[windowguy]

i have Par30 bulb in the hats in the kitchen. I have no explanation for why the original guy used Par30 but for what its worth I am pleased with the brightness and look. I'm finally transitioning over to LEDs. I put a BR30 LED as a new test in one of the hats. From the eye looking up at it I'd say the "brightness" is the same as the PAR30, but when I look at the brightness on the floor you can definitely tell the BR30 LED does not cast the same brightness all the way down to the floor.

so my issue is, is this just an LED transition thing I'm going to get used to? or is it a PAR vs BR issue? More exactly, is there something about the reflective nature of the surface of the bulb of the PAR that flood differently than the BR?

If anybody has some good knowledge about the type of BEAM that comes out of a PAR vs BR it would help me a lot.. thanks.. I suppose I could just search out PAR30 LED, but I'd like to know what is really making the difference here.. is it LED different or bulb surface different?

 

[MrElectricianTV]

i have Par30 bulb in the hats in the kitchen. I have no explanation for why the original guy used Par30 but for what its worth I am pleased with the brightness and look. I'm finally transitioning over to LEDs. I put a BR30 LED as a new test in one of the hats. From the eye looking up at it I'd say the "brightness" is the same as the PAR30, but when I look at the brightness on the floor you can definitely tell the BR30 LED does not cast the same brightness all the way down to the floor.

so my issue is, is this just an LED transition thing I'm going to get used to? or is it a PAR vs BR issue? More exactly, is there something about the reflective nature of the surface of the bulb of the PAR that flood differently than the BR?

If anybody has some good knowledge about the type of BEAM that comes out of a PAR vs BR it would help me a lot.. thanks.. I suppose I could just search out PAR30 LED, but I'd like to know what is really making the difference here.. is it LED different or bulb surface different?

The PAR lens lets through a hard light with a hard shadow line. A BR bulb is a soft frosted bulb and the light has soft shadow lines.

 

[Oso954]

I think the big differance is the LED equivelent bulbs generally put out less lumens than the incandescent equivalents. This would be especially true if the original PAR30 was a halogen.

Looking at a bulb is not a good way of determining brightness. The color temp can fool you into thinking that the bulb of lower lumens is as "bright or brighter" than the bulb that is producing more measurable light.

If you want to know the differance between PAR and BR,
http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/lightbulbs83.htm

With many of the LED type equivalent bulbs, they are using the BR designation only to indicate outer shape and appearance.

 

[Luke M]

BR=wide beam
PAR flood=narrow beam
PAR spot=very narrow beam

 

[windowguy]

so I bit the bullet and bought a Par30 LED.. I put it up in the hat and the explanations above about how the Par30 casts off a beam that seems to be focused more.. the edge is more defined is correct I feel.

I have become accustomed to that "downforce" of light in the kitchen that I guess I'm hooked on it..

thanks for the replies.

but for what its worth.. on the front of the box it said "spot" but then on the side it said "flood" so I have no idea what I actually got.

it was a Philips Par30 L about $14.