mrb627
Well-known member
Anybody have LED lighting installed in their kitchen ceiling? If so, what are your impressions? Please post a pic if possible...
Malcolm
Malcolm
LED Kitchen Lighting
- Thread starter mrb627
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Our kitchen was designed originally in 1978 and it has some rather over the top lighting. The original setup had 10 X 60W recessed full size reflector spots. So, a total of 600W of lighting which was a bit much to put it mildly.
The current setup has the same 10 spot locations but it has LEDs instead and the power consumption's a tiny fraction of what it was and the lighting's pretty good.
The key is that you have to be willing to spend quite a bit on bulbs and do your research. Cheaper bulbs can end up producing very directional light that will cast shadows all over the place. The lenses at the front of the fitting make a huge difference by defusing and scattering the light properly.
Also cheaper bulbs tend to produce light that can be a little too blue.
If you do your research and are willing to actually spend quite a bit on the bulbs, I think they're a great solution. The technology's moved on a lot in the last few years too and the price of LED bulbs has dropped pretty dramatically. So, you can get adequate replacements for halogens or regular incandescents.
The current setup has the same 10 spot locations but it has LEDs instead and the power consumption's a tiny fraction of what it was and the lighting's pretty good.
The key is that you have to be willing to spend quite a bit on bulbs and do your research. Cheaper bulbs can end up producing very directional light that will cast shadows all over the place. The lenses at the front of the fitting make a huge difference by defusing and scattering the light properly.
Also cheaper bulbs tend to produce light that can be a little too blue.
If you do your research and are willing to actually spend quite a bit on the bulbs, I think they're a great solution. The technology's moved on a lot in the last few years too and the price of LED bulbs has dropped pretty dramatically. So, you can get adequate replacements for halogens or regular incandescents.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Hope LED's are Better Now:
I am about to make the switch to LEDs for my front and rear porch lights - they are the last two fixtures that are incandescent. They were nosebleed-expensive only a couple of years ago, and the light was so blue I thought Dita Von Teese was going to strip by them, but I see a huge price drop and a big improvement in the light spectrum.
The reason I've stuck with incandescents in those two fixtures is that the bulb is visible in both of them, and I ab-so-bloomin'-LUTELY refuse to have those curlicued CFL things on display. I've made my peace with them in shaded fixtures, but they're too butt-ugly to bear out in the open. The LED bulbs look like pretty much like an incandescent bulb.
If anyone has any tips on this kind of LED bulb, I'd welcome them.
I am about to make the switch to LEDs for my front and rear porch lights - they are the last two fixtures that are incandescent. They were nosebleed-expensive only a couple of years ago, and the light was so blue I thought Dita Von Teese was going to strip by them, but I see a huge price drop and a big improvement in the light spectrum.
The reason I've stuck with incandescents in those two fixtures is that the bulb is visible in both of them, and I ab-so-bloomin'-LUTELY refuse to have those curlicued CFL things on display. I've made my peace with them in shaded fixtures, but they're too butt-ugly to bear out in the open. The LED bulbs look like pretty much like an incandescent bulb.
If anyone has any tips on this kind of LED bulb, I'd welcome them.
william637
Well-known member
I have LED lights in my kitchen
I will try to take pics later on tonight and post them for you.
I have LED under cabinet lights, LED in cabinet lighting, and my recessed lights are fitted with LED bulbs (that is really the way to go).
I will try to take pics later on tonight and post them for you.
I have LED under cabinet lights, LED in cabinet lighting, and my recessed lights are fitted with LED bulbs (that is really the way to go).
DirectDriveDave
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2011
- Messages
- 456
We have the 100-watt equivalent LED flood lights (recessed lighting) in our kitchen since February, so far, they work wonderfully, and look just like the old incandescent ones. Nice to have INSTANT full light again when turned on.
I've got 12 recessed cans in my kitchen and they will never see any of those crappy CFLs. I will go LED at some point, but price is still way too high. I rarely use them for more than 15-20 minutes a day and then it's only 3 or 4 of them so the $$ of use is low and does not justify replacement. They are all halogen and I really like that light. I much prefer focused light and hate, hate diffused wide angle floods. I have 16'+ of undercabinet florescent light that is a prime candidate for replacement. The 64T6 and 42T6 bulbs are expensive and harder to find
Today lighting is complicated. Now you need to focus on lumens, color temp and in some cases beam width. No more going out to buy a 75w reflector spot. Now you are looking for 720 lumens, 2700 or 3000K color temp and 22 or 30 degree spread. I also hate the 5000k bulbs, way too blue.
Today lighting is complicated. Now you need to focus on lumens, color temp and in some cases beam width. No more going out to buy a 75w reflector spot. Now you are looking for 720 lumens, 2700 or 3000K color temp and 22 or 30 degree spread. I also hate the 5000k bulbs, way too blue.
Malcom, I don't currently have LED lighting in the kitchen but every other lamp in the home (except the oven) has been LED for sometime now. My kitchen lighting is a recessed panel in the ceiling that holds six 4 foot 34w T8 florescent tubes. I'm still exploring options to retrofit the linear florescent lamps with LED's. I'm a bit curious about what your concerns are with LED's. From what I see once you switch you won't even know you did.
LED's have come a LONG ways in just the past few years. We are currently seeing products that are doing 100 lumens per watt or better and this is in the warmer color temperatures even. If you happen to like a bit cooler light there are offerings over 150 lumens per watt. For reference an old incandescent lamp is in the 10-16 lumen per watt range.
Pricing has dropped by 3 or 4 fold over the past four years. For me when a 60w equivalent bulb hit $15 that was my turning point. I figure that a decent name brand LED lamp will outlast about four good CFL's and be slightly more efficient and offer better light quality. The lamp price is a push and not having to replace lamps is an added bonus. On top of that there are no warmup issues, I like the light quality better and the LED's tend to emit less RF, with CFL's I can often hear them on the radio when they are on...
I have bought and tested almost every A19 replacement LED lamp in the 60 watt equivalent class (~800 lumens). The first lamp that really impressed me was the 1st generation Philips 12.5 watt lamp with the yellow external phosphor diffusers, All the ceiling lights in my house are these (I have about 30 of these now). The later Philips models got a smidge more efficient and cheaper yet. My current most recommended basic incandescent replacement bulb choice is the Cree lamp sold through the Home Depot. These sell for $14 and they are the most incandescent looking replacement I have seen yet. They are dimmer friendly and available in a soft white or daylight color temperature AND they are made in America (try to find that in a CFL!!).
The next big change for LED's is when we can finally move into fixtures that are designed just for LED lighting. In most all cases trying to create a retrofit lamp that can screw into an existing fixture creates an undue compromise. Thermal issues are harder to deal with and it really doesn't allow the LED's the shine like they should. (pun noted)
I've been compiling a lot of photos and test information on various lamps and when I get it together I plan on starting an thread to share it all. I'd be glad to help anyone choose solid state lighting options. Personally I will never buy another incandescent or CFL for my home at this point.
LED's have come a LONG ways in just the past few years. We are currently seeing products that are doing 100 lumens per watt or better and this is in the warmer color temperatures even. If you happen to like a bit cooler light there are offerings over 150 lumens per watt. For reference an old incandescent lamp is in the 10-16 lumen per watt range.
Pricing has dropped by 3 or 4 fold over the past four years. For me when a 60w equivalent bulb hit $15 that was my turning point. I figure that a decent name brand LED lamp will outlast about four good CFL's and be slightly more efficient and offer better light quality. The lamp price is a push and not having to replace lamps is an added bonus. On top of that there are no warmup issues, I like the light quality better and the LED's tend to emit less RF, with CFL's I can often hear them on the radio when they are on...
I have bought and tested almost every A19 replacement LED lamp in the 60 watt equivalent class (~800 lumens). The first lamp that really impressed me was the 1st generation Philips 12.5 watt lamp with the yellow external phosphor diffusers, All the ceiling lights in my house are these (I have about 30 of these now). The later Philips models got a smidge more efficient and cheaper yet. My current most recommended basic incandescent replacement bulb choice is the Cree lamp sold through the Home Depot. These sell for $14 and they are the most incandescent looking replacement I have seen yet. They are dimmer friendly and available in a soft white or daylight color temperature AND they are made in America (try to find that in a CFL!!).
The next big change for LED's is when we can finally move into fixtures that are designed just for LED lighting. In most all cases trying to create a retrofit lamp that can screw into an existing fixture creates an undue compromise. Thermal issues are harder to deal with and it really doesn't allow the LED's the shine like they should. (pun noted)
I've been compiling a lot of photos and test information on various lamps and when I get it together I plan on starting an thread to share it all. I'd be glad to help anyone choose solid state lighting options. Personally I will never buy another incandescent or CFL for my home at this point.
The company that our city council contracts out its lighting to has started installing LED street lights and the lamps right outside my house were changed recently.
I actually miss the old gentle orange glow of the sodium lamps now. The LED street lamps are very harsh looking in comparison it's an extremely 'day light' type of light which I'm not sure is what you really want in street lighting. There's a lot to be said in favour of soft outdoor lighting.
Some of the major intersections on some of the roads around here were relight with them too and they're also quite harsh looking now.
I actually miss the old gentle orange glow of the sodium lamps now. The LED street lamps are very harsh looking in comparison it's an extremely 'day light' type of light which I'm not sure is what you really want in street lighting. There's a lot to be said in favour of soft outdoor lighting.
Some of the major intersections on some of the roads around here were relight with them too and they're also quite harsh looking now.
Sandy, I regularly had enclosed, tapered CFL bulbs with a candelabra base in my front porch lantern until I changed it due to its wearing out. IKEA is where I used to buy them, but I have seen them in other places, too. Now the bulb can't be seen so that is not a problem.
william637
Well-known member
I have LED lighting in many rooms of the house
So I took several photos last night. My hope was that taking them at night you might be able to see the difference between different bulb types (these pictures have multiple temperatures of LED bulbs as well as incandescent and CFL).
So, First up is a shot of the kitchen - these are the first LED bulbs I had in the house - they are about 3 years old now. They are very cold bluish light, but since the kitchen is primarily blue and gray, not that big of a deal.
So I took several photos last night. My hope was that taking them at night you might be able to see the difference between different bulb types (these pictures have multiple temperatures of LED bulbs as well as incandescent and CFL).
So, First up is a shot of the kitchen - these are the first LED bulbs I had in the house - they are about 3 years old now. They are very cold bluish light, but since the kitchen is primarily blue and gray, not that big of a deal.
william637
Well-known member
And the other side (sorry about the leaves on the floor)
The kitchen opens out to a side porch, which with all the rain lately is covered in cold wet leaves. I tracked them in and now they are in several photos.
The kitchen opens out to a side porch, which with all the rain lately is covered in cold wet leaves. I tracked them in and now they are in several photos.
william637
Well-known member
Now to compare against incandescent
This is the view coming up from the basement. You can see the color of the LEDs (in cabinet and under cabinet) against the color of the incandescent ceiling fixtures.
This is the view coming up from the basement. You can see the color of the LEDs (in cabinet and under cabinet) against the color of the incandescent ceiling fixtures.
william637
Well-known member
And now for the LED recessed lights
If you look closely beside the refrigerator you will notice a can light. That has a very warm LED bulb in it. Standard base. Most of the LED bulbs from here on out in the pictures will be replacements for standard and candelabra base - this is really the way to go.
If you look closely beside the refrigerator you will notice a can light. That has a very warm LED bulb in it. Standard base. Most of the LED bulbs from here on out in the pictures will be replacements for standard and candelabra base - this is really the way to go.
william637
Well-known member
The old (very blue) LEDs against incandescent
So here is the kitchen when I have all the lights around the sink area on. I don't do this often because the incandescent in the frosted bi-plane fixture is so warm compared to the old LEDs that I think it looks odd.
So here is the kitchen when I have all the lights around the sink area on. I don't do this often because the incandescent in the frosted bi-plane fixture is so warm compared to the old LEDs that I think it looks odd.
william637
Well-known member
With the exception of the table lamp
EVERY light in my living room is LED. It is hard to tell from this picture, but it is fairly warm lighting. All the lights in this picture (uplights behind the sofa, uplights under the tree, and in the movie lamp) are standard base replacements. These lights have been on 24/7 since I bought them over two years ago (well, the ones under the tree go somewhere else during most of the year).
EVERY light in my living room is LED. It is hard to tell from this picture, but it is fairly warm lighting. All the lights in this picture (uplights behind the sofa, uplights under the tree, and in the movie lamp) are standard base replacements. These lights have been on 24/7 since I bought them over two years ago (well, the ones under the tree go somewhere else during most of the year).
william637
Well-known member
But these bulbs were the best find
This cabinet came with halogen bulbs (g8 or gu8, or something like that). I could never leave them on for any length of time because they were so hot I was scared the thing would catch on fire. I found LED replacements for these bulbs. They are a nice bright warm light - very similar to the color of halogen. These bulbs have been on 24/7 for well over 2 years now, and are always cool to the touch.
This cabinet came with halogen bulbs (g8 or gu8, or something like that). I could never leave them on for any length of time because they were so hot I was scared the thing would catch on fire. I found LED replacements for these bulbs. They are a nice bright warm light - very similar to the color of halogen. These bulbs have been on 24/7 for well over 2 years now, and are always cool to the touch.
william637
Well-known member
The sunroom has recessed lights
That have standard base LED bulbs in them. These are just like what is in the kitchen. This room has very warm lighting. The table lamps in the picture have warm white CFLs in them.
That have standard base LED bulbs in them. These are just like what is in the kitchen. This room has very warm lighting. The table lamps in the picture have warm white CFLs in them.
william637
Well-known member
Candelabra base LEDs
For this chandelier in my office. The walls and the lamp shades are black, but the light is a very bright white, but definitely just on the warm side (not on the cool side).
For this chandelier in my office. The walls and the lamp shades are black, but the light is a very bright white, but definitely just on the warm side (not on the cool side).
william637
Well-known member
And finally
In the office with incandescent lights in the dining rooms behind
In the office with incandescent lights in the dining rooms behind
