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4inch vs 6inch cans vs low voltage

17 years ago

hey all

i gave up on LED lights

so now im arguing with my wife about lighting....

I am trying to tell her to get decent light out of a recessed lights, you need a 6 inch can, with a R30 type floodlight spread area bulb..... that gives a decent amount of general area lighting, and the R30 bulbs have some nice energy efficient bulbs that dont fit in the 4 inch cans

the 4 inch cans, and specifically the 4 inch low voltage ones are more like focused spotlights, and you need to install many more of them to get good light in a big room.

and that will cost me a lot more money especially in terms of electricity.

so am i right or wrong?

I agree with her that 4 inch low voltage lights looked the neatest of the 3 when in the ceiling, especially compared to 6 inch cans

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Comments (7)

Jon1270
17 years ago
Yup, you've got the basic lay of the land. R30 bulbs (which, BTW, are probably the the least efficient bulbs you could use) will also fit in 5" cans, so perhaps that could be a compromise. You could also use PAR30 halogens, which are more efficient, though not in the same league as fluorescent.

What sort of room are you trying to light?
jasonjm2007
Original Author
17 years ago
trying to light the whole house, recessed lighting throughout

one room is really big, 35 feet by 18 feet

what sized cans and lightbulbs should I be using for max light / energy efficiency combo?

i was thinking of using something like these light bulbs:

http://www.environmentaldefense.org/page.cfm?tagID=634&campaign=mts&bulbID=4

Here is a link that might be useful: bulbs?
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jasonjm2007
Original Author
17 years ago
forgot about that

my electrician wants me to use 6 inch cans, he seems to get irritated when i talk about 5 inch cans lol

he is a 4 or 6 kind of guy
Jon1270
17 years ago
Fluorescents are definitely the way to go if you're looking for efficiency. The ones you linked to could be a decent choice. -- much will depend on the size of the room, the height of the ceiling, how bright you want it to be.

For more ideas you might want to do a little research on Title 24, which is the California law that sets lighting energy efficiency standards in that state.
ilitem
17 years ago
Most electricians don't like dealing with 5" cans. They are "out of the norm." We have faced this problem before and it is frustrating because I can't determine what the reason is except they cannot pick them up easily at the big box stores.

I would research what you want and then, possibly, tell him that you will obtain the product, especially if he is stuck on one manufacturer.
dim4fun
17 years ago
For new construction I recommend something like the Juno link. Cut and paste to see the full catalog. There is nothing difficult about the 5" cans. He just needs to try them. Use a good brand. The trims that form a complete cone are best. Order housings that have the socket ready to snap into the trim so that the electrician has a smooth experience. (less labor)

catalog

http://www.junolightinggroup.com/literature/Juno_Aculux_Resi_Lighting031306.pdf

Here is a link that might be useful: Juno
dmlove
17 years ago
I'm only chiming in here to talk about aesthetics. I have a couple of 4" halogens that provide spot (task) lighting for my prep area - they are fabulous, but due to being installed in a "light bridge", they're only 4' off the counter. I also have 5" compact fluorescent cans in the kitchen and 6" incandescent cans (old) everywhere else. Aesthetically, i like the 5" best -- the 6" cans look enormous by comparison, and you need too many of the 4" cans to do the trick.

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