With energy savings of up to 80% over Halogen, retrofitting your MR16 track lighting with LEDs would seem to be a no-brainer. The problem is, well, it’s complicated. The prices on this type of lighting are falling fast, and the bottom line is; making a big investment now might not make sense.

According to Wikipedia, there are few standards for MR16 and MR11 compatible LED lamps, and with a large variety of designs varying significantly in beam control, light quality, efficiency and luminous power, getting the right light for your model of track lighting may be difficult. Or impossible. Most LEDs run on DC current; halogens most often run on 12 volt AC current. So your bulb will need to have an integrated rectifier.

If this is all greek to you, it’s probably not the greatest idea to tackle this solo.

Think twice before placing a huge wholesale order from the Pacific Rim. With reputable sources selling dimmable LED halogen replacements for 30-70 dollars a bulb, you have to wonder about the longevity of a 10 or 15 dollar generic knock-off.

In the pioneering spirit of Warm Home Cool Planet, we appointed ourselves guinea pig and ordered fifty bucks worth of the, ah… affordable bulbs to test in one of our living rooms. We’ll keep you posted on the results.

We’re looking forward to these bulbs hitting the mainstream residential market in the next few years. Stay tuned to this channel.