What should I look for in purchasing a replacement recessed light?

Question

I have existing recessed lighting that currently has incandescent bulbs in it. I want to replace the incandescent bulbs and existing trim with a new LED fixture. The problem that I am having is that my can seems to be about 4 7/8th inches in diameter. I have tried both a fixture for 4 inch cans and a fixture for 5 & 6 inch cans and neither option fit. Is my can a non-standard size or do I need to look for something else when purchasing new fixtures?

Here is what my existing can looks like. To me, this is a 4 7/8ths inch diameter can. But is that considered a 5 inch can?

This was a LED light that should work with 5 or 6 inch recessed light cans, it didn't fit at all:

Answer 1

Unfortunately, many LED retrofit kits do not fit the standard incandescent housing. You may find yourself trying many before finding one that works. Each manufacturer may have slight differences. In addition, if you find one to fit, you may have other issues, such as dimming mismatched technology or tripping breakers. If you are only looking to reuse the actual cans, and change out all other componants, you may utilize your time and money more productively by purchasing complete kits and replacing the entire can. You may not actually have to even adapt the side of the hole, as the attachments used in many manufactures kits allow for some devience. A major plus, you have a complete lighting system that comes with everything included. Good luck!