Light Bulbs Alter True Colors

By
©1993-2012 Tim Carter

        
Summary: Light bulbs can alter the true colors of your new rose color chaise. A quality light bulb with a high color rendering index will keep it from looking like a gaudy green. This Kelvin Scale chart compares different light sources from the warm red orange end to the higher color temperature blue/violet spectrum.

Related Articles:   Light Bulb Color Temperature, Color Temperature and Kelvin Scale, Color Temperature, Light Bulb Comparisons, Fluorescent Light Bulb

Kelvin and Color Rendition Scales

Kelvin Scale Comparative Values

The following list gives you a feel of where certain light sources are relative to one another on the Kelvin scale.

  • Candlelight
    1,850K

  • High Pressure Sodium
    2,000K

  • Regular Incandescent Bulb
    2,750K

  • Warm Fluorescent Bulb
    3,000K
  • Some Halogen Bulbs
    3,000K

  • Mid Range Fluorescent Bulbs
    3,500K

  • Cool Fluorescent Bulb
    4,100K

  • Some Metal (Mercury)Halide Bulbs
    4,500K

  • Special Fluorescent Bulbs
    5,000-6,300K

  • North Blue Sky light in low pollution area, low humidity, ideal weather conditions, high noon
    7,000-8,500K

Color Rendering Index

The color rendering index is an arbitrary scale of 0 to 100. It was developed in the 1930's, before fluorescent lights. True color samples (8) picked by the international lighting community are used to test the manner in which a particular bulb affects the color of the samples. Since the color of the sample is known, the amount that its color changes because of the bulb illumination determines the bulb's scale rating.A 0 rating would be the absolute worst, with a score of 100 being perfect.

Ratings can be all over the scale. For example, certain mercury vapor lamps have a CRI rating of 20! That is why your car looks weird in some parking lots at night. Some fluorescent bulbs have a CRI rating as high as 90.

For comparative shopping, any bulb with a CRI rating of 70 or higher will produce excellent color rendition. Values between 60 and 70 would be considered good. Below 60, and you run the risk of poor color rendition. Be careful!



Still Need Help? Type Your Keywords Here:
(examples: drywall repair, pilot light goes out, poor lot drainage, crown molding guide, etc.)

Comment on Facebook

Your Facebook friends would love to know how this column helped you solve your problem. Type a quick comment of what you discovered here at AsktheBuilder.com. Thanks!

Comments:

Welcome! I, Tim Carter, don't answer questions here. If you post a question here in the Comments Area, perhaps another visitor will help you. You need to go to the Ask Tim page if you want a question answered. Once there, look closely at how many weeks behind we are. Please be patient as you use this free service. If you have an emergency and need to talk to me, there is an option there for you.
No comments yet

     View all comments
*Name:
Email:
Notify me about new comments on this page
Hide my email
*Text:
Security Image:

Visual CAPTCHA
 
Remember, Tim Carter doesn't answer questions here in the comments. You need to go to the Ask Tim page.
 
Have a Suggestion?
©1993-2012 Tim Carter
Do it right, not over!
close

Ask the Builder Comment Help

Thanks for stopping by! The Comments Section of my AsktheBuilder.com website is a place for you to share stories about how you've solved a similar problem at your home or carry on a conversation with other visitors. I tried, at the beginning, to be part of the conversation, but there were too many questions being asked and it was impossible for me to keep up and get my regular work finished each day.

If you want to ask me a direct question, you should go to the Ask Tim page of this website.

Helpful Comment Tips: If you need help with a problem, please try these things now before you type in a comment. You could discover your answer in just minutes.
Don't show this alert again.