experience in replacing halogen downlights with LEDs?

[fallingditch]

Looks like there are a lot more LED GU10 LED lamps now on the market designed to replace mains or LV GU10 halogen [ http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/GULEDW.html]

Data sheets typically give LED power output in watts but not lumens. LEDs emit around 50-80 lumens per watt. So for say this 1.6 watt LED from TLC, I'm only gonna get 75-125 lumens.

If I take a 35w mains halogen lamp, I will get around 600 lumens. So my back of the envelope estimates indicate that I need 5 or 6 LEDs to 1 halogen - in other words, for an existing installation there is bound to be a very big drop in illuminance (and by inference, LEDs should just be used for effect/highlighting)

Q1 - is the theory correct?

Q2 - in practice, has anyone actually had experience of replacing a bunch of GU10 halogen downlighters with LED GU10s?

PS this forum
[/ http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=89607 ] is where it gets really down and dirty ...

 

[RF Lighting]

1) Yep you are correct. At the moment LED is still only really viable for effect lighting unless you start putting in silly big fittings.
The technology is getting much better, and I'm sure they will eventually be suitable for general lighting, but not just yet.

2)Yep, we have done, and we have also changed them back again.

Have you seen the CFL replacements for GU10 lamps?
They actually do work!

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In...x/Lamps_and_Tubes_Index/GUCFL_Lamp/index.html

 

[sparkybird]

The only problem with the CFL GU10 replacements is that they are longer than the GU10's and so the nice recessed lights are no longer recessed and they look terrible.

So far I've only come across LED's to exact fit the GU10's, but maybe someone knows something else??

SB