5400K ~90CRI. vs. 3000K ~60CRI fluorescent tube

slmjim

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
5
I'm not familiar enough with the interaction of temperature and CRI to make an informed decision.

This is to be a replacement FL tube in a horizontally wall-mounted, over-the-sink, single-tube kitchen fixture. The way it's positioned, there's lots of spill across, less so above & below. Cabinets & counter are slate gray, walls are darkish tan, floor is light tan, ceiling is off while, so the overall environment is dark.

Property is for sale.

I fully realize the question is subjective, but I'd like others' opinions:
I have a choice of the two tubes in the title.
Given the choice of the two tubes in the title, which would be the most pleasing and subjectively bright replacement tube?
 

Zak

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 12, 2016
Messages
257
Many people find cooler color temperatures subjectively brighter. The brighter light sources most people encounter tend to be closer to 5400K than to 3000K.

That's a huge CRI difference, and an environment lit at 90 CRI will look much more vibrant than one lit at 60 CRI. If it was close, I'd give some weight to the fact that most household lighting is warmer, but it isn't, and I'd definitely go with the 90 CRI option.
 

MeMeMe

Banned
Joined
Aug 27, 2018
Messages
125
Thanks for the response, Zak.

If you can, pick up a 3500K, 80-90 CRI. 60CRI does not sound right. Not sure those are even made any more and if they are, avoid it. 3500K will make most people happy and no one unhappy, which is important when selling.
 

slmjim

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
5
The 60 CRI tubes were in very dusty boxes, obviously quite old. Only ones I've ever seen.
 

phantom23

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 3, 2007
Messages
2,044
High CRI only! Sodium streetlights that give some ugly orange-ish light have 50-60CRI (basically no colors, everything is either orange or black).
 

idleprocess

Flashaholic
Joined
Feb 29, 2004
Messages
7,197
Location
decamped
As work areas, kitchens tend to feature higher color temperatures (or CCT, Correlate Color Temperature) in order to improve focus. Linear floros have been common for decades in kitchens. As such, if you have some 90 CRI high-CCT tubes I'd use them.

Warmer CCTs tend to be for non-work areas such as family rooms, bedrooms.

There's a trend in modern kitchen design to use arrays of can lights instead of linear floro fixtures, often with warmer CCTs. I find that trend a little baffling myself, but perhaps that's just the inertia of past experience.

High CRI only! Sodium streetlights that give some ugly orange-ish light have 50-60CRI (basically no colors, everything is either orange or black).

HPS is going to be in the mid-20s. LPS doesn't even look to score a positive value.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_rendering_index#Typical_values
 

JoakimFlorence

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
137
Neither option is very good. You don't want extremely low CRI in your kitchen.
But 5400K is going to look kind of cold and bluish.

You can't go wrong with 3000K in a kitchen. Still kind of warm, but brighter white for a more "modern" feel.
4000K is a brighter white "sunshine" color.
5000K is a whiter, somewhat cooler white color, and can sometimes appear to have a slightly bluish cast at lower light levels (might not be a good choice for a table lamp).
For a kitchen I would strongly recommend CRI of at least 90, and if you're being cheap you probably don't want to go below 85.
 
Top