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The Difference Between Halogen and LED Home Lighting

The Difference Between Halogen and LED Home Lighting

The Difference Between Halogen and LED Home Lighting

With all of us on an energy-saving mission to reduce our household running costs as well as reduce the impact on the environment, it can be difficult to know what to do to save electricity. Here at Meteor Electrical, Ireland’s largest electrical wholesaler, we wanted to put spotlight bulbs to the test and find out what’s better, Halogen spot light bulbs or LED spotlight bulbs. There has been a lot of speculation about the difference between LED and halogen bulbs, some saying LED lighting is too expensive to buy up front, and some saying that halogen spotlight bulbs give off too much heat and cost too much to run. So which light bulb is better, Halogen or LED spotlight bulbs? are LED lights cheaper to run? and are LED lights cheaper to run than normal bulbs?

We have outlined what you need to know the difference between LED and Halogen spotlight bulbs, and what is the most efficient for lighting fixture your home. Find out what light bulb came out on top.

Halogen Spotlights and LED Spotlights Difference

Halogen and LED technology is now widely used in a wide variety of light bulbs and luminaires. Is the more costly LED version worthwhile to purchase? Do they have any benefits? The distinctions between halogen and LED lighting technologies are described here.

To fully understand the difference between a halogen spotlights and LED spotlights. Let start with What is a Halogen bulb? What is a Halogen spotlight bulb? What is an LED bulb? and what is a LED Spotlight bulb?

What is a Halogen and LED Spotlight bulb?

What is a LED Spotlight Bulb?

LED spotlight bulbs (light emitting diodes) differ from the halogen spotlights in the way they produce light and unlike halogen spotlight bulbs, they don’t have a filament that will gradually burn out which is why LED lighting is better. Put simply, LED lights produce light by passing a current through a semi-conductor. Using LEDs is much more energy-efficient than halogen and traditional light bulbs and produces very little waste thermal radiation (only generating about 20% heat and 80% light, the opposite of the halogen spotlight bulb).

Earlier types of LED lights were criticized for being slow to light up, but newer versions of this light bulb instantly light up. LED lights for the home are a relatively new trend and part of the drive towards making homes more energy-efficient, while at the same time reducing electricity bills. A common question regarding LED light bulbs is whether it is more cost-effective to switch to LED home lights. If so, how much more? So if you're wondering, do LED lights use less electricity? here's your answer; 

 

led vs halogen spotlights

What is a Halogen Spotlight Bulb?

Halogen spotlight bulbs work in a similar way as old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs. The halogen light fittings produce light by employing a filament encased in halogen gas. Halogen spotlight bulbs provide a warm, bright light and illuminate to full brightness as soon as the switch is switched on.

From September 2021, the government have phased out halogen spotlights in favour for more efficient forms of light such as LED lighting. As well as being very inefficient in terms of light generation, halogen spotlight bulbs are also non-eco-friendly. Halogen spot light bulb types burn out quicker than LED alternatives; resulting in a more wasteful product in terms of materials that are unable to be recycled. Yes, there are eco Halogen bulbs on the market, but ultimately, LEDs are far superior in terms of being eco-friendly. For users that are looking for low energy spotlights, those with LEDs are the best choice. 

replacing halogen with led

GU10 LED Spotlights VS Halogen Spotlights

A common question many ask is do LED lights use a lot of electricity? Lets put it to test, halogen spotlights vs led light bulbs.

To work out which light bulb is best for your house and the most cost effective, taking into account upfront costs and running costs, we have compared LED bulbs vs halogen bulbs. We have omitted traditional bulbs due to their non-compliance to eco and energy efficiency.

As a basic test, we ask the question: "how much does a 5w bulb cost to run?" For this test we have compared 2 spotlight versions of LED VS halogen spotlights. A GU10 50 Watt halogen house light and a GU10 5 Watt LED house light. This will help you roughly work out and answer the question; how much does an LED bulb cost to run?

Cost of Buying and Running LED GU10 Bulbs and Halogen GU10 Bulbs Over Their Lifetime

A quick comparison of the running costs of halogen bulbs versus LED bulbs says everything. We have highlighted below the cost of running GU10 bulbs and compared LED bulbs vs halogen bulbs over a lifetime: 

 

Halogen

GU10 Bulb

LED

GU10 Bulb

Cost per bulb

£1.90

£4.28

Power

50 Watt

5 Watt

Lifetime hours

1,500 hours

25,000 hours

KWh of electricity used over 25,000 hours

1,250

125

Cost of electricity @£0.15/ kWh

£187.50

£18.75

Bulbs needed to last 25,000 hours

17

1

Total bulb expense

£32.80

£4.28

Total cost (buying and running for 25,000 hours)

£220.30

£23.03

The table above shows that for each halogen spotlight bulbs that you replace with an LED alternative you will save £197.27 over its lifetime. (NB: This is based on a typical electricity rate of 15 pence per Kilowatt hour and a home LED spotlight lasting 25, 000 hours).

Let’s now look at what this means on a yearly basis.  25,000 hours of light is hard to imagine and although saving almost £200 per bulb over its lifetime sounds too good to be true, what does this equate to on a yearly basis and what are we really going to save on our electricity bills? For the following calculations, we have assumed that each light bulb is used for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week and that this does not change between LED and Halogen.

Cost of Buying and Running LED GU10 and Halogen GU10 Bulbs Over a Year

I have highlighted below the cost of running GU10 bulbs and compared LED bulbs vs halogen bulbs over a year:

 

Halogen

GU10 Bulb

LED

GU10 Bulb

KWh of electricity used per year

145.60

14.56

Cost of electricity @£0.15/ kWh

£21.83

£2.18

Cost of running one bulb for a year

£21.83

£2.18

Based on the details above, by switching from halogen to LED bulbs in your home you will save on average £19.65 per year per bulb that you change.

A typical 3-bedroom house on average uses 20 GU10 light bulbs and if all of these were changed to GU10 LED lights, it would save you £393 in electricity costs each year, with the initial upfront cost to buy new LED bulbs being £85.60. This means that the expense of switching from halogen to LED bulbs will pay for itself after 5 months of being installed and used.

Are Halogen Spotlight Bulbs Brighter than LED?

Previously, wattage and brightness were directly related. The higher the wattage of a bulb, the brighter the halogen spotlight bulb will be..

Wattage is no longer a useful metric for determining brightness now that LED lighting have been introduced. Lumens are a metric that properly and objectively measures how bright a light bulb will be

So which Light is Brighter?  LED vs Halogen Spotlights:

The lumen rating is the most precise way to measure LED bulbs, and generally speaking, the greater the lumens, the higher the wattage. The wattage value for LED bulbs represents its energy output, therefore the lower the wattage, the less energy it will use and, ultimately, the more money you'll save.

Below is a table that highlights the wattage and lumen output of a halogen spotlight bulb and a LED spotlight bulb. It requires only 8 watts LED spotlight to produce an 800-lumen output whereas a halogen spotlight, requires a 60-watt halogen spotlight bulb to produce 800-lumen output.

In other words, a 60-watt LED spotlight will be brighter than a 60-watt halogen spotlight bulb.

 

LED Spotlight Bulb

Halogen Spotlight Bulb

Wattage

8 Watt

60 Watt

Lumen Output

800

800

 

The Key Difference between LED and Halogen Spotlights 

For a number of reasons, LEDs obviously outperform all conventional lamps like halogen, fluorescent, metal halide, etc. as compared to halogen. They utilise less energy, last longer, and offer more colour possibilities than halogen lamps, which are generally yellowish. They are also brighter than halogen lamps and frequently cast a wider beam. In addition, many individuals believe they look cool.

Halogen lamps have been extensively used for many years because they are inexpensive to produce and easy to replace, however LEDs currently outperform them. So let's start with the fundamentals and examine why LEDs are superior to halogens in the LED vs. HALOGEN comparison.

1. Power Consumption 

Light bulbs are rated in watts (W) to show how much energy the light bulb will consume while it generates light, and the lumens will give you a measure of how much light it will create if we compare the power consumption of LED and Halogen lighting. You can see the difference and learn why LEDs are so efficient by comparing their wattage usage to that of halogen lights.

Halogen light fittings use about 90% of their energy-giving off heat. Whereas, LED lighting saves 85% of energy-producing lighting! 

2. Light Brightness 

Let's look into halogen brightness compared. LED brightness The amount of light emitted by a light source is measured by its luminous flux (lumen). It is the luminous flux to electrical power consumption ratio (lm/W). A lumen, commonly referred to as light bulb brightness, is a unit used to quantify how much light a bulb produces.

LED lighting brightness can be controlled using a dimmer switch whereas with Halogen lighting it can only remain the same brightness. 

3. Life Expectancy

In comparison to incandescent bulbs, halogen bulbs are more energy-efficient and may last up to twice as long while still emitting a bright, white light. The most durable light bulbs are LEDs, which outlast all other types of bulbs by years.

4.  Energy Impact 

Environmentally efficient LED lighting! In essence, LED light bulbs emit no UV radiation. This makes LED perfect for usage in museums to light objects like antiques and antiquated papers.
Infrared light from halogen lights may harm textiles and works of art.
Prior to usage, halogen lamps should either be coated or covered with glass because to the enormous amounts of UV light they release.

Other Benefits of Switching from Halogen to LED light Fittings

Switching from halogen to LED lighting provides great benefits. Why is LED lighting better? As well as being longer lasting and more cost-effective, LED lighting can be beneficial in other ways too.  LEDs brighten up instantly and are unaffected by frequent switching on and off; they produce a focused beam of light making them suitable for a wide variety of applications such as spotlights, display cabinets, garden features, etc; they are compact and durable making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor lighting; and they are very precisely controllable allowing for very dynamic control of the light intensity, colour, and distribution. GU10 Led bulbs are also available in dimmable and non-dimmable varieties for such many needs.

Read more about why you should change to LED lighting here.

halogen light bulbs vs led light bulbs

Can you still buy Halogen Light Bulbs

Many people are often confused with the ban in 2021. The big question is “can you still buy halogen light bulbs?”

Halogen spotlights have been banned from September 2021 which means halogen spotlight bulbs will no longer be available to purchase in the market.  However, if you still have functioning halogen spotlight lights, you are not required to remove them until they burn out.

Although halogen spotlight bulbs are not energy efficient vs their LED counterpart and have been criticized for giving out too much heat, this can work in their favour in some situations. Use halogen spotlight fittings in rooms where you need extra heat; this is especially relevant on building sites or during home renovations. Due to the excess heat that is given off, this can be used to warm a room. Halogen spotlight fittings also work well as outdoor lighting and feature where additional heat is required.

We have a blog about the Halogen Ban which will answer all your questions, read more here.

Can you replace a Halogen Bulb with an LED Bulb?

Yes, you can replace halogen with LED lighting. Many people are changing each bulb individually when the halogen spotlight eventually burns out.

We have created a guide to help you choose LED bulbs to replace your halogen spotlight fixtures. There are certain additional considerations must be made when making the switch from halogen to LED.

One of the key considerations when switching from halogen to LED is the fitting. The fitting, also known as the bulb base, is the component of the bulb that fits into the lighting device's holder. Some bulbs feature a screw thread that enables them to be screwed into the bulb holder which is known as E27. Other bulbs such as GU10 have two little pins below them that must be turned a quarter turn to secure the bulb in the holder.

We sell replacement LED halogen replacement bulbs for E27 and GU10 bulb fittings. Check out our LED for halogen, LED E27 and GU10 selection online. We also sell a variety of replacement bulbs for halogen downlight bulbs

LED Strip Lights vs Halogen Strip Lights

If you have Halogen strip lights installed, or are simple intending to install strip lighting, you might be wondering; are LED strip lights expensive to run? do LED strip use a lot of electricity? Here's what you should know. 

LED strip lights consume less electricity, 85% less than incandescent lighting to be exact. The light output you get is still considerably bright. It's important to note that if your power supply is insufficient, your LED strip light will not be as bright as it should be, and may even flicker. Additionally, LED lighting has been shown to consume less 18% less electricity than CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamps). Ultimately, LED strip lights cost less to run. 

Speaking of comparing CFLs and LEDs, let's discuss. 

Energy Saving Bulbs vs LED bulbs

Compact Fluorescent Lamps are also known as energy saving bulbs. While CFLs and LED bulbs are both substantially more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent lamps, LEDs are ahead of CFLs. To compare, studies show that while CFLs are up to 25% more energy efficient, LEDs are approximately 75% more energy efficient than Incandescent or Halogen lighting. 

 

LED Spotlight Lamp

An LED spotlight lamp is a type of lighting fixture that utilizes Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology to produce a focused and directional beam of light. LED spotlight lamps are known for their energy efficiency, long lifespan, and versatility. Here are key features and information about LED spotlight lamps:

 

  1. LED Technology:

    • LED spotlight lamps use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the light source. LEDs are semiconductor devices that convert electrical energy into visible light, offering advantages such as energy efficiency and durability.
  2. Energy Efficiency:

    • LED spotlight lamps are highly energy-efficient, consuming less electricity compared to traditional incandescent or halogen spotlights. This results in lower energy bills and reduced environmental impact.
  3. Long Lifespan:

    • LEDs have an exceptionally long lifespan, typically lasting tens of thousands of hours. LED spotlight lamps can provide many years of reliable service before needing replacement.
  4. Brightness and Lumens:

    • LED spotlight lamps come in various brightness levels measured in lumens. The brightness can be adjusted based on the specific application and desired lighting effect.
  5. Color Temperature:

    • LED spotlight lamps offer a range of color temperatures, including warm white, cool white, and daylight. The choice of color temperature depends on the ambiance and mood desired for the space.
  6. Dimmable Options:

    • Many LED spotlight lamps are available in dimmable versions, allowing users to adjust the light intensity to suit different activities or create specific atmospheres.
  7. Directional Lighting:

    • LED spotlight lamps are designed to emit a focused and directional beam of light. This makes them suitable for accent lighting, task lighting, or highlighting specific areas, objects, or architectural features.
  8. Versatility:

    • LED spotlight lamps are versatile and can be used in various settings, including track lighting systems, recessed ceiling lights, pendant lights, and outdoor fixtures. They are commonly used for both residential and commercial applications.
  9. Cooler Operation:

    • LEDs emit very little heat compared to traditional lighting technologies. LED spotlight lamps remain cool to the touch during operation, contributing to a safer and more comfortable environment.
  10. Instantaneous Lighting:

    • LED spotlight lamps provide instant full brightness when switched on, eliminating any warm-up time. This makes them suitable for applications where immediate illumination is needed.

 

When selecting an LED spotlight lamp, consider factors such as the beam angle, color rendering index (CRI), compatibility with dimmer switches, and the specific lighting requirements of the intended space. LED spotlight lamps offer a modern and efficient lighting solution for creating focused and visually appealing illumination in various environments.

 

 

So which is better: Halogen or LED? 

There are various advantages to replacing your present incandescent or halogen bulbs with long-lasting LED bulbs. After replacing a halogen bulb with LED, you get even greater lighting performance while consuming extremely little energy. Furthermore, because LEDs can manage all white light colours, the warm yellowish light of halogen lamps is easily accessible!

Replacing Halogen Bulbs with LED - DIY 

If you're wondering; can you replace halogen bulbs with LED by yourself? The answer is yes! and it's pretty easy too. Here is a quick and easy-to-follow tutorial on how to switch out your halogen lights with LED. 

If you are struggling on what light fixture to choose for your home, or for a client’s new build or renovation, call our team on 0845 301 2016 from the UK or 1890 927 871 for Ireland. Shop our range of LED lights for the home online today. To work out how much you can save on your home energy bills by switching from halogen to LED spotlights, check out this Energy Calculator.