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Lighting Design Dilemma Kitchens

Wafer recessed lighting question, old cans.

Marvin Nicholson

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Hello:

I have a larger open family room and kitchen area. This house is 15 years old. There are several recessed can lights already but not enough due to what I think are plumbing above since there is a 2nd floor above this area. I am wanting to add new wafer recessed-looking lights where I don't have any now. I am looking at these because these will fit where obstructions may exist in the ceiling above (vents, plumbing, joist, etc.) but I know these will look different from the old cans. I want all lighting trims to match, old and new. I have not seen an old can retrofit LED light that looks like it will match the wafer-thin lights. I want all the lights to match. My question is, has anyone placed wafer lights into old/existing can's to match when you add new wafers in other spots? Maybe I need to pull the old cans out, however, these are the stud-mounted ones and I'd have to open/tear my ceiling up to get them out.

Thanks,

Marvin

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Comments (7)

3onthetree
2 years ago
The wafers will have a remote junction/driver box that can't go into the housing, so AFAIK there isn't a wafer product that can retrofit an existing can. Verify your housing type, as with some the housing canister is removable from the housing mounting plate, but probably not with a 15 year old house.

I would venture a guess that the amount of existing lighting, at least in the Family Room, is "not enough" as you typically don't want to light up that space like a surgery room.
PRO
The Kitchen Place
2 years ago
My install crew retrofits them all the time. Not sure what they buy exactly but the brand is Sunco on amazon.
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While integrated LED recessed lights have become more common in recent years, there are still plenty of options available for recessed lighting with replaceable bulbs. These types of fixtures are often called "retrofit" or "remodel" housings and are designed to be installed into an existing ceiling without the need for major modifications. Retrofit/remodel housings typically come with a standard screw base (E26) or a reflector (BR30) that can accept a range of different bulbs, including LED bulbs. These fixtures offer the flexibility to change the color temperature or brightness of the light as desired and make it easier to replace bulbs when they burn out or become outdated. If you're having trouble finding retrofit/remodel housings, try searching for "recessed lighting housings with replaceable bulbs" or "E26/BR30 compatible recessed lighting." You can also check with a local lighting supplier or electrician to see what options are available in your area. In addition, if you're interested in home automation, consider looking into smart LED bulbs that can be controlled through a smartphone app or voice assistant. These bulbs can often be dimmed and adjusted to different color temperatures, making them a versatile and convenient option for any home.
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" I am going to pass on just using LED bulbs in the cans - the fact trim have turned a cream color and against my nice whit celings, stick out" What you're calling "cans" have three components: the housing, trim, and bulb. My preference would be to replace the trim and use LED bulbs. You didn't write how large the housing are but for 6" housings, I like the Juno 27* trims with PAR-30 3000K bulbs (example). Of course you can also just replace the trim and bulb with an integrated unit such as this Juno 6RLD, available in 3000K and 2700K color temperatures. With either solution, there is NO reason to remove the housings. "I think I am able to replace the ceiling flush mounts with the wafer style." You can't do that because the electrical boxes are in the way. Use a surface-mount such as the Halo SMD (available in various shapes and sizes) that can be installed over the electrical box.
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wdccruise
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
1. What is the inside diameter of the old cans?
2. How deep are the cans?
3. You can remove the trim from the cans?
4. You screw lightbulbs into the base of the cans?
3onthetree
2 years ago
@The Kitchen Place verify if the retrofit fixture for an existing Edison housing is a wafer LED product. Big difference where wafer has a separate jbox vs retrofit recessed where the driver is on the back of trim.
PRO
The Kitchen Place
2 years ago
Maybe I don't understand the question then...so ignore my previous reply. I'm not an electrician...I just design spaces and make them preeeeetttty! :-) I rely on my subs to make the magical stuff happen. But I do know that my crew has retrofitted wafer thin LEDs over the old recessed can type. They did it in my personal kitchen and I love it!
wdccruise
2 years ago
@The Kitchen Place: "But I do know that my crew has retrofitted wafer thin LEDs over the old recessed can type."

They probably just removed the housings and stuck the wafer LEDs in the existing holes. The OP wants to use wafer LEDs without removing the housings and then install additional LEDs of the same type so they'll all match.
Julie K
2 years ago
I know very little about lighting, but this is what we're using for our bathroom remodel.

Halo RL4099S1EWHR-CA Selectable Color Temperature, Integrated LED Recessed Retrofit Trim, 4 inch, White https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08FQMXX1R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_glt_fabc_dl_65EBRF2988K5SSAK6CZY

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