LED for Efficiency

Incandescent Reading Lamp

LED Reading Lamp

Last May, I went on an inquisition in my new house after I received my first electric bill, and got rid of all the incandescent light bulbs on the property, replacing them with LED versions.  LEDs run cool, which means you're not converting electricity into heat while having some lights on.  LEDs also are a light emitting diode (hence their namesake is derived) instead of a metallic filament, therefore require far less energy to excite.  How much less?  A typical reading lamp usually has a 40 - 65 watt bulb in them.  Their direct replacement is a 9 watt LED!  These LED bulbs offer a cleaner spread of light for less than one quarter the cost.  If you're like me and have the Living Room and Kitchen lights on at all times the house is occupied, these upgrades are a must have.  Yes, they're more expensive, but look at the return on investment.  LEDs don't shatter if dropped, and are proven to last many times longer than the 19th century technology of incandescent bulbs.  After my total house replacement, my electric bill dropped 200 kilowatt hours/month!  At that rate, I'll have a complete return on investment by this coming summer! 

LED Directional Bulb

I have also endeavored to add this new technology into my Suby, replacing the directional lights with LED with other stations to follow.  They're once again brighter in color, and use 1/4 the electricity.  Less electrical demand means less frequency the Alternator has to kick on to replenish the battery, and that equates to better fuel economy.  The change is minute, however, so this pursuit is more on principle.   But seeing as I log at least 500 miles a week on my work commute alone, I do believe that every little bit helps.

It's a shame Uncle Sam ignores such innovations of efficiency.