LED vs Halogen Downlights: Real Running Cost Comparison
A worked example showing the actual gap in power use and lifespan between halogen and LED downlights — plus why the safety case matters as much as the bill.
A worked example: 10 downlights, 5 hours a night
Every home is different, but the wattage gap between halogen and LED downlights is consistent enough to run a simple example.
Halogen: ~50W per downlight
10 halogen downlights running 5 hours a night draw about 2.5kWh a night — roughly 912kWh a year from downlights alone.
LED: ~7W per downlight
The same 10 fittings converted to LED equivalents draw about 0.35kWh a night — roughly 128kWh a year, an 86% drop in energy use for the same light output.
Lifespan
A typical halogen downlight globe runs 1,000–2,000 hours before it blows. A quality LED downlight is commonly rated 25,000–50,000 hours — 15–25 times longer, so far fewer callouts and ladder trips to replace globes.
Heat
Halogens run at 200°C+ at the globe. That heat is the reason halogens need clearance from insulation and are a recognised house-fire risk in older installs — LEDs run cool enough to touch.
Why the safety angle matters as much as the cost
The running-cost saving usually pays for the conversion within a year or two, but the safety case is just as strong.
- Halogen downlights sitting close to ceiling insulation are a documented house-fire risk — LED fittings remove that risk almost entirely
- Adding or topping up ceiling insulation around existing halogens without checking clearance is a common (and avoidable) hazard
- Downlights against insulation need to be IC-rated (insulation contact rated) under AS/NZS 3000 — we check this on every LED conversion
- Fewer blown globes means fewer trips up a ladder in a ceiling cavity to change them
Ready to convert your downlights?
Tell us how many downlights and which rooms — we'll quote the conversion and check insulation clearance while we're there.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to convert halogen downlights to LED?
It depends on the number of downlights, whether you want colour temperature choices or dimming, and ceiling access — we quote after seeing the job or from photos, not a flat per-light rate.
Do LED downlights really last 15–25 times longer than halogen?
Broadly yes — halogen globes are typically rated 1,000–2,000 hours, while quality LED downlights are commonly rated 25,000–50,000 hours. Actual lifespan depends on the fitting quality and how much heat it's exposed to.
Can I just screw an LED globe into my existing halogen fitting?
Sometimes, but many older halogen downlight housings aren't IC-rated for insulation contact and weren't designed for an LED driver — a proper conversion replaces the fitting, not just the globe, so it's compliant and safe.