Free LED bulbs from the City

[jantango]

https://www.palermomio.com.ar/la-ciudad-cambia-tu-lamparita-comun-por-una-de-led-gratis/

As of today, they're available in an additional list of plazas around the city. I went to Plaza Almagro (Sarmiento & Bulnes) today with two burned out lamps. Each plaza has a recycling station where employees exchange your incandescent or twister bulbs for new LEDs that consume less and last longer.

All you need to do is present your ABL or Edesur bill, your DNI, and up to five old bulbs for new LEDs.

The light at the entrance to my building burned out months ago. We don't have a janitor, and none of the residents will lift a finger to do anything in the building. I removed the old bulb weeks ago and finally was near Plaza Almagro for a new LED. I replaced the bulb in my desk lamp with an LED which is so much brighter than the mini twister I was using.

Residents turn on the hall lights (ten bulbs for one minute) even when the sun is shining through the windows along the stairway. The consorcio electric bill has increased substantially with rate increases. My next project is removing all the old bulbs and replacing them with free LEDs from the city.

 

[RodalfoWalsh]

I should go buy five cheap bulbs and trade them in. No sense leaving free money on the table.

 

[jantango]

I went to Plaza Martin Fierro (Comuna 3) on Wednesday with four old bulbs in the basement. They exchanged them for LED bulbs that will replace incandescent bulbs in the building hallways. I forgot to bring along my electric bill, but they exchanged them anyway with my DNI.

The recycling stations in the plazas are open Wednesday to Sunday from 14 a 19 hs.

 

[jantango]

I regret exchanging incandescent bulbs for the harmful LEDs in 2018. They came with no warning about causing damage to the eyes. The eye doctor mentioned cataracts after my 2019 eye exam. An eye doctor suggested I have surgery in 2024. At first I thought, okay. But I've reconsidered after knowing the risks.

I searched MercadoLibre hoping to find incandescents bulbs. I'd pay any price to replace the four LEDs I avoid using at home.

 

[Redpossum]

Very hard to find anything that isn't LED right now, but I have an idea where to look...

 

[SinPulgas]

I found various halogen bulbs doing a search in MercadoLibre.

 

[Ries]

Incandescent bulbs are not really being imported, nor have they been for something like 2 years now. Halogen bulbs are available- they are more expensive, and have a shorter life, but you can get them.
LED bulbs are much cheaper now, and are available in a variety of lumen ratings.
If you are noticeing ill effects from "blue light" then buy a lower lumen number- 2400, or 2700.
In Argentina, you are pretty much stuck with LEDs, because they are so much cheaper that no retailer has enough demand for the hard to get expensive shorter lived incandescents.
There are a few specialty light bulb stores on Sarmiento and Uruguay, near Corrientes, that may still stock some Incandescents.
This one, for example. https://www.100000lamparas.com.ar/

There is no medical proof that LED lights are actually unhealthy, there was ONE study about 5 years ago by the French agency ANSES. There is certainly not a global medical or scientific consensus that this study is "true". The way the study was conducted did not distinguish between eye fatigue due to extensive computer and phone usage, and eye fatigue caused by blue light.

There is also no known medical connection between LEDs and cataracts, nor do most cataract surgeries have any danger. Millions of them have been done successfully.
You are certainly welcome to make your own medical decisions, but please, dont accept everything you read on the internet as fact.
I know many people, including family, who have had cataract surgery without issues and with huge improvements in vision.
Its established science.

 

[Ries]

Over 20 different incandescent bulbs here. Most are "novelty" bulbs, because that is one of the few markets where people will pay for them. But some may work for your needs. https://100000lamparas.mercadoshops.com.ar/incandescente

 

[Alfred_Arnold]

I regret exchanging incandescent bulbs for the harmful LEDs in 2018. They came with no warning about causing damage to the eyes. The eye doctor mentioned cataracts after my 2019 eye exam. An eye doctor suggested I have surgery in 2024. At first I thought, okay. But I've reconsidered after knowing the risks.

I searched MercadoLibre hoping to find incandescents bulbs. I'd pay any price to replace the four LEDs I avoid using at home.

You can find 40w G9 halogen (enough to light up a room, especially if paired or tripled) and 24w incandescents pretty easily in E14 and E27 threads (enough to be between mood lighting and dim room lighting).

I am also not a fan of LED lights, at least for living room and bedroom applications, though I don't mind at least the 2700k ones for kitchen/bathroom/hall/exterior use.

 

[jantango]

Three of the five halogen fixtures I had installed many years ago are still functioning and rarely need to replace the tiny bulbs.
My challenge is the two lamps I need for reading which have LEDs.
Thanks for the suggestions.