Sometimes you'll see subjective terms such as "warm white" or "cool white." Other times, the quantitative Kelvin temperature number will be used: 2700K (warm white), 4100K (cool white). For example, many people will find a formal dining room more appealing with "warmer" appearing light, while for a large, open-plan office "neutral to cool white" appearing light is the better choice.Ĭolor temperature designations of light bulbs can be confusing. ![]() When deciding on the best light bulb for a particular application, one consideration not to overlook is the appearance of the light as perceived by the people using the space. To give the perception of daylight (bluish white light), use light sources with a color temperature of 5000K or higher. ![]() 5000-6500K - Simulate Daylightĭaylight color temperature at noon is 5600K, but sunlight color temperature can vary widely based on time of day and weather conditions. Many office buildings use 4000-4100K fluorescent bulbs. For a slightly bluer, "cooler" effect use 4000K. When the desired effect is neutral or bright white, use light sources in the 3000K - 3500K range. So even though neodymium light bulbs have a 2800K color temperature, the light they produce appears to be bluer - similar to daylight and to other light bulbs that product light with color temperatures in the 5000K or higher range. The neodymium filters out the yellow and red wavelengths of the visible spectrum leaving predominately blue wavelengths. An exception is the incandescent light bulb with a neodymium coating. Most common incandescent light bulbs will produce light in this color temperature range. When the desired lighting effect is "warm", use light sources in the 2700K - 2800K range. But with CFL and LED bulbs, everything changed and you can now get a wide range of color temperatures. Most of the common household incandescent bulbs were 2700K, where halogens were around 3000-3500K. In the "old days" of lighting, where most lighting options were incandescent, color temperature was not a big issue. The color temperature of daylight varies, but is often in the 5000K to 7000K range. When the color temperature is 5000K or higher the light produced appears bluish white. As the color temperature increases to 3000K - 3500K, the color of the light appears less yellow and more white. How Color Temperature WorksĪ light bulb that produces light perceived as yellowish white will have a color temperature of around 2700K. As heat is added, the dull red turns to yellow, then to white, then to bluish white, finally to blue. At some point the bar will appear to glow a dull red. Imagine heating a bar of steel and observing the color of the bar at increasing temperatures. (Note: The Celsius and Fahrenheit scales are defined so that absolute zero is −273.15 ☌ or −459.67 ☏). The Kelvin thermodynamic temperature scale is defined so that absolute zero is 0 kelvins (K). And a 2700K incandescent bulb will be much hotter than an equivalent wattage 2700K LED bulb.Ĭolor temperature is measured by a unit called the Kelvin (K). So a 2700K bulb and a 5000K bulb can have the exact same (or very similar) heat. ![]() Kelvin is not the same as Fahrenheit or Celsius. ![]() The degrees Kelvin of a bulb does not measure the relative heat a bulb gives off. The color temperature of a lamp (bulb) describes how the light appears when the human eye looks directly at the illuminated bulb. Color temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin (K).
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