Re: LED's for landscape (cont)

["Jeff Volp" <JeffVolp@xxxxxxx>]

The MR16 LED replacements that I reviewed in the other thread are designed
for 12VAC operation.  The two samples appear to have a regulator because the
current does not continue to increase once 12V is reached.  I bench tested
them to verify their power consumption was as stated.  You may also be
surprised how bright they really are.  They appear to be about half as
bright as a 20W halogen MR16.  The best one for my application had 9 surface
mount LEDs, and produced a very wide even pattern on 2.6W:

http://www.ledwholesalers.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=322

Considering the power savings, the brightness seems adequate.  The real
issues are color temperature and whether their longevity will be sufficient
to provide the expected payback.

I agree that the transformer doesn't use much power.  The 300W transformer
case is barely warm to the touch.

Jeff

"BruceR" <bruceNO@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:G7idnfeKm8P9x-_VnZ2dnUVZ_uWdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> If you directly replace the bulbs with plain LEDs they won't work. LEDs
> operate at 3-5 volts DC and the transformer for your Malibu lights is most
> likely 12volts AC. So you'd need to ad a rectifier to convert AC to Dc (or
> just get the proper transformer).  Further, you'll find that the light
> from a single LED doesn't hold a candle (pun intended) to the brightness
> of the incandescent bulb. Lastly, the Malibu transformers don't use that
> much energy in the first place. I'd be surprised if it cost more than a
> buck or two a month to run them.
>
>
> "RickH" <passport@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:6357351f-d7f6-49f2-b44b-061e88ced7be@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> Has anyone ever put a watt meter on the primary side of a typical
>> Malibu lighting transformer to determine how much power is saved by
>> simply changing the bulbs on the string to LED's?  Just curious if
>> anyone has some real number comparisons.
>>
>> I wouldn't think the cost savings would be that great considering the
>> transformer losses and price of LED bulbs.  And wouldn't Malibu
>> already have drop-in LED bulbs to retrofit their legacy products if
>> there really were great payoff?
>>
>> Also how do LED bulbs hold up to 6 months of winter?
>>
>> (sorry my post was failing to the original thread so started a new
>> thread)
>
>