Preferred Fluorescent color?

[ManCave]

I'm looking at 5000k bulbs with a cri of 86. These are T8 and NOT high output. 32w

I'm wondering if I'm going to like that. I have white metal ceiling and walls and now I'm getting concerned it might get too bright.

What color fluorescent bulbs do you prefer in your garage/shop?

I'm thinking about these or possibly these

 

[Gooch]

we almost always install 4100k lamps. 5000k seems too 'blue' and 3500k seems to 'yellow'

 

[ManCave]

Wow....a 100 views and only 1 comment (thanks, Gooch). Come on guys....would really love to hear more thoughts on color choice. I'm spending over $200 on bulbs and would like to get it right.

 

[n8n]

how about this one?

http://www.ecat.lighting.philips.com/l/lamps/fluorescent-lamps/tl/high-cri-t12/927887803704_na/

4100K and 90 CRI.

you might get (many!) more responses over at candlepowerforums.

 

[ripperd]

we almost always install 4100k lamps. 5000k seems too 'blue' and 3500k seems to 'yellow'

This was what I came up with as well when I did a bunch of research and looked at some in the store. I have 8 4' dual t8 fixtures on the celing, and one over my workbench, so not quite as much invested!

These are what I bought:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...orescent-Light-Bulbs-10-Pack-202788/202229382

They had the highest CRI and Lumens/Watt that I could find easily and at a reasonable price.

 

[hdossett]

we almost always install 4100k lamps. 5000k seems too 'blue' and 3500k seems to 'yellow'

I just don't think you can go wrong with 4100k!

I have been playing with LEDs in my RV and got around to my garage bench lights. (These are all roll your own strips) I put in 4000-4500 to replace the tubes in the RV. We really like them.

On the garage work bench, I ordered 5500K by mistake. Way too blue for me, have a 3000 strip in for balance, but will remove the 5500s at some point and replace with the 4000-4500 strip.

For me, lighting is all about the color temp. I don't like the near 2700K yellow, or the over 5500K blue. Would love the redo all my tube in the garage with LEDs, but I don't work in there enough to spend the cash! The RV was about battery life, heat, and playing with the LED strips.

H

P.S. The tubes in my garage are 4100K and look very good. In LEDs, that is referred to as "neutral", natural is in the 5500 range.

 

[pattenp]

In the shop I like the 5000K. I started with the 4100K, but changed them to the 5000K.

 

[mark11]

This was what I came up with as well when I did a bunch of research and looked at some in the store. I have 8 4' dual t8 fixtures on the celing, and one over my workbench, so not quite as much invested!

These are what I bought:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...orescent-Light-Bulbs-10-Pack-202788/202229382

They had the highest CRI and Lumens/Watt that I could find easily and at a reasonable price.

After trying more than a few different bulbs this is what I settled on. Anything more than 5000 was too blue for me in my workshop, for me CRI means at least as much as color temp I've learned.

 

[Voi]

I like 5000K. My wife bought some T8 4100K and 6500K for her sewing room and didn't like either and ended up "borrowing" some 5000K from my shop. So I have one four lamp fixture with two 4100K and two 6500K in it. It's bizarre how different they look next to each other in the same fixture.

I think the CRI of my 5000K T8's is in the low 80's.

 

[gj67stang]

5000K is my preferred "color."

I have 74 of these in my 40x60 workshop with white ceiling and unpainted OSB walls.

 

[Denwood]

We finished a 10 000 square foot install, all using Philips TL-950. 98 CRI, 5000K. The high CRI makes a big difference where colour differentiation is important. They are a very good match for noon day sun. Both floors of our building use them in T8, 4ft tubes. We ordered a few boxes of them from a local electrical wholesaler. I'm also relighting my personal shop with them: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=263351

The bulbs linked above are the TL-750 with a CRI of 78, the TL-950 which I'm recommending have a CRI of 98..so as close to natural sunlight as you'll get in a t8.

http://www.ecat.lighting.philips.co...-d/t8-900-series-rapid-start/927942009520_na/

Highly recommended if you're doing any kind of paint work, or work where colour rendering is important. My staff loves them.

Cheers,
Dennis.

 

[paranoid56]

In the shop I like the 5000K. I started with the 4100K, but changed them to the 5000K.

i did the same thing. 5000k all the way. anything else is just do yellowish

 

[Quijote]

I went with 5000k as well. It isn't blue to me. It's white.

 

[ManCave]

Ok, guys. I pulled the trigger on the 5000k bulbs. Thanks for the info and the help!

 

[Highbeam]

Oh and color temperature is not the same thing as "brightness". You can have insufficient light with any color.

 

[Falcon67]

6500K in the shop, laundry or work areas, 3000K in the kitchen.

 

[squarles67]

I like the 6500K in the shop

 

[soapii]

I use 6500K in the garages...nice and bright.

--Joe

 

[madosta]

5000k personal preference for me. I have some 6500k on one side of the garage and they aren't terrible just a little more blue.

 

[The Frisco Kid]

I use 4100K because I get a great deal on them. I prefer them by far over anything lower. 5000K is good for me as well, but it's a little blue if you have a lot of ambient sunlight from an open door or windows.

 

[hilld]

5k is my preference as well. Since I also worked as a photographer, I became very used to the 5k color temp, anything else just seems off, either too yellow or too blue. But really, it is a personal preference that only you can decide.

 

[bob_the_builder]

I have 6500K in my garage.