wrote in message
...
On Mon, 02 Dec 2013 21:20:17 -0800, "Malcom \"Mal\" Reynolds"
wrote:

In article ,
"Gary" wrote:

Hi,

Our electrician recommended we replace the 85 50W halogen spotlights in
our
ceilings with LEDs. We live in Costa Rica where electricity is
expensive
and frequent lightening strikes and power surges blow out bulbs. If
possible we will use 12V LEDs. We will also be adding a whole house
surge
protector. Our apartment has recessed CFLs in the ceilings. Would that
be
a better option? We have no experience with LED lighting. We would
appreciate your opinions.

Thanks,
Gary

LEDs will definitely save you electricity and if you use AC as suggested
later in this thread, the savings will mount: that's efficiency. The
bigger question is efficacy: how much does electricity cost and how much
will the replacement bulbs cost...do a cost benefit analysis and see if
you get a reasonable payback period
If the ones I replaced in the office last 6 months they pay for
themselves in the summer @ $6 each.. (from what I remember) Takes
significantly longer in the winter as the halogens decrease the
heating fuel requirement significantly.

If you replace a standard 100 watt incandescent bulb with its halogen
equivalent the wattage will drop to 72 watts; so the heat provided by the
halogen will be down by 28% since there's a 1:1 correspondence between bulb
wattage and heat output.

Tomsic