Recessed lighting help (LED)

12 years ago

We'd like to install 4" recessed lights in our kitchen with an existing ceiling - retrofit cans. I'm mostly looking at LED options and have several questions:

-what's the benefit of LED housings (seem to be $100+) over a line or low voltage can with an LED retrofit bulb (under $80 or so)?

-do people have good experiences with specific low/line voltage cans, trims and LED bulbs? Two that have been recommended are a Cree MR16 and a Sylvania LED downlight.

Thank you

Comments (7)

BostonStratford
Original Author
12 years ago
Also we'd like to use dimmers
David
12 years ago
The Cree lr4 lights cost ~120. They are normally sold with the housing (and trim) since suitable 4" can housing is difficult to locate.

Having said that, there may be alternatives in the form of commercial electric 4" led down lights which cost Mr16 lights are not usually used for general lighting.

As for dimmers, Lurton diva dimmers for led work well with Cree lights.

Cost is an important factor, but not all LEDs are created equally.
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David
12 years ago
Examples
Line voltage
Cree LR4 approx price of housing, led module, trim ~$160
Halo H4 ~$195 (housing 75, LED module 95, trim 25)
Commercial electric 4" LED ~$36 (LED module alone)

Low voltage
CSL (House of Troy division) EDL-RM-WW 16W LED ~ $200+

Other factors affecting the price include
Color correction (Cree)
Total light output
Engineering for heat dissipation, dimming, glare reduction, viewing angle

The theoretical max lumen per watt (assuming ~ 0 waste heat) is ~ 600 lumens per watt. The best achievable today using LED is ~ 235 lumens per watt.

The bulk of LED solutions on the market today vary between 35 - 60 lumens per watt. Some exceptions are the CR24 (~ 90 - 110 lumens per watt) and the newest enduraLED (~90)
TxAggiemom
12 years ago
Trying to decide which canned lighting housing to install for our kitchen and family room remode. Does anyone have suggestions for Juno vs. Halo.. also 5" or 6" housing? So confused and need to install lights in our kitchen soon.. getting tired of one lightbulb and vent hood light!
David
12 years ago
Cree lights CR6, LR6, LE6 all use 6" housing.

I traditionally used Halo, but it was a matter of availability of Title 24 compliant cans then.

If you're not tearing out the ceiling, use retrofit cans. In any case, you will need to know where the ceiling joists are and obstructions above the ceiling as those would impact the placement of the recessed cans.
frankliemydear
10 years ago
This is an old post, but maybe someone might see this: We are considering changing our old kitchen box fluorescent tubes with retrofit LED recessed canned lights. My question is, once the lights burn out (in 20 years), would we be able to just screw in new lights or would we need to replace the entire unit?

Thanks.
David
10 years ago
You just replace the led module. The led discussion thread on this forum has more info.