LED conversion for old Fluorescents

[Michael Sapper]

I have a mix of older two blub T-12 and newer T-8 fixtures in my 12x20 garage shop. A few of the older T-12's are needing ballast replacements. Rather than purchasing new T-8 fixtures (or new T-12 ballasts) to replace/fix the T-12's; I am considering keeping the old T-12 fixtures and just upgrading the blubs to the new LED tubes, which I understand are pretty easy to convert the fixture by removing the ballast during the re-wiring process. Most all my current lights are using the 6500 natural daylight blubs.


Has anyone gone this route? Are you happy with the LED light color and brightness compared to the old fluorescents. I'm OK with the higher upfront cost of the LEDs. Any brands you'd recommend?

[Ralph Boumenot]

I'm thinking of going the same way with my shop lightning. Like you I would like to find out a bit more about it first. In the interim I'm going to convert a single 2' fixture and see what that looks like (led tube is about $30 w S/H).
In my shopping around the prices seem to be consistent at around 44-50 dollars per "tube".

[Michael Yadfar]

At my work they replaced the fluorescents with LED tubes, but did install all new fixtures. The only thing I don't like about LED is I feel it's not as bright as florescent, they look brighter, but when I go to read some thing, I feel like it's more dim

[Curt Harms]

At my work they replaced the fluorescents with LED tubes, but did install all new fixtures. The only thing I don't like about LED is I feel it's not as bright as florescent, they look brighter, but when I go to read some thing, I feel like it's more dim

I wonder how the lumens/fixture compare to the fluorescent tubes they replaced. I've had to replace a couple pretty new - 6 months or so - T8 fluorescent tubes. I suspect turning them on and off several times/day don't help. I suspect but don't know that LED 'bulbs' would last better in that usage. From what I've heard/read, fluorescents are longest lived when they're power cycled infrequently.

[Michael Yadfar]

I wonder how the lumens/fixture compare to the fluorescent tubes they replaced. I've had to replace a couple pretty new - 6 months or so - T8 fluorescent tubes. I suspect turning them on and off several times/day don't help. I suspect but don't know that LED 'bulbs' would last better in that usage. From what I've heard/read, fluorescents are longest lived when they're power cycled infrequently.

I don't know how the lumens and such compare, but I know they say LED lasts longer. LED is apparently more energy efficent too; at work they tell me each fluorescent light costs 30 cents a day to run, and the new LED ones cost 10 cents a day. Another thing is they have the regular LED which has a blueish glow, and they also have ones with "white light". I feel like the "white light" gives off better light, but I have no facts to back that up. Surprisingly, the LED bulbs in my bathroom burn out quite frequently. I feel this may be due to the fact that the shower creates a lot of steam and humidity though

[Mike Chalmers]

I replaced one fixture in my shop with LEDs. No comparison. Much brighter, easier to read the tape measure etc. Worth the extra cost.

[Dennis Yamamoto]

I was at Costco, Mountain View, CA the other day, and they had twin tube 40" or so LED shop lights including the fixtures. The price seems reasonable for LED's but I don't remember the cost.

My concern with LED's is their color rendering index (CRI). I find many LED's to be rather harsh, even the lower color temperature one's. Maybe it's my not so young eyes!

If anyone has tried them out let me know

[Alan Lightstone]

I was at Costco, Mountain View, CA the other day, and they had twin tube 40" or so LED shop lights including the fixtures. The price seems reasonable for LED's but I don't remember the cost.

My concern with LED's is their color rendering index (CRI). I find many LED's to be rather harsh, even the lower color temperature one's. Maybe it's my not so young eyes!

If anyone has tried them out let me know
I was about to chime in about that, when you beat me to it.

I've been working on replacing all the incandescent bulbs in my house with LEDs over the past year. It hasn't been an easy process (lots of bulbs have been returned because they looked awful, or really weren't dimmable, or were non-functional, or a multitude of other reasons).

The biggest issue to me has been the relatively low CRI of the bulbs. Most are about 82 at best, depending on the bulb size, lumens, color temp, etc. And that really doesn't look nearly as nice as the 100 CRI halogen bulbs or normal incandescent bulbs that they are replacing. So, basically, I replace a bulb, and everyone agrees it doesn't look as nice.

There have been some exceptions. CREE seems to make the best bulbs (IMHO) and I have found some with CRIs of around 92 or so. Visually much, much better.

Now I haven't attacked my workshop yet (as a few years ago I invested heavily on multiple florescent fixtures in there), but when the opportunity presents itself, with good CRI bulbs at the proper color temp and light output, I will go there too.

Oh, and my electric bill has gone down at least $100/month so far, with hopefully more to come when I find quality replacements for my Holy Grail bulbs (MR16 50W Halogens). Nothing good in that size yet, and I've got a house full of them.

[Evan Patton]

Alan,
I agree with the comment on the Cree bulbs being decent. I'm pretty happy with the 2700K LED replacements I've made, less so with the surface-mounted 2700k lights our GC installed (although they are MUCH better than the 3k he originally chose).

Dennis,
Thanks for the tip on the LED shop lights--I need a few more in my shop and would like to give the LEDs a shot in addition to the indirect fluorescents I have installed.
Evan

[Michael Yadfar]

Just out of curiosity, would the CRI be what causes me to not see things as well under LEDs?

[Mark Godlesky]

I replaced a pair of T-12 bubs in my laundry room with these from Amazon:

Xpeoo® 4ft Brightest 24w T8 & 28w T10 LED Straight Tube Lights, 50w 70w Fluorescent Tube Replacement, Ul Smd, 6000k Daylight White
•Wattage: 24w (Replace 50W fluorescent tube light.)
•Emitted Color: Daylight White
•Color Temperature:5500K-6000K
•Beam Angle: 160 degrees
•Luminous Flux: 90-120 Lumen Per Watt
•CRI: ＞85
•Input Voltage: 85-265V
•Length: 48"(120cm)
•Approvals: CE, RoHS, FCC

They were about as bright and near the same color as the fluorescent tubes they replaced. I would not want to use bulbs with a lower lumen output.

Replacement was easy but you should mark your fixture so future users know not to use fluorescent tubes in it.

These particular LEDs used a terminal at each end so shunted tombstones are not an issue. On some LED tubes the two pins on one end are the terminals and the other end is just used to hold the bulb in place.

The consistent on/off in the room had me replacing bulbs often. Hopefully, the LED will change that. These come on almost instantly and glow for a couple of seconds after power is shut off.

[Evan Patton]

I was at Costco, Mountain View, CA the other day, and they had twin tube 40" or so LED shop lights including the fixtures. The price seems reasonable for LED's but I don't remember the cost.

My concern with LED's is their color rendering index (CRI). I find many LED's to be rather harsh, even the lower color temperature one's. Maybe it's my not so young eyes!

If anyone has tried them out let me know

The Costco 4' LED shop lights (made by FEIT) have a CRI of >80 and a color temperature of 4500K. Not great, but I still picked up a couple to try. Will let you know what I think when I get around to installing them.

[Marc Ward]

I have a mix of older two blub T-12 and newer T-8 fixtures in my 12x20 garage shop. A few of the older T-12's are needing ballast replacements. Rather than purchasing new T-8 fixtures (or new T-12 ballasts) to replace/fix the T-12's; I am considering keeping the old T-12 fixtures and just upgrading the blubs to the new LED tubes, which I understand are pretty easy to convert the fixture by removing the ballast during the re-wiring process. Most all my current lights are using the 6500 natural daylight blubs.

Has anyone gone this route? Are you happy with the LED light color and brightness compared to the old fluorescents. I'm OK with the higher upfront cost of the LEDs. Any brands you'd recommend?

Has anyone gone this route? I HAVE
Are you happy with the LED light color and brightness compared to the old fluorescents. YES
I'm OK with the higher upfront cost of the LEDs. Any brands you'd recommend? YES, EMIUM. LOOK AT EMIUM.COM THEN PM WHAT YOU WANT. SPECIAL PRICING FOR FELLOW WOODNETTERS!!

I use the f' 2450 lumen tubes. Not frosted, but that is an option. Cheaper than Costco.

[Steve Roxberg]

The Costco 4' LED shop lights (made by FEIT) have a CRI of >80 and a color temperature of 4500K. Not great, but I still picked up a couple to try. Will let you know what I think when I get around to installing them.

Just got my Costco coupon book for the month and they have a coupon on these lights, $8 dollars off for a price of I believe of $32.

[Evan Patton]

I still haven't installed them, but I did fire them up last weekend for some additional light. The light is bluer than I'd like, but good brightness and no flicker. They seem pretty good.

[Paul Wunder]

Lithonia Lighting has a very informative website relative to LED upgrades. I recently upgraded downlights from halogens to LED's and I was able to see the Lumens, CRI, and Color Temperature before committing myself. For my bathroom I chose 2700K and 700 lumens for each of three lights that were upgraded. Very pleased with the results.

Another option are LED panels. They are about 1/2" thick, with excellent light distribution and no glare. I chose Pixi brand (residence, not my shop). They are available in 12"x12", 12x24 and 24x24 in a range of lumens and Color temperatures.

[Dan Hintz]

On a sidenote, and in case anyone was looking...

I have replaced several lights with the 1,000 lumen versions from Ikea... the color is comparable to incandescent, so it's an easy replacement for a 60-65W bulb. I will be purchasing more soon.

[Steve Peterson]

Just got my Costco coupon book for the month and they have a coupon on these lights, $8 dollars off for a price of I believe of $32.

The discount starts on Jan 29 until Feb 22. I hope my local Costco will carry them. I have never seen the 4' LEDs. There are a few other items that only seem to be available when they are in the coupon book.

Steve

[george newbury]

I just got 5 of the Home Depot Boston area $25 4' special I posted at http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?226233-Cheap-Led-4-lights-HD-if-bought-from-boston-area.

I've read that the Costco ones, at $32 each are good but do not have a switch. The HD come with cord, switch and can be "daisy chained" such that you can put up to 9 in a row off from one outlet plug, and it comes with the patch cord to do so.

The HD ones are about as bright as my 4' 2 bulb T8 fixture.

/edit -
I have a "Lux" app on my PDA. I held it 4' from about the center of a 2 bulb (4' at 32 watt@) T8 light fixture with white reflector and it read about 1200 lux, 4 foot from about the center of the Home Depot LED light (w/ reflector) and it read about 1050 lux, 4 foot from the center of a 2 bulb (54 watt T5HO w/o reflector and it read 950. These were just quick and "dirty" readings, the lights were just hung about the shop and there was varying degrees of reflective surface (shop miscellaneous stuff). And come to think of it my T5 reading was within a minute of it being turned on.

[george newbury]

Bringing this thread back alive with more info.

I recently bought 4 of the Hyperikon 8 foot tubes to replace T12 fluorescent lights in one of my shops that has a lot of failed ballasts. I had been waiting for the price to drop. Got them from Amazon for $154. New ballasts would have cost me about $50 to $80.

The first two I installed in a fixture I had pulled down from the ceiling, I chose to remove the ballast to save weight, I was surprised how easy it went. The second two I installed in a fixture still hanging at about 12 feet, again, easy.

I mentioned above I've also purchased the Costco 4' FEIT lights for $32 and HD LED lights for $25.

In my shop in Mississippi I measured with my PDA App:
With one of the two "tube" Feit lights hung about a foot below my 12' ceiling I measured 450 Lux at waist level.
With one of my old 8 foot tube dual 60 watt bulb fluorescent fixtures about 6 inches below the ceiling I measured 230 Lux at waist level.
With only one of the tubes in my "deballasted" fixture about 6 inches below the ceiling I measured 420 Lux at waist level.
With TWO of the tubes in my "deballasted" fixture about 6 inches below the ceiling I measured 700 Lux at waist level.

I think for most of the fixtures I'm going to just put one bulb in them, I'm not running an operating room.

If you want to:
Keep your old fixtures (mine are hardwired in)
Can do minor electrical work at the height required (some of my lights are at 14 feet, requiring a 12 foot stepladder)

I definitely recommend going this route. It's more expensive than hanging a new $25 (now $40) HD unit, but not much.

[John Lifer]

Found an interesting site for calculating savings for leds. If you cut use by 50% and reduce the number of bulbs in half also, at 12hrs per day and 30 days a month usage, and your 115difference in price it takes you 55 months to break even. Will the leds last 5years? I will put a few in, but just like coiled fluorescent, advertising and reality is very different. I have zero coiled bulbs that have lasted for the life advertised. The only long term led lasted for about 6 months, granted it was cheap, and I have one now I'm testing that has been in service about 4 months.......

[glenn bradley]

They are definitely making great strides. The color problems are being addressed but, I still am not finding lamp replacements that carry much distance. They do well for a few feet but, still seem to fall off quickly so, I am still waiting for shop replacement fixtures that I like. We have some at work that carry well for 5 - 6 feet but, they are so bright at the source that they are difficult to work around. They do keep getting better and better.

[Charles R Johnson]

Check out http://shopgreentek.com/. They have several different 4 foot LED replacements in different wattage and color of light. Prices start at $10 ea. I've converted two fixtures so far and it puts out a nice light but one might want a diffuser or have them mounted high enough to be out of direct line of sight. I'm going to change out all my florescent fixtures as the bulbs die out.