A Brighter Idea

 A few years ago, I had the bright idea to purchase a new, fairly high-tech light fixture for my front porch. It had built-in LED's and a light sensor to turn it on automatically at dusk and off at dawn. It worked flawlessly for about six or seven years, until one day a few years ago, it just didn't. At that point, it became an expensive mistake. Instead of replacing a bulb, I had to replace the entire fixture. 

Not one to make the same mistake twice, I opted for one that took screw-in bulbs, LED's of course, and decided I'd just have to accept the fact that I'd have to turn it on manually at night. A few days after I'd installed the new fixture, I was grousing to a friend about the loss of the light sensor, and they suggested a screw-in socket with a sensor. 

It sounded like a great idea, but when I priced them, they cost more than I was prepared to pay, and it appeared they'd add enough length to the bulb to make it stick out of the bottom of the fixture. Fortunately, that wasn't the only option. I ended up buying an LED bulb with a built-in sensor instead.

The unit I purchased was made by Sylvania and not only was it the only one on Amazon that carried a brand with a recognizable name, it was also one of the least expensive options. The same size as a normal bulb, this nine-watt LED bulb puts out as much light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb, albeit with an icy, bluish white hue that makes it seem even brighter. It doesn't do much for ambience, but it's great for nighttime visibility.

When turning the light switch on for the first time, immediately after installing the bulb, it came on for about one second, indicating that it works, before being shut off by the sensor, which detected afternoon sunlight. Several hours later, it turned itself back on in the encroaching darkness.

Although slightly more expensive than a comparable standard LED bulb without a sensor, it and the new standard fixture together cost significantly less than buying another sensor-equipped LED fixture, and replacing the bulb will require far less effort—and expense—than replacing the fixture. Also, as a hedge against inflation, I went ahead and bought two sensor bulbs, so I’ll have another one ready to go whenever this one fails, which I hope won’t be for a long time. Speaking of which, I cannot make any claims regarding the bulb’s longevity, as it has been in place for only a few days, but I'm pleased so far.

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In other light bulb news, I also have an LED bulb in a bedroom lamp that seems to be slowly failing. It's fairly dim when it first comes on, but then it comes up to full brightness after a few minutes. The thing is, I kind of like this malfunction. The first thing in the morning, when I turn it on with my "Hey Google" speaker. The dim light allows my eyes to gently grow acclimated before it comes up to full brightness. At which point, I'm ready to get out of bed. I don't know how long it will (mal)function in this manner before it quits completely, but I'll enjoy it while I can. I guess a dim bulb isn't always a bad thing.