Light bulb color temperature breakdown

Feb 27, 2021 6:18 AM

WorldOfEngineering

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140301

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5460

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Soft white (2,700 to 3,000K) for living rooms, dens and bedrooms

Warm white (3,000 to 4,000K) for kitchens and bathrooms

Bright white (4,000 to 5,000K) for work spaces

Daylight (5,000 to 6,500K) for working, reading or applying makeup.

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cool lights makes my eyes hurt.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

K

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Love how we can chat about light bulbs with complete strangers online ?

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Most favorited post I’ve ever seen!!!

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Soft or warm light throughout the house, no overhead light, only lamps, except the kitchen and laundry room. That's the chillest.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Your office space needs 6K only if you're doing manual/precision work. Warmer light will be better for your sleep pattern at night.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Can’t stand that yellow light. Each to their own though. Warm white does help regulate sleep

5 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

This is a constant fight at my house. My SO is a fan of daylight and I hate it. I prefer blue for working and yellow for relaxing.

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Philips hue smart bulbs. They do the same gold to blue lights in there 1 light bulb, set timers and routines based on habits.

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Until your damn wifi goes out

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I've always loved that warmth feel of a house when walking by my neighbourhood. Changed to 2700k. Love it. Very calm and relaxing. (1

5 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

Warmer whites help to make you feel tired at night naturally. Scientifically backed.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

My parents love absolute white, +4000k must. It's like a mall. Hurts my eyes. I mean, as post states, our kitchen too is 4k.

5 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Cheap daylight bulbs will have a blue tint to them

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Fuck this. Soft light everywhere.

5 years ago | Likes 26 Dislikes 3

Mornings and daytime areas without natural light are better with cooler temps. At night warmer is better to promote sleep.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Yes! This is all wrong. In a residence you want same kelvin throughout. It's terrible mixing from space to space. 2700k for a house.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Also I'm a residential architect and I work with lighting designers a lot. This advice in post is 100% wrong.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I sell lighting, clothing stores often use 5k-65k because the more whiteish blue light tends to make colours pop and look nicer in stores.

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Omg this was the guide I needed last week at Home Depot

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The place I moved into had all daylight/cool light and it gave me a headache. Felt like I was going to be interrogated

5 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

If you’ve hooked up color changing bulbs to your home assistant, here are some common ‘white’ colors:

5 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

Anything above 4000K makes me feel like my eyeballs are getting stabbed by solid light

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

This was very illuminating, thanks!

5 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

Go to sleep Dad. It's past your 8:00pm bedtime.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

1:15hrs to bedtime, GMT+1

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Engineers and photographers have different definitions of “daylight” color temperatures.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Engineers just use a larger range. Daylight colour as in sunlight is around 5600K

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I wouldn't use anything above 4k in my house OUTSIDE of a light for painting warhammer.

5 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

Cool black ?

5 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

warm Asian ?

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I got bright white in the bathroom and kitchen, warm white everywhere else through the house

5 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Should use warmer colours in bathroom if your using those areas before bedroom. They will help you get better sleep

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I think a 3 month old with a blood curdling scream is more detrimental to my sleep than the colour of my bathroom light :)

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Right? How else you meant to see shit properly

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Wait a goddamn minute: the higher the temperature, the cooler the light?

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Always seems backwards to me too.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

It is. It really fucking is and I kinda hate it for that.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Shorter wavelengths have higher (photonic) energies. They require higher temperatures to have sufficient population at those energies.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Think of a piece of metal being heated. It will glow red before it glows white.

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

So why not call the 6000k warm and the 3000k cooler?

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Because marketing and being used to water temp. Warm like fire/red. Cool like ice/blue.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I understand now. Still don’t like it! But at least I get it — thx!

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

We associate the orange light of fire or candles with warmth because it's usually inside and blueish daylight with cold because it's outside

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Where I live (and in the majority of the world for that matter) it’s the other way around. Outside == hotter.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

When looking at side-by-side mock up displays like this, I always think I want the whitest white and don't like the yellow. But in practice,

5 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

somewhat warmer colors are actually more pleasant.

5 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

5000k..every light... Every room.. All day every day

5 years ago | Likes 16 Dislikes 7

Exactly. 90w equivalent br40 bulbs protruding from every recessed fixture too

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Elks understand

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

3000K is traditional incandescent. Anything 4000K or over does not look like day light it looks like a sanitary surgical operating theater.

5 years ago | Likes 21 Dislikes 7

Oh thank you! This is exactly the look i was shooting for!

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

2700k is incandescent or halogen. 3000k and above is compact Fluoro/LED mostly.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The Sun's colour temperature is about 6000K

5 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

I'm suspecting that these temperatures are off from the actual mean frequency of a blackbody spectrum.

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Not really.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Unpopular option: I set my tunable LED lights all the way down to 2000k. Super fucking cozy vibes and can actually fall asleep later.

5 years ago | Likes 58 Dislikes 0

What tunable LEDs do you use?

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It’s actually helping your body release melatonin to help you feel tired and promote sleep.

5 years ago | Likes 21 Dislikes 0

I keep my RGBW tuned right out of white temp mode. They're basically the color of fire embers anytime past sunset.

5 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Gimme that 7k in a 100w baby. I'll burn your eyes, but by god I can see what I'm doing!

5 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

5 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Perfect response

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I put strips of RGBW LEDs across the little loft space in the bedroom and I can ask Alexa to set them to any color and brightness. Like $60.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

On the other hand, if you want to stay awake and be able to focus in artificial light, 6500k is the way to go. Great for plants too.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

What is your recommendation for 6500 lights ?

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

They're typically sold as full-spectrum daylight bulbs / fluorescent lamps. There are even full-spectrum LED lamps these days. They're ...

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

all in the 5,500 - 6,500 K range. Unless you work in design and print, it doesn't have to be exactly 6500k, just enough blue & minimal UV-B.

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Light designer here. There's more to it than just CCT. Be careful about CRI index when chosing your lighting, it makes a world of difference

5 years ago | Likes 610 Dislikes 2

I installed 40 skin recessed LEDs in a large space, and they're impossible / painful to look at even on dimmers. Abrupt wavelength distr. ?

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Lighting designer here: you are correct. Also: if you're a turtle, you're going to need to special order.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

What is cct?

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

CRI should be above 80 at least or 90 if you’re expecting results.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Can you do a post about adaptive lighting? Basically you have LEDs installed on one system and they reflect the natural light of outside e.g

5 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

blue in the day then imperceivably dulls to orange during sunset - meant to help with circadian rhythms

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Got any strong feeling about those UV LED sunspectrum-lamps? Recently had some installed at a building I‘m working on at work, looks great

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I don't understand

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Lighten up, Francis

5 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 2

I need the right light for my upstairs hallway, looks like a hospital now, gunna paint it a warm white, some natural light. Any free advice?

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Yeah, temperature inside, imagine using low pressure sodium for everything. LOL. I really like mixing the self ballasted LED these days.

5 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Why would LEDs need ballasts? Never heard of those.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

They don't, but rather a driver

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Oh okay makes sense. Wanting to convert the incandescent lights in my garage at some point.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

TLAs? this guy fucks

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Which lighting is best to not look ugly in every photo?

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Lighting designer here. CRI is a flawed system. TM-30 will prevail and shadow CRI in time.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Lighting engineer. Adjustable Color Temp is finally hitting the residential market. These new bulbs match the color temp of the sun.

5 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

So they will be warm in the morning cool at mid day. And warm in the evening again. This keeps your circadian rhythm intact.

5 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

I cannot like this enough! This is amazing and now I want them in every fixture in my house. They are a million $ a piece, I assume?

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

ah yes, the "CRI Index", ie "Color rendering index index". it's like people saying "LAN Network" or "ATM Machine"

5 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Hamburger meat.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Pantone PMS116C Coated

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Could you explain more about CRI please?

5 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

80 is good enough. Bump up to 90 in areas where you really need to, like artwork display

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Agreed

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Just the job for 140 chars

5 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 3

Colour rendering index, the closer a light is to a natural light. Also, colour doesn't make a bulb brighter, that's a common mistake made.

5 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

It's because neither the gas used in flourescent lamps ("energy saving lams"), nor LEDs have a continuous spectrum. 1/2

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

There's additionally flourescent material used that broadens the emission. The CRI is a measure how well the visible spectrum is covered.2/2

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Wattage and lumens determine the brightness.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

You've got lux and candela to consider, too, depending on where the lighting source is located.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

JE NE SPRECHEN ZE LUMENS

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

What is CRI?

5 years ago | Likes 67 Dislikes 0

Know the old streelights where everything just looks black and white w/ no colors? This is what happens when the CRI is very low.

5 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

I love low pressure sodium lamps. My streets use high pressure, so the first time I saw low backstage of a theater. It looked incredible.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Think of CRI as how saturated your colours are, 100% i.e tunsten has the full spectrum. LED - 60-90%

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Color Rendering Index. I learned, it's basically how accurately a light source reveals actual color. (higher# CRI = better color accuracy)

5 years ago | Likes 72 Dislikes 0

What he said. You typically want high CRI in for instance your bathroom and kitchen so you can do your make-up and cook food accurately.

5 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

Low CRI LEDs will make everything in the room look washed out, regardless of colour temp

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Artists use 5000-6000k for color accuracy.

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Dot

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Even CRI can be misleading, spectrometry is where it's at. Fellow light designer here. Check out turtle friendly LED's ?

5 years ago | Likes 26 Dislikes 0

I remember when incandescents produced a nice warm black body spectrum

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

DO you know of any white LEDs with supplemental cyan?

5 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

There are some full spectrum whites as well as some fixtures containing several adjustable wavelengths with good color blending.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

My experience has shown me that even when we use amber (turtle friendly) wavelengths, they still want a physical shield to block it

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Turtle friendly?

5 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

The LED light spectrum is specifically engineered so that it doesn't cause baby turtles to confuse it with the moon and think it's the way?

5 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 1

?

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Woopsie

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

You should make a post about that. Also, is googling "cri index" going to be enough to learn more?

5 years ago | Likes 242 Dislikes 1

lecture

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Yes, this...

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

The most basic thing to know is, the higher the CRI index, the higher the brilliance. Of course, very high ones would be costly so get what

5 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 1

what your budget permits.

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

It‘s just a percentage of how natural colors look to our eyes compared to what they‘d look like in direct sunlight. In germany we can‘t

5 years ago | Likes 62 Dislikes 0

Install anything lower than 80, and that‘s fine most of the time. 90% is where it gets indistinguishable for most things except art etc.

5 years ago | Likes 42 Dislikes 0

Wie praktisch! Danke für den Kommentar, dachte schon ich muss auf eine Google-Odyssee gehen...

5 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

Gern geschehen!

5 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

The index derives from the spectrum of the light source. Most modern white leds are actually blue, with a layer of „paint“ that emits yellow

5 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

light when agitated by blue light. To the human eye, this looks white, but for example a green object would lose saturation compared to blue

5 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

I'm german and I didn't know this. Thank you, stranger

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

You can‘t even sell anything below 80 here, so it‘s probably not as big a deal as it might sound at first

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I want every room in my house between 4k and 6k. I hate that super yellowy light.

5 years ago | Likes 223 Dislikes 28

Exactly.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Countries where gas was used for lighting prefer yellow, countries that didn't have gas prefer white light.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I personally recommend white down lighting and yellow face level lighting, and colored accent layers. Turn a layer off for less intensity.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I use strictly daylight lights everywhere. I want proper colour representation, and when I get tired of it, I just... turn off my lights?

5 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

My house is roughly this way. I use warm lights in all lamps for night time to relax.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Same. I go nuts finding just the right light bulbs

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

I'm with you. Just looking at the cool side of that pic is literally relieving stress from me right now.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Same, but it's generally hard to find dimmable bulbs in E14 or e27 that are at least 4300k or higher. And they cost a lot lore

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

I hate the yellow light in bathrooms too. I do my makeup by the sink and the yellow light fucks up my foundation and shading

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

v

5 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 2

You're like my wife. She says otherwise she "doesn't see". She's always complaining there's little light although there's plenty enough.

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

I def agree with your wife. I feel like the yellow light often doesnt "light" things enough. Maybe there's something with rods or cones here

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Maybe. She wear glasses. She has astigmatism and myopia.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Better in the morning or when you’re up and about but at night you should be limiting your light exposure and warmer = better for sleep

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Same for my wife. She wanted all white for our kitchen table where she's sewing and mostly white in our living room.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

All the lights in my house are 5K plus. I don't see up to 20" very well and the "brighter" white light makes it easier for me.

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Ah, so you are that guy who lights up the whole street with his incandescent pipes.

5 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 1

Fuck that guy

5 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

Jesus that's to bright that makes youe home feel like an office space, sounds dystopian

5 years ago | Likes 48 Dislikes 4

Dimmers my friend, smart bulbs can dim themselves if you don't have a switch, the blue glow at 25% looks really nice for bed.

5 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Right? There’s a flat in our block and it looks like a fucking hospital. I can’t believe how many neutral whites people there are!

5 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 1

I guess to each their own. I feel like the "warm" lighting just tints everything weirdly and makes it all look... bleh.

5 years ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 3

I'm the same. I just keep the lumens down on the bulbs so it's not too bright.

5 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

I'm the opposite, I hate cool white, they give me headaches. The yellowy light though, gimme that

5 years ago | Likes 69 Dislikes 2

Not sure if cool white is closer to bluelight which causes strains and affects your circadian sleep cycle or something

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Not sure, it's possible I suppose? I'm no light expert, but that makes sense to me.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Have you considered switching to all candlelight? That some yellow stuff right there.

5 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 2

Love me some candles

5 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Meanwhile I use bulbs in the 2700k range because the higher intensity exacerbate some light sensitivity issues and can trigger my migraines.

5 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

The super (redshifted) Yellowy light is easier on your eyes for sudden night-to day transitions like needing to pee at night.

5 years ago | Likes 34 Dislikes 1

My bathroom lights are set to 3k @ 10% power after 1130pm, then automatically go back to manual mode at 9am.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Multicolor motion activated night lights to pee by. Turns on when I walk in and off mud stream but gives aim time!

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Makes sense, but I still hate how it looks. It's just... so unappealing to me.

5 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 2

Fun Fact: your phone does the same thing in night-saver mode. It "redshifts" to a lower more yellow tint to protect your night-vision.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You don't have your home memorized enough to walk in pitch black to pee?

5 years ago | Likes 28 Dislikes 2

I'm also a master of ninjshitsu.

5 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

My boyfriend broke his leg doing that while drunk

5 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

Amateur

5 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

How? Gotta know the story. (Sorry bout your boyfriend)

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Tripped on the bathroom rug somehow

5 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Wait... You guys get up to pee?

5 years ago | Likes 17 Dislikes 0

Waterbeds, and I'm don't mean water in the sense normal people do

5 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

You guys are fucking disgusting and I love every single one of you.

5 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

My whole house has daylight bulbs, I can't stand anything less. Soft white bulbs are the worst.

5 years ago | Likes 60 Dislikes 6

Ditto. Started with mini fluorescent then switched to LED when they became available at a reasonable price.

5 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

Same, except for some reason I hate the daylight bulbs for outside stuff and streetlights.

5 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

Or as this calls them, "warm light"

5 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 2

I'm the same way! I hate the yellow light.

5 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 2

It's the opposite for me. Although I don't like yellow bulbs. See, it's mostly not the colour that you hate, it's the lack of brilliance. 1/

5 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

You might have noticed how dim light looks amazing in bars, lounges, hotel lobbies compared to what people have at home.

5 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1