Utilitech 60 Watt LED review

[ratsbew]

I just posted my review of the Utilitech 60 Watt equivalent LED bulb. All-in-all, this is a very good bulb based on my experience. As of today, the only bulb I would recommend over this one is the Philips Ambient LED (the yellow one)

http://ledbulbreview.wordpress.com/2...t-bulb-review/

[JohnR66]

Thanks for the nice review! In your own opinion, what do you think the color temperature is? A lot of bulbs say 2,700K, but they seem like 3,000 to 3,200 kelvin to my eyes.

I'm interested in that new 90 l/w bulb when it makes its appearance. Hopefully it isn't overpriced like so many bulbs are.

[ratsbew]

This bulb is listed at 3000K and it seems to be accurate to me. It isn't as warm as an incandescent bulb, but it isn't harsh either. I'm not sure how much control the department of energy has over the accuracy of the product information...I recall reading that they don't test every bulb for the accuracy of the manufacturer's claims.

Cree has demonstrated a 150 lumen/W bulb, but it is not in the A19 form factor.

http://www.cree.com/press/press_deta...=1312203835951

[patrickhuang]

A liquid light bulb, 75w replacement led bulb, price is USD 30.Switch have 100w led bulb product too, is it the first 100w led bulb retrofit?
http://switchlightbulbs.com/lightbulbs75.html

[Harold_B]

Anyone recognize the LEDs that Utilitech is using? Can you provide a link and not just a guess?

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...old_LF/led.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...LF/ledzoom.jpg

Patrick - Let us know when you have a Switch in hand. They were supposed to be available in October, 2011 but they have missed that date. I had the chance to mess with one at Lightfair 2011 and it was interesting but still no product on the market.

[hank]

Good point in the review about the heatsink paint being inconsistent. That's one I don't see paid attention to much.

I wonder if you can use an infrared thermometer and measure how well the painted area is emitting heat versus the unpainted. (For those wondering, 'emissivity' is the ability to emit heat; shiny metal is very poor, that's why a chrome tool will be too hot to touch after a while in the sun, while a dull wooden handle will have radiated away far more heat).

To use infrared thermometer on metal, you have to put a piece of masking tape over it and meter that to get a correct temperature)

[made in china]

Looks like Seoul's ACRich2 line:
http://www.acriche.com/en/product/prd/acrich2.asp

[ryguy24000]

Is this a solidly made lamp or China junk? Time will tell.

[craigshipp]

love to see some great LED bulbs coming out and the prices dropping.

[Harold_B]

They do look like the Seoul Semiconductor components although I'm not aware that the Utilitech is using an AC / AC power supply. I could be wrong and I will double check (will also post what I find). Thanks for the link Made In China.

[patrickhuang]

I had the acrich2 in hand, the ledzoom.jpg looks like SSC PKG, its downset is similar ellipse, but its wire bonding is a little different , ledzoom.jpg PKG is lower+right & lower+left, acrich2 PKG's wire bonfing is lower+left& upper+right.

[Harold_B]

Thanks Patrick for the information. Very helpful. Osram has a similar package but I have yet to get a close look at those.

[budynabuick]

We replaced our main bulbs with the utilitech last week and we love them!
They put out a very comforting light.
Keith

[patrickhuang]

I asked my friend, he said ledzoom.jpg is a past SSC PKG, and acrich2 PKG is a new one; Lead flame is the same, just wire bonding mode is different.

[patrickhuang]

A very good product!
Was somebody teardown it?
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...&storeId=10051

[DMC]

I replacement one of the CLF 16W 3000K spotlight bulbs in our kitchen with a Utilitech 13.5W at Lowes.
My wife likes the "instant on" feature over the slow warming up of the older CFL spotlight bulb and that is a white bulb when it is turned off. Seems to have the same color (warm - 3000K) but is slightly brighter than our existing CLFs.

Still hoping that the price will fall like the Utilitech 7.5W bulb.

Wife is very happy

[LEDninja]

A very good product!
Was somebody teardown it?
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...&storeId=10051

That is a different bulb made by Lighting Science.
I was not too impressed by the Lighting Science branded one. The light looking through a translucent shade is a thin horizontal line instead of a more usual blob. Colour and brightness is equivalent to the Philips 60W equivalent. Omnidirectional sends light forwards and backwards (many LED bulbs only sends light forwards).

[jimgerlv]

I just purchased 2 Utilitech BR30, 650 Lumens, from Lowe's, for my kitchen recessed light cans.

They cost $24.98 each. They fit perfectly, look great and provide a nice warm (not harsh) light that rivals my 1600 lumen CFL Costco bulbs, which have failed intermittently within months.

Since my kitchen has 9 foot ceilings, it is a real pain to replace these 8 bulbs.

If these last longer than the next CFL failure (and I expect them to) I will replace them all with these LED indoor floods.

This LED bulb seems to be a winner in all areas!

[UnknownVT]

Nice review thank you.

Utilitech/Lowes also have a 40-watt equivalent LED bulb for $9.98 -
claims "Uses 7.5 watts for 450 lumens of brightness"

One thing, in your video review showing the Kill-A-Watt meter reading (@ about ~1:50), you said the equivalent CFL draws almost twice the wattage - is this really so for a 60-watt equivalent CFL?

The specs I see for 60-watt equivalent (~825 lumens) CFL soft white are 13-watts also
eg:
GE soft white 16460 – FLE13HT3/2/SW/CD
is rated at 13 watts for 825 lumens

Utilitech 6-Pack 60-Watt Equivalent Soft White Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb
Item #: 252003 | Model #: L13T6/27K
claims " Uses 13 watts for 900 lumens of brightness"

So it appears that the LED bulb is consuming very slightly less (or about the same) as the equivalent brightness CFL -
or does your Kill-A-Watt meter really show almost double for the consumption on a 60-watt equivalent (13-watt) CFL?

Thanks

[cruzzer]

I was looking at this same bulb today and the cfl's at lowes. I noticed they sold the cfl's in recessed can lights but after doing lots of research that is a big no no with cfl's. They need to be open. Any light housing that covers them and does not allow them a lot of ventilation they say life is only a couple weeks to months. Our lowes is rather poor in the lighting department. I'm trying to find a light like the one mentioned up in 5000k-6500k to use in my workshop. Dim-able would be great as when not wrenching on my bike I dont always need full light but its not a deal breaker. I'm planning on putting 4-6 of these in the room and its a 14x14 room with a bike lift in the middle, work benches down each side and only a 8" ceiling. Thanks for the info on those bulbs, I'm going to bring a few home to test now..

[EscapeVelocity]

These lights are rated as 2700K now. I had an 850 Lumen 13.5w (60w equivalent) with 300 degree output in my hand today, marked at just under $10. But hesitated.

[LEDAdd1ct]

For ten bucks, I might buy it and keep it for the novelty!

[EscapeVelocity]

You collecting these early LED bulbs. Should be worth big bucks in 30 to 50 years or so.

I probably should have just picked it up just to check out and returned it if I didnt like it or whatnot. But generally I dont like to operate like that. I find that behavior edging toward morally questionable...if not a serious moral issue. Guess Im just old fashioned like that.

[ratsbew]

You collecting these early LED bulbs. Should be worth big bucks in 30 to 50 years or so.

I probably should have just picked it up just to check out and returned it if I didnt like it or whatnot. But generally I dont like to operate like that. I find that behavior edging toward morally questionable...if not a serious moral issue. Guess Im just old fashioned like that.

I don't know if you were talking to me or not, but I'd love to see mine in a museum in the future.

[aklance]

I bought one of these LED bulbs in August and it blew out yesterday evening. It was mounted sideways overhead and has been used about 8 hours avg daily since new. I was originally very pleased at the light but this kind of reliability is unacceptable. I also have a Phillips bulb with the yellow panels that has been on continuously for the last 2 years and works perfectly. My neighbor who is a LED nut gave it to me back then and he said he paid $35 for it. I have been running it in the garage as a test and so far it has not failed. I hope the good bulbs like Phillips come down in price as I would like to buy more of them. I think the utilitech and feit bulbs are just some more China junk!
Just my experience and thought I would list it as my first post.

[EscapeVelocity]

Thanks aklance for sharing your experience. From what I have read on the matter, the Feit made Utilitech's have a fairly high failure rate in the one or two years since they have been out. I have one and also a Philips AmbiLED, both 60 watt dimmable....that I am testing. I paid $10 for the Utilitech and $15 for the Philips, both at subsidized pricing.

I should probably pick up some more Philips at that price.

[EscapeVelocity]

I think the Switch60 bulbs are particularly collectible. I might break down and buy one of each of the 60w bulbs and put them on the shelf in the closet.

[EscapeVelocity]

I have the Utilitech outside covered from the rain sideways in a photocell controlled device running 8 hours a night and the Philips AmbientLED in the kitchen hanging downwards running quite a few hours a day.