# Light Bulb Lifecycle Comparator MCP. AI Agent Connect > Light Bulb Lifecycle Comparator MCP calculates the total cost of ownership for different lighting technologies. It analyzes purchase prices, wattage, lifespan, and electricity rates to find the most economical options for your projects. ## Overview - **Category:** finance - **Price:** Free - **Endpoint:** https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_8DA2NISZpNv6Bt2JLDRkltuMiIS3I6ChleO9VIBM/ai-agent-connect - **Tags:** lighting, energy-efficiency, tco, cost-analysis, sustainability ## Description You can use this MCP to stop guessing which light bulbs are actually cheaper over time. Instead of looking at just the sticker price, you can factor in electricity costs and how often you'll need to replace them. It handles the math for technical performance and financial impact, giving you a clear picture of long-term expenses. Whether you are retrofitting a single room or planning a large-scale lighting overhaul, you can run comparisons between different bulb types to see which one wins on both energy efficiency and total cost. It's a practical way to turn raw bulb specs into actionable budget data. ## Tools ### calculate_bulb_metrics This tool calculates the technical and financial performance of a single bulb type. It uses your provided specs to determine total costs. ### compare_bulb_profiles This tool ranks multiple bulb configurations against each other. It identifies the most cost-effective option among your choices. ### get_energy_efficiency_rating This tool provides a qualitative efficiency score. It evaluates a bulb's efficacy based on its power consumption. ### simulate_replacement_impact This tool tests how changes in a bulb's rated lifespan affect your long-term expenses. It shows how sensitive your budget is to bulb longevity. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Calculate the total cost for an LED bulb that costs $5, uses 10 watts, lasts 15,000 hours, is used 5 hours a day, with electricity at $0.15/kWh and a $0.50 disposal fee over 365 days. ``` **Response:** ``` The total projected cost for this LED bulb over 365 days is $6.12. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Which is cheaper: a 60W incandescent bulb at $1 or a 10W LED bulb at $5, both used 8 hours a day for a year with electricity at $0.20/kWh? ``` **Response:** ``` The 10W LED bulb is the best option with a total cost of $10.56, compared to the incandescent bulb which costs $35.52. ``` **Prompt:** ``` What is the efficiency category for a bulb that produces 800 lumens using 9 watts? ``` **Response:** ``` The bulb has an efficacy of 88.89 lumens per watt and falls into the High efficiency category. ``` ## Capabilities ### TCO Calculation Your agent calculates the total cost of ownership by combining purchase price and energy usage. ### Efficiency Scoring Your agent determines qualitative efficiency ratings based on lumen-per-watt metrics. ### Multi-bulb Comparison Your agent ranks different lighting configurations to find the cheapest option. ### Lifespan Sensitivity Testing Your agent simulates how varying bulb lifespans change your long-term replacement costs. ## Use Cases ### Commercial Retrofits Compare the long-term savings of switching an entire warehouse from fluorescent to LED lighting. ### Residential Budgeting Determine if a higher upfront cost for a premium bulb is offset by lower monthly energy bills. ### Energy Audits Use efficiency ratings to identify which lighting fixtures are underperforming. ### Procurement Planning Evaluate how different bulb lifespans will affect your replacement schedule and budget over several years. ## Benefits - Reduces reliance on sticker price by factoring in electricity and disposal costs. - Provides clear rankings between competing lighting technologies. - Quantifies the financial impact of bulb lifespan variations. - Translates technical wattage and lumen data into dollar amounts. ## How It Works You connect your AI client to Vinkius and start running calculations immediately. 1. Connect your preferred MCP-compatible client to Vinkius. 2. Provide your bulb specs like wattage, price, and lifespan to your agent. 3. Ask the agent to run specific tools like comparison or metric calculations. 4. Receive formatted cost and efficiency data directly in your chat interface. ## Frequently Asked Questions **What is the total cost of ownership for a light bulb?** It is the sum of the initial purchase price, the cost of electricity used over the bulb's life, and any disposal fees. **How does this MCP help with energy efficiency?** It uses the lumen-per-watt metric to assign efficiency ratings, helping you identify which bulbs use the least power for the light they produce. **Can I compare different types of bulbs?** Yes, you can use the comparison tool to rank different bulb configurations and find the most cost-effective choice. **Which AI clients can use this MCP?** You can use this MCP with any compatible client like Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, or VS Code. **Do I need to host the MCP myself?** No, Vinkius hosts and manages the MCP for you, so it is ready to use as soon as you connect. **How does the tool calculate the total cost?** The tool sums the initial purchase price, the cumulative electricity cost based on wattage and runtime, and the disposal costs for all bulbs required over the evaluation period. **Can I compare multiple bulb types at once?** Yes, you can use `compare_bulb_profiles` to provide multiple bulb configurations and receive a ranked list from most to least cost-effective. **What factors affect the energy efficiency rating?** The efficiency rating is determined by the ratio of brightness (lumens) to power consumption (watts) using the `get_energy_efficiency_rating` tool.