Ritek LED bulb RKB-7W-60000K - Review and First Look

This is a first look and mini review of Ritek LED bulb RKB-7W-60000K.  This LED bulb brand is available in CD-R King and currently sold with a promo price of P188 (about $4.27 US) and is the one that is very bright in the 7watt line on their display window.

I already bought about 3 units, and so far they work as advertised.  The brightness is a bit lower than a 14 watt CFL (compact florescent lamp), but is sufficient enough as a light source.  If you need a brighter light I would suggest a higher watt LED, or just go with a CFL.  I noticed that a higher LED watt does only a little increase in lumen.  Lumen is the the unit used to measure brightness from a source.

In LED packages, I see a 7 watt LED typically produces 450-500 lumen, while a 9 watt LED bulb produces only 550 lumen, highest I saw was I think 600 lumen.  Brighter CFL such as 14-15 watt, produces about 700-850 lumen.  So if you don't need your room to be bright, a 7 watt LED will do on a 45 sq. ft room.  But ideal room size for a single 7watt LED bulb should only be 33 sq. ft.

The Ritek LED bulb RKB-7W-60000K, has a silver aluminum body, that can absorb the heat produced by the LEDs.  At first I thought it was made of plastic with color of silver.  Dome is made of glass, that emits the LED light much brighter than it can previously can in older LED versions.

Pros and cons of this LED light product:

Pros

• Energy Saver (less energy for same lumen)
• Long life (3 yrs according to the package with 1 yr warranty)
• Light is immediately bright (unlike CFL that needs to warm up a bit before light is optimal)
• No Mercury content according to their package, so environmentally friendly.

Cons

• Cost more than a typical CFL (2 times more expensive than ordinary CFL)
• Light is less brighter since the direction it has more light is directly below is fixed on top.

This product is still available from the last time I checked in a CDR King branch in Cubao on April 26, 2014.  Product has a 1 year service warranty, but according to the sales personnel it will just be replaced since no one fixes LED anyway.  Just keep the receipt and box to avail of the warranty in any of the CDR King branches in the Philippines.

Product link on CDR-King website: http://www.cdrking.com/index.php?mod=products&type=view&sid=14387&main=158#.U10dQfmSzK0

LED light bulbs in the Philippines - an insight and observation

The year 2014 may be the time for LED to go main stream in the Philippines.  I have already seen almost affordable LED light bulbs in hardware stores.  Although, most LED bulbs are still expensive, there are some that are sold with an irresistible promo price.

I have already seen 7w LED light bulbs being sold for Php180.00 (around $4.00 US) as a promo price. A 5watt LED cost around Php150.00 (around $3.40 US), and a 3watt LED cost around Php120.00 (around $2.70 US).

To give you a perspective on the current average cost of an LED light bulb, the average cost of a 7watt LED light bulb is Php350.00 (around $8.00 US) with some costing twice as much (Php780.00).  But lately, the prices are going down, since no one is buying LEDs even if they save us money in the long run on the electric bill.  We (Filipinos) still prefer the Php99.00 9w CFL which last about an average of 15,000 hrs.

Because a seven hundred pesos (Php700.00) LED light bulb is just not practical, for something that will slash the electric usage in half and last twice as long.  What exactly did we save? The environment?  Sure now they say LED light bulbs have no mercury and all that environmental stuff.  But most Filipinos can't even spend much on food; let alone buy a very expensive light bulb.  For some middle class, that price is just not practical.  A CFL (compact florescent lamp) will last a year, if your average use of it is about 12 hrs a day.

The right price for an LED light bulb is around the price range of Php180-200.  About twice the amount of a promo priced CFL.  Sure LED light bulb last as much as 3yrs of constant usage.  But whichever company gives the right price for an LED light bulb, will make a profit on most quantity sold and make a name for themselves.

I don't know if an LED light bulb will last more than 3 yrs.  This will be an experiment for me, I still keep my receipt, since there is a 1 yr warranty on some LED light bulbs.  I forgot, if the very first LED light bulb (Philips brand) we bought has a 3 yr warranty.  I have to check.  So, if I use my LED light bulb at an average of 12hrs a day.  I should, be replacing my LED light bulb in about, 6-7yrs.

I'm going to write a review soon on LED light bulbs, that are on the Php120 -180 price range.  Since that is where the consumer market will be for the LED light bulbs.  I will just be reviewing the brightness and build of this light bulbs.  Since not all LED light bulbs are made the same, especially in brightness (lumen).

I still see LED light bulbs as gadgets for the modern age, and LED light bulbs are sold in some gadget stores and at times still treated as a novelty item in the Philippines.