Found a good LED flood bulb.

[Deane Johnson]

As I was researching the Philips Hue system, and subsequently playing with it, I couldn't but help be impressed with where Philips is going with their bulb technology.
 
I  noticed they had a regular bulb that looked much like the Hue, this one was 65 watts, warm glow. I had to try one for $16.97.
 
For testing, I put it in one of my ceiling cans about 4 feet from another can.  This way I could directly compare performance with a conventional incandescent.  I was pretty surprised at how closely they compared.  The LED is slightly brighter, and very slightly whiter.  There appears to be more side light radiation with the Philips than the incandescent.
 
Performance was what really pleased me.  I'm using a Leviton 600 watt RF+ dimmer.  The Philips LED tracks the regular bulbs exactly.  I doubt you would notice any difference in the two bulbs if it was not called to your attention.
 
Just thought it might be useful information for someone looking for opportunities to move to LED as I am.  If you look into these, I would encourage you to only buy one for testing in your system.  Others may not agree with my observations.
 
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-65W-Equivalent-Soft-White-2700K-BR30-Dimmable-Warm-Glow-LED-Flood-Light-Bulb-452235/205395637

 

[NeverDie]

Thanks for posting!  Good info.  

 

[Deane Johnson]

I did a little more on this.  I went back and filled the other two cans with these LEDs and then tested the fade response of the Leviton RF+ dimmer, fearing they wouldn't turn off completely.  They did.  No glow in the off mode.  When fading slowly to off, they go pretty close to the bottom, then about the last 5% or so drops off suddenly.  Not really noticeable if I weren't looking for it.
 
In another location in the basement entry area, I had a 60 watt equivalent CFL in a bare fixture.  I long hated the glare from this and the extreme side light it through onto an adjoining stairway and into your eyes as you descended.  I decided to try one of the LEDs in that location.  Big improvement.  It casts a nice soft light more downward, and throws a much less annoying spread to the adjoining walls and into the stairway.  In this location, it just happens to be a big improvement over the CFL.
 
BTW, they are brighter than a normal 65 watt.  I had to go back to my CQC programming and reduce the on set rate from 52% down to 35%.

 

[dgage]

I bought 4 of these in Oct 2011 for outdoor security motion sensor use and they've been great. Very bright, quick to light up, and no issues regardless of temperature.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003QPHK5E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

David

 

[video321]

...I had to try one for $16.97.
 
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-65W-Equivalent-Soft-White-2700K-BR30-Dimmable-Warm-Glow-LED-Flood-Light-Bulb-452235/205395637

Get yourself some money back... they dropped to $6.97 right now.

 

[pete_c]

Thank-you Deane.
 
@video321
 
Link shows same price.  Where do you see them for $6.97?

 

[video321]

Via that link. Maybe try a refresh. edit: possible select location deal? Perhaps try a different store location.
I just placed on order (and got a confirmation email) for 18 of them to try out. All my cans are BR40 though... oh well
 
Thanks, Deane

 

[az1324]

Yes led bulbs are subsidized in select areas.

 

[BLH]

Here in CT. I found the online prices and the store prices where different.
I believe that the power company or CT has some energy incentives for in state purchases.

 

[tmbrown97]

Very common - we have several cities and different power companies in close radius here - different areas offer reduced pricing on different models.  Right now the $36 screw-in bulb from Cree that's all in one trim/bulb is only like $12 over by my office - I need to go buy 30 in the next day or so.  They dim beautifully!
 
On the chat room a handful of us often compare the prices in different regions.  Washington state does a great job of subsidizing as well.

 

[Swancoat]

I tried one of those exact bulbs (not confirming the model number, but it looks identical - bought it at HD too), and 2 days later the Insteon Dimmer controlling it failed. I'm scared to try that bulb on another dimmer.
 
(To be fair, I've had a similar failure (weird flicking of keypad) on a different dimmer connected to conventional incandescent loads - so it may well just be a coincidence that it failed shortly after I installed that bulb).

 

[pete_c]

You got me worried now as I just recieved the little 6 watt cob LED E27 bulbs yesterday.  They are warm white, not bluish but not totally a warm color.  That said these are installed in four massive wood / glass shelf furniture (too big to move around) and using a  UPB light module shut off and only dim around 50% (which is still too bright). 
 
I just now put the old incandescent bulbs back in reading your post. 

 

[mikefamig]

I just installed three of these on a Simply Automated UPB dimmer switch:
 
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Cree-65W-Equivalent-Daylight-5000K-BR30-Dimmable-LED-Flood-Light-Bulb-BBR30-06550FLF-12DE26-2U100/204366183
 
Nice white light in the garage and they seem to work well with the UPB. They are not 100% dimmable though, they are missing just a little at the bottom end of their range.
 
Mike.

 

[Swancoat]

I'm going to try them again, but somewhere else in the house that has just one lamp on the dimmer but isn't a keypad (the last one that failed was a keypad, and I don't want to sacrifice another one of those). I'll try a regular dimmer though.

 

[pete_c]

Thanks guys.
 
Its an old piece of furniture here.  The can for the mini cob flood is recessed into the top of the shelf which is wood.  I used a short little step stool to get to the cans which was still above my head.  The base of the lamp can way recessed into the top and I found it difficult to put my hand inside of the can.  Low a bit on the WAF cuz of glass trinkets.  She left the room with dagger eyes.
 
To get to it I had to move the trinkets off the glass shelf and take the glass shelf out (thick and a bit heavy) to reach in and take the old bulbs out.
 
I used one UPB lighting module linked over to a multipaddle UPB wall switch.  The paddle was configured to dim two light loads at different light levels.
 
Thinking now that 6 watts is closer to 50-60 watts illumination.  Looks like the 50% LED dimming is still a bit too bright.  The old incandescent 30 watt was dimmed to 10% and it sufficed.
 
Here is a picture of old bulb which is an E27 base squattie mini flood and the new LED one which is just about the same size.  I did take one apart pulled on the two leads a bit too much.  I soldered the wires back together / heat shrink tubing.  Tiny stuff.  I didn't take pictures. It is very modular.
 
I reinstalled the new mini LED floods yesterday and redid the UPB paddle / links for the dining room lighting and the automation programming for the UPB lights.  It works OK by dimming the shelf cob lights separately from the little chandelier (well with multiple incandescent clear bulbs) over the dining room table.  The dimming numbers are totally different but I never touch them except when sitting in the dining room (which we never utilize anyways)