re: $9 CREE vs $15 GE 'smart' LEDs

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Link to a reliable tutorial? Some I've read indicate I'd need to change my wiring in some way. I have two types -- forgot what the terminology is, three-way or two-way... the living room has two switches on the same light. One is a regular switch and one is a dimmer. The regular switch has to be on for the dimmer switch to function. Same setup in the dining room; however, either switch works both ways in that room.

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Home Depot is not carrying the new Lutron C-L dimmer which can handle CFL, LED and incandescent. Keep in mind though that every LED lamp is different, and many are made to be cheap, which means cheap circuitry, poor dimming profiles, more circuit failures, etc.

Lutron provides a list of bulbs they've tested with the C-L dimmer, here it is...

LINK

Here is Lutron's LED resource site...lots of great info

LINK

You can get a Lutron Accessory dimmer at Home Depot as well that will give you 3-way dimming.

regarding dimmers:

i believe the CREE state they will work with all dimmers/analog dimmers.

i can't speak to that as i only have them in my '2 way' outdoor lights (the 100w equivalent crees) and they are fantastic.

come on at dusk and if i walk outside they jump to 'high beam' mode.

now in a year..if i have any issue..i may be back on here bitching.

i admit the 'sticky' covering threw me initially..i thought i needed to peel that off glad i didnt.

eta here you go. supported dimmers for CREE bulbs.

the list is long

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Cree® LED bulbs are designed to be dimmed with standard incandescent type dimmers. They are also compatible with most Magnetic Low
Voltage (MLV) and Electronic Low Voltage (ELV) dimmers. This list was generated from lab testing of samples and your results could vary.*

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LINK

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What should I go with?

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i'm a huge fan of cree..they have soft white bulbs but the other dude recommended FEIT (not familiar) which are even 'closer' to real incadescent.

get rid of those CFLs. they suck and will give you a headache eventually from such fake lighting.

I am in the process of converting all of the light bulbs in my house to LED bulbs and have gone exclusively with Cree. I need to look at FEIT since this is the first I have heard of.

With LED lights I have learned that you have to pay attention to the color temperature if you want to mimic the light of an incandescent bulb. Measured in Kelvins (K), you want light bulbs in the 2700-3000K range. Anything higher will be too blue and fake.

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4 Cree bulbs would have been $71 so if these work out, I will be using FEIT for the rest of my bulb purchases.

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i'm really intrigued with the FEITs.

65w equivalent huh? Interesting.

eta missed where you said 'flood' so not an a9 or whatever its called?

Yes, installing in the living areas of the house, which all have recessed lighting. This is what I just ordered 2 of:

LINK

In the bathrooms, I installed A19s:

LINK

ETA: there are cheaper options from 3rd party sellers but I have had a recent run of bad luck with 3rd party sellers so I am sticking to "sold by Amazon"

They sell Feit at lowes and HD but they do not carry the correct line yet...they are called Enhanced. The ones you see at HD are the performance line and have a CRI of 80. The ones pictured above in the 2 pack are correct...you see on the label them saying something about "color"...thats the 93 CRI claim.

I ordered all mine from a place called earth LED mainly for there warranty. The bulbs have a 3yr (5year if you get the all in one bulb and trim kit style)...but at the place I ordered for 11.99 I have 5 years on ALL the bulbs. Its 11.99 per order...so if you order one or 100 its the same. I ordered 88 BR40s. I asked how does it work if one is bad....they told me to call and they send a new one. I asked about the bad one shipping back...they told me if they wanted it back shipping would be on them. I have one bulb of the 88 that had a bent base so it wouldn't screw in...so i'll let you know how that call goes. No idea how long they will last but I feel ill at least get 5 years out of them now lol.

Cree has the TW series in the 40 and 60w A19 that have a high CRI and look normal (I think they have some other styles too). Feits A19 doesn't look like a standard bulb. I did get some of Feits A19 (not in yet) for some 4" recessed cans over my vanity in the master bathroom. There different shape makes me think they will fit well and work well in the cans. A regular R20 is sucked up way inside the can...these A19s are longer and still have that flat faced look of the R20s.

HEREis the Feit line on there site. They sell them at costco suposdly but I dont have one to go look at...and I needed a lot for my house. They are the closest thing to that nice warm incandescent light...that is 2700K and the high CRI...has to be both.

I have not had them long so I cant comment on longevity but I love the look. Some are rated at 50k hrs and some are 25k. The feit are 25k...but thats still almost 9 years at 8hrs a day and you wont run them that long.

If it was a couple bulbs I probably wouldn't invest in the LEDs for power savings. I would if the incandescent kept burning out fast OR they stopped making the ones that I like to use. I am a 100w BR40 kinda person...I think the 65 (max you can get now) are too dim. Thats why I really wanted to find LED replacements...that and with so many in my house its almost 5000w difference...thats substantial.

I know what you mean Since I was building and had so many and it made such a power difference i decided to jump all in. Rather than buy regular bulbs and then buy LEDs...I spent 2,500ish on just those bulbs

I would rather live by candle light than use CFLs I cant believe how they get popular...not hating on those who like them. They take for ever to come on...wash out colors...and you need a hazmat team if you brake one.