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Low energy GU10 bulbs that look/feel like halogen?

bob atherton

bob atherton

pfm Member
I am rebuilding a workshop and I am going to be putting about 12 GU10 down-lights in the ceiling.

In the past most low energy light makes me feel a bit queasy and uncomfortable. I believe that things have improved a lot in recent years.

I would like a warmish colour temperature, but not orange, maybe about 4000 K? I also want the equivalent output of 50w halogen. I don't need to dim the lights.

Any thoughts?

As I will be starting this lighting project from scratch are there any other ways to get a better lighting solution? The only thing that is important is that all lighting is recessed into the ceiling.

Thanks very much. Bob
 
None of the energy saving bulbs have the bandwidth of a halogen lamp (you can have bass; 2700K. mids; 3000 - 4000K or treble; 6500K, you can't have full range :D).

I'm not sensitive to the flicker but some are. I do occasionally see the flicker with peripeheral vision though.

I prefer the 2700K ones, they are the most similar to halogen IME.
I've used to go for Philips lamps but the other have caught up. The screwfix LAP ones are pretty decent:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-gu10-led-light-bulb-345lm-5w-10-pack/1402v
 
Which halogens?
If using downlighters, you'll need far more than if using open fittings

S-Man said:
None of the energy saving bulbs have the bandwidth of a halogen lamp (you can have bass; 2700K. mids; 3000 - 4000K or treble; 6500K, you can't have full range :D).
Click to expand...

I have said it many times here - I have a spectroscope - basically a prism in a tube with a slit, and all the LEDs that I have viewed through it are not line emitters, they are continuous. How, I have no idea, as white LEDs work in much the same way as traditional fluorescents, which ARE line emitters.
Bandwidth of any lamp is also totaly meaningless.

Don't forget to add in the effects of CCT.
 
We had to gradually replace all our GU10 halogen bulbs in the kitchen (fitted in hanging spots, clusters of 3)
The rating equivalent LEDs we used are bog standard supermarket brand - Warm White from memory

I find the light OK colourwise - just as warm and bright but clearly 'softer' than the halogens (which I don't like - the missus does)

Personally, If I was going to replace the ceiling fittings I would avoid GU10 like the plague, I hate the bayonet with a vengeance. Screw thread wins every time ;)
 
gintonic said:
for our workshop we used batton lights - three of them, nicely spaced gives great illumination.....with no dead spots
Click to expand...

100% with that - I find spots in a workshop pointless
(actually not much good in a kitchen either - just more 'atmospheric')
 
Thanks fore the speedy replied guys.
Just one more question to add... what are these COB GU10's like? .
On the face of it they might be better, for me anyway, than LED .
 
Cob bulbs are still led, but placed into an aray so they look like corn on the cob :)
Again - take your pick, they can offer huge light outputs.
 
bob atherton said:
I am rebuilding a workshop and I am going to be putting about 12 GU10 down-lights in the ceiling.

In the past most low energy light makes me feel a bit queasy and uncomfortable. I believe that things have improved a lot in recent years.

I would like a warmish colour temperature, but not orange, maybe about 4000 K? I also want the equivalent output of 50w halogen. I don't need to dim the lights.

Any thoughts?

As I will be starting this lighting project from scratch are there any other ways to get a better lighting solution? The only thing that is important is that all lighting is recessed into the ceiling.

Thanks very much. Bob
Click to expand...

I re built my workshop last year, and went for a brighter, totally shadow free environment, which has proven absolutely superb.
I also used to like a warmish colour - but no more, not for a workshop after using these.
These are akin to daylight+ but there is absolutely NO glare, and as I said - shadow free was vital.
I have a fair few power tools, and work a lot in there.
So LED battens, incredibly easy to fit, (only 2 screws to hold up the clamps) weigh next to nought, and have just worked.
Honestly - I would look at these or something similar.
While the 5' version is 60w, they diffuse well, and with three dip switches they can be made to pretty much any output, with no variation in colour temp.
https://www.novah.co.uk/ranges/solray-select-linear-batten-gen-2
 
miktec said:
actually not much good in a kitchen either - just more 'atmospheric')
Click to expand...

I agree we got rid of all those downlighters in the kitchen as well, created so many irritating shadows. Replaced with LED strips bit industrial but I like the shadow free environment to cook in
 
gintonic said:
what sort of workshop? I assume the spacing of the GU10 is calculated not to leave pools of light, or dead spots?

for our workshop we used batton lights - three of them, nicely spaced gives great illumination.....with no dead spots

https://www.bltdirect.com/led-batten-lights
Click to expand...
When I say workshop it was the best description I could think of for the use of the room.
It is 23ft x 13ft and will have shelves of tools, tins of paint and general DIY stuff. It will have a central workbench for doing DIY stuff on, and at one end of the room a model railway!

I guess for all three of the uses a more general, non directional light, would work well. I only suggested GU10's as we have them in the kitchen and I quite like the atmosphere they create. I also think that butterfly shadows on the model railway would be a very odd look as well. I will check out the batton lights.
 
S-Man said:
Nonsense:
https://www.rp-photonics.com/bandwidth.html
Click to expand...

Amazing how in the years I spent in light source R&D, band-width was never mentioned or used? Lm/W (efficacy), CCT, CRI were the be-all and end-all in terms of output.

However, even going with this total nonsense as far as lighting is concerned, it still means absolutely nothing as LED lamps cover the entire visible spectrum, or VERY close to. HOW they cover it is 13529454946 times more important (approximately) as that defines CCT (and efficacy, as lumens are an "imaginary" unit determined from experimental determination of photopic (and also scotopic - two different sensitivities) human eye sensitivity).

You are talking nonsense spurred by your inability to interpret what is posted online.
 
bob atherton said:
I guess for all three of the uses a more general, non directional light, would work well. I only suggested GU10's as we have them in the kitchen and I quite like the atmosphere they create. I also think that butterfly shadows on the model railway would be a very odd look as well. I will check out the batton lights.
Click to expand...

I would agree with the suggestions to use battons. The 4000K ones would be good for this application - as Martin C suggested.
 
Thanks chaps. Just ordered 6 v-tac 40w 4ft 4000k battens. At just £12.00 a piece they look like a bit of a bargain. I'll let you know how it goes. Cheers. Bob
 
That's a lot more light than you'd get from 12 x 5w gu10s! Should give superb even workshop lighting. Great value, too.

You might well want to experiment with a temp hook-up and how you switch them.

It might be, depending on the shape of workshop/ area of focus & diff activities / how bright you require - that you'd want to switch them in two overlapped sets of 3+3, or 3 sets of two, or even more finely than that.

'All on' will likely supply roughly 450-500lux at the working plane in a space 7 x 3.5m in round numbers (*includes some handwaving assumptions) - which is bright: good for fine tasks, even drawing/drafting - but might well may be more than you'd like depending on how you envision using the space; nice for working, likely a bit much for enjoying a bit of subtlety/atmospheric appreciation over a model railway being enjoyed in relaxation. Just a thought.
 
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