I'm working with a handyman to install recessed lights. I don't know anything about the subject. Can someone recommend options, like this:
I heard you can attach a "transformer" to convert the 110 Volt electricity to 10 Volt. So if one room has 4 recessed lights, then I won't need to buy 4 lights at $30 each, which include a LED light with transformer. Instead I could get the LED lights without the transformer, for $10 each. Can anyone make suggestions on this project. To install Recessed LED lights, in 2 bedrooms. Four lights in each room, with a dimmer switch.

The led recessed lighting thread and the predecessor have more info.

The cr series from Cree like the RT series from Sylvania are more diffuse than traditional can lights.

The centre does not need to be lit.

Thanks, davidtay. I am actually browsing threads here and tryig to make sense of it.

I just saw a friend's new kitchen in the same subdivision. She moved in to it after the remodel, but doesn't have the details. Her cans seemed to be more like 5" from the outside perimeter, with 4" inside the rim. They had a really different look but seemed kinda bright and sparkley while being nonobtrusive.

It has me rethinking the 6" cans, which she had in her adjoining LR and looked so much more like cheese holes in the ceiling...

Hm...Any idea what those might have been??

The trim ring may be larger or slimmer.

There are a number of vendors for recessed lights- twice bright, nora lighting, sylvania, halo, cree, ...

If you have the lights all of the same size and arranged in a fairly regular pattern, it would be a stretch of imagination to call that swiss cheese.

Figure out the number first. If you're uncomfortable (think that is too many) with that (cost, look), you could remove some and substitute with additional lighting - pendants, cove lighting, UCL, ...

I guess my main take-away, which I don't seem to be communicating very well, was that there was something about the 5" (or are they 4"?) that looked significantly better (and less cheese hole like) than the 6" cans in her home on similar ceilings. They just looked a LOT less obtrusive.

I think part of it was the size in our small homes with short ceilings. But, I think part of it was also that the inner area was different. The bulbs were not receded into the cans. Instead, there was some kind of casing that was even with the ceiling and the bulb area was small (maybe 2"?) and even with that line, too.

The lighting was not diffuse. It was more sparkley and bright.

It was just really interesting, given there were cans on in the adjoining DR that were the 6" we've been considering - and could still use in our adjoining hallway.

I'm explaining this HORRIBLY. I should have taken pics.

Is anything I am saying making sense? Do you have any idea what lights were in that kitchen?

There are a number of styles and sizes you can choose from (cost not considered). Some have no diffuser.

Steph2000: ask your friend!!!! I want to know too:)

davidtay: what does a diffuser do? do we want the inner part of the recessed light to be white baffled, silver & reflective, should the lights sit up higher into the ceiling or lower? what's the best way to make the light spread and not look like a spotlight? Does the housing make a difference? You're so helpful with us "lighting knowledge deficient" people:)

I honestly have read through the threads and taken some info, but some things seem to be a little over my head. I gathered that the general consensus is to get the Ecosmart lights from HD, which have the built in trim. I learned to place the lights closer to the cabinets than in the middle of the aisle, I learned how many lumens/sq ft., and the different "temperatures" of the lights.

A diffuser is usually a translucent covering. It is used by many led lighting manufacturers to obscure the little glaring point light sources and help in the color mixing.

Led lights like the CR6 and RT 6 have a sufficiently good spread of light that is closer to a surface mount than a traditional can light. The distance is fixed.

If you refer to the recessed can housing as the housing, no, it does not affect the light spread.

The output quoted for the CR6 is the light emitted out of the lamp. If you place an omni directional bulb (60w, ~ 800 lumens) into a can, you could end up getting ~ 600 (or less) out of the can.

A real life example is the new Cree bulb in both the A lamp and BR lamp ( reflector bulb used in recessed cans) form factor. The former gives 800 lumens while the latter provides 650.