LED Lighting Upgrade: Is It Worth It?
LED lighting upgrades across South Auckland. What you save, what to look for in fittings, and when you need a sparky. EWRB-registered. Call 09 392 0055.
Switching ten halogen downlights to LED in a typical South Auckland home saves roughly $150-$200 a year on power, with payback usually under twelve months. It’s one of the best-value electrical upgrad
The numbers
A standard halogen downlight uses 50W. An equivalent LED uses 8-10W - about 80% less energy. If you have 10 downlights running 4 hours a day, the saving is roughly $150-$200 per year at current Auckland power prices.
Can you do it yourself?
If you’re just replacing globes in existing fittings, yes - no sparky needed. If you’re replacing the whole fitting (e.g., swapping old halogen downlights for integrated LED downlights), that’s electrical work and needs a licensed electrician.
What to look for in LED fittings
- Colour temperature: 2700K is warm white (like old incandescent), 4000K is neutral/cool. Most people prefer 2700-3000K for living areas.
- CRI (Colour Rendering Index): 80+ is fine, 90+ is better if colours matter (kitchens, art).
- Dimmable: If you have dimmers, make sure the LED is dimmable and compatible with your dimmer switch.
- IP rating: Any fitting in a bathroom needs IP44 minimum.
We do full LED retrofits - old halogens out, new integrated LEDs in, tested and certified. If you want a quote for your home, get in touch.