LED light bulbs - worth it?

[Skinzfan]

The link below is an article talking about the cost of LED light bulbs and the push to get them lower - around $22 apiece.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011...ht-bulbs-led-replacements-cost-50/?test=faces


The article says: “However, 60-watt bulbs are the big prize, since they're the most common. There are 425 million incandescent light bulbs in the 60-watt range in use in the U.S. today, said Zia Eftekhar, the head of Philips' North American lighting division. The energy savings that could be realized by replacing them with 10-watt LED bulbs is staggering.”


So, I decided to find out what “staggering” meant.

The difference between a 60 watt bulb and a 10 watt LED bulb is 50 watts (duh).

If you burned that bulb for 1 hour it would be 50 watts per hour saved; pretty simple.

For my comparisons below I am assuming that the bulbs will be burning 24 hours a day.



So, looking at the big picture I multiplied 50 watts x 425 million = 21, 250,000,000 watts saved per hour in the U.S.

To determine how many kilowatts that is I divided it by 1,000 = 21,250,000 kilowatts saved per hour in the U.S.

The average U.S. cost of 1 kilowatt of energy per hour is $.095 or, 9 ½ cents.

Multiply $.095 x 21,250,000 kilowatts = $2,018,750 in energy cost saved every hour.

Multiply that by 24 for a full day = $48,450,000 saved per day.

Multiply that by 365 for a full year = $17,684,250,000 – that’s $17.5 trillion dollars in energy cost saved in the U.S. in a year.



To figure out how much that will save the average household, the average household in the U.S. uses 10,656 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

At $.095 cost per kilowatt, that means the average household pays $1,012.32 for electricity a year.

If 1 bulb saves 50 watts, and there are 8,760 hours in a year, that equates to 438,000 watts, or 438 kilowatts a year less power used.

$.095 x 438 = $41.61 saved in energy cost per year, per bulb.

So, replacing each 60-watt bulb will pay for itself in 1 year.

An LED light bulb will last between 25 and 30 years.

Over the entire life of the bulb, conservatively estimated at 24 years (minus the first year to recoup the cost), you will save $1,000 per bulb in energy costs - total.

That means the money saved over the lifespan of 1 bulb would pay for 1 year of electricity bills.



Now, go and figure out how many light bulbs you have in your house.
The average household has 45 light bulbs.

45 x $41.61 = $1,872.45 in savings a year if all the bulbs were replaced with LED bulbs.

That means that light bulbs account for 18% of your yearly energy bill.
That also means it will cost $1,800 to replace all of the light bulbs in your house with LED bulbs. Ahhhhhhhh!


One other interesting piece of knowledge; central air conditioning and refrigerators account for 15% of the yearly energy usage per home. That goes up when you have more than 1 refrigerator. So, if you wanted to save even more money on your energy bills; get rid of one of your refrigerators and cut back on the AC.

Want to piss off the electric company? Use the money you save, go buy some solar panels, and screw the electric company!

Want to piss off the Arabs? Trade in that Ford Escalade and buy a Hyundai Elantra. Imported oil is our biggest deficit item.

Want to piss off a liberal? Have a job and earn a paycheck.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

This thread should probably be in the Political Asylum forum, unless you want to delete the last few lines. Just saying...

 

[Skinzfan]

The last few lines were just to keep you awake after I probably left you glassy eyed and drooling from all the stats. No offense meant.

As far as Hyundai, more of their vehicles, percentage-wise, is made and assembled in the U.S. than ANY other auto manufacturer; that means Ford, GM, etc. So, statistically speaking, buying a Hyundai is more American than buying a Ford. Don't you just love Capitalism?

 

[Sarge]

They do provide jobs though

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Where does the money go? It depends on the specifics. I own Toyotas. The profits go toward the salaries of salespeople, management, general workers, builders, mechanics, designers, etc., and to shareholders (thank you). These cars are made in America and by Americans.

If you own a Chevy, Dodge, Ford etc., your car was probably made in Mexico or Canada. The profits go toward the salaries of salespeople, management, general workers, builders, mechanics, designers, etc., and to shareholders. But guess where else the money goes on its journey. Yes, it goes to unions and they turn around and line the pocket of dems.

That's just the way it is and I have no desire to be a part of a government approved program that helps to reelect politicians that I don't support.

There - that will get it moved.

As for the lightbulbs, I have an overwhelming supply of 60W at great prices. No need to switch anytime soon.

 

[Skinzfan]

Both American and Foreign companies are now putting various manufacturing plants in the U.S. This is a good thing. The rust belt is having a bit of a renaissanse and manufacturing in the U.S. is on the climb after decades of decline. This is because the weaker dollar combined with the rising cost of labor in China makes goods made here cheaper oversees and at home.

Manufacturing follows labor; wherever it is cheaper is where they will go. Of the 8.5 million vehicles assembled in the U.S. 3 million of them were by foreign companies (BMW, Toyota, etc.).

Which is the more American product, a Honda Accord built by Ohioans for a company with its headquarters in Japan, or a Ford Fusion built in Mexico or Canada for a corporation that is based in Michigan?

If it is made in the U.S. it is made by U.S. workers earning a paycheck and contributing to the U.S. economy. Its all about the economy and jobs.

How many times have we heard about U.S. companies shipping their production oversees and kissing U.S. jobs goodbye? Now, when you see foreign companies come here (and they are) you see it as evil because the "profits" go oversees. Which is it?


What were we talking about?
Oh yeah, I think you should start investing in LED light bulbs.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

To be honest, I have no problem with Ford, Chevy, or Dodge having a presence in another country. Outsourcing is a great thing and I have no idea why people hate it so much. Toyota outsources here - people in Kentucky, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia love them. Ford is loved by people in Escobedo General, Chihuahua, and Monterrey. Chevy is loved by people in Ingersoll, Oshawa, and St. Catharines.

I have a 1969 Mercury Cougar Convertible with a 351W. Yep, it was made in Windsor, Ontario. Made in another country back in 1969. Outsourcing is not something new. It's been going on for a long, long time. Heck, Abdul the Tent Maker was outsourcing three years after he opened his business in 550 B.C.

Anyway...bought more of the 60W bulbs today over at McGuire AFB. Stocking up.