every time I had to contact them. And they moved a snails pace. Very bad CS in my case. Also had a problem with pigeons nesting underneath the panels. Had to call a pest control guy to put mesh around the outside of the panels to keep them out of there.
The solar panel configuration that the original owners got is designed to their specifications to break even at the end of the year. This provides a net savings of around $20-$30 per month average. But, they were a family of four and it is just my wife and myself, so I assume we will use less energy than the original owners did. I am surprised that the original owners did not do things like LED’s since they were obviously trying to conserve energy. What they did do is to loosen one bulb in each light fixture. When my wife and I first moved in here we were always complaining how dark it was in the house at night. As I replaced all the bulbs I found the loose and non working bulb in each fixture. Sometimes it doesn’t pay to be cheap. And sometimes you need to spend money now to save over the long haul like with the LED’s. So far, since April I have only had 2 months where I had to pay more than the $15 per month minimum connection charge to the power company. But considering I sell power back to the grid almost every month, I will now sell more back with the LED’s installed. I am hoping to net more than the average savings of $20-$30 per month the original owners were and sell more power back to the grid. At the end of each year I get a check from the power company if I sell back more power than I used for the year.
Post by: Inspector on October 31, 2020, 02:24:22 AM
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:We have a similar situation in our dining room where the brightness was too much. So Installed a dimmer switch for it. The interesting thing with the dimmer is that the light fixture registered 0.1 KWpH when at maximum but stops registering on my app when we dim it down to where we want it. So putting a dimmer on it also saves energy. BUT, the damn dimmers cost ~$30. It is going to take many many years to make back the return on my investment of the dimmer switch. There is an up and a down side with this technology. It still costs too much!
I replaced the florescent light fixture in my kitchen after almost twenty years with a LED light fixture. Now we need to put on sun screen (J/K) since it is almost twice as bright!
I am looking at replacing the florescent fixtures in my garage with 4' LED fixture . . . soon.
Post by: Inspector on October 31, 2020, 02:29:42 AM
Just saw a YT video of a great idea, especially here in Hawaii were garages might be on the small side.That’s a great idea! My garage came with fluorescent light fixtures already installed out in the garage. I am going to wait until the bulbs and/or ballasts die before I replace them. They provide more than enough light to work in my garage. Also, I bought some Speer plastic bullets. I’ll be able to practice drawing from a holster and target practice in my garage this winter.
This guy attached 2 @ 4ft LED fixtures end-to-end near the top of his overhead garage door. Each fixture has 2 bulbs.
Now he can have light in the front section of his garage whether the door is open or closed. My 2-car garage door takes up all the space at the ceiling from the front of the garage to the center of the garage, so the one light fixture is installed where the door's tracks stop. Sure, the door opener has a light, but that's just for visibility when you open or close the door. It's not bright enough to use if you intend to do any work in the garage.
Anyway, with the lightweight LEDs that can be connected to just one outlet, this makes perfect sense for use in both the closed and open positions.
If you only need light when the door is closed, LEDs may be small enough to fit above the open door on the ceiling, but why limit yourself?
One more project on my list ....
Post by: wirecounter on October 31, 2020, 09:10:24 AM
Pretty cheap from Amazon.Yup! That's the one I am eyeing . . .
I bought Sunco's. 4 footers.
You can string them together.
Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
Post by: wirecounter on October 31, 2020, 12:05:54 PM
Two words: dimmer switch. :rofl:Unfortunately, the fixture I purchased is not dimmable.
That assumes your LED bulbs are dimmable. Most are, unlike the Compact Fluorescents. Many of those were not compatible with dimmers. They wouldn't run on less than full brightness, flickered, caused a "humming" noise, or just didn't turn on and off as they should. I've not seen very many non-dimmable LEDs lately, although some do recommend specific models of dimmers -- either they were tested to work, or were their brand. :wacko:
One of the best things about garage and storage space LEDs now is you can get really compact fixtures that are very lightweight, can be installed on the edges of 2-by rafters and joists without hanging over the sides, and several can be connected in series, eliminating the need for junction boxes, outlets and/or additional wiring. One switched outlet or junction box lets you light up every nook and cranny in no time.
I bought the motion activated LED fixtures from Costco when they were on sale. Just plug it in. Comes on when I enter, and turns off a few minutes after I leave. Yeah, these kinds of devices spoil me, but I'm worth it! :geekdanc: From a safety perspective, who doesn't want a light that comes on in pitch black conditions -- whether it's you starting down some steps, or someone who isn't supposed to be there?
Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
Post by: Flapp_Jackson on October 31, 2020, 01:02:26 PM
Unfortunately, the fixture I purchased is not dimmable.
Whose "bright " idea was that? :shaka: :rofl:
Post by: robtmc on October 31, 2020, 04:15:35 PM
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:Replaced the ancient flourescent under counter stuff a while back. Luckily the fixtures have a two step brighteness setting. low is more than enough.
I replaced the florescent light fixture in my kitchen after almost twenty years with a LED light fixture. Now we need to put on sun screen (J/K) since it is almost twice as bright!
I am looking at replacing the florescent fixtures in my garage with 4' LED fixture . . . soon.
Put a hanging LED fixture over my garage workbench. Left the existing higher mounted florescents and the combo is great.
Always hated the CFL and the slow startup and no dimming. The world is full of three way light fixtures, at least in my house.
Post by: wirecounter on October 31, 2020, 05:15:28 PM
Whose "bright " idea was that? :shaka: :rofl:Who else? My wife's. lol
Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
Post by: eyeeatingfish on November 01, 2020, 10:21:20 PM
Post by: Flapp_Jackson on November 01, 2020, 10:37:17 PM
I have gone almost entirely to LED bulbs. I do seem to see more failure than should be expected from this technology but what can I expect from cheap costco LED bulbs? LEDs are very sensitive to heat and if they aren't regulated effectively or cooled well then their lifespan is going to shorten significantly.
I don't know what bulbs you bought, but I've had zero failures from all my LEDs. That includes tube replacements, total replacement fixtures for tube bulbs, recessed lighting, screw-type replacements for incandescent/CFL bulbs, and so on.
LEDs run MUCH cooler than CFLs did. Having said that, too much heat can be a problem, but it's usually a problem with the fixture.
1) If the fixture is a closed design, it might not have proper ventilation for LED bulbs of any size/wattage.
2) Check that the bulb does not use more power than the fixture is designed for. A too-bright bulb may produce too much heat in that fixture, damaging the bulb.
https://www.hykolity.com/pages/can-led-lights-overheat
http://www.eiwellspring.org/offgrid/ProtectLEDlamps.htm
https://www.thelightbulb.co.uk/resources/5-reasons-why-my-led-light-bulbs-arent-lasting/
Post by: groveler on November 02, 2020, 05:12:24 AM
I have gone almost entirely to LED bulbs. I do seem to see more failure than should be expected from this technology but what can I expect from cheap costco LED bulbs? LEDs are very sensitive to heat and if they aren't regulated effectively or cooled well then their lifespan is going to shorten significantly.LED's are basically a diode that emits photons.
When you exceed a certain forward voltage and can supply
sufficient current when the diode starts to conduct, you get light.
Once a Diode conducts it is essentially a "Short",
with a 0.3 to 0.6 volt drop.
In the DC world there is a resistor to limit the current
flowing thorough the LED or it will become a DED, Dark Emitting Diode.
For AC a capacitor is used as a current
limiting device and they toss in a current limiter for start up
as a capacitor initially looks like a short. ELI the ICE man.
An LED is a current device, regulate the current and you
regulate the brightness, because once you exceed the
forward voltage, it is ON.
Most the heat is caused by this regulation. Not the LED.
Post by: Flapp_Jackson on November 02, 2020, 01:21:11 PM
LED's are basically a diode that emits photons.
When you exceed a certain forward voltage and can supply
sufficient current when the diode starts to conduct, you get light.
Once a Diode conducts it is essentially a "Short",
with a 0.3 to 0.6 volt drop.
In the DC world there is a resistor to limit the current
flowing thorough the LED or it will become a DED, Dark Emitting Diode.
For AC a capacitor is used as a current
limiting device and they toss in a current limiter for start up
as a capacitor initially looks like a short. ELI the ICE man.
An LED is a current device, regulate the current and you
regulate the brightness, because once you exceed the
forward voltage, it is ON.
Most the heat is caused by this regulation. Not the LED.
This is why I normally recommend buying an LED light with the fixture as a kit. You normally can trust they will be compatible, and any problems can be addressed to just one retailer or manufacturer. If you use brand X fixtures and brand Y bulbs, the finger pointing back and forth will leave you having to buy replacements.
Post by: eyeeatingfish on November 05, 2020, 08:51:13 PM
I don't know what bulbs you bought, but I've had zero failures from all my LEDs. That includes tube replacements, total replacement fixtures for tube bulbs, recessed lighting, screw-type replacements for incandescent/CFL bulbs, and so on.
LEDs run MUCH cooler than CFLs did. Having said that, too much heat can be a problem, but it's usually a problem with the fixture.
1) If the fixture is a closed design, it might not have proper ventilation for LED bulbs of any size/wattage.
2) Check that the bulb does not use more power than the fixture is designed for. A too-bright bulb may produce too much heat in that fixture, damaging the bulb.
https://www.hykolity.com/pages/can-led-lights-overheat
http://www.eiwellspring.org/offgrid/ProtectLEDlamps.htm
https://www.thelightbulb.co.uk/resources/5-reasons-why-my-led-light-bulbs-arent-lasting/
A few of the failures were probably fixture related. Bulbs inside enclosed areas
One of them was a light fixture without a bulb but LEDs wired onto the base. Bought 5 of them and 1 failed. Costco has a good return policy though so that was fine.
Post by: eyeeatingfish on November 05, 2020, 08:59:03 PM
LED's are basically a diode that emits photons.
When you exceed a certain forward voltage and can supply
sufficient current when the diode starts to conduct, you get light.
Once a Diode conducts it is essentially a "Short",
with a 0.3 to 0.6 volt drop.
In the DC world there is a resistor to limit the current
flowing thorough the LED or it will become a DED, Dark Emitting Diode.
For AC a capacitor is used as a current
limiting device and they toss in a current limiter for start up
as a capacitor initially looks like a short. ELI the ICE man.
An LED is a current device, regulate the current and you
regulate the brightness, because once you exceed the
forward voltage, it is ON.
Most the heat is caused by this regulation. Not the LED.
I don't know how much heat the regulation produces but the LED chip itself does produce a fair amount of heat, especially the higher power ones. Even if you put the regulator somewhere else, the higher power LEDs still need to be placed ona heat sink.
https://www.ledsmagazine.com/leds-ssl-design/thermal/article/16696536/fact-or-fiction-leds-dont-produce-heat
Post by: Flapp_Jackson on November 06, 2020, 12:14:59 AM
A few of the failures were probably fixture related. Bulbs inside enclosed areas
One of them was a light fixture without a bulb but LEDs wired onto the base. Bought 5 of them and 1 failed. Costco has a good return policy though so that was fine.
Hawaii Energy runs rebate programs and purchase promos all the time.
Right now, they have an Ace Hardware bulb exchange. Take in a halogen or incandescent bulb, and exchange it for an LED bulb FREE! Or, you can buy LED bulbs without an exchange -- 2 pack for $1. Up to 30 bulbs exchanged, or 15 2pks of bulbs at $1 each.
What I take advantage of is the TechniArt online purchase deals. Right now, you can get all kinds of bulbs, power strips, water saving devices and other energy saving products at CHEAP prices. The current promo kit from TechniArt has 4 @ 60W equivalent LED bulbs (2x2700K and 2x5700K warmth), 1 kitchen faucet aerator (reduces water flow), i TrickleStar power switch (plug in a device, and use the switch to turn on/off -- for devices that might be always on otherwise, such as a gaming console -- and 2 bathroom aerators. The whole kit is $5 with free shipping. That's just $1 more than 4 bulbs would cost in the Ace hardware deal, plus you get a switch and 3 aerators.
I usually wait until the kit includes a smart strip -- plug a "master" device in an outlet on the strip, and "slave" devices in the other "switched" outlets. When the master device is turned on or off, the slave devices are also powered up/down. There are also "always on" outlets for always on devices, like a clock. Those kits are usually $10 or $15, but come with bulbs and other goodies, too.
I've not had to buy LED bulbs in stores for awhile since getting these kits. The floodlight bulbs came in handy when I swapped out the old bulbs from can style track lighting upstairs.
Get on their mailing list, and you'll be notified when new kits are available.
https://hawaiienergy.com/for-homes/promotions
https://www.techniart.us/hawaiienergy-promo/
Post by: eyeeatingfish on November 09, 2020, 08:52:45 PM
Hawaii Energy runs rebate programs and purchase promos all the time.
Right now, they have an Ace Hardware bulb exchange. Take in a halogen or incandescent bulb, and exchange it for an LED bulb FREE! Or, you can buy LED bulbs without an exchange -- 2 pack for $1. Up to 30 bulbs exchanged, or 15 2pks of bulbs at $1 each.
What I take advantage of is the TechniArt online purchase deals. Right now, you can get all kinds of bulbs, power strips, water saving devices and other energy saving products at CHEAP prices. The current promo kit from TechniArt has 4 @ 60W equivalent LED bulbs (2x2700K and 2x5700K warmth), 1 kitchen faucet aerator (reduces water flow), i TrickleStar power switch (plug in a device, and use the switch to turn on/off -- for devices that might be always on otherwise, such as a gaming console -- and 2 bathroom aerators. The whole kit is $5 with free shipping. That's just $1 more than 4 bulbs would cost in the Ace hardware deal, plus you get a switch and 3 aerators.
I usually wait until the kit includes a smart strip -- plug a "master" device in an outlet on the strip, and "slave" devices in the other "switched" outlets. When the master device is turned on or off, the slave devices are also powered up/down. There are also "always on" outlets for always on devices, like a clock. Those kits are usually $10 or $15, but come with bulbs and other goodies, too.
I've not had to buy LED bulbs in stores for awhile since getting these kits. The floodlight bulbs came in handy when I swapped out the old bulbs from can style track lighting upstairs.
Get on their mailing list, and you'll be notified when new kits are available.
https://hawaiienergy.com/for-homes/promotions
https://www.techniart.us/hawaiienergy-promo/
I have even made my own LED lighting before. Bought LED strip lighting then put it on an aluminum strip and connected the power adapter. It was cool for a while but after a year or two the light dimmed significantly. Not sure if that was a heat issue or just that I bought cheap quality LED stripping.
I also used to swap out the LEDs on older flashlights to newer LEDs but I never got real technical and into the power control parts.