LED payback

Status
Not open for further replies.
ptonsparky

ptonsparky

Tom
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
I saw some LED fixtures a week or so ago that impressed me so I had the rep price them for a project we are working on. Thought maybe I could upgrade the fixtures as an option with customer paying the difference. You think they might go for 140K more than the existing 140K for the whole project? LEDs have a ways to go yet.
 
The potential payback for LEDs comes from the added length of time between replacement of the bulbs. You need to do a Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA), in order to get the entire picture.
 
If they are interior lights they will never produce an ROI. I can do the math for you if you like, but long life T8 is the way to go.
 
I have done the ROI calculations to compare fixtures in the past. Usually T5, T8, & MH comparisons. I am with you that T8s usually come out ahead. Once I heard the price for the LEDs I didn't even bother. My WAG is that payback is not there, given the operational hours, even at half the price.
 
BullsnPyrs said:
DOE sponsered a retrofit of some Smithsonian Exhibition halls from incandescant and halogen to LED track heads. The report link is below.

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/2012_gateway_smithsonian.pdf

At 14 cents per kwh they got a payback of 1.6 years without a significant change in lighting levels and appearance.
Click to expand...

LED works well lighting jewelry and exhibits. It creates "sparkle" which CFL is really horrible at. Applying an ROI in these situations seems a little unfair because LED isn't really giving a cost savings, it's also providing an ambience that CFL cannot.
 
Be sure that you are comparing apples to apples. Are you talking a generic lensed troffer against an LED fixture? Probably no payback there, but if you are on a LEED or IECC project that requires dimming and/or the client wants a higher end look than a lensed troffer the fixture price can be the same since LED fixtures generally have dimming built-in whereas with T8 it is an add-on.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top