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susanlynn2012

can a br40 watt bulb be replaced with a par30 or par 38 bulb?

susanlynn2012
12 years ago

Can a BR40 watt bulb be replaced with a PAR30 or PAR 38 Bulb?

I asked the question another way and since I am getting no replies, this is really my question so when the BR40 Halogen Bulbs dies on me, will a PAR30 or a PAR38 Bulb fit it he fixture or will it be too small? I have found some Halogen Bulbs and LED bulbs that are PAR30 & PAR38 I like the specs of so I want to be sure if I use this electrician that will install the cans since he is giving me a good deal and has great references, if I will not regret not being able to use bulbs I like.

Comments (8)

  • David
    12 years ago

    A PAR38 would probably work.
    Would the following help?

    Here is a link that might be useful: some info

  • susanlynn2012
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you davidtay! Would I be able to use a Halogen or LED PAR30 in a fixture that came with a PAR40 halogen bulb?

  • wws944
    12 years ago

    If the can is just a basic 6" can, my recommendation would be to skip the BR40 and associated trim to begin with, and start out with LED. By the time you pay for the bulb and trim, you are almost half way to buying a Cree CR6 (or one of their competitors) at Home Depot for $40/each. Less if you live somewhere where the rate payers get to subsidize some of the costs.

    But in answer to your question, yes a PAR38 and certainly a PAR30 would fit. It is more a question of 'looks'. Like, if one burns out, do you really want the one bulb to have a different appearance than its neighbors?

    Note that there are also a few LED, and certainly some CFL, BR40 look alikes available. (I am looking for a few myself, because I have some sloped ceilings with cans that tilt to match the slope. Will go for LED when I see ones I like at a decent price.)

  • David
    12 years ago

    Second that.

  • susanlynn2012
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you wws944 and davidtay for your help and educating me as I am just learning about bulbs and has light affects colors in the room.

    Another electrician was here tonight who I felt had a lot of knowledge and will email me a quote for six recessed 6" cans, update can under the sink to accept more bulbs (no spring in it) and new trim. He told me we can play with bulbs to see what you like. He will also let me know how much it will cost to install a fixture in the dining room. He said the cans had springs in them to accept various size bulbs with long or short necks.

    The other electrician that left the PAR40 bulb with a good price did not let me know if the cans had springs to accept various size bulbs. He just told me if I did not like the bulb to buy my own bulb. He was going to give me a new free can under my sink and install the fixture in the dining room for free since it is a matter of switching fixtures and no new holes. But I don't want an outdated can without springs. What questions do I ask him?

    I wonder if all cans are similar?

    I have a 21 year old canned recess light under my sink that had fit an incandescednt bulb that the other electrician put the PAR40 Halogen bulb in it and it is not long enough but still fits the socket and it was not as nice as the non -glaring ecosmart 3,000 75 watt PAR38 LED (despite being only 85 CRI, I seem to like the nice white color that is bright and happy without any glare and not harsh like the fluorescent 6500K linear bulbs I now have in my ceiling fixture that I will be replacing with recessed can lighting. I seem to like this 850 lumens LED bulb that the new electrician put in for me since I had it in a small lamp with the shade off as I had been trying out different bulbs. I can't find where it says what flood with the light is. The new electrician liked this too and liked the specs of some halogen bulbs I showed him that were PAR38 and PAR30 Edison bulbs with wide spread floods.

    The ecosmart LED soft white floor reflector blanco suave65 watt equivalent bulb with only 575 lumens and says CREE True White Technology with 2700K light spectrum is not bright enough for me and I like the 3,000 light better despite this 65 watt LED coming with white trim as part of the bulb and 92 CRI which is higher than 85 CRI. My tiles are not as pretty under this light and I prefer a 75 watt equivalent light.

    Any other LED ideas that are flood that have 3,000K light spectrum with around 850 lumens or more that is 75 watts that will include the trim as part of the bulb?

    I think I prefer to go with the cooler LED bulb but would like to see how the two favorite (recommended by some posters on the Garden Web Forums) GE wide flood PAR38 and PAR30 halogens look with my tiles and in the room

  • David
    12 years ago

    There is the LR6 which also has an output color of 3500k. The output is 650 lumens.

    The output from a standard recessed can is significantly lower than that (~ 50%) of a bare bulb.

  • renovator8
    12 years ago

    Use a 5 inch new LED or an incandescent fixture with a PAR30 and avoid the BR40

  • susanlynn2012
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you Davidtay and Renovator8! Yes, I do not want the BR40 bulb even in the can since I really dislike the color of the bulb and the glare it gives despite how bright it is.