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Under Cabinet Lights, Kelvin Question

9 years ago

For our kitchen remodel we’ve already installed Cree recessed cans. We opted for the 3,000 Kelvin, 800 lumen lights and placed them on a dimmer. We are VERY happy with the amount and quality of light these are producing, and love the dimming ability.

We want to use LED tape light with diffusers for our undercabinet lighting. I assumed we would get 3,000 kelvin for those as well, until we went to look at it with granite samples in hand. The light from the LED tape appeared quite different than our Cree cans however they are supposedly the same kelvin. The LED tape was much warmer. The Color Rendering Index of the tape lights is over 90, so I don’t think that accounts for the difference.

I don’t know if it’s a brand thing, or what. The 3,000 K didn’t look right but the 4,200 K tape looked like we were anticipating. I am wondering if I should simply pick the 4,200 K LED tape. Could under-cabinet 4,200 K LED tape look okay along with the 3,000 K recessed cans?

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Comments (5)

rococogurl
9 years ago
You can buy 3000K/800 lumen bulbs from 2 different manufacturers and they can look different.

I would match the under cabinet light to the overheads as much as possible. But because the tape will be underneath cabinets -- and only illuminating a relatively small area -- the difference in the temperature may not be as immediately visible. You just want to be sure it's not super glary or too blue looking.

Guest the best idea is to hook up one section in sitù to be sure. It's a tough one.
athomesewing
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you for your thoughts. I guess there's no way to know until we try it. I'm just sure that the tape lights I saw are too warm, based on how our granite sample appears when illuminated by each light type. So, we'll go with the one that "seems" the same and hope for the best.
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rococogurl
9 years ago
Are you looking at the tape lights with your granite sample in your kitchen with the lights on?
Just a thought -- that's how I would do it. Otherwise, it can be very skewed.
athomesewing
Original Author
9 years ago
Actually, looking at LED tape samples at stores with pieces of my granite. I know what my granite samples look like at home. The only other way would be to purchase LED tape samples. I wonder also, if with LEDs is there any consistency even with the same brand model, or is the whole thing hit or miss?
rococogurl
9 years ago
IME hit and miss. Its an emerging technology with no standards. Not to say you wont get lucky and find consistency but I find the products keep changing.

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