ROI Converting Fluorescents to LED

[NRALIFR]

Rather that post this on Grey Mountain’s topic, I started a new one.

What is the wattage and cost difference between traditional T8 or T5 fluorescent fixtures found in RV’s and an LED fixture of the same lumens?

At home, when one of my under-cabinet T5 fluorescent fixtures has a bad ballast, I look at the cost and power savings of replacing with a LED fixture, and it never seems to amount to much. Two or three watts at the most. About half of my fixtures use an 8 watt T5, and the rest use a 13 watt T5.

Replacing the ballast at home is usually about half the cost of replacing with a LED fixture that I would be happy with. Granted, there are some dirt cheap under-cabinet LED’s available, but I don’t like the separate wall-wart power supplies or the bare LED strip styles for where these fixtures are. The two Thinlite T8 fluorescent fixtures in my RV would probably be better candidates for using the LED strips, though.

Converting an RV fluorescent fixture may cost out better than a home fixture since the ballasts are different. Or is the savings all in a significant power savings with LED? I haven’t looked, which is why I’m asking. When I’m camping with no hookups, I don’t use the two fluorescent fixtures in my TC at all, and just use the fixtures that have LED bulbs in them. Someday, the ballasts are going to fail and I’ll have to do something with them.

Converting from incandescent bulbs to CFL’s at home and in the RV, you could see there was a great saving in power up front, even thought the individual bulbs cost more. They also (for the most part) last longer than an incandescent bulb. Converting from fluorescent bulbs to LED, especially one that’s still working, never seems to make as much $$ sense. I’ve got most of my lights at home and in the RV converted to LED, but there always seems to be a few fixtures that it just doesn’t cost out to do it before they fail.

:):)

[FIRE_UP]

Well,
We've had our coach now for oh, almost 8 years. I converted almost ALL the interior lights, including those seriously HOT, Halogen 20 watt ceiling puck lights to LEDs. Waaaaaaaay better. Recently, I decided to shi...can those slow start fluorescents too. What made me jump into the project was that one of them failed. I could care less what the ballasts cost.

Gutting them and installing 5650 LED Strips was gonna be a whole lot better. So, I did that. WOW, those are SERIOUSLY brighter than the original fluorescents. Not only that but, when I flip the switch to turn them on, they're on RIGHT NOW, as opposed to the original ones taking a bit of time in the colder weather.

I ordered the 16' strip of 5650 LEDs from Amazon and it was there in two days. The project, which included actually changing out (3) fluorescent fixtures, 2 in the living room and one in the bathroom. Two of them were still working fine. But, after replacing the bad one with the new LED strips, I didn't even hesitate.
Scott

[MrWizard]

there is NO fiduciary ROI with an RV

the ROI is the Enjoyment of use

ALL modifications are to increase the enjoyment

Solar and batteries to stay out longer

change the lamps to get reduced power use and our preferred light level
OR
to light up camp like party central

[allen8106]

I didn't even consider ROI when I switched to LED in my RV. My primary concern was reducing amps draw because I'm using solar while boondocking.

[time2roll]

LED should be the last time you do a replacement for the life of the RV.
Always having light is the ROI.

[NRALIFR]

Thanks for all the comments, I appreciate everyone’s perspective.

Now that the cost of LED tubes has gotten more reasonable, I’ll probably give one a try the next time a ballast goes bad. They were much more expensive than a replacement ballast for a long time, but now I’m seeing some are on par, and some are even cheaper.

:):)

[Beaker]

At home, when one of my under-cabinet T5 fluorescent fixtures has a bad ballast, I look at the cost and power savings of replacing with a LED fixture,

Just get an LED bulb that will fit in present fixture and cutout the ballast.

[MrWizard]

I put led strips in the Fl fixtures of the previous RV

It was cheaper than replacing the Fl tubes, and use about 80% less power in some fixtures, 60% less the others

This RV was all incandescent, so I replaced almost all the fixtures with new led fixtures

ROI for in the RV use is not what i looked

reduction in power use, and not replacing Fl tubes OR incandescent bulbs, was the big factors, for me

99.99% of the time, i do Not have shore power

[Ivylog]

Until the ballast in a florescent goes bad I keep replacing the bulbs even though going to LEDs would reduce the power by 1/3rd. Replacing halogens is a much easier decision as a $1 led bulb will use 1/10th the power. The only led’s I’ve had poor service out of are the led strips since they are not voltage regulated. Instead of using them in florescents I use regulated led panels...48 5050 SDM daylight (4000 temp).

[RLS7201]

My 18" florescent lights were drawing 1 5/8 amps @ 13 volts.
The replacement LEDs drew 5/8 amp @ 13 volts.
And the lighting was so much brighter that I added remote dimmers.

Richard

[MEXICOWANDERER]

What the lamp or fixture states at wattage is usually so incorrect it is almost laughable. They are trapped in a "more is better" claim of wattage.

From desk lamps to light bars to A26 screw in light bulbs the claimed wattage is higher than what reality reveals.

An "18 watt" fixture draws 12.6 watts supplied with 12.00 volts, and if 18 watts is consumed at 15.8 volts, the chips overheat and fail and render almost zero increase of lighting. Without voltage regulation 10-30 volts the wattage remains low until unrealistic input voltages are reached.

So, I suggest ignoring OEM stated wattage and make decisions based on perceived amount of light. It's a real zoo...

[toedtoes]

For me, changing out to LEDs was to improve battery life more than anything. In the clipper, I changed all the standard bulbs into LED. But I have three original fluorescent lights in my clipper. I use them a lot and changing them to LED wouldn't make a huge difference energy wise for the cost, so I have left them. When the bulbs burn out, I'll reconsider the cost difference.

[jfkmk]

I agree with Dick_B. I don’t think there is much of an ROI switching from fluorescent to LED, but the LED is a much nicer light. I had fluorescents in my basement and switched them all out with LEDs. I’ll never get my money back from an investment perspective, but they ar much nicer.

As for CFLs, well, they’re just horrible. Bad for the environment as well.

[Dick_B]

Just slightly off topic but I recently installed led strip lights under the cabinets in three homes and the owners are very happy with the results. The produced light is soft and the strips are dimmable. The owners didn't worry about the ROI. They gladly paid the $110 to $150 installed price depending on the length of the cabinets.

[elwood58]

The traditional ROI calculation for switching to LED is not as clear in an RV. Power is usually included in an RV park unless long terming it. The big paybacks are reduced heat generated and less power consumed when boondocking.

Incandescent lights will become harder to find replacements for. Flourescent lights are not great from a disposal perspective. So there is an environmental consideration for LED. Long life is an additional plus.

When we updated our Class C several years ago, the cost of LED was significantly higher. Now prices seem fairly low for bulbs, while fixtures still seem high.