# MR16 LED Choices



## Azspark (Jan 24, 2014)

Looking for someone that's had experience with MR16 LED Lights. Customer has about 200 of them throughout his home, and yes his home is basically an art/historic museum. Currently he has track lights everywhere with 50W halogens and the lights work fine. He stated if he turns to many on at once it trips the breaker. I am also new to this specialty type of lighting and he wants to make sure that none of the lights are going to affect his artifacts or painting. Any help is much appreciated.


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## randolph333 (Feb 10, 2015)

Well, one of my clients is a designer who likes the Soraa mr16 lamps [http://www.soraa.com/products/MR16-GU5.3] in these applications a lot. Do be careful of circuiting and controls - LEDs have a high inrush current because they turn on so fast and one needs to be careful of that. Here's a Lutron paper on that: http://www.lutron.com/TechnicalDocumentLibrary/367-2035_LED_white_paper.pdf

Hope this helps!


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## Azspark (Jan 24, 2014)

Thank you I was starting to think no one had anything to say....


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## DiegoXJ (Jul 29, 2010)

You need to see how much UV emission you get from the LED lights.

I know you are supposed to use the XENON gas filled MR16 lamps to light delicate artwork because it emits less UV rays than HALOGEN gas MR16 lamps.

That is about all i got on this.


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## Azspark (Jan 24, 2014)

Thank you


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## PHE (Jul 23, 2015)

Soraa are very nice bulbs, I use a lot of them for one of my designers as well in the Bellevue area. Pricey but many are 95CRI

Soraa was running really low on their MR16 stock, so we used another brand that had good results at 1/2 the cost. Keep in mind these haven't been tested by any of the dimmer manufactures that we use. In this instance we used Legrand Adorne universal dimmers and they worked well.
These MR16 were *PLT-101216* 7W - Dimmable LED - MR16 - 95 CRI - 50W Equal - 25 deg . These guys were 95CRI which the designer really wanted.

I use 1000bulbs.com for all my bulbs.

If you like cool LED strip lights use solidapollo.com
They are out of Lynwood, very helpful group


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## Azspark (Jan 24, 2014)

Phe thanks


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Do be afraid to inform the customer that even though most of these lamps carry a five year warranty, it doesn't mean they are not going to fail.
Expect some to fail, all lamps do, be prepared to process the returns.
Make sure you are not the person choosing the color.
If they are used to warm looking light and then see a real true 3000k they might realize what they were missing.
Some interesting reading here:

http://www.ledsource.com/blog/led-lighting-for-museums-and-galleries/


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## footcandle (Mar 12, 2015)

Hi, 
New to the forum, but I have lots of experience with art lighting and MR16's.
Most decent track fixtures will have the ability to accept lenses, and you can provide your client with a UV lens to help safe guard his art.
Let me know if there are any other questions.


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## Electric_Light (Apr 6, 2010)

LEDs are susceptible to color failure degradation that may not be covered under warranty. Interesting explanation on this here http://www.ies.org/lda/HotTopics/LED/20.cfm

It's incorrectly assumed that only UV is damaging and LEDs are totally safe and does not damage at all by leaving it on shining at art 24/7. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...ieces-artists-including-Van-Gogh-C-zanne.html


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## Azspark (Jan 24, 2014)

Thank you all for the responses. I showed the customer Soraa lights today and he feel in love.... I only had a few bulbs, supply house was short on supply. He walked me around his house and and he wanted to see the light on tons of different paintings. I tell you I think the price is high but the product truly speaks for itself. I was glad to find that Soraa led lights are uv and ir safe. He had a 12x14 picture and he told me that was one of his cheaper painting for 150k. CRAZY!!! But to get to the point Soraa is AWESOME!!!


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Electric_Light said:


> LEDs are susceptible to color failure degradation that may not be covered under warranty. Interesting explanation on this here http://www.ies.org/lda/HotTopics/LED/20.cfm
> 
> It's incorrectly assumed that only UV is damaging and LEDs are totally safe and does not damage at all by leaving it on shining at art 24/7.
> 
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...ieces-artists-including-Van-Gogh-C-zanne.html


Please research your data.
You will find that they were using Xenon lamps.


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## Electric_Light (Apr 6, 2010)

jrannis said:


> Please research your data.
> You will find that they were using Xenon lamps.


http://cool.conservation-us.org/byform/mailing-lists/cdl/2010/0361.html


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## JBrzoz00 (Nov 17, 2013)

I've had great luck with Soraa, but last I checked there was a 14 week lead time for most of the lamps. They also have a "snap" system that lets you use different lenses to change the beams for the artwork.


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## PHE (Jul 23, 2015)

The snap lenses are just held in place by magnet. Very quick and easy to change lense.

Makes the bulbs very versatile. Sell these to higher end clients, price usually isn't as much of an issue with them. And these are top shelf.


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## randolph333 (Feb 10, 2015)

The 1000bulbs.com lamps are Green Creative high-CRI MR16s, look here for details. They look pretty good; the measurements a lighting designer needs have been made and they are UL qualified. But they will produce multiple shadows when objects are fairly close to the lamps, since they are multiple-LED lamps. For single shadows, or high-CRI PAR20 or PAR30 replacements, Soraa seems to be the way to go.


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## billn (Aug 31, 2011)

Or you might be able to find diffuser lenses to go over the lamps.


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## randolph333 (Feb 10, 2015)

Sure. But probably it would be better to use other lamps. The whole _point_ of MR16s is that sharply-defined source.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

Just go on amazon and buy a few different types and see what works best in his situation. They are all made in the same place anyway. 
I have had really good luck with the Phillips though.


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