New GE lightbulb lasts 17 years

GE has launched a new lightbulb this week, one that uses LED technology instead of compact fluorescents and that has a life expectancy of 17 years. The catch? The bulb costs $50 USD.

The new bulb uses only 9 watts and "provides a 77% energy savings" while lasting up to 25 times longer than a current 40-watt CFL (compact fluorescent).

The bulb is dubbed the GE Energy Smart LED Bulb, and will work in any normal incandescent socket.

The U.S. government recently passed new lighting efficiency standards, meaning 100-watt incandescent bulbs will soon be phased out (starting in 2012), with 75-watt bulbs getting phased out in 2013, and 60 and 40-watt bulbs getting the boot in 2014.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Apr 2010 22:11

Advertisement - News comments available below the ad

24 comments

bam431

Wow, that is kinda amazing when I think about it. 17 years is a long freakin' time. I think I'd be replacing the lamp before the light bulb.

This could be anywhere This could be everywhere
Xbox Live: war dog431 - PSN: bam431 - IGN: bam431
Youtube: wardog431 - Twitter: bam431
My site: Work in progress.

11.4.2010 22:19 #1

ZippyDSM

So the catch is a 20-50$ bulb that only really lasts 2-4 years max on life, before burning itself out?

Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

11.4.2010 22:40 #2

indisbelief (unverified)

Used to be GE's bulb would last a year now they make on that lasts 17 years. Used to be GE would make a fridge that lasted 20 years. Now they only last 5.

11.4.2010 23:12 #3

Gneiss1

Well, I think I'll wait until GE bulbs catch up with Shelby bulbs (mentioned in an episode of the 'SciFi' series 'Warehouse 13', shown on cable in some English-speaking countries). This one, not far from me, has been burning for 109 years and shows no sign of waning.

Facts about the Shelby Bulb

Webcam of a Burning Shelby Bulb

11.4.2010 23:59 #4

creaky

I read about the 109yr old bulb, amazing, no way are 'energy saving' bulbs going to last even as long as standard bulbs, never mind the centennial bulb. Like many, many other people i don't like the new crappy energy saving bulbs (how dare i value my eyesight, energy bulbs are only of use to cave dwellers), so for now i have some supplies of contraband ie illegal standard bulbs i'd accumulated over the years. Just don't tell the authorities or it'll be "house raided over use of non-energy saving bulbs".

Don't know if this is true or not ~ The low-energy light bulbs that take control of your TV

Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***

12.4.2010 06:29 #5

JoeZ34 (unverified)

But can you dim them....

12.4.2010 08:17 #6

creaky

Dim them ?, what help is that ?, they're too dim already.. it's like we're going back to Victorian times. We'd probably get better light from the moon (don't give the government any ideas though)

12.4.2010 08:23 #7

ElTwo

I want to compare lumens not heat. Although an L.E.D. bulb may outlive the average incandescent bulb and average fluorescent bulb, the l.e.d. won't give sufficient lumens until we get solar panels to be 20% efficient.

12.4.2010 08:27 #8

ZippyDSM

Originally posted by creaky: Dim them ?, what help is that ?, they're too dim already.. it's like we're going back to Victorian times. We'd probably get better light from the moon (don't give the government any ideas though) I use 100 watt in everything so they aint so dim. :P

12.4.2010 09:10 #9

creaky

Indeed, i use 100 and 150 watt bulbs in fittings that support them, however that's only as long as we can source contraband bulbs. Even 40watts is fine as a lot of modern fitments use those, but energy bulbs, pah!.

12.4.2010 09:13 #10

DoggRuff

Originally posted by indisbelief: Used to be GE's bulb would last a year now they make on that lasts 17 years. Used to be GE would make a fridge that lasted 20 years. Now they only last 5. at least the light bulb inside will still work

12.4.2010 12:17 #11

mystic

led lights have been around since 1962 and now they think old technology is going to save them ... wow they have been using them in parking lots for years and christmas light for the last 10 so now we are all going to trash the old bulbs and run right out and support the economy and buy more because the government said they are the way to go..... smells like we have someone from GE working in the white house I mean before it was all oil and spend while old geogey B. was in office, now we all need to be green the new color of lets make tons of money and have people spend more the next thing will be geo thermo in every house if thease new bulbs are so great then they should give them to every school in every city in the US to help cut the cost of education as a pay back for making us buy bad products all these years.... since our taxes pay for the schools and the government helps subsides it... just a thought ..

12.4.2010 13:11 #12

ian23

I have a led bulb that replaces a par 20 bulb, I'm happy with it. Brighter than the par 20, I don't know about the bigger ones yet cause I'm not able to afford $65 for a par 40.

12.4.2010 19:41 #13

Gneiss1

Originally posted by ian23: I have a led bulb that replaces a par 20 bulb, I'm happy with it. Brighter than the par 20, I don't know about the bigger ones yet cause I'm not able to afford $65 for a par 40. That's useful. A couple of years ago, I tried buying LED light bulbs. All I could find, I think, were Evolution, SmartHome, & Crane bulbs. A very 'green' biologist advised me against buying any. Something about the glare, I think.

Now, a Google search reveals dozens of brands. It would be nice to know why people like or dislike them. Efficiency (coolness) & life are of most interest; but I'm the vampire type: currently use dim, warm light, glare-free bulbs to make the room walkable at night; then brighter bulbs (40 watt soft-white) where spot lights are needed (reading chairs, desks, cat's litter box).

The efficiency of our Christmas tree bulbs amazed me; so much so that I'm using them for nightlights (to avoid tripping on the way to lamp switches).

12.4.2010 20:56 #14

cart0181

I don't know what creaky and ZippyDSM are smoking. What rock have you guys been hiding under? You guys are usually so well informed. CFLs and LED bulbs are every bit as bright as standard filament bulbs, that is a proven fact. They use something called "lumens" to measure this, ever heard of it? At first, maybe about 12-15 years ago or so, the CFLs took a long time to warm up to full brightness. Today's bulbs are much improved in that regard, but still not perfect, and some are better than others. LED bulbs are new technology as far as household lighting goes, and are following a similar development path. CFLs are a mature technology we can use today though. Energy efficient computing is for the birds, but when it comes to household lighting, I'm on board.

13.4.2010 00:19 #15

creaky

It's very possible i am living under a rock :), i haven't used energy bulbs for many years (due to them taking so long to light up and they were too dim), maybe they've improved since then, i don't know as i stayed away due to said problems. However the main point of my posts was to illustrate my frustration at normal bulbs being outlawed.
I know very little about LED bulbs (apart from the many gadgets i have with them, which seem to last forever), what bothers me about LED's is modern cars that use them always seems to have blown (don't know the technical term) LED's in the LED cluster, plus modern LED speed limit signs always seem to have blown lights or even entire clusters not working. Things like that put me off LED technology in anything more than home gadgets. But as i say i know not (nor care not) about the actual technologies, i just don't like it when perfectly good things become outlawed, especially for reasons of make believe ie old lightbulbs harm the environment; Yeah right, more global warming nonsense.

13.4.2010 04:36 #16

dab0ne

17 years?!?! Looks like our future is looking pretty bright!!! Har har har I kill me!!! But seriously, creaky is right, they used to be pretty dim.

13.4.2010 15:46 #17

puterman

I'm wondering if any of the materials to make these LED lights be better or worse for the environment than our glass bulbs? So many times a new technology to make one thing better will make something else worse. Will we have to hire an electrician to come change a light because a new LED needs to be resoldered to the circuit board? Hey....job stimulation!!!

15.4.2010 12:04 #18

editmon

Read about Quantum wells ... http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=11486.php
New LEDs are different than the old ones. While they are not quite up to par yet they are getting there. I have four GE 2.8W G25 LED Globe Bulb ($10 Ea.) in a vanity fixture in the bath. They replaced four 40 watt GE incandescent globes rate @ 370 lumens, While the lumen rating is lower than expected the bulbs use 2.8 watts and are pleasing not harsh light and sufficient. Yes, I could have installed CFs but wanted to test the LED. IF the LEDs hold out anywhere near expected LED life I will be happy. Outer casing that holds the lights are coated frosted for good dispersal of light and are epoxy sealed in glass. I know, I dropped one of the buggers and broke the surround glass. I clean the shards off and used it as an entry lamp. There was $10 wasted.
Specs are:
Color: 2900K (Warm White)
Base Type: Edison
Non-dimmable
Light Output: 80 lumens (Yuck!)
Life: 12,000 Hours
Warranty: 3 Years
Input Voltage: 120V
Length: 4.3"

On another note LED in the auto industry may suffer from connection issues.
http://www.mimaki-ls.com/Pdf/appnote/AN-...ng%20Primer.pdf
Just a thought.

15.4.2010 14:06 #19

dbminter

All I know is when I tried the then new screw type replacement light bulbs. The 100 watt equivalents were not as bright, ironically, as a 100 watt bulb. So, I use the 120 and 150 watt versions of the screwy bulbs to get the light I want. I hope those won't be outlawed or I'll just have to stock up on some if they do.

15.4.2010 20:41 #20

ntense69

hell if they last that long id stock up even though they are not bright at first id rather have a cheaper electricity bill than a expensive one if this bulb can actually save me money in the long run id buy it

15.4.2010 22:13 #21

keebles

I found a light bulb that is brighter than led and Creaky might like it lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mARTSw8gp7c

SoftModed PS2
Maxtor 80GB installed with games on it
FREE HD Loader
http://www.geocities.com/c2k60004/index.html
Youtube.com: keebles21

15.4.2010 22:39 #22

blaster4

Here in Holland, the energy saving lamps are taking over because the government is outlawing the old filament type. I'm an old fart and, speaking for the other old farts, our eyes are not so good any more and we can't get enough light from these new expensive bulbs to see what we're doing. Are we to be condemned to a life of semi-blindness now when indoors?

16.4.2010 06:59 #23

cart0181

ROFL! "Is it a good idea to microwave this?" Show. Nice one.

18.4.2010 02:07 #24

AfterDawn: News