Need some lighting education!!

8 years ago

Hello. We are in the midst of a large scale remodel. So far all the decisions have been fairly easy. Floor plan, check. Plumbing fixtures, check. Doors, check. Cabinets, check. Etc. Now that we are into the electrical phase, I'm feeling lost and not sure which track to take. We want all of our lighting to be LED for energy efficiency. Our electrician is not a whole lot of help. I know very little about LED lighting and have gone online to learn, but am still confused. We have a great room with LED can lights. Other fixtures are dining room hanging light, pendants over the island, bathroom vanity lights, bedroom overhead lights, ceiling fans with lights.

Can I choose some non LED fixtures and put LED lights in them if the bulbs fit? Are dedicated LED fixtures more energy efficient?

Are there any good brands of lighting fixtures I should look at? Any brands to avoid? I don't need anything fancy, but I want good quality.

Where is the best place to buy the fixtures for best selection? Online vs. stores?

For bathroom vanities, what is the right amount of lumens? I'm leaning towards putting lighting on the sides of the vanity rather than above the mirror.

Will LED make my dining room table look like we could perform surgery there?

I want the fixtures to coordinate so it would be helpful to find a brand with several pieces to choose from in one line. Our style is traditional and I'm looking for a brushed nickel type finish.

Thanks anyone for your input!! Light bulbs have become very complicated!!

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Comments (3)

David
8 years ago
Dedicated LED fixtures may not be more efficient as the LED components used determine the efficiency of the lamp.

For instance,some LED components from Cree have an efficiency better than 150 lumens per watt, while others have a lower output per watt. Lamps like the Cree CR series downlights contain a mix of LED components to achieve a specific light color (eg - 2700k or 3000k, ...)

If you're looking for a warm light, there are LED bulbs/ lamps at 2700k - 3000k.

If there are state energy efficiency laws (eg - title 24 for CA), certain lighting (eg down lights in kitchens) cannot use the standard edison base (E26). This means that in certain cases, you are prohibited from using a led bulb with an E26 base.
ionized_gw
8 years ago
Sometimes luminaires with LED lamps are more efficient than adding LED lamps to older luminaires because the light distribution is better with the former.

Some electricians make lighting an advocation. They are trained to power lighting, not choose it.

If you are willing to put in the time, this is a great resource for educating yourself about lighting:

Lighting Research Center
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lolpetrol
8 years ago
It also is likely better to avoid putting random standard-base LEDs into cans or fully enclosed fixtures unless they're rated for it. Some LEDs cannot handle the temperatures in cans or enclosed fixtures, although this is getting better with time.

That being said, here are some Cree TWs (excellent color) which are *designed* to retrofit downlight cans: http://amzn.to/1T5qHAB

Need some lighting education!!

Comments (3)

David

ionized_gw

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