Although the new, four-inch CR4-575L is available at Home Depot, the updated, six-inch CR6 is not at this time.  So, as Doug pointed out in our comments, it may be worthwhile to post a comparison of the existing CR6-575L with the updated CR6-800L.  Before doing that, note the new CR4-575L has similar specs to the existing CR6-575L with the main difference being one is made for a 4″ housing and the other is for a 6″ housing.  Here’s a head-to-head of the popular six-inch CR6 downlights.

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In July 2012, Cree announced brighter LED downlights in the CR Series.  The CR4-575L fits a 4″ housing and delivers 575 lumens, 90 CRI, 2700 Kelvin, dimming up to 5%, and 50,000 hours while only using 9.5 watts of energy.  The CR6-800L fits a 6″ housing and delivers 800 lumens, 90 CRI, 2700 Kelvin, dimming up to 5%, and 50,000 hours while only using 12 watts of energy.  Both are Energy Star qualified and they’re available in either the Edison or GU24-type bases.  The CR4 sells for about $53, and the CR6 sells for about $55 (both at EarthLED).

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David Hanacek of EcoCycle Solutions loves to think up practical, cost-effective building products that make a big impact on efficiency. Take his Flow-Thru Finisher for example, a handy little caulk gun attachment that helps get adhesive exactly where and how you want it.  Before that, it was a clog-free drain device and lightweight steel shipping pallets.  But it’s his new invention, the CanCoverIt, that gets him most excited.   After all, what looks like a ho-hum, odd-looking box is actually a breakthrough invention that can save countless kilowatts and millions of dollars for homeowners. Read more »