> Just stick to proven fixtures, and let me put my own choice of bulbs in it!
LED retrofit bulbs (Edison screws) are just shit no matter what - your choice will basically almost always be inferior to something that can be integrated into a fan by virtue of the technology.
Down-facing light from ceiling fans is also just bad, even on a $2000 Big Ass Fans Haiku. Central-point overhead lighting is displeasing.
I have led retrofit screw bulbs in all my fixtures. They're the right color temperature and brightness. We replaced them years ago and have only had one go bad. Why are they shit?
Poor cooling, poor light emission, poor longevity. Philips Dubai lamps aren't bad in this line, but Feit, Philips' normal products, etc. have high failure rates when installed in most enclosures (fans, cans, tight sconces, etc.)
You're not wrong - but what do I do when the light is not bright enough (hint - almost all of them are not bright enough for my needs)?
And how many of them can I control with SmartThings, etc?
With my own bulbs, I can have it how I want it. I pick the fan based on the fan's capabilities, and not worry about the light.
> Central-point overhead lighting is displeasing.
No arguments there, but most houses/apartments in the US are built in this brain dead way. When I lived abroad, it was much better. The lights were always on the walls - often opposing walls. This way, light is coming more at an angle downwards, and you can position chairs/beds/couches such that the light is behind you, and if you're reading a book, the pages are being lit up by it.
> You're not wrong - but what do I do when the light is not bright enough (hint - almost all of them are not bright enough for my needs)?
Replace the entire LED base with a brighter one if you need more lumens. If you do the same with a standard e26 or candelabra bulb setup, you’ll have the exact same issue with bulb longevity. Brighter bulbs stuffed into the tiny enclosures will absolutely cook.
you're telling me I can find a replacement for the LED base?
When I looked, the fans were all listed as having irreplaceable bulbs. That is one of the complaints in the article.
> If you do the same with a standard e26 or candelabra bulb setup, you’ll have the exact same issue with bulb longevity. Brighter bulbs stuffed into the tiny enclosures will absolutely cook.
LED bulbs shouldn't cook. I'm not talking incandescent, but LED bulbs. I use them all the time. They last a decent amount of time.
> you're telling me I can find a replacement for the LED base?
Depending on which one you mean in the article… the super gaudy ones with extremely custom light fixtures would be hard. The basic led based that have crazy fan blades? Yeah, no problem.
Here’s an example (there’s a million like this in a variety of sizes, lumens, and color temps, just the first example I found on Amazon):
https://a.co/d/0aP9nKdJ
> LED bulbs shouldn't cook. I'm not talking incandescent, but LED bulbs. I use them all the time. They last a decent amount of time.
But they do. They’re obviously not as much heat as incandescent lights, but if you’ve ever felt an LED bulb after it’s run for awhile, they’re typically too hot to touch. And fan enclosures are very harsh environments: no airflow and fully enclosed typically.
But it is interesting you menition enclosed. All my rooms that don't have fans have the bulbs fully enclosed in a ceiling fixture. They last a decent amount of time.
> (Well, OK, the base may be - where the connection is. Will need to test out).
Usually that's the hottest part. And it's also the area most likely to be damaged by the excess heat: the power electronics
> Ah, that explains your stance. I definitely don't want fans that have them enclosed. Something like this is fine:
That example would be considered to be considered an enclosed luminary, actually. The bulbs are facing downward and the backside is enclosed by the glass/plastic globes which trap heat. You'll get more airflow than the fully enclosed ones... but it's still much worse than an open air bulb (or, bulbs where the bulbs face upward), and the place where you screw the bulb into the socket is going to be the hottest point since convection causes the heat to travel upwards.
Also, generally, the more modern designs have an enclosure because it spreads light out with the diffusion of the globe. You can use ring LEDs or other various patterns more easily that way.
LED retrofit bulbs (Edison screws) are just shit no matter what - your choice will basically almost always be inferior to something that can be integrated into a fan by virtue of the technology.
Down-facing light from ceiling fans is also just bad, even on a $2000 Big Ass Fans Haiku. Central-point overhead lighting is displeasing.