Characterize Slochi 7.5 Inch LED Disk Downlights Sold At Amazon

I have purchased, tried, rejected and returned these surface-mount LED disk lights found at Amazon:

They seemed to meet my requirements of five thin lights that would illuminate the rough attic of a year-1954 hip-roof ranch home. I returned the lights with vengeance in a 3-stars review, for the following reasons:

1. A 7" light should have output of not more than 900 lumens. The light output was not stated anywhere at the Amazon listing, on the box or in the box. The lens size and lumens output must correspond, with a luminance limit of 0.05 lumens per square millimeter. I found glare unbearable to look at. I suggested that output is 1200 lumens, then with luminance of 0.065 lumens per square millimeter. The measured lens diameter for this luminance statement is 153 mm, 6.02inch. How then can the light be called 7.5"? 
2. The deceptive listing photo indicates a pretty thickness of about 5/8". In fact thickness is 0.94".
3. The color temperature choices are adverse. We wish for adjustability-to-suit-individual vision within a band of 3000°K +/-, perhaps 200°K. No one loves 4000°K. 6500°K is awfully ugly.

That is it for complaints. I can praise the light for being cleanly dimmable, contrary to the listing stated as non-dimmable. Dimmability costs pennies and absence would be a bad decision. This white-rimmed light is no longer offered. Perhaps the ten lights I returned, all that were available, will not return to listings.

At 5/17/2026 I have ordered this (last-ever?)  similar light offered by Amazon:

Immediately upon my purchase, this light was reported as indefinitely unavailable. This light is still reported wrongly as non-dimmable. The rim diameter is reported as 6.5 inch, with output of 1200 lumens. Where output is determined by the length of the strip of LEDs within the rim, a bit more area than the lens, the 7.5" vs. 6.5" size listing implies increase of output from 1200 lumens to 7.5/6.5*1200 = 1385 lumens, luminance 0.075 lumens per square millimeter! 

See awful disinformation in the above About this item, that 1200 lumens is equivalent to a 100 watt incandescent bulb. A 100 watt incandescent bulb delivers about 450 lumens in end-on directional illumination. I contradict with the confidence of experimental observation:

The task illumination of a 100 watt incandescent bulb was only about 450 lumens. I suggested that the 70% waste of lumens with a point source light filament and frosting of the bulb glass might be expressed with equal Brightness Numbers, B4, where the hottest-allowed incandescent bulb was about 150 watts, B6. This standard has not caught on, and we are misled by Amazon: 1200lm led ceiling light is equivalent to 100W traditional incandescent light.

A 1200 lumens directional LED luminaire offers the task illumination of a cluster of about three 100 watt incandescent bulbs. 

The disinformation again expressed perhaps to deliberately devalue LED lights, was carried forward in the 2008 L-Prize competition. The residential lighting prize winner was this expensive,  foolish, heavy, wasteful contraption. 

On my comparison test stand, 4" Glimpse at LHS, the Utilitech "winner" at RHS beaming end-on from a porcelain lampholder. End-on is of course the orientation of the LED board. The winning bulb has glass optics to deflect perhaps half of the directional light perpendicular to the A19 light socket, with presumption sideways illumination is wanted from a bulb pointing upward in a now-absurd table lamp. Please judge that my comparison test stand offers unambiguous assessments.

Here is test stand comparison of the 7.5" Slochi at 3000°K color temperature setting, with a 4" Glimpse, at fixed 3000°K color temperature. See the over-powered Glimpse at RHS.

This is the pretty 4" Glimpse, as illuminating as a 100 watt incandescent, with its box-mount keyways that draw litter of dead bugs to cloud the lens.

This is the thick appearance of the 7.5" Slochi as it would be flush-mounted on a drywall ceiling, joined to a recessed lighting junction box, RACO 175.

Here is the about 3000°K comparison of illumination upon a light-gray wall. Observe brightness and projected colors, separated by a divider plate.The Slochi is more than twice as "bright," and has lower color temperature. Both lights have intended 3000°K color temperature.

1200 lumens 7.5" Slochi at LHS, 450 lumens 4" Glimpse at RHS.

1200 lumens 7.5" Slochi set 4000°K at LHS, 450 lumens 4" Glimpse 3000°K at RHS.

1200 lumens 7.5" Slochi set 6500°K at LHS, 450 lumens 4" Glimpse 3000°K at RHS.

The 7.5" Slochi luminaire is keyed to three tabs about its wiring-obstructive mounting plate. Luminaire separation is quite intuitive. The plastic Slochi could not carry an electric charge; there is no ground wire.

The 6.5" and 7.5" Slochi have the same projection of color, compared to 4" Glimpse.

7.5" Slochi at LHS

6.5" Slochi at LHS

This is the 6.5" Slochi in process of installing temporarily on my kitchen ceiling.  See that the mounting plate is only a plastic bar. With a tiny 1" hole for wires, connections must be achieved before raising the mounting plate to a ceiling. The luminaire engages the mounting plate quite blindly and with frustration, with a precarious sideways capture. The luminaire is 0.71" thick and stands atop the mounting plate with a 1/8" gap to the ceiling. I do not like this engagement, and think it has no future, as a failed experiment. See that I install lighting air-tight, grouted-in RACO 175 junction boxes. In drywall, I see no advantage in lesser ceiling cuts - and absolutely none in the larger ceiling cuts of can lights or clip-in "canless" luminaires.

With the 1/8" gap, the 6 1/2" Slochi just looks quite thick.

I have set color temperature to 6500°K, here observed in nighttime darkness in comparison with many other lights 3000°K. 

The very bright blue light is very ugly as seen upon the luminaire lens. I can't say whether the gloomy blue is projected upon the floor, overwhelmed by the many other lights 3000°K.

The open space of a 4" octagon ceiling box is ample for pulling of wires within a joist bay. An airtight installation is easily opened for access with a stab saw. A light location needing to be abandoned is easily patched-out with a divot left in the attic above, for best match of ceiling texture. Know that lighting opportunities and needs change or may be found in-error.

Key to the easy box removal is the installation with a wood junction box kit, rather than reliance on finding useful hole proximity to framing. All ceiling  lights and fans are best installed after drywall, with wiring pre-positioned if possible.

There is nothing about the 6.5" Slochi that is an improvement upon the found 5" OD Commercial Electric 74203, here being reset. Know that this light is no longer sold at Home Depot, or anywhere. 

After electrical connection with the very ubiquitous orange quick-connect, just push upon the lens to spring-load the luminaire upon the ceiling. The most intuitive action is to push or to pull upon the lens for installation and removal.

A Simple Attic LED 18 AWG Lighting Circuit Using Lever Wire Connectors

Think of manageable commoning of wires of shared purpose. Purposes will include a neutral return path, common switched power to devices that will operate in parallel and common ground wires. As an alternative to commoning with twist nuts, lever wire connectors permit insertion without disrupting circuits already built. Every connection is individually manageable.

Think of the word port as the entry path of one wire to a lever commoning. A connector will be named for the number of ports side-by-side, by which wires may be commoned. The alternative of commoning by twist connectors can be very inferior  where bared ends now deformed, resist tidy gathering. Wires of different gage and stiffness, out of sight crowded into nuts, may fail electrical contact, even becoming fire hazards.

Lever wire connectors are offered on Amazon at less than twenty cents each, comparable to simple twist nuts. See that in cost, it should not matter whether connector bodies are transparent. Wish that connectors were packaged in paper boxes. Binned technician tool boxes are the appropriate ready-use storage. Know that anchor clips will be of unusual demand perhaps in violation of building codes addressing accessability, strain relief and device grounding. The tiny screws in variously manufacturer-labeled kits at Amazon just now, are useless, with inappropriate loose-engagement Phillips drive and blunt points that demand pre-drilling. Know that aside from Amazon offers, lever wire connectors are far more expensive.

In my little job now shared, I applied a parallel string of LED lights to overhead 2x framing in a residence attic. Here is a diagram of the circuit:

I wanted thinnest-possible lights, truly surface-mounted without junction boxes. Here are photos at the lever wire connectors:

2-port connectors at L1.

3-port connectors at L2.

4-port connectors at L4.

14/2 Romex power supply down to the light switch and power outlet upon the Safety Pole. Behind the 14/2, see 18/2 switched power leading up to L4 which beams down over the attic ladder opening.

The Safety Pole with 4" deep box, lighted switch and outlet upon the lower hand-hold.

Here is demonstration of 4-port lever wire connectors employment in a RACO 175 deep junction box, for a surace-mounted LED light with a very obstructive mounting plate. Where all wires are 18/2, each lever wire connector in turn is easily extracted for the luminaire connection. The extraction would be almost impossible with 14 gage wires.

Lever wire connectors will be used mainly within junction boxes.

Building codes constrain against impermanent connections being unserviceable, hidden within a wall for example. Visible connections  in an attic - are serviceable.

My demonstration of better attic lighting happened concurrent with the Spring 2026 Tech Show at my high school, Benson Polytechnic, in Portland, Oregon. I was back as a graduate of the Class of 1962, and was once again dismayed to see antique Career and Technical Education teaching of lights and power wiring in stud walls. I promised the instructor of this wiring, that I would share my experiments in doing better where beyond light switches, modern LED disk lighting demands control and connections innovation. We need to stop imagining efficient and useful light as associated with illegal and dangerous point-source bare bulbs in porcelain lampholders. If building codes and the training of electricians stand in the way, we must smartly resist.

Some Hyperlinks, Shopping For Lever Wire Connectors:

With seeking of concensus upon names.

Commoning

2-Port Commoning Lever Connector

WAGO 222-412

$0.41 each,Qty 250 at Digikey.

Description: SPLICE LEVER 28-12AWG 2POS

2-Port Commoning Lever Connector

Amazon, ZHF  

$0.15 each,Qty 100 at Amazon

3-Port Commoning Lever Connector

WAGO 222-413  

$0.50 each,Qty 250 at Digikey.

Description: SPLICE LEVER 28-12AWG 3POS

                                                    

3-Port Commoning Lever Connector

Amazon, ZHF

$0.19 each, Qty 100

Shipping in a cardboard box.

3-Port  Commoning Lever Connector

WAGO 221-413 

$0.51 each, Qty 250 at Digikey.

Description SPLICE LEVER 24-12AWG 3POS

4-Port Commoning Lever Connector

Amazon, XHF  

$0.23 each, Qty 100

Shipping in a cardboard box.

5-Port Commoning Lever Connector

WAGO 222-415  

$0.77 each, Qty 250 at Digikey.

Description SPLICE LEVER 28-12 AWG 5POS

5-Port Commoning Lever Connector

Amazon, XHF 

$0.27 each, Qty 100

Shipping in a cardboard box.

And what is this? A label, SPLICING, implies individual lead continuity. Are up to ten leads commoned? I won't buy one to find out.

10-Ports

WAGO 221-420

$1.61 each, Qty 250 at Digikey.

Description: LEVER-NUTS SPLICING CONNECTOR;1

See that Amazon doesn't clarify the function of this connector, here.  Amazon does offer it, fifteen for $34.65, $2.31 each.

Splicing/  Pass-Throughs

Let us call an in-line connection of wires always a splice. Know that outside an accessible junction box, an impermanent splice should be forbidden. If unavoidable somehow, let permanence be with soldering and durable sleeving matching the wire insulation. 

Lever Splice Connector

WAGO 221-2401 

$0.54 each, Qty 300 at Digikey.

4-Port Pass-Through Lever Connector

Parts Express,  Qty 10: $10.98, $1.10 each

Base For Lever-Wire Connector:

With the above image showing a cast-in feature for a mounting screw, report upon effort to identify an accessory for screw-mounting of lever wire commoning connectors. It is found in China kit packaging for Amazon, for example this:

The screw-mount accessory is usually called a Base.   Accept that name, or generalize to screw-mounting bracket, and with either, fail to find this as a stand-alone purchase opportunity.

Of many lever connector accessories listed at Amazon and at Digikey, this is the one that I have found useful. Call the orange snap-on a screw-mount clip. Somehow it must be offered. Cost? Surely less than $0.05 each in a quantity of 100.

See that the clip engages the voltage test port and a bottomside ridge. The connector readily detaches from the base by prying or pulling against screw restraint, at the ports edge of the connector.

Release a not-mounted clip with small twisting of a screwdriver.

The screw-mount clip doesn't tolerate any bending, as in trying to release by prying between the gray connector body and the framing lumber. Torque isn't tolerated even with a broad-head screw.

This clever mounting device might be called a splitter, unambiguous wiring especially where supply and return paths are paired. I could have affordably placed the attic lights with this:

(Prefer the strong screw-mounted block.)

Job cost $83 for five rooms of five lights home-run to switch boxes using 18 gage wires. Home runs are not mandatory. Parallel strings along along each useful ceiling frame bay commoned at the switch might make sense. We have possibilities of wiring improvement, for expandability and safety. Let's begin.

Affordable for intuitive simplicity.

Gross Living Area of A Single-Family Home

 Ask this question:

 Are there consistent rules for measuring home living space for real estate purposes?

Get an AI answer:

While there is no single legally mandated national law for measuring home living space, the real estate industry has moved toward a dominant standard known as ANSI Z765-2021. Adoption of this standard has created much more consistency, especially in professional appraisals for mortgages. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The Primary Industry Standard: ANSI Z765-2021 [1, 2]

Since April 1, 2022, Fannie Mae has required all appraisers to follow the ANSI Z765-2021 standard for single-family homes. This standard provides specific rules to ensure "Gross Living Area" (GLA) is calculated uniformly: [1, 2, 3, 4]

• Exterior Measurement: For single-family detached homes, measurements are taken from the outside of the house. This includes the thickness of the exterior walls in the total square footage.
• Ceiling Height: Living space must have a ceiling height of at least 7 feet. In rooms with sloped ceilings, at least 50% of the room must be 7 feet high, and any area under 5 feet cannot be counted.
• Grade Level (Basements): If any part of a level is below ground level (even partially), the entire level is considered below-grade and typically excluded from the primary GLA figure, though it can be reported separately.
• Finished Status: To count as GLA, a space must be finished (walls, floors, ceilings), contiguous (connected to the main house), and permanently heated. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Common Sources of Discrepancy

Even with a standard in place, you may see different numbers for the same house due to varying purposes for the measurement: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

• Public/Tax Records: Often rely on original building permits or older data that may not include recent (or unpermitted) renovations.

Know that the AI information DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO READ THE ACTUAL YEAR-2021 ANSI STANDARD. There criminally, is a paywall. I can only download and read for-free, a year 2020 draft copy. 

To read the rules, I am expected to pay $25,

https://www.homeinnovation.com/store

Square Footage - Method for Calculating: ANSI Z765-2021

Where reportable living area of my own home has increased by expansion of my kitchen over the existing foundation, I am at liberty to measure and calculate the adjustment by myself. 

See that by means I thought fair, I have updated my reporting of Conditioned Space, to 1081 sf, at the realty resources I have discovered, first at Zillow. The difference from GLA of 1132 sf is fairly to some mid-point within the exterior walls. In fact, conditioned space is only within drywall to the exterior walls, something like 1009 sf. Let us NOT elevate the importance of GLA. Let us lessen dependence on property tax revenue for municipal funding. 

Here is a graphic from the  2/20/2020 Draft version, chosen as typical of the rules:

There is very real intent to count area within walls, including exterior walls. Zillow is a leader in accepting new, larger numbers, with boosted consequences in appraisals and taxation. All subjected to the less-thoughtful process will support another jump of inflation in housing prices and property taxes. If someday the new process is somehow applied to everyone, greed and municipal needs will stand in the way of downward adjustment of tax rates.

In fact there are detailed instructions from Zillow that do not inflate calculated living area. 

https://www.zillow.com/learn/how-to-measure-your-homes-square-footage/

Like most aspects of owning or purchasing a house, measuring the square footage of a home is complicated. There's no established standard for measuring a residential property, and everyone seems to measure square footage of a house differently. But if you get it wrong, it can affect your home's value.

There's no need to be nervous about calculating your home's square footage. We'll show you just how easy it actually is to measure a home’s square footage accurately.

How to calculate square footage

For most people, the gross floor area or gross living area (GLA) of a home is what they’re thinking when they hear “square footage.” Gross living area is the total finished and accessible living space of a home.

Here's how to calculate the square footage of a house:

1. Sketch a floor plan of the home’s interior.

   Draw each floor separately, and don’t include unfinished areas, patios, porches and exterior staircases.

2. Break down the house into measurable rectangles.

   The more rectangles the better. This takes the guesswork out of rooms or hallways that don’t have perfectly flush walls.

3. Measure the length and width of each rectangle.

   Round your measurements off to the nearest 0.5 linear foot. For instance, 13.1 rounded to the nearest 0.5 linear foot is 13.0.

4. Calculate the area of each section.

   Multiply the rectangle’s length by its width to get the area in square feet. Write this number down in the corresponding space on your sketch.

5. Add up the total area.

   Sum up the square feet of each rectangle to measure the total square footage of the house. Round the total off to the nearest square foot.

See that this is not related to the new ANSI procedure. There is absurdity in the round-off instructions for measurement. Measure as accurately as you can, perhaps to the nearest inch for each. Then at the end, round off total area to the nearest square foot.

Do read on at the Zillow link. More details are offered. I have left comment that their instructions are outdated. I hope that Zillow will now act responsibly in challenging the ANSI instructions, avoiding inflationary push.