So how about an update on the Costco LED's. How do you like them? Are they the warmer color of an incandesent light (2700k) or are they the whiter (and IMHO harsher) output (3500k)?
new LED technology?
- Thread starter MikeB
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So how about an update on the Costco LED's. How do you like them? Are they the warmer color of an incandesent light (2700k) or are they the whiter (and IMHO harsher) output (3500k)?
Monk
Active Member
I just put it in this morning so will have to check it out tonight - I suspect it is going to be a "whiter" light and if so, that's OK for now, I have no other accent lighting for it to conflict with. Will try to see if I can take a decent pic.
GraysonPeddie
Active Member
You say you have decent success dimming the LED floods that you have. Interesting.
Could you set the dimmer to about 3% (1st of 32 steps) and see if the light is that low? (You don't have to, but I'm curious to see if it's fully dimmable or not.) Dimming down to a minimum of 20% does not really suit my liking as I use an 8.5 second ramp rate. Until I switch over to a new technology that's better than halogen/incandescent, I wanted to stay with the light bulbs that I have for now.
Good luck with that one...I don't recall seeing anyone that has an LED or CFL lamp dimmable to 3%.
The Cree lights will dim to about 25%. Less than that and they just go off. Most other LED lights don't dim at all.
CREE LED lighting is far superior to halogen/incandescents. Unlike halogens, LED lights produce little IR so don't fade your furniture. They use only 12% of the power to produce the same amount of light, don't get hot to keep the AC bill down. They have a 20 year lifespan so no more time wasted changing the bulbs. If low dimming is a requirement, you could install a second set of incandescent lights just for dimming.
GraysonPeddie
Active Member
Well, I only use incandescent lights for my apartment.
Thanks for letting me know about the dimming capability of the CREE LED light bulbs.
Thanks for letting me know about the dimming capability of the CREE LED light bulbs.
Maybe you could have two lighting set ups...One that dims to about 25% and some other small 1Watt led modules that are wired thru the Elk that just put out enough light to equal the 3% that you need.
Monk
Active Member
As expected - very bright, very white. For 5 watts, I like it. (if it really is only 5 watts)
GraysonPeddie
Active Member
I could, but I want a fully-dimmable bulb from 0 to 100% instead of 25 to 100%.
That's why I'm better off sticking with incandescent until a better technology is out there that are fully dimmable from 0 to 100%.
I installed 2700K at work - definitely a warm light, but seems slightly different than incandescent. I installed a 3500K in my master bath - same color as a high quality fluorescent.
Personally, I would recommend doing it the other way around. I'd use the 2700K for general home use. The 3500K might be good in a laundry room, garage or workshop.
I am really impressed with these Cree lamps. If you've ever been disappointed with how dim commercially-available LED lamps are, these will blow you away with how bright they are.
Mark
polar-ray offered to sell me one of each temp and take back the one I didn't want at no charge. So, I ordered one of each to try out in several different light runs. My guess is that I will agree with everyone else about the 2700K, but didn't want to keep wondering, "what if". They should ship by the end of next week, so I will try to post my findings in a couple of weeks.
Geordon
Geordon
I am hoping that is the case. All other LEDs I tried were obviously blue and overrated for their equivalent wattage replacement. Even the replacement CFL floods were dimmer.
My LR6 and LR6C arrived yesterday from Polar-ray via FedEx. The LR6C was DOA, so I couldn't examine the 3500K light output, but I was able to install the 2700K LR6. Much brighter than the Sylvania 65W PAR30 incandescant flood it replaced in the kitchen, if you can believe that. The color temp looks spot on with the other floods in the room. If it weren't for the increased brightness level (and custom diffuser), I doubt anyone would even notice it was a different bulb. I am exchanging the LR6C for another LR6.
I put in the costco led's. You won't need a dimmer
