I can help you but don't completely understand what you are trying to do. Are you installing all-new recessed lighting where there was none before? There is no such thing as PAR38 size, only 4", 5", 6" etc. The title of your post is CFL so you are looking for dimmable compact flourescent lighting correct? Ushio is a brand of lamp not recessed light, maybe you know that. The color of compact flourescent lamps are available in 2700K, 3000K, 3500K, 4100K and some higher.

I can make some recommendations if you can clear me up.

Jimco7 thank you, I am installing 6" Juno sloped cans. The trim we selected indicated it supports a PAR38 lamp with this can. The lights are on a 3 way dimmer circuit. As far as color, looking for ~2700. The information I have on dimmable CFLs indicate that the technology is getting better and the cold cathode improves life - but make sure you buy . Ushio was a manufacture someone recommended to me but at $24.00 each, I wanted to hear it from more than one source. I will need 9 of them for my kitchen. Appreciate your help

steve,

we have par38 size as well (sloped recessed cans). i don't know about the color part though. my light could take up to 90 watts each. i just got 85 watt, par 38 lights at home depot for maybe $10 each. they aren't halogens as that seems to sterile to me.....hope this helps????

one more thing......maybe the flourescents are called par38, but they have an equivalent size at home depot??? can't remember. i took the halogens home first and they were just too white and bright for my white kitchen.....

The larger 6" trims generally hold a PAR38 or R40 lamp. This designation is nothing more than than the lamp's shape and size. The number on any lamp is it's diameter in eighths of an inch (e.g. R40 = 5" diameter OD at the largest point). It used to be that an R lamp was for indoors and a PAR lamp was for outdoors. Since the advent of newer halogen, they mostly use a PAR jacket. An R lamp is still an indoor lamp and is also generally the jacket of the newer CFL screw-in lamps, dimmable or not.

It appears to me that you are simply using 6" incandescent recessed fixtures and plan to install Ushio dimmable screw-in lamps which dim using standard wall dimmers. Based on this I can tell you that Ushio is generally a quality product though I have no experience with this line of product. I cannot confirm the performance or durability of dimming compact flourescent lighting using these products in this method. We only use recessed lighting designed and engineered for the purpose containing purpose-built flourescent electronic dimming ballasts by Advance or Lutron. These ballasts require specific dimmers also purpose-built.

Does this help you?

Thanks, It sounds like I will go with the Ushio dimmable lamps. I have not heard anything negative about them and the other brands seem to be a step behind in technology. Hoping for the best.

steve