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[+] -35 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (35 children)

It only lights the ceiling up, you still need additional lighting for anything you want to do. And halogens are not soft lighting either.

Those were designed so the heat wouldn’t get trapped in the lid and the are super bright, so you couldn’t point them down. Replacing it with LED you wouldn’t need the same design considerations, and just replacing it with a led bulb won’t make it work the same.

These were just a shit light altogether, it’s why it didn’t “survive” the change to led. The efficiency is also worse because of their design.

Most upward lighting comes from the floor or lower down the wall, so it actually floods the room. Theres a point to upward lighting, but not at ceiling height and sending it more up.

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  • [–] 43 points 2 years ago* (21 children)

    It’s using the ceiling as a diffuser to soften it. Same way that photographers don’t normally point a light directly at a subject but instead use a diffuser like this

    https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-light-diffuser-photography/

    I agree that LEDs would probably work better with some kind of frosted glass as a diffuser but there are some high lumen LEDs that would work. They do get warm but not halogen warm.

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  • [+] -27 points 2 years ago* (18 children)

    Which is a horrible inefficient design and why it didn’t transfer with LEDs.

    Shit light gets discontinued, not a surprise. It was also the design of the time, wall sconces are hardly found in new builds anymore. People have moved on to better designs and technology.

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  • [–] 19 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    I'm guessing you're getting down voted by all of us that want light to be reflected/diffused off the ceiling, and actively own LED versions of this lamp.

    These exist, they make LED versions of this. I have 3 of them because I'm too lazy to crawl into the attic and install better lighting in the ceiling itself.

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  • [+] -23 points 2 years ago* (2 children)

    I too am a fan of pouring money down the drain on inefficient and useless lighting that needs to be 3x the power of other lighting!

    The LEDs were to keep with the designs that these lights created with their necessary design, there are better and more efficient ways to achieve the same lighting as these towers.

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  • I too am a fan of pouring money down the drain on inefficient and useless lighting that needs to be 3x the power of other lighting!

    I don't understand this take. A single LED bulb provides plenty of light for a bedroom, and two are plenty for a larger room. Your house doesn't have to look like a doctors office with 700 downward facing lights.

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago

    ...what are you even talking about? "better" lighting is completely subjective, I am happy with what my lights do and they are already LED, so there is no more efficient way to get the effects that I prefer.

    It's ok if you prefer different things, but you're just crapping on other people's subjective preferences as if your preference is the only right answer.

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  • [–] 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (13 children)

    It’s wild how hard you’re getting raked over the coals here.

    You’re not wrong at all.

    edit after your responses to me I get entirely why you’re being downvoted. Your idea is kinda right but you extend it WELL past its bounds.

    Unless it’s a traditional style bulb that is leds, those work pretty well in this style of lamp.

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  • [+] -17 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (12 children)

    It’s like people are ignoring the person who asked why this didn’t transfer to LEDs. Yeah I know what the light was designed for, I literally said it, and then explained why it doesn’t work for LEDs. It was mainly a design to not trap the heat in, if they could do downward facing halogens… this light probably wouldn’t ever exist.

    Sure, yeah a led bulb works in it, but you would need a powerful one negating the benefit and it’s also not designed for it. But of course someone will try and make a dime off of it, and some people will eat it up. Or they just think the thing looks nice, even though it’s useless.

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  • [–] 12 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    It’s not like LEDs are noticeably dimmer compared to their tungsten/halogen counterparts. Theres no reason they wouldn’t work in this lamp and many lamps still have a very similar design.

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  • [+] -12 points 2 years ago* (3 children)

    Inverse square law. A brighter light will shine more light further away. These work since it’s such a bright point source. You would need powerful LEDs like COBs (which have the same flaws as halogen) to achieve the same effect.

    Or more less powerful ones.

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Or... just hear me out. Less brightness is perfectly suitable.

    Sure for "reading or crafting" you may want more direct light. But for like existing in a room? You don't need 3000 lumens of 6000k highly directional light. One or two soft spread out sources is plenty for existing in a living room.

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  • [+] -9 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    So is the ceiling light that should already be installed in the room.

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  • Downward facing ceiling lights don't diffuse as well as an upward facing light bouncing off the ceiling.

    If you get an Edison style LED those are generally OK in downward facing lights. But LED bulbs in general suck ass at diffusing without having something to bounce off of. An upward facing bulb on a popcorn ceiling is the perfect combo for nice diffused light in a room. There's a reason why funky ass light fixtures and traditional light fixtures aren't as popular.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (6 children)

    Wait, no.

    The place you’re wrong is where you’re acting like these lamps aren’t still used.

    You can buy them at ilea for like 10 bucks.

    I have 3 of this style and have incandescent style led bulbs in them. They work fantastic.

    The directional panel leds you’ll see in modern LED fixtures are not a good fit for these, but others are.

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  • [+] -9 points 2 years ago* (5 children)

    Essential oils are a thing, people will buy anything, it doesn’t mean it’s practicable or there’s not far better options.

    Sounds more like justification, the originals were meant to use one on a room, you say you have 3? Maybe get a single better light next time?

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    I own a house, I have multiple rooms.

    If you choose to stop and have a more open mindset you’ll see you’re actually being downvoted for quite good reason.

    Now I realize it’s because you’re being argumentative and refusing to try to see perspective you don’t understand.

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  • [–] -5 points 2 years ago* (3 children)

    Oh no, a bunch of people disagree with me… and I’m being downvoted… oh well… why do you think any of that matters?

    These lights are a terrible design, and they are not a good design for LED, even though you absolutely can still use them. Other people would rather better spend the money on better lighting. Why is this so hard to believe?

    Why do I need to change my opinion? Not every discussion is about making the other side agree with you, I’m providing discourse so we can all learn something, but if your intention here is to make me see your side… nah.

    Its funny you say I’m refusing to accept others perspective, and yet in previous comments I address their uses and downsides. So no…? I’m more defending my valid opinions against a bunch of people just shouting there’s. How are you any different than me currently? I’m an ass for defending myself…? Okay.

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Why is this so hard to believe?

    Because we own lamps and have experience that extends beyond your narrow mindset.

    Take care dude, I don’t care in the slightest about your opinion anymore.

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  • [+] -6 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    Because we own lamps and have experience that extends beyond your narrow mindset.

    And people argue for essential oils as well. They are absolutely allowed that opinion. That doesn’t mean there isn’t better and other options and we’ve already discussed.

    Never cared about yours to begin with as well, so… what’s your point here?

    But it’s good to know I’m an ass for explaining and defending my opinion!

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  • [–] 21 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (8 children)

    It's soft light after bouncing off the ceiling.

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  • [+] -28 points 2 years ago (7 children)

    Which is inefficient and terrible design, that’s why it didn’t survive to the new technology.

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  • [–] 13 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Sure, it’s inefficient. But it’s more cozy. Also, those lights are usually dimmable, giving the halogen lights an even warmer colour temperature. Together with the indirect light, they were great for bedrooms or living rooms, when you don’t want or don’t need harsh ceiling light. Of course, no one would use them, when they’re trying to work on something or read or something like that. Home lighting isn’t always about the most efficient way to light a room.

    I for example still prefer indirect light in my living room, most of the time. Sure, it’s LED by now, but it’s still way nicer to let the light bounce off the wall while I’m just chilling. And if I actually need more light, the ceiling lamp still exists…

    Or how would you propose to create a cozy, soft and comfortable lighting atmosphere?

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  • [+] -16 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    Or how would you propose to create a cozy, soft and comfortable lighting atmosphere?

    Proper installed lighting? Like codes require in most places? There’s even lux requirements for decades in code. It’s just modern bulbs don’t meet the requirements that old receptacles used, so now people come up with excuses to use portable lighting instead of proper installed lighting.

    Maybe time for a reno to use your modern devices correctly.

    I will say, that some places do have a severe lack of code implementation and/or enforcement, so maybe this partly the issue. Non code compliant lighting to begin with.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago

    Here in Germany in most houses and apartments, rooms come with wiring for one, rarely two ceiling lamps. That’s it. If you’re fancy, there’s maybe wiring for one or two wall mounted lamps, if it’s a particularly big room. In the average room, if your lighting is properly installed you have one sufficiently bright ceiling lamp (one lamp, not necessarily just one bulb) to illuminate the room to a good brightness level. It’s not cozy but it’s bright.

    Now tell me, what should I do, to make it more cozy, that doesn’t involve laying new wiring into a concrete wall?

    Also, when has code compliant lighting ever been designed to be cozy? The regulations for primary lighting here in Germany are designed to provide sufficiently bright and pleasant light, illuminating the whole room. That’s it. There aren’t even any real codes for home lighting, only for work spaces, which do not need to be cozy but safe and comfortable.

    For home lighting there only exist unofficial recommendations, which, btw, usually include a recommendations for floor lamps and indirect lighting in living- and bedrooms.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago

    Direct light and soft light are useful for different purposes. If you're trying to efficiently light up a room, ceiling light may be useful, but for e.g. photography, you can usually get better results by using a diffuser, and this shape allows reusing the ceiling as the diffuser. Plus nostalgic value.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    They sell them at IKEA, with LED bulbs

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  • [+] -6 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    Just because someone sells something and people buy it, doesn’t mean it’s a great design or there isn’t better options.

    Just like essential oils.

    Everyone commenting is saying how they need multiple of them, just buy a single better light.

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  • Popcorn ceilings, for all their downfalls, are incredible at diffusing light pointed straight at them. I have a desk lamp pointed straight at the ceiling for when I want to light up my entire bedroom, but don't want the effect from the downward facing ceiling nipple. That desk lamp is about 4 feet away from the ceiling but it provides plenty of light for the entire room.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago

    It only lights the ceiling up, you still need additional lighting for anything you want to do. And halogens are not soft lighting either.

    I see you're in full body-contact mode with others on this discussion, and I don't mean the pile on, but I honestly wanted to ask you a follow-up question to your statement that I quoted.

    What you stated is not my experience. My house has light color painted ceilings, with no popcorn, so when the light goes up it bounces off the ceiling and gives a warm glow to the whole area.

    I don't see it as wasting energy, just diffusing the light in all directions, without having to have an explicit device in between the light and you to do the diffusing (like what they have in the film industry).

    And I say this regardless if it was using halogen bulbs or LEDs. With halogens since the light diffuses it does affect a somewhat soft glow to the whole room. Personally I like LEDs better where you can change the warmth level of the light that it emits, but still, the act of the photons bouncing off of light color ceiling and diffusing does give that warmish glow.

    I understand if you don't want to respond, as you spent a lot of time in this conversation already, but I honestly would like to hear your opinions about my thoughts that I just elaborated on.

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