3000K Too Yellow for Garage ?

[Westbank]

I can get a great deal on LED fixtures but the only catch is the color temperature is 3000K. My garage will have white (drywall) walls and ceiling.

Initially I was thinking of going with 4000K to have white/neutral light. I assume 3000K would be too yellowish for a garage ? Should I skip this deal and go with 4000K instead ?

 

[bagged89s10]

How good of a deal are you getting and what do you use your garage for?

 

[dave*99]

I put 5000K in my garage. White ceilings and walls make for a very bright and white space. I think 3000K is too yellow for the garage.

 

[Falcon67]

I'm using 3000K LED BR-30s in the kitchen and laundry cans, looks pretty good. I'm not seeing it as yellow at all. 3000~3500K is what we're using around the house. In the shop I like 6500K.

 

[pattenp]

I put 5000K in my garage. White ceilings and walls make for a very bright and white space. I think 3000K is too yellow for the garage.

I'm in your camp.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I put 5000K in my garage. White ceilings and walls make for a very bright and white space. I think 3000K is too yellow for the garage.

I would go 5k as well...its a highly subjective thing, what I like you may not. Honestly I think it starts looking yellow at the 4k threshold..

I wouldn't put anything less then 4500k anywhere.

 

[Westbank]

Thanks guys for the feedback. Much appreciated.

The store is giving me 30% off but the more I think about it the more I prefer paying a little more to get 4000K or even 5000K.

 

[nine4gmc]

I have 4500k t12s and would not go anything less imo.

 

[bagged89s10]

I'm between 4100k and 5000k. I think now I'm leaning towards the 5000k.

 

[Strouty]

6500k T-8s and that feels like daylight. On a cloudy day I feel like I am walking inside when I go outside. If that makes any sense. I think our local NAPA has something in the 3000k range, it made everyone look like they had jaundice, but they were energy efficient.

 

[Coopduc]

I have 4100k in mine, just right IMO. Tried 5000k but seemed too blue for me.

 

[nine4gmc]

Mine may be 4100k as well, they were the cheap t12s at lowes. I know they are in the 4k range though, 3300k is like old yellow parking lot lights.

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

 

[rsanter]

Is it more garage or workshop?
For garage it is fine but for doing work in there is might be a bit yellow.

If they are that good of a deal you can use them in one part for general lighting and use 5000k over your work area

Bob

 

[Spudland_Dave]

6500k T-8s and that feels like daylight. On a cloudy day I feel like I am walking inside when I go outside. If that makes any sense. I think our local NAPA has something in the 3000k range, it made everyone look like they had jaundice, but they were energy efficient.

I know what you mean..
A lot has to do with brand too....I've had and still have some 6500k Phillips in T8's which I love. Got a couple GE 6500k CFL's and they look wicked blue to me.

Recently got some 5k LED T8 replacements to update a T12 fixture I had...LOVE em.

 

[Strouty]

I think mine are sylvania 6500k "daylight" bulbs.

 

[Dhagan887]

I can deal with 4100's but much prefer the 5ks in the garage. Can't stand either in the house though

 

[Jarnipman]

This is a very personal question you are asking. As you can see from the replies, a lot of people like higher kelvin values. I think 3K is to yellow for proper color rendition if you are working in there, but if it's a deal and you are just parking cars, storing stuff it's probably fine. The most important thing is to find out if you go higher is if you can tolerate the higher kelvin lights, such as the daylight bulbs. I have 4100 cool white and love them, but I have learned the hard way that >4100 hurts my eyes badly and the daylight bulbs that many people really like give me migraine headaches. There are some people that can't tolerate the higher kelvin lights, so good to find out before buying them if you go higher.

 

[Strouty]

Another thought is everyone has different ceiling heights so that would change things too.

 

[Burl]

Another thought is everyone has different ceiling heights so that would change things too.

Exactly. This should define your lighting needs. I have 12' ceilings in my garage, and 5K sunlight lights are good.

 

[GarageSpider]

Also need to pay attention to the CRI. I only use 90-100 CRI bulbs.

 

[Westbank]

Thanks for all the feedback!

The CRI is 80. I decided to not go for this deal. I will go with the CREE LS4 5000K (92 CRI). This should be a better option as 3000K might be too warm/yellow for a garage.

 

[ForceFed70]

Thanks for all the feedback!

The CRI is 80. I decided to not go for this deal. I will go with the CREE LS4 5000K (92 CRI). This should be a better option as 3000K might be too warm/yellow for a garage.

I think you made the right decision.

3k is very yellow. Even the people who prefer a more yellow light will generally say it's too yellow.

CRI of 80 is horrible!

Those are not a quality light. Built for parking garages or something where people just need to be able to find their way - not work in.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Color Rendering Index, off the top of my head. I think some refer to it as light quality, but what is it. Does the ballast (on floros) have any thing to do with it: ie, flickering with the 60Hz and such....or is it like HID intensity tht penetrates shadows, or what exactly?


Maybe it is easier on the eyes to focus and whst you are looking at seems blurry with low CRI and crisp and detailed with high CRI???

 

[ForceFed70]

Color Rendering Index, off the top of my head. I think some refer to it as light quality, but what is it. Does the ballast (on floros) have any thing to do with it: ie, flickering with the 60Hz and such....or is it like HID intensity tht penetrates shadows, or what exactly?


Maybe it is easier on the eyes to focus and whst you are looking at seems blurry with low CRI and crisp and detailed with high CRI???

CRI is a measurement of light quality.

Basically it tells you how accurately colors will appear under the light. A CRI of 100 is considered "perfect" and would match sunlight. CRI of 90 is generally seen as acceptable/good. Where a CRI of 95 would be considered "very good".

CRI is determined mostly by lamp technology/design. Ballast plays little role.

 

[cybrdyke]

Artificial light can rarely imitate natural light. For color rendering, incandescent has always been the best, approaching 100. Typical fluorescent, for many years, has run in the 70's, with "improved" versions reaching the 80's. Specialty fluorescents were made to reach into the 90's. Most people find the 80 CRI fluorescents acceptable because they've been around for so long.
High Pressure Sodiums, the "yellow-ish" light that you see in parking lots is in the 40's. Metal Halide, the white-ish light that you see on roadways, inside factories, etc, is in the 60's.
LED's are not naturally white. They need to be corrected to be white. Most LED products are in the 80's. Only a very few are in the 90's, but newer technologies are making 90's more available. It cost more to make an LED into a 90, so you'll pay a little more. And because more correction is necessary, they are usually just a little less efficient.
Kelvin color has little to do with CRI. Ballasts can only affect CRI if they are not driving the lamp properly.
Of course, there's a lot of variations of all of the above figures. YMMV.
CD

 

[ForceFed70]

Good info cybrdyke.

Tho I'd argue that you are being a little hard on CRI of modern fluorescent. From what I've seen today's cheap lamps are around 85CRI and 90CRI can be achieved for only a buck or 2 more.