Worth it for contractors who need 90+ CRI color accuracy without breaking the budget. The PAR38DM/930CA delivers 1000 lumens at 3000K with genuine high-CRI performance that makes merchandise pop in retail spaces and gives residential clients the quality light they’re paying for.
Skip it if you’re lighting a warehouse or parking lot where color doesn’t matter. Standard 80 CRI bulbs cost less and nobody cares if a forklift looks slightly green under warehouse lights.
The Engineering That Matters
This PAR38 pushes 90.09 lumens per watt — respectable efficiency for a high-CRI bulb. The trade-off for better color rendering is always efficiency, but Feit kept it reasonable here. At 11.1 watts replacing a 90W incandescent, you’re looking at 88% energy savings. That math works out fast on commercial jobs where lights run 12+ hours daily.
The specs tell the real story:
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Actual Wattage | 11.1W |
| Equivalent Wattage | 90W |
| Brightness | 1000 lumens |
| Color Temperature | 3000K (Bright White) |
| CRI | 90+ |
| Beam Angle | 40 degrees |
| Lifespan | 25,000 hours (22.8 years at 3hr/day) |
| Base Type | E26 (Medium Screw) |
| Efficacy | 90.09 lumens per watt |
The weatherproof/wet location rating means it’ll handle Montana’s sideways rain and snow without complaint. That silver finish reflector isn’t just for looks — it focuses the beam pattern consistently across the 40-degree spread.
Why 90+ CRI Changes the Game
Most contractors don’t think about CRI until a client complains their expensive granite looks dull or their wood floors seem lifeless. Standard LEDs run 80 CRI. Fine for garages. Not fine when someone’s paying you to light their trophy home or retail space.
This bulb’s 90+ CRI means colors appear more vivid and natural. The difference shows immediately in paint colors, fabric textures, and skin tones. Restaurant owners notice food looks more appetizing. Retail spaces see merchandise colors pop like they should. Contractors report using these for landscape accenting and security lighting where durability and energy efficiency are prioritized.
Customers consistently praise the natural color rendering. That’s not marketing fluff — it’s the CRI doing its job.
Built for Montana’s Weather Swings
The wet location rating handles everything from Flathead Valley’s 54 inches of annual snowfall to Great Falls’ chinook-driven temperature whips. Instant-on to full brightness means no warm-up lag when it’s -20°F outside.
The 25,000-hour rated life translates to fewer callbacks for bulb replacements on those flood lights mounted 20 feet up on someone’s shop. At three hours per day, you’re looking at over two decades before replacement. The 5-year limited warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship backs up the longevity claims.
Dimming Without Drama
Fully dimmable with LED-compatible dimmers, though some users report flicker issues with non-LED compatible dimmers. That’s not a bulb problem — that’s using the wrong dimmer. Compatible with leading-edge and trailing-edge dimmer switches. Tell clients to upgrade their 1980s rheostats if they want smooth dimming.
The Numbers Add Up
Energy consumption drops up to 88% compared to incandescent. For a commercial client running 50 of these 12 hours a day, that’s real money. The payback period beats most LED upgrades because you’re starting from such an inefficient baseline with 90W incandescents.
Certifications include CEC Title 20 Compliant, Energy Star Certified, FTC Labeled, UL/CUL Listed, and RoHS Compliant. The California compliance matters even in Montana — it means the bulb meets efficiency standards that’ll likely go nationwide eventually.
Where It Makes Sense
Applications span indoor and outdoor lighting, track lighting, recessed lighting, security lighting, outdoor flood lighting, and patio/porch/garage fixtures. Ideal for landscapes and office buildings according to Feit.
The 40-degree beam angle works well for accent lighting and focused coverage. Not a wide-flood pattern — this is for highlighting specific areas, not washing entire walls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will these work in my old track lighting system? Yes, the standard E26 medium screw base fits standard fixtures with no special tools or wiring required for installation. If your track heads take PAR38 bulbs, these drop right in.
Q: How do these handle Montana’s temperature extremes? The weatherproof construction and wet location rating mean they’re built for outdoor conditions. Mercury-free construction eliminates the disposal hassles of CFLs too.
Q: What’s the actual color temperature — warm or cool? At 3000K, these produce “Bright White” light — warmer than daylight (5000K) but cooler than traditional incandescent (2700K). Good balance for most applications.
Q: Do I need special dimmers for these? You need LED-compatible dimmers. The bulbs are fully dimmable with most leading-edge or trailing-edge LED dimmer switches. Old rheostats will cause flickering.
Q: How much will I actually save on energy costs? Using 11.1W instead of 90W means 88% less energy consumption. Running these instead of incandescents delivers significant energy savings over the bulb’s 25,000-hour lifetime.
Ready to Get Started?
Our building materials specialists can help you find the right Feit Electric products for your project.
More from Feit Electric
Explore All Feit Electric Products
We carry Feit Electric across all 11 Montana and Idaho stores.
