Replace Halogen with LED | Lights.co.uk (2024)

GUIDE

Replace Halogen with LED | Lights.co.uk (1)

After the ban on incandescent bulbs in 2009, the halogen bulb was a good alternative until a few years ago. Adding a halogen bulb quadrupled the bulbs lifespan in some cases and while improving energy efficiency. However, this lighting technology has been replaced with a more advanced alternative: LED light.

All LED lamps

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The most common halogen sockets include E27, E14 as well as G9. There is an LED alternative for each of them.

Replace Halogen with LED | Lights.co.uk (3)

The G9 LED bulb is a more efficient and visually almost identical alternative.

Is it possible to switch from halogen to LED?

The change from halogen to LED is simple. There are suitable LED alternatives for every halogen light source, from the G9 pin-base lamp to the classic E27 screw thread.

G4 LED

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GU10 LED

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More LED lights

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Which consumes more power: halogen or LED?

The LED bulb has better luminous efficacy, i.e. a better ratio of watts to lumens. Thus, LEDs are more energy efficient and cheaper to operate. Roughly 90% of energy is saved depending on the quality of the bulb. LEDs are also the most environmentally friendly light source on the market due to their lower power consumption, as well as their switching stability and longevity. Due to the spread of LEDs, the price of these modern bulbs has also dropped, so you save instantly.

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Which lights up better: halogen or LED?

Individuals who have had good experiences with halogen in the living room will also be pleased with LED. When purchasing an LED bulb, pay close attention to the colour temperature (in Kelvin). Halogen light measures less than 3,300 Kelvin, referred to as warm white.

Unlike conventional light sources, LED bulbs are available in a wide range of light colours, from warm white (<3,300 K) to universal white (3,300 - 5,300 K) to daylight white (>5,300 K). LED bulbs allow you to choose the appropriate light colour according to the surroundings. Another option is the smart bulb, which has colour-changing abilities.

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Replacing a halogen bulb with an LED bulb is easy and efficient

Which LED replaces a 50W halogen?

When incandescent bulbs were replaced by halogen bulbs, wattage was no longer a reliable value for determining brightness. The lumen value - the luminous flux of the lamp - is compared to determine the brightness. The power consumption in watts differs significantly depending on the quality of the LED bulbs, and therefore watts no longer have any significance for brightness.

For example, a 28-watt halogen bulb generates approximately 470 lumens. To switch to LED technology, pay attention to the corresponding lumen specification in the instructions or on the product packaging of the LED bulb.

Watts of old incandescent bulbs Watt halogen bulb Lumen Watts of a comparable LED bulb
100 75 1521 e.g. 15 W LED lamp
75 60 1055 e.g. 11 W LED lamp
60 45 806 e.g. 8,5 W LED lamp
40 30 470 e.g. 4 W LED lamp
25 20 249 e.g. 4 W LED lamp

Only conventional incandescent bulbs had a uniform watt-to-lumen ratio.

Are LEDs dimmable like halogen lamps?

All halogen bulbs were dimmable. With LED bulbs, however, you need to make sure you use special dimmable LED bulbs, as not all of them are dimmable.

However, some LED bulbs can do more than "just" be dimmed. Smart light sources such as those from the Philips Hue system allow you to dim or change the colour temperature via a smartphone. In this way, a single light source can provide the ideal light for relaxing, working or partying, at any time.

Dimmable LED bulbs

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Replaceable bulbs and external dimmer

If an external dimmer has been installed in the room, a dimmable light source should be considered when switching to LED, . It may be necessary to replace the existing transformer with a suitable LED transformer.

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For dimmable bulbs and replaceable bulbs

Many floor lamps, e.g. with a G9 socket, also have an integrated dimmer, e.g. on the cord or directly on the lamp base itself. Here you need to make sure you are using a dimmable G9 LED bulb so you can use the integrated dimmer, as not all LED lamps are dimmable, unlike halogen lamps.

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LED bulbs with integrated lighting technology and dimmer switch

If you're looking for a new lamp anyway - an uplight, for example - it's worth choosing an LED bulb with fixed built-in light and dimming technology. External dimmers will therefore be unnecessary. You can always find information on the features of the light in question, such as dimming and dimmer included, in the product details.

Replace Halogen with LED | Lights.co.uk (17)

What is the correct way to dispose of old halogen bulbs?

Halogen lamps, like incandescent lamps - do not belong in the glass container but in a separate container suitable for light sources available at recycling centres or sometimes in supermarkets or lighting shops.

The change from halogen to LED

Switching from halogen to LED is quite simple. These are the special features:

  • Compatibility: LED bulbs are available for all common sockets

  • Light color: Cosy, halogen-like light is obtained with <3,300 K

  • Brightness: compare the lumen value to get the same brightness as with the old bulbs.

  • Smart home: offering smart bulbs to customise light at any moment

  • Power consumption: LEDs consume up to 90% less energy with the same light quality

  • Dimmability: Look out for LED bulbs with the suffix "dimmable"

Replace Halogen with LED | Lights.co.uk (2024)

FAQs

Can you just replace halogen bulbs with LED? ›

Yes, in many cases, you can simply replace your bulbs separately, one by one.

Why is replacing halogen with LED illegal? ›

Why are LED bulbs not road legal? The reason why vehicles that have had replacement LED bulbs retrofitted are not technically road legal is because this is considered an aftermarket modification that cannot be regulated.

Are halogen light bulbs being phased out? ›

A federal law will take effect in 2023 prohibiting the sale of bulbs with a luminous efficacy of fewer than 45 lumens per watt. This will phase out the majority of incandescent bulbs and halogen lamps currently on the market.

What is the LED equivalent of a 50 watt halogen bulb? ›

LED equivalents to halogen light bulbs
Halogen Light Bulb WattageLED Equivalent Wattage
75 Watt11 Watt
60 Watt8 Watt
50 Watt6 Watt
30 Watt4 Watt
1 more row
Mar 9, 2018

Do you need to change the transformer for LED lights? ›

They will have a transformer either in the ceiling or light fitting. Some LED bulbs, like the Philips Master LED range, have in-built circuitry that can deal with most (but not all) transformers, so you don't have to change them. In other cases, you need to replace the transformer with an LED driver.

Can I put LED bulbs in my spot lights? ›

Most LED spotlights and bulbs are 'retrofit'. This means that when replacing a halogen or incandescent bulb you can simply pop, screw or clip your LED bulbs into your existing light fittings without the need for an electrician.

Is it legal to replace halogen with LED? ›

The MoT inspection manual was updated in January 2021 with the following: 'Existing halogen headlamp units on vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1986 must not be converted to be used with high intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs.

Why are LED bulbs illegal? ›

LED headlights require different lenses to halogen bulbs—basically a whole different technological system—and need to be correctly aligned to make them safe on the roads. And at the moment there's no way of regulating aftermarket LEDs.

In what states are LED headlights illegal? ›

Are aftermarket LED headlights legal in California? Aftermarket headlights – those that you purchase separately for your vehicle – are legal in California. LED headlights are also legal as long as they are white, have amber turn signals, and are within the 2,513-lumen limit.

Why are halogen lights illegal? ›

Are halogen and incandescent bulbs illegal? Purchasing or using halogens and incandescent bulbs is not illegal. However, since they do not meet the federally mandated manufacturing standards, they will no longer be produced.

Which lasts longer halogen or LED? ›

LED lights last over 25,000 hours, while good-quality halogen bulbs last 3,600 hours. This translates to the expected life of an LED to be more than 15 years, vs 2-3 years for a halogen bulb based on 4 hours of use per day.

Is it still possible to buy incandescent light bulbs? ›

If you walk into a store, you won't find any of the traditional incandescent light bulbs originally patented by Thomas Edison. A federal law eliminated the sale of most incandescent and halogen lighting products.

Can I use LED bulbs in halogen fittings? ›

Fortunately, upgrading Halogen MR16 light bulbs to LED is usually a painless affair, as most LED light bulbs are now designed to retrofit to existing light fittings. All you have to do to swap your old bulbs out is remove them from the light fixture and fit the new, shiny bulbs in their place.

Can you put LED lights instead of halogen? ›

Changing a halogen bulb is very easy. In order to save on your energy costs, you can replace a halogen bulb directly with an LED bulb. In addition, LED lights last on average around 25 times longer than a halogen bulb. There are various LED lamps that are suitable for replacing halogen lighting.

Can you replace halogen tubes with LED? ›

Is it possible to switch from halogen to LED? The change from halogen to LED is simple. There are suitable LED alternatives for every halogen light source, from the G9 pin-base lamp to the classic E27 screw thread.

Can you use LED bulbs in any light fixture? ›

Are LED light bulbs safe to use in every light fixture? LED light bulbs are safe to use in the majority of fixtures and fittings. There are some applications where specific LED bulbs should not be fully enclosed because they can overheat, which results in the bulb burning out prematurely.

Can you just replace incandescent bulbs with LED? ›

You can simply replace them with LED light bulbs without having to change anything about your lighting system. Although they were once known as energy-saving light bulbs compared to incandescent filament light bulbs, they consume more electricity than LED light bulbs and have a shorter useful life.

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