LED Lighting in home and in the garage (health warning)

[Colossus]

Hi Folks-

 

I do lighting retrofits, repairs, and installations and re-lamping on the side, and have for 20+ years.  So I've been around when it comes to LED and CFL emergence and popularity and such.  I do love LED lighting and the cost savings, however- I do NOT like some of the side effects that it brings with it. 
Namely- using the wrong colors such as the "Daylight" spectrum which can be considered 5000k (kelvin) and above, as well as the RF interference that CFL and LED lighting emits.  It messes with wifi, radio, and other signals, and as a ham radio operator, RF interference is a big thing for me and many others. 

That being said, LED lighting has it's place, if you do it wisely and smartly.  

- Avoid the daylight colors in your home and especially in the evening hours- it messes with your body's ability to produce melatonin. 

- Avoid the daylight colors in areas you are going to be in for long periods of time such as your garage if you are going to be working on a project out there. 

 

Consider the following:
The warm white colors are best for inside the house especially for Kitchen, Bedroom, and Bath and Study areas and for outside the home such as your porch and driveway lights-  2700K-3000K are ideal for a warm calm environment and they make the outside of your house look more appealing and not so ugly with the bluish light that the daylight spectrum produces.  It's sad to see such nice houses messed up with such terrible lighting. 

 

For the workshop- Consider 3500K-4100K.  4000/4100K is considered Cool White which is generally perfect for home garages and unfinished basements if you like white light.  If not, the 3500K is a nice in-between color, providing a bit of the warm and cool white.  Many offices use this color. 

 

I myself find my garage lights up nicely with 4100/4000K, especially if you have white walls/ceiling, which reflect that white light better.  In my previous garage, I had a combination of Cool white and Warm White (3000k) so at the flick of a switch, I could turn on a bank of lights that had 4000K LED or Fluorescent, or I could go with the 3000K warm white, which I liked using at night when I didn't need bright light for what I was working on.   I also love good old fashioned incandescent 150-250 watt light bulbs!  Like the old school days.  If I am not on a budget. 

 

It's your choice in the end, but do your research and you'll find that the daylight colors are not a good idea in the long run.  If you want bright light, get a 4000K LED with a higher lumen output. 

Many of the shop lights sold online or at places like Harbor Freight and such come with 5000K which is a big annoyance of mine.  Do your research. 

 

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-05-eyes-health-authority.html