Can you use LED bulbs in the bathroom?

nexus5rocks

Senior member
Mar 12, 2014
413
84
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I have a recessed light in the ceiling over the tub and was wondering if I could use a LED in place of an incandescent.
Do they hold up well to humid conditions?
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
70,399
13,699
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www.anyf.ca
The good ones bought at a hardware store yes. The ones off Amazon or Ebay and stuff, no - they often have exposed electrical solder joints and such. For the over the sink lighting I use CFLs and they've been fine, and in shower I have a LED one. CFLs don't do well with short cycling which is typical of a bathroom though, so whenever those burn out I might replace with LED. You can get LED bulbs that look like traditional bulbs now too, they're actually kinda neat, you'd barely know the difference.
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
The good ones bought at a hardware store yes. The ones off Amazon or Ebay and stuff, no - they often have exposed electrical solder joints and such. For the over the sink lighting I use CFLs and they've been fine, and in shower I have a LED one. CFLs don't do well with short cycling which is typical of a bathroom though, so whenever those burn out I might replace with LED. You can get LED bulbs that look like traditional bulbs now too, they're actually kinda neat, you'd barely know the difference.

Nobody should be using the cheap shit even if it's not a wet environment. Some of that stuff is terrifying:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08W2VIwBkhI

Cree, Sylvania, Philips, etc all make perfectly acceptable bulbs that are available on Amazon.

Viper GTS
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
70,399
13,699
126
www.anyf.ca
Nobody should be using the cheap shit even if it's not a wet environment. Some of that stuff is terrifying:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08W2VIwBkhI

Viper GTS

Yeah I bought some myself and was like yikes, this is legal? I am reluctant to use them.



The two terminals read about 100vdc. At least it's DC, it does not hurt as much... but still lol. They are grow lights too, so kinda meant for a wet or at least humid environment.

The part that sucks is if you tried to build something like that here you would not be able to sell it, yet the Chinese have full rights to sell that stuff here.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
99,758
17,706
126
I have had Phillips PAR20 LEDs in my bathroom for two years now. no issues. We do have powered vent.
 

John Connor

Lifer
Nov 30, 2012
22,757
618
121
Taken from sig above:

Ever screw so much you get a blister? - Rubycon


Was it an LED bulb in a bathroom?
 

Grooveriding

Diamond Member
Dec 25, 2008
9,147
1,330
126
We have LEDs in our bathrooms. No idea what the brand is. Am I going to die a horrible death to electrocution one morning while plucking my nose hairs ?
 

John Connor

Lifer
Nov 30, 2012
22,757
618
121
We have LEDs in our bathrooms. No idea what the brand is. Am I going to die a horrible death to electrocution one morning while plucking my nose hairs ?


X9YyOdl.jpg
 

Tormac

Senior member
Feb 3, 2011
259
57
101
I replaced the bulb over my kitchen sink with an LED bulb when the old one went out. Maybe not quite as humid as the bathroom, but maybe a little similar.

No problems yet.