LED vs. CFL for train room lighting?

We used dimmable CFLs for the train room and havent had any issues with them since they were installed about 2 years ago. They are Par38 5000k bulbs, and very bright, not muddy at all. We have 30 of them in the room thats 26x17. They were $20 each, 2 years ago. The only thing I can suggest is whatever you get, MAKE SURE they are dimmable. Its really nice to have them on bright while working on the layout or taking pictures, but even better that we can turn them down when running trains.

Well, I just discovered that the one I was looking at ....R40 120W equivalent, 1600 lumens has been discontinued. But the replacement is 2170 lumens and is now dimmable. I can get it in either 2700 degrees or 5000. I'm thinking I'd go with the 5000. I've got a question out to them as we speak......the website lists the new bulb at 100W equiv, but the lumens (as I mentioned) are 2170. So that sounds more like 150W equiv.

They'll be back to me later on that.

 

Roger

And I might add......I can get them for $26.80 and they come with a 5 year replacement warranty.

 

Roger

As long as you have dimmable bulbs, you can't have too much light. So 150 watt would be fine too, and definitely go with the 5000k.

Well, my new LED bulbs arrived yesterday (5000k 2170 lumens) and I'm not happy with them. Awesome amount of light, but too industrial for my basement setup. Very harsh (even with the dimmer I put on it as well). They are letting me swap them out for the 2700K version. I had warm white down there to begin with in the CFLs and will go back to that look, but with twice the brightness.

 

Roger

Well 5000k bulbs are considered Full Spectrum and provide true color lighting where as warm soft bulbs are more for living room type of lighting. Theres a 1st for everything and everyone has their own personal preference. We didnt like that warm glow at all from 2700k. Hope it turns out the way you want it.

I had about the same results as you did with the 2700-3000k, didn't like the light. I also tried 6500k Daylight and that was way too much for me. Those were for me as ROGER1 stated for the 5000k. The 5000k was recommended here on the forum and it turned out just right for me also.

 

Also good luck to ROGER1, it was good that they allowed you to swap them out. Hope you like the new ones better.

I had a 4-bulb fluorescent light fixture in my (small 8x12) kitchen, a person could perform brain surgery in there it was so bright.

 

A few weeks ago the ballast gave out, again.  When I went to Lowes I looked at LED lights and they had a nice looking round LED fixture (model LLEDCD22/41K) for I think about $70.

 

It is as bright, maybe brighter than the old bulbs; I'll be replacing the fluorescent bulbs in my train room with LEDs soon.  I currently have (2) 2-bulb fluorescent bulbs fixtures in each of the 2 upstairs rooms (separated by a 1/2 wall), 1 is currently not working.

 

One thing though, this is a flush-mounted fixture, it took me a lot longer than I thought it would to get it mounted.  I'm thinking of getting ones that are a few inches off the ceiling for the train room.

 

I feel safer with the LEDs and disposal should be easier than dealing with all those bulbs.

Interesting info, I'll have to buy some and test now.

Hate the color of the common cfl's, no issues with normal Incandescent, Florescent's seem off color / harsh to me but I never got the Daylight color versions.

 

I never got the rated life expectancy from a cfl yet, Make sure you look at the mounting instructions on the LED bulbs, many are intended for lamp use, IE Base down, to remove heat. Base Up in a can they die fast.So get cans that vent heat or bulbs that can take it.

I've replaced ALL bulbs both inside and outside home with full spectrum dimable LED bulbs and absolutely love them. Both amount and quality of light is awesome and amount of energy consumed even when compared to cfl's is a definite plus, especially in a totally electric home such as mine here in the northeast. Also, PECO, (our local energy compan)y offered quite a substantial rebate on them when purchased at Costco a while back. Also, heat from them is near nil, even when compared to cfl's.

Can't say enough good things about deciding on a total led conversion for my home's lighting. 

Dimmable CFLs are hard to find, especially when you need 5000k, but they can be ordered from a few places online. 6500k has a blue hue to it, too much so for us. 5000k is a very bright, crisp, clear light. If you have enough lighting, you can take decent pictures without using any additional light fixtures.

Actually, I know what the 2700K will look like as I've replaced all the floods in my house (kitchen, baths etc) with that color temp and really like it.And as I mentioned, these LEDs were replacing 2700K CFL floods. I basically needed more brightness.  I've got a Full Spectrum Dacor  task light that is great, but I need that kind of light for close up work. The 5000K in my unfinished basement looked way too white. All my Miller signs were all but invisible. I like the warmer color, but wanted the increase in brightness that this brand bulb affords (as well as the dimmer feature).   I also have some halogen spots around the outside of the layout highlighting some of my side displays. If I kept the 5000s, I'd have to replace all of those too as they are warmer. Personal preferences, as mentioned, are the name of the game.

 

Roger