I have done a lot of research and clearly choosing the LED bulb/ pool light is the way to go considering energy, and life of the bulb. I have seen 500watt incandescent lights replaced with the pentair 5g intellibrite color LEDs and the light was just not as bright on any of the settings including the white, so I am considering buying the just white intellibrite 5g 500watt equivalent that are supposedly brighter than the white setting on the color lights to replace a 500w incandescent. Does anyone have any pictures side by side of the comparison (before and after if you replaced ) or have any experience with comparing the two or knowledge to share that would help me make this decision? I also like how the incandescent light spreads the light in a broader direction and wonder if anyone can speak to that as well comparing the 5g intellibrite white lights. Thank you so much for your help.
500 watt incandescent pool light vs pentair 5g 500 watt equivalent LED light
- Thread starter E Davis
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!!
Well, I like to consider myself "thrifty" but the wife says I'm cheap. There is no way i would buy a $400 LED bulb if it was just white. I can get 8 incandescent lights and gaskets for that much money.
Yes, incandescent lights use more power, but not that much more for the limited amount of time a pool light is turned on.
Well, I like to consider myself "thrifty" but the wife says I'm cheap. There is no way i would buy a $400 LED bulb if it was just white. I can get 8 incandescent lights and gaskets for that much money.
Yes, incandescent lights use more power, but not that much more for the limited amount of time a pool light is turned on.
I have to agree with Tim the difference in actual power consumption in the real world is just not that great. The only way it would approach making sense from a cost standpoint is if you ran your lights on for most of the evening every night.
CJadamec
TFP Expert
Try finding led replacement bulb for the halogen light and turn your halogen light into an led one for 20 bucks. Generally the LED replacement bulbs for the standard halogen or incandescent bulbs are every bit as bright if not brighter.
Depends on how long you are going to stay in the house if it's worthwhile. A LED is about 50W and lasts around 30,000 hours and would cost $135 for power at 9 cents per kWh plus the initial $400 for the fixture. An incandescent bulb will run about $30 for each lamp and gasket change so $450 for lamps and gaskets plus $1350 for power during the life of one LED fixture. Of course it will take 33 years to use 30000 hours of lamp life if your timer runs the light for 2.5 hours a night like I do. The cost breakeven point is around 9000 hours of usage, or right before you install the 5th incandescent replacement.
Thank you all for your expert knowledge and opinions. I think my real question that I need help with was buried in my post. Not comparing, the cost, or the efficiency, is the 5g 500 watt equivalent (they say) LED light as bright as the 500 watt incandescent and will it light up as much area? Thank you again.
The LED light will not be as intense as the incandescent one.
One advantage of the LED that wasnt mentioned though, is that LED doesn't attract as many bugs. I saw an exponentially HUGE difference in quantity of bugs swarming around the light when I switched from incandescent to LED.
If your area is bug prone like mine is, then maybe think about it....
One advantage of the LED that wasnt mentioned though, is that LED doesn't attract as many bugs. I saw an exponentially HUGE difference in quantity of bugs swarming around the light when I switched from incandescent to LED.
If your area is bug prone like mine is, then maybe think about it....