Costco LEDs, dimmers, and home automation

[Brian]

Putting in a number of LEDs over the next few weeks - picked up the Luminus retrofit cans from Costco as they seem fair priced and have very positive reviews. But I'm going to need dimmers. The package lists a number of compatible Lutron and Leviton dimmers that have been tested, which I assume mean if I use those models I'll have a low chance of getting hum/buzz issues. However, I want some of these switches set up for home automation. I'm not super-picky which type. I have zwave today but might be upgrading to something that's also insteon compatible.

Anyway, it's probably a long shot as I haven't found a lot of good info googling, but has anyone with a home automation setup installed any of the Costco LEDs yet with dimmers you are happy with?

Barring any strong recommendation, I might try ordering some Insteon 2477D dimmers from costco and try them out for a while. With costco's return policy, I could easily return them if I have any issues.

[gnihcraes]

I have a smartthings hub and a couple of devices, no dimmers or switches yet. I tried a leviton switch from home depot and it worked once. :(

A friend has the smart things and many devices and good luck with this particular item:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1OVFAK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3HILXMZ69BSSU&coliid=I2YAVHBMNJ1C12

Hope that helps a bit.

Keep your receipts for all the LED lights. The 'Lasts 20 years' isn't a reality. Most LED devices I've installed, have died within a year. Manufacturers will do everything they can to get around replacing it under warranty too. Every excuse on why you made it fail, installed it wrong etc.

[Brian]

I have a smartthings hub and a couple of devices, no dimmers or switches yet. I tried a leviton switch from home depot and it worked once. :(

A friend has the smart things and many devices and good luck with this particular item:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1OVFAK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3HILXMZ69BSSU&coliid=I2YAVHBMNJ1C12

Hope that helps a bit.

Keep your receipts for all the LED lights. The 'Lasts 20 years' isn't a reality. Most LED devices I've installed, have died within a year. Manufacturers will do everything they can to get around replacing it under warranty too. Every excuse on why you made it fail, installed it wrong etc.

Thanks for your feedback. And your comment about early-dying bulbs is exactly why I'm buying at costco and keeping everything. I was a little disappointed in the lifespan of some of the CFLs I have, so I figured I'd focus on Costco this time around.

[Brian]

I have a smartthings hub and a couple of devices, no dimmers or switches yet. I tried a leviton switch from home depot and it worked once. :(

A friend has the smart things and many devices and good luck with this particular item:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1OVFAK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3HILXMZ69BSSU&coliid=I2YAVHBMNJ1C12

Hope that helps a bit.

Keep your receipts for all the LED lights. The 'Lasts 20 years' isn't a reality. Most LED devices I've installed, have died within a year. Manufacturers will do everything they can to get around replacing it under warranty too. Every excuse on why you made it fail, installed it wrong etc.


How do you like that smartthings? I have an old Vera and a 2gig security/zwave controller that work together and am planning on upgrading the vera. But the new Vera Edge appears to be super buggy. I was thinking about that ST hub as well as an option. Does smartthings work with Insteon?

[sniper7]

I'll eventually upgrade to LED in my house but I upgraded to cfl a few years ago and all of them still work. I did upgrade the basement this year with LEDs but I can't justify the can lights yet. Between the kitchen and the hallway over the stairs it would be about 20 bulbs.

[Brian]

I'll eventually upgrade to LED in my house but I upgraded to cfl a few years ago and all of them still work. I did upgrade the basement this year with LEDs but I can't justify the can lights yet. Between the kitchen and the hallway over the stairs it would be about 20 bulbs.

I know what you mean, when I wandered around the house counting all the bulbs, I nearly choked on the paper I was writing on. Way too many bulbs when you sit down to add them all up. I was about a 50/50 mix of CFLs, so I replaced one whole area with LEDs and then am moving the CFLs to other locations. I did the whole retrofit thing as well, which changes the can itself out. The bulbs were brighter and had a longer life rating, I'm guessing because it's a sealed all-in-one unit.

Side note but if anyone is still buying CFLs, costco had a 4 pack of 60w equivalent lights for less than a dollar (less than 25c each) because of the instant rebate. There was a max of 2 packages with rebate though, if I remember correctly. The 100w were maybe $3-4 for a 6 pack.

[newracer]

I'll eventually upgrade to LED in my house but I upgraded to cfl a few years ago and all of them still work. I did upgrade the basement this year with LEDs but I can't justify the can lights yet. Between the kitchen and the hallway over the stairs it would be about 20 bulbs.

Costco has a 3 pack of bulbs for can lights for $19 after coupon, if that is what yours take.

Costco also has the 3 pack of LEDs bulbs to replace a 60w standard bulb for $9 after coupon back in stock, at least up here.

[gnihcraes]

How do you like that smartthings? I have an old Vera and a 2gig security/zwave controller that work together and am planning on upgrading the vera. But the new Vera Edge appears to be super buggy. I was thinking about that ST hub as well as an option. Does smartthings work with Insteon?

I have a really smart friend who has money. I follow his lead after he buys and messes with products to confirm he likes them. Smartthings is working well. It was easy to setup and seems pretty reliable. The modules are high cost though. Outlets, sensors and such. Insteon might work ok with smartthings, you'll just have to do some google foo and see what others are saying. My quick search shows a couple of things to be working with ST.

[gnihcraes]

I'll eventually upgrade to LED in my house but I upgraded to cfl a few years ago and all of them still work. I did upgrade the basement this year with LEDs but I can't justify the can lights yet. Between the kitchen and the hallway over the stairs it would be about 20 bulbs.

Are you folks replacing the whole can with a new LED can light? I just purchased the $20 CREE bulbs from home depot and have great results from the can lighting. Nice and bright!

[Brian]

Are you folks replacing the whole can with a new LED can light? I just purchased the $20 CREE bulbs from home depot and have great results from the can lighting. Nice and bright!

I did. From what I read, the old can enclosures are built specifically to handle the heat pattern of an incandescent lamp, and don't handle the LED and CFLs heat pattern as well. Supposedly this is also why some people (like myself) had CFLs go bad early in can enclosures, when they were supposed to last for a LOT longer. The units I bought are fully sealed and enclosed and fit into the old edison socket with a pigtail wire. Only took maybe an extra minute per light to install vs. a bulb replacement.

Those CREEs are supposed to be very nice though. I've read a lot of good things about them. Do they have an Xcel rebate running right now on them?

[brutal]

I did. From what I read, the old can enclosures are built specifically to handle the heat pattern of an incandescent lamp, and don't handle the LED and CFLs heat pattern as well. Supposedly this is also why some people (like myself) had CFLs go bad early in can enclosures, when they were supposed to last for a LOT longer. The units I bought are fully sealed and enclosed and fit into the old edison socket with a pigtail wire. Only took maybe an extra minute per light to install vs. a bulb replacement.

Those CREEs are supposed to be very nice though. I've read a lot of good things about them. Do they have an Xcel rebate running right now on them?

I guess it's not OK to run CFL in a bare porcelain ceiling (basement) fixture?

Junk (and junk science) IMHO.

I'm going to jump into LED's soon, probably go with anything that works with Wink as my Chamberlain door opener gateway already does.

[newracer]

I did not replace the can just put in the LED bulb. The ceiling in my living room and kitchen where the can lights are is a little over 18' and I do not have a ladder tall enough to reach.

I put these over the living room area.

http://www.feit.com/thumb.php?img=documents/images/products/BR30_DM_LEDG2_bulb.jpg&w=600&h=600

And these over the kitchen.

http://www.feit.com/thumb.php?img=documents/images/products/par30_s_5k_ledg5_bulb.jpg&w=600&h=600

[Brian]

I guess it's not OK to run CFL in a bare porcelain ceiling (basement) fixture?
Junk (and junk science) IMHO.
I'm going to jump into LED's soon, probably go with anything that works with Wink as my Chamberlain door opener gateway already does.

Yeah I'm no expert, and am not sure what to make if of it either. I don't suppose a bare fixture would be an issue either way - it sounded like it was the recessed can that was a potential problem. While incandescent bulbs are built to handle the heat of being enclosed in a can fixture, the LEDs don't like it as much, and the all-in-one retrofit fixtures account for this somehow.

I actually picked up a 4 pack of bare LED bulbs too, and will probably put them in one area and see how they compare from a longevity standpoint after a couple years (hopefully at least a couple years...)

[gnihcraes]

bare porcelain ceiling fixtures I thought were illegal in today's world. The issue of not having a covered bulb, catching things on fire.

Code nearly got me on that too, closets can lighting should also have a dome/cover on them. Like for a shower fixture. It prevents items in the closet from touching the bulbs and starting fires. They let me slide because I have CFL's in them.

Most of the warranties on CFL and LED require the bulbs be installed Base Down like in a table lamp. If any other direction or location, warranty is moot.

[Brian]

For the record, I have a little flicker using Insteon dimmers on my Costco cans. Sounds like it might be related to the TED5000 (whole house energy monitor) or the Lutron dimmers I have installed upstairs, or maybe just lack of testing - I sent an email to the LED manufacturer asking about home automation dimmers. Will probably replace them and see if it goes away, since I really want my automation. Strangely, the dimmers also seem to have dimmed the max brightness too - though that might still be a setting I haven't figured out yet.

[Brian]

Has anyone found a decent chandelier/candelabra light that has high wife-approval? I bought several of these to replace the lights over our kitchen table, but she absolutely hates them because of the white lower heatsink base. The old incandescent ones were glass all the way through. These would not look so bad if they were hanging upside down, but in our fixture they hang right-side-up and the solid white section looks funny.

http://i.imgur.com/4iZCCFN.jpg?1

Found this one on amazon, that appears to have an LED filament, which is an interesting idea:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QJ0VILK?psc=1

http://i.imgur.com/MfYW97E.jpg?1

Similar model - discussion doesn't seem positive
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?392160-Faux-Filament-LED-in-Candelabra-Bulb-with-Great-Brightness

[gnihcraes]

paint the base silver? [ROFL1]

Sorry, no help. I do know these types don't always fit into the same fixtures. My ceiling fan has similar and the LED versions are too long.

[Danimal]

Deleted

[def90]

A house I did back in 2004 just traded hands. I originally installed a Vantage Q-Link system with RF dimmers. The electricians for the new homeowners went and swapped out a ton of the Halogen MR16 fixtures with the Costco retrofit LED lights. For the most part they dim well. The bad part is that they are horribly bright and give off the same color temperature as early fluorescent fixtures. The old fixtures were spot type fixtures so the light was directed while the new LED fixtures just flood the room. The house (which originally had a lighting designer layout the fixtures and locations) went from a warm and inviting feel to harsh and cold. The new homeowners hate them and are ripping them out. With a recommendation from another lighting designer I know we are going to put the halogen fixtures back in and use some SORAA 2700k 10 degree and 25 degree LED bulbs. I am told the 9watt bulbs will be about as bright as the old halogen 50watt bulbs. They are supposed to be pretty close in color temperature to the halogens and they will also give the same spot/directed light that the old bulbs had.

http://www.soraa.com/products/MR16-GU5.3

They are not cheap though.

[Brian]

FWIW, current model costco retrofit lights are 2700k, which are "warm" lights. I think the older FEIT retrofits were cooler...? They are definitely SUPER bright without a dimmer - the equivalent of a 120w incandescent. We love that in the kitchen, but have added some dimmers in other areas for evening hours. Most LEDs I've seen do "look" different though, including these. I'm not sure if they look cooler than they are, or something else - I read something once that it had something to do with the color rendering index (CRI) of LEDs... some of the reviews on Amazon mention this.

These are the lights Colorado costcos have in the stores today. I think you can order other models off the website, but they do not always have the automatic rebates applied like those in store do.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M08UWPI

These are the lamp lights costco has, also with the automatic rebates:
http://www.amazon.com/Feit-Electric-Replacement-Directional-Dimmable/dp/B00O75K6AS

When I have a minute, I'll try to scribble down a little bit about our setup. Right now there are a ton of things moving in the home automation world, with many competing standards fighting, and Apple/Amazon throwing into the mix. Assuming you want to start with something flexible, I'd probably look at vera or smartthings first, but there are other good options. I'd try to find something that's compatible with an open standard (like zwave or other) if not based on it. Our system controls lights, locks, heater/AC, security system, some switches to shut off stuff the kids forget, garage doors, etc. though I still have backups on some things (like locks) and we don't have it setup in every room. But with kids, it is great for things like "oops, it's 7pm and the kids left the garage door open, would you like the system to close it?"

For LED dimmers though, there's still a long ways to go. You really need to look at the LED manufacturer's website to see what dimmers they have tested with and vice versa. Hard enough before you throw in there that you want the dimmer to be home-automated based, let alone one compatible with your system. Again though, going with something open like zwave probably gives you the greatest chance to find an easier match that will work with both your lights and your home automation system.



A house I did back in 2004 just traded hands. I originally installed a Vantage Q-Link system with RF dimmers. The electricians for the new homeowners went and swapped out a ton of the Halogen MR16 fixtures with the Costco retrofit LED lights. For the most part they dim well. The bad part is that they are horribly bright and give off the same color temperature as early fluorescent fixtures. The old fixtures were spot type fixtures so the light was directed while the new LED fixtures just flood the room. The house (which originally had a lighting designer layout the fixtures and locations) went from a warm and inviting feel to harsh and cold. The new homeowners hate them and are ripping them out. With a recommendation from another lighting designer I know we are going to put the halogen fixtures back in and use some SORAA 2700k 10 degree and 25 degree LED bulbs. I am told the 9watt bulbs will be about as bright as the old halogen 50watt bulbs. They are supposed to be pretty close in color temperature to the halogens and they will also give the same spot/directed light that the old bulbs had.

http://www.soraa.com/products/MR16-GU5.3

They are not cheap though.