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7/11/2017 4:35:45 PM EDT
What are the most appropriate LED bulbs for indoor use?  Soft white?  2700k?  4000k?  Lumens?  60 watt?

Thanks.
7/11/2017 4:37:22 PM EDT
[#1]
I don't know where it's at but there was a GREAT thread about this with actual facts.  I wanted to bookmark it for reference but I never did.
7/11/2017 4:37:31 PM EDT
[#2]
Depends on what color you like.  A lot of folks do soft whites for living rooms and kitchens for a natural look.
I prefer the whiter lights for my basement and garage.
7/11/2017 4:38:38 PM EDT
[#3]
There was some thread about the Dollar Tree led bulbs being good...
7/11/2017 4:39:05 PM EDT
[#4]
For general use, those in the 2500* - 3000*K (warm white) range. For workbench or detailed work ~5000*K.

We've had good results using the Lowe's $10/6-pack variety. They're not dimmable, though.
7/11/2017 4:40:21 PM EDT
[#5]
I use 2700K 60W equivalent in my kitchen ceiling lights and 2700K 40W equivalent in my living room ceiling fan.
The 2700K led lights I use are virtually the same color temp as the incandescent bulbs they replaced - I think they are great as I don't like the harsh white light in my house during the evening when I'm trying to kick back and relax.
I use 4000K shop lights in my garage.
7/11/2017 4:40:46 PM EDT
[#6]
3000K for residential.

4000K for commercial.
7/11/2017 4:42:00 PM EDT
[#7]
It depends, I use some 60's, but mostly 75 and 100's. There are a number of different shades? Soft white, cool white, daylight, its best to get a small sample and find what you like and then buy those. You can go larger as their draw is quite allot less, so you can get more light for less wattage. I changed my whole house out, and depending on which room and what it's used for I actually have different shades for different rooms.
7/11/2017 4:42:05 PM EDT
[#8]
Soft white is 2700K.

Bright white is 5000K.

Go to a big box and checkout their displays.

You will definitely have a preference.

Don't make a mistake with expensive bulbs that last "forever".
7/11/2017 4:43:43 PM EDT
[#9]
Day light
7/11/2017 4:45:19 PM EDT
[#10]
Great, I am going to get a mix and see.
7/11/2017 4:46:40 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote History
Quoted:
Soft white is 2700K.

Bright white is 5000K.
View Quote
Bright white is 3000K

Daylight is around 5000K.

For inside assume 2700K.   I would try 3000K if they were cheaper.

Daylight...just get one because you may not like it in most inside applications.
7/11/2017 4:47:32 PM EDT
[#12]
I have 5000k in the kitchen, pantry, bath, and laundry/reloading area.

Living room , hall, and bedrooms have 2700K.
7/11/2017 4:47:55 PM EDT
[#13]
Attached File
7/11/2017 4:49:59 PM EDT
[#14]
Most folks like 2700K or 3000K at home. Those are in the range of the warm glow of an old incandescent bulb, or firelight.

In case anybody's interested, the "color temperature" of a bulb represents the color at which steel glows when heated to a given temperature on the Kelvin scale.

0 degrees Kelvin = -460 degrees Fahrenheit. So, 2000K is roughly red hot, 2700K is yellow, 5000K is white hot, etc.
7/11/2017 4:51:00 PM EDT
[#15]
5k is noticeably blue...
7/11/2017 4:51:20 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote History
Quoted:
I use 2700K 60W equivalent in my kitchen ceiling lights and 2700K 40W equivalent in my living room ceiling fan.
The 2700K led lights I use are virtually the same color temp as the incandescent bulbs they replaced - I think they are great as I don't like the harsh white light in my house during the evening.
I use 4000K shop lights in my garage.
View Quote
Same here.
I need to pick up some 40's for the living room, as the fixture is clear and four 60's without cans was just too much.
7/11/2017 4:52:49 PM EDT
[#17]
White for me through the whole house. I like the more modern look.

I hate warm light, seems...old
7/11/2017 4:56:39 PM EDT
[#18]
I ordered 2700k and 4000k.
7/11/2017 4:58:52 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote History
Quoted:
White for me through the whole house. I like the more modern look.

I hate warm light, seems...old
View Quote
Same for me. Can't stand yellow light. I always go for daylight or similar color temp.
7/11/2017 5:00:12 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote History
Quoted:
Same for me. Can't stand yellow light. I always go for daylight or similar color temp.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
White for me through the whole house. I like the more modern look.

I hate warm light, seems...old
Same for me. Can't stand yellow light. I always go for daylight or similar color temp.
I hate having to wear sunglasses in my living room at night when I'm trying to relax..... 
7/11/2017 5:00:31 PM EDT
[#21]
I wish Cree would make a bright white, my gf bitches about the light in the bathroom and I agree... Daylight is just too much. The softwhite 100's are pretty bright for softwhite, but it,s a bit too much having 4 or the things over the sink.

My father's vision is going and they recently did the whole house in daylight bulbs, it feels like a frigging hospital, I can't stay there very long, gives me a headache.

I'm tempted to throw some daylights outside, but it looks a bit obnioxus... Better light though.
7/11/2017 6:58:16 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote History
Quoted:
White for me through the whole house. I like the more modern look.

I hate warm light, seems...old
View Quote
put cool white throughout the house when we remodeled last year. I don't like the warm yellow either
7/11/2017 7:00:50 PM EDT
[#23]
4000k minimum
7/11/2017 7:14:40 PM EDT
[#24]
We use LED bulbs in our brewpub.  Floods in the brewery and bulbs in bathrooms.

I have't had a single LED last as long as the advertised time.
7/11/2017 7:39:22 PM EDT
[#25]
I started outfitting select fixtures in 2009 with LED bulbs. My most expensive bulb was $35 and it was the first 900+ lumen LED. It's still running daily after almost six years. It's also American made.

Most of the original bulbs were placed in areas that needed less light and were eventually replaced with more efficient bulbs. Oldest bulb at my old place is from 2011. Almost all bulbs at my house were installed in 2015 when I bought it.

I've only had two bulbs die,  both of a model that had high failure rates. Philips replaced them with a newer model.

I only use 5000k in the basement. I use a mix between 2700-4000 in the rest of the house with bathrooms getting whiter bulbs.

The living room has smart bulbs. Front porch has a semi-smart switch.

Payback over incandescent bulbs is extremely fast if they get used often. With prices under a buck now,  there is no reason not to.
7/11/2017 7:49:38 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote History
Quoted:
I hate having to wear sunglasses in my living room at night when I'm trying to relax..... 
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
White for me through the whole house. I like the more modern look.

I hate warm light, seems...old
Same for me. Can't stand yellow light. I always go for daylight or similar color temp.
I hate having to wear sunglasses in my living room at night when I'm trying to relax..... 
totally agree. Soft white is the way to go for living rooms. Can't relax when I'm squinting my eyes. LOL

Bright is what you want for work spaces. Like in a garage or something.
7/11/2017 9:05:11 PM EDT
[#27]
Just from my experience, regardless of the color-temp, LED's almost always seem to be more "intense" than the older incandescent or florescent for the same wattage-used previously.

If you think a 60/75-watt equivalent LED is the choice, you might want to consider trying a 40-watt LED first.
7/11/2017 9:07:06 PM EDT
[#28]
My entire house, shop, garage, and exterior lights are all 5k.
7/11/2017 9:09:05 PM EDT
[#29]
Get Hue bulbs and you can change them to whatever white you want 
7/11/2017 9:09:41 PM EDT
[#30]
I like 2700-3000 in the home.

I bought a 5000 to try, and I HATED it.  I put it in my garage among other bulbs that are 3000, and it's fine there.  Didn't want to waste it.   4000 would probably be good in a garage or shop.
7/11/2017 9:11:21 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote History
Quoted:
I ordered 2700k and 4000k.
View Quote
Good combination.  The 2700 is nice in the bedrooms and living/TV rooms.  The 4000 is good in the bathroom (shaving, etc.), closets, and the kitchen work area.
7/11/2017 9:17:25 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote History
Quoted:
Most folks like 2700K or 3000K at home. Those are in the range of the warm glow of an old incandescent bulb, or firelight.

In case anybody's interested, the "color temperature" of a bulb represents the color at which steel glows when heated to a given temperature on the Kelvin scale.

0 degrees Kelvin = -460 degrees Fahrenheit. So, 2000K is roughly red hot, 2700K is yellow, 5000K is white hot, etc.
View Quote
Thanks for the tidbit of information.  Interesting
7/11/2017 9:18:58 PM EDT
[#33]
5k everywhere.   I do not own anything other than 5k.  I can not stand warm white.
7/11/2017 9:22:04 PM EDT
[#34]
5000k in my bedroom. 4 bulb fixture, bright as hell. Switched from some old incandescent yellow crap, was the best decision I ever made.
7/11/2017 9:23:57 PM EDT
[#35]
Soft white before millennials pants any fuckin tighter
7/11/2017 9:24:27 PM EDT
[#36]
5k in the kitchen/bathroom.

4k in bedroom/living room.

I hate the mix of white and yellow, so if the rooms blend together, put dimmer switches/fixtures in and figure out what works in the room you want softer lighting in.

I'll put 3k in the night stand or reading type lighting, or a floor lamp in the living room, but it sucks to shut everything off to not mix the colors.
7/11/2017 9:27:55 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote History
Quoted:
Depends on what color you like.  A lot of folks do soft whites for living rooms and kitchens for a natural look.
I prefer the whiter lights for my basement and garage.
View Quote
Exactly this. I also like the 4k bulbs for closets.
7/11/2017 9:44:15 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote History
Quoted:
We use LED bulbs in our brewpub.  Floods in the brewery and bulbs in bathrooms.

I have't had a single LED last as long as the advertised time.
View Quote
I now have LED's all over my house. As an experiment I put two 60w LED'S in fixtures on either side of my garage door on Jan. 1, 2015.  With the exception of a 3-4 hour power outage they have burned continuously since then and these are the cheap Lowes store brand.
7/11/2017 11:21:27 PM EDT
[#39]
LED lights suck when you are trying to find a blood trail.  In the house I prefer the white light though.
7/11/2017 11:27:10 PM EDT
[#40]
5000k everywhere is my preference. Utilitech at Lowe's and up here Meijer brand bulbs gave been good.
7/11/2017 11:29:33 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote History
Quoted:
Soft white before millennials pants any fuckin tighter
View Quote
I must have had a stroke. I don't know what that means.
7/11/2017 11:31:13 PM EDT
[#42]
I wish 100 watt equivalent or higher were as cheap as the 60 watt. I hate the dinner bulbs.
7/11/2017 11:32:15 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote History
Quoted:
totally agree. Soft white is the way to go for living rooms. Can't relax when I'm squinting my eyes. LOL

Bright is what you want for work spaces. Like in a garage or something.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
White for me through the whole house. I like the more modern look.

I hate warm light, seems...old
Same for me. Can't stand yellow light. I always go for daylight or similar color temp.
I hate having to wear sunglasses in my living room at night when I'm trying to relax..... 
totally agree. Soft white is the way to go for living rooms. Can't relax when I'm squinting my eyes. LOL

Bright is what you want for work spaces. Like in a garage or something.
I hate to get pedantic but color temperature and brightness are two different things. Y'all are onto something when it comes to brightness but that's what they make dimmable LEDs for. I have dimmable in the living room, dining area, kitchen and bedrooms.

That being said the light color is 100% personal preference and as such there are no right or wrong choices. Just pick what you like.
7/11/2017 11:36:49 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote History
Quoted:
I like 2700-3000 in the home.

I bought a 5000 to try, and I HATED it.  I put it in my garage among other bulbs that are 3000, and it's fine there.  Didn't want to waste it.   4000 would probably be good in a garage or shop.
View Quote
Same here. 2700-3000k in the house (main floor), 4000k in the basement and garage. 
I haven't switched my exterior lights yet, but when I do, the flood and security lights will get 4000. The front porch and exterior garage lights will get 2700-3000, since I sometimes leave them on for a few hours in the winter when it gets dark early and I'd like them to have a warmer look.
7/11/2017 11:40:20 PM EDT
[#45]
Phillip's HUE. Pick whatever color, temperature, or dimming you want.
7/11/2017 11:42:05 PM EDT
[#46]
7/11/2017 11:44:32 PM EDT
[#47]
I like 2700 in bedroom and 3000 in most other rooms in the house.  Garage is 4000 or whatever I have sitting around.

I would be ok with 4000 in work areas,  it 5000 is a hard no for me.
7/11/2017 11:52:28 PM EDT
[#48]
I wish I could fill my house with them.  My wife doesn't like how bright they are.  Oh well.
7/12/2017 12:00:47 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote History
Quoted:
I wish I could fill my house with them.  My wife doesn't like how bright they are.  Oh well.
View Quote
Try a 40W bulb or use a dimmer.
7/12/2017 12:04:11 AM EDT
[#50]
I prefer the 5000 K whiter light bulbs to the softer 3000 K yellowish tinted light. The white looks more natural to my eyes than that ungodly, ugly yellow. The white also shows up colors better than the yellow light.
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