5500 or 6500 Kelvin?

[manuellynch]

Axiom NZ is consistently replacing Fluorescent these days in cabinet signs and we were wondering if a company is buying our product to replace 6500K neon and was using 5500K fluorescent...is there a preferred color temperature?

Axiom can make both a 6500K and a 5500K - we just wanted to see what was more popular.

please vote in the poll above...its is anonymous.

[Erik Sine]

Kind of hard to say off hand, I use DL & CW temp lamps depending on the face and color.

[Doug Blair]

We have seen a major trend in movement from the traditional 4100 to 6500 or higher over the last 15 years or so. We typically see 4100, 5000, and 6500 used in most of our applications. However, I would have to say that 80% is in the 6500 range which is the exact reverse of earlier applications. Although the testing equipment does not alwasy agree, generally our customers see the 6500 as a "brighter" illumination. Let me know if I can help further. d

[YYZ]

I'm a big fan of 5300K - it's one of our standard colors. 6500K will be more common with channel letters for the foreseeable future, but I think there may eventually be a shift towards a more color-spectrum-friendly color like 5300-5500.

Any time we have customers using a combination of fluorescent and LED on a project, we steer them towards the 5300K and it always matches up beautifully - since most sign shops seem to use Daylight lamps which fall in this range.

The attached pic shows our 5300K modules lighting up the channel letters placed over a fluorescent lit box. Most times the letters would look too blue in comparison, but when used in conjuction with, or in replacement of fluorescents, 5300~5500K is the way to go.

[Brian]

- since most sign shops seem to use Daylight lamps which fall in this range.

Sorry but I disagree Marko, our use of cool white to daylight is prob a 80/20 ratio

[geraldi]

- since most sign shops seem to use Daylight lamps which fall in this range.

Sorry but I disagree Marko, our use of cool white to daylight is prob a 80/20 ratio

Have to agree on the cool white. We keeps lots of cw and very few dl.

[Erik Sine]

I have to concur in most of this. When I look at my stock for service work it's 6500 becasue that is what most shops buy and use. For my own work however like Marko posted, I would have been using DL's for that. I'll use CW & DL's where they need to go. Also, when I change over complete relamps I'll use the DL's when they should be used.

But, it does suck having to have to much different stock.

[manuellynch]

But, it does suck having to have to much different stock.

Now that couldnt have been said any better.

[YYZ]

Cool White is an even warmer color than Daylight though, so the use of 6500K LEDs becomes that much more noticeable when comparing to fluorescent. Going with an LED in the 4200K range will seem a lot warmer than a Cool White fluorescent, since Cool Whites are typically closer to 5000K than their published rating.

Perhaps the Daylight usage is just more prevalent in our area, though I could be wrong on this - anyone in Ontario able to chime in?

[manuellynch]

Cool White is an even warmer color than Daylight though, so the use of 6500K LEDs becomes that much more noticeable when comparing to fluorescent. Going with an LED in the 4200K range will seem a lot warmer than a Cool White fluorescent, since Cool Whites are typically closer to 5000K than their published rating.

Perhaps the Daylight usage is just more prevalent in our area, though I could be wrong on this - anyone in Ontario able to chime in?

Yes I can - every one of the SHOPPERS, the largest Drug Store chain in Canada, uses AXIOM 6500K.

A lot of this is a preference due largely to a person's age. The lens in your eye filters out blue hues as you age - ever wonder why old ladies have blue in their hair??? They cannot see it and it looks very "white" to them.

You are still young Marko so warmer color temps in the 4500-5500 look okay to you - as you age these colors become much much more yellow and thus the interest by the aging Baby Boomers in higher color temps.

Sorry...just a bit of biology for the conversation.

[Erik Sine]

Am I still young?

[fishing nut]

Am I still young?

Never grow up, only grow old.

[manuellynch]

Never grow up, only grow old.

Sean - Never grow up and GLOW old!!!!

[YYZ]

Yes I can - every one of the SHOPPERS, the largest Drug Store chain in Canada, uses AXIOM 6500K.

I thought you were asking about fluorescent replacement? As in light boxes or awnings?

I know that Pride likes the cooler LED color, but Shoppers is predominantly channel letters and many of them are still neon.

Edited December 3, 2009 by YYZ

[manuellynch]

Yes I can - every one of the SHOPPERS, the largest Drug Store chain in Canada, uses AXIOM 6500K.

I thought you were asking about fluorescent replacement? As in light boxes or awnings?

I know that Pride likes the cooler LED color, but Shoppers is predominantly channel letters and many of them are still neon.

All the box/cabinet signs are switching to LEDs as well.

[consign]

Kind of hard to say off hand, I use DL & CW temp lamps depending on the face and color.

We are the same way and we also use SGN lamps as well due to customer spec's.

consign

[consign]

Yes I can - every one of the SHOPPERS, the largest Drug Store chain in Canada, uses AXIOM 6500K.

I thought you were asking about fluorescent replacement? As in light boxes or awnings?

I know that Pride likes the cooler LED color, but Shoppers is predominantly channel letters and many of them are still neon.

All the box/cabinet signs are switching to LEDs as well.