LOA: color rating false?

[skylsdale]

I just got back froma run to Wal-Mart and while I was there noticed that they started carrying Lights of America replacement bulbs. They had MiniTwisters that ranged from 13W to 40W. Great retro resource...especially at $10 for two bulbs! Well, it's all banking on the kelvin rating.

I just did some checking on LOA's site and it gives the color rendition of every bulb and product that they make, which is 2,700 for the MiniTwister bulbs. On a hunch, I went to check out the 65W outdoor light that many people use (like the one Matt Wandell retro'd his System6 wtih)...and guess what? The color rendition for that comes up as 2,700 as well.

Just curious for people to sign in on this thread, especially for those who have used any of LOA's bulbs or models. If the bulbs are in fact 2700K, but they are still providing some good light as I've seen...it may be worth it.

 

[skylsdale]

Actually, I just came upon the 65W model that I think people use the most for retros: http://www.lightsofamerica.com/wl.htm ....and it's 6,500K.

Look like those bulbs above are too good to be true.

 

[brandon4291]

Hey that is still a good idea anyway Skylsdale.

If the WM lights were cheap and of good K rating, you can bet I would pick up a set. I never bothered to check the actual ratings on them or do the net research to find out. At least now we are starting to get a database of retro-lights and K ratings for many non-aquarium products. The key to saving cash!!! BTW< I still like the alternate products because maybe I can get away with a cheaper ballast and shell that would house some decent retrofit bulbs of the right rating. Happy hunting and thanks for the tech update---keep them coming for sure.

B

 

[skylsdale]

After doing some research on their site, it seems that they use 2700K bulbs for indoor use and 6500K bulbs for outdoor use, primarily because of how our eyes perceive the color and how pleasant it is to read, work, etc. in different environments.

 

[Anonymous]

That seems counter intuitive to me. I thought a whiter light (6500K) was more pleasant to read by than a yellower light (2700K)....

Thanks for checking that out sky, a great new cheap DIY resource. Can you post a link to the LOA website?

 

[Anonymous]

Never mind, you already posted it. Strange, the bulb I have in my tank has 6500K printed on it, but it certainly looks like LOA lists it as 2700K on the site...maybe just a mistake on their part.

 

[skylsdale]

That's what I thought, Matt...which is why I started this thread. I figured if there were more "mistakes" then these bulbs would be a very viable retro resource--if in actuality they were all 6500K.

For this outside flood lamp, it's 2700K (which I thought was your model): http://www.lightsofamerica.com/floods.htm

But you'll notice that the inner housing/reflector isn't just white, but actually appears metallic. Maybe they made some changes? This work light actually has a 6500K rating: http://www.lightsofamerica.com/wl.htm Just click on "specifications" under each lamp and it gives you the color rating.

I also thought this might make an unusual retro: http://www.lightsofamerica.com/yardlights.htm Although you might lose some lighting since the bulb is mounted vertically. The funny thing is that the color rating on this model is 6500K....but I check the replacement bulb on their site and that's given as 2700K. A little frustrating. I'm hoping that there are a few mistakes...

Anyway, you will actually be able to order straight from their website starting in October. Here's a copy from their site on color:

"A light's color affect how we perceive the color of an object lit. For example, a blue painting under a bluish light will heighten our feeling of its blueness, but a red painting under a blue light will make it very dull and grayish, because there are no "red color waves" made by the light.

The main indicator of color is the CCT (correlated color temperature) measured in degrees Kelvin. Lights of America typically uses 2700K warm spectrum bulbs for indoors and 6500K for outdoors

Light sources also have another important index: The color rendering index (CRI) scaled 1 to 100. CRI is important in a home because it affects how furniture, decorations, and even people look. Incandescents are considered the best at 95 to 100. Newer Tri-Phosphor Fluorescent (this is all Lights of America uses 84 to 88 CRI) is rated above 80, while mercury vapor and old fluorescent are 62 or above. Using CRI with 84 or better gives very little color shift loss."

 

[WaveFanatic]

Just wanted to comment on this. We were also looking at the LOA fixture for lighting our 6 gallon, but we decided to opt out cause bulb replacement (I think) becomes an issue. What we noticed was the outdoor fixtures were being sold with 6500K bulbs, but we have never seen bulb replacements that exactly match the original. I've search at a few Home Depots and also on the net, but have had no such luck. Even the replacements for the LOA 9266 fixture at thier site is only at 5000K.
Matt, have you ever had to change your bulb? If yes, where did you get the replacements?

Robert

 

[Anonymous]

Actually, I accidentally broke the first bulb that came with my fixture, and the one I'm using now is a replacement bulb. It was $11, and it says 6500K on the socket.

 

[Anonymous]

I posted this info in the General Reef Section regarding my attempts to find inexpensive power compact fixtures in the Chicago area.

I visited a couple of home improvement stores over the weekend to see what kinds of lights they carried that might do the job.

Home Depot did not have any Lights of America fixtures, nor did they have any power compact fixtures and/or bulbs that I could verify were full spectrum (i.e., in the 6500K range). The only fixtures and/or bulbs that appeared to be full spectrum were standard florescent bulbs in various lengths.

Menards did not carry Lights of Amercia fixtures, but they did have a few Lights of America power compact bulbs, including a 65watt bulb that appears to be the one used in the LOA shop fixture that I have heard people using to light their refugiums. However, the bulb did not list the color temp.

Menards did, however, carry a number of outdoor light fixtures using power compact bulbs made by Regents (or Reagents). They had a 13watt fixture for $14, a 26watt fixture for $30, and a 65watt fixture for $44. The description on the bottom of the box for each of these fixtures said that the bulbs were 6400K.

Although not as cheap as the Lights of America fixtures, they are still cheaper than CSL retros, and may be a good option for lighting refugiums, nanos and smaller tanks.

I bought the 13watt fixture as a possible light for a nano tank that I have been playing around with. If this light works out, then I will take another look at the 65watt fixture for my refugium.

 

[wetworx101]

Just a little something about kelvin ratings. they are a sucky way to measure lights. they are entirely based on opinion. this is why.

bulbs have a wide range of light. many have peaks in the red area (flo or inc). most good aquarium ones have a peak in the blue as well. halides have the most even light output of any bulb...pretty flat with some spikes in the blue and red...but more green than most...very close to natural sunlight. so they have no specific range...they all have almost full range...from 2000 to 20,000K. Some have more 20,000K than 2000 so they get labelled as being a higher kelvin bulb...even though the wavelengths of light besides in the blue spectrum might be the same. The truth is manufacturers just use these ratings as a basis for comparison even though they dont add up to anything measurable. So an aquarium bulb mfg can manipulate these figures to sound like what they want because they arent really lying. One company might have a 2700K bulb that looks exactly like another's 15,000K...both are right because both have certain amounts of light in those two ranges...just a marketing label. a 2700 K bulb that looks very white is prolly labelled as such so that the average home owner looks and thinks it is going to be a very warm bulb for use around the house. If that same bulb was sold for aquarium use they would prolly label it as 10,000K. The moral of the story is seeing is believing. Ever notice how some 20,000K bulbs are very white and others are very blue??? Same thing. Just marketing. When all-glass started making powercompacts, they came with a 9325K bulb. Sounds good right? I mean, that is almost a 10,000K. That should be pretty white, maybe kinda blue...NOT. It was pink. POS. Now they use CSL bulbs. The only way to actually have an undisputed 10,000K or whatever is to make a bulb that only makes that wavelength...which is impossible....oh wait...its called a laser.