4' LED shop light

[Bryan Rocker]

This evening while at Sam's I came across a bright 4' ceiling light fixture, upon further inspection it was a 4200 lumen 5000k fixture complete for $35. I may have to go get me one or two of those.....The LED's were in a protective tube, would post the URL but it doesn't have any info yet.....I am leaning very hard on installing LED lighting with maybe an alternate run for some halogen in the winter......

Bryan:D

[John Sanford]

As an FYI, Costco has a 4' Feit LED unit for $31.99. Comes with hang chains and a 4', maybe 6' cord. It does not have a pull cord or any other switch ON the light. Thus, it should be plugged into a switched outlet.

[Dennis Yamamoto]

As an FYI, Costco has a 4' Feit LED unit for $31.99. Comes with hang chains and a 4', maybe 6' cord. It does not have a pull cord or any other switch ON the light. Thus, it should be plugged into a switched outlet.

I just installed 6 of the Costco/Feit LED's in our garage shop. 38 watts a piece, 3700 lumens at 4100K. Since they are bright enough, I have 2 switches and 3 lights per switch. I like the lights!

[Keith Pleas]

$31.99 at Costco (Utah?) is a good price - Costco online shows $89.99 for (2) but backordered a month. Amazon.com has them, apparently direct from Feit, for $57.99 (free shipping, no tax).

[george newbury]

Great! Looks like prices are dropping all over. I've two of the Costco and 5 of the HD (bought for $25@). On the face of it I prefer the HD because they are switched, have 1 continuous lens, and are designed to be linked together.

[Steve Peterson]

$31.99 at Costco (Utah?) is a good price - Costco online shows $89.99 for (2) but backordered a month. Amazon.com has them, apparently direct from Feit, for $57.99 (free shipping, no tax).

Costco recently has a sale for $10 off, but I could never find any at my local store. They must be back to the normal price.

Steve

[Ray Newman]

Sounds interesting. But, any idea of the life expectancy of the LED and replacement cost?

[Lee Reep]

Sounds interesting. But, any idea of the life expectancy of the LED and replacement cost?

It is probably safe to assume a life expectancy of 10 years or so. I don't beleive the claims some manufacturers stated early on about 20 year life expectancy. Lately I've seen claims for a much lower life span. However, a lot depends on whether you run them all day long, every day, or a few hours here and there. As LEDs get near end-of-life, they lose efficiency, so your 100W equivalent LED might seem like a 60W or 75W bulb. And that's not bad, unless the color temp is way off from when it was new.or the light levels fluctuate.

[Keith Pleas]

...any idea of the life expectancy of the LED and replacement cost?
The Feit shop lights in this thread (http://www.feit.com/led-lamps/led_utility_lights/73991) have an advertised 50,000 hrs (45.7 yrs) life. This works out to exactly 3 hrs a day, every day. On a 24x7x365 basis this works out to "only" 5.7 years. They don't have a replacement bulb listed, but an equivalent bulb to replace a fluorescent tube is $27.99 online. IMHO they are not serviceable. In 45.7 years you'll probably want a newer bulb technology anyway. Or, um, you'll be dead.

[Wayne Hendrix]

As an FYI, Costco has a 4' Feit LED unit for $31.99. Comes with hang chains and a 4', maybe 6' cord. It does not have a pull cord or any other switch ON the light. Thus, it should be plugged into a switched outlet.

I have one of these over the desk/craft table in our basement. It is really easy to open up the end and change out the cord. I put 10' or so of lamp cord with an inline switch. Then I plugged it into one of the remote Christmas light on/off switches and push a button sitting at the desk to turn the light on/off. Highly recommend the light.

[Ray Newman]

Keith Pleas: thanks for that information. I have heard all sorts of conflicting information as to how long the LEDs will last as well as cost of replacement bulbs.
'Gonna' keep an eye on this topic.

[Bryan Rocker]

I stopped by Costco this evening and looked at it, the one @ SC has higher lumens 4200 vs 3700 and a higher temp light closer to daylight bulbs. The one @ SC was actually on and very bright. As to replacement by then they will have organic lights you spray on the walls and think of how bright you want it and it adjusts.......

[george newbury]

Another point to consider is weight.
I just swapped out a 4' 2 tube T8 fluorescent w/ reflector for one of the Costco 2 tube LED lights. The LED unit weighs about half as much, or less.

Like I've written elsewhere here, I've a bunch of "dying" 8' T12's to replace, most on 12' and 14' ceilings. I'm going to appreciate the light weight, about 5 lbs, of the LED replacements when I'm up at the height of the light.

[Bryan Rocker]

I picked up the SC last night will install it this afternoon. I am with you the weight. To ME the bigger factor is not breaking one when I hit it with something long...lost a number of bulbs that way.....I am still working in my garage, shop plans are in work providing we continue to live here in Ohio.....the coldest temps I have seen since Nebraska 1990-1993......-10 is just to dam cold.....

[Johnathan Giordano]

I'd be interested in anyone's experience with the Sam's Club 4' LED shop light made by Lights of America. The stated rating is 4200 lumens, but I also know that FTC ordered Lights of America to pay 21 million for wildly exaggerating the light output of their LED bulbs (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/246355581.html). So has anyone had good or bad experience with this 4' LED shop light? Is it a decent product?

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I would shy away from 4700k LED's and stick to something under 3200. Anything g over that is that cheesy hospital white light. I'm talking kelvin, not lumens. Get all the lumens you want but keep the temperature lower to look more natural unless it is a paint booth where you want daylight.

[Keith Pleas]

Yes on the 4700 light being antiseptic feeling, but I have CF replacement bulbs in my ceiling fixtures and the combination is warm AND well lit.

[Lon Crosby]

Never chose the color temperature of a bulb (3000OKto 6500OK) based upon what someone tells you. The differencesin perception between individuals and what their eyes see and brain interpret are enormous.Buy some samples and try them. Especially important with LED bulbs because theylast so long. Personally have a shop and house stocked primarily with 5000OKbulbs and a few 6500OK bulbs.

[Dan Hintz]

On lifetime of LED lights...

The lifetimes listed are for the LEDs themselves (despite marketing getting involved and making it appear as if it's the entire bulb), and its the same lifetime LEDs have listed long before they were ever involved in general lighting. The problem is, it's not the LEDs that fail, it's the control components (typically a capacitor dries up). So the LEDs may still be good, but with no way to actually turn them on, well...

[Jack Lemley]

+1 what Lon said. I have all daylight t8s in my shop that I have converted as the old T12s failed and will never go back for shop lighting. To each their own.

Jack


Never chose the color temperature of a bulb (3000OKto 6500OK) based upon what someone tells you. The differencesin perception between individuals and what their eyes see and brain interpret are enormous.Buy some samples and try them. Especially important with LED bulbs because theylast so long. Personally have a shop and house stocked primarily with 5000OKbulbs and a few 6500OK bulbs.

[Pat Barry]

I think for a shop, where you want to see the details, etc its actually better to have the higher temp bulbs. Those 'soft white' versions are best suited for a living room lamp

[Keith Pleas]

This is kind of ironic. I ordered (2) more of the FEIT lights via Amazon Prime (I don't pay for shipping), and this is what arrived. Two freaking huge boxes, each with (1) light. And on the Amazon box - where they could have put anything that they considered important - they put "Rate this packaging: www.amazon.com/packaging".

Rate it how? Efficiency - FAIL, Protection of the item - PASS, Space in my recycle tote - FAIL.

308801

[Stan Krupowies]

I was in Home Depot yesterday and they have 4' T-8 CREE LED conversion bulbs for $21.97 both soft white and daylight. They are supposed to be plug and play with no rewiring required. I'd like to give them a shot but was actually hoping the price was a bit lower. I know if I wait a little the price will come down but I'd like to see how they do. Was wondering if anyone has tried these yet?

[Johnathan Giordano]

I think one rub (sorry for the pun) is that the lights may not fit in the old fixture -- see issue here http://www.designingwithleds.com/review-hands-cree-linear-led-t8-fluorescent-replacement-lamp/

[Doug Ladendorf]

On lifetime of LED lights...

The lifetimes listed are for the LEDs themselves (despite marketing getting involved and making it appear as if it's the entire bulb), and its the same lifetime LEDs have listed long before they were ever involved in general lighting. The problem is, it's not the LEDs that fail, it's the control components (typically a capacitor dries up). So the LEDs may still be good, but with no way to actually turn them on, well...

^^^ This is exactly what I have found. I had put an LED bulb in a very hard to reach spot thinking I wouldn't have to change it for years, if ever. Dang thing didn't even last a year. I'm sure the LED itself is fine, but all the c4@p they put in front of it is still cheap as can be.

[Chris Friesen]

I would shy away from 4700k LED's and stick to something under 3200. Anything g over that is that cheesy hospital white light. I'm talking kelvin, not lumens. Get all the lumens you want but keep the temperature lower to look more natural unless it is a paint booth where you want daylight.

I have to disagree. I prefer 5000K for shop lights. This is nice and white, but not bluish like the 6500K ones. I also prefer higher CRI--which is a bit hard to find in LED tubes.

[Mark Carlson]

I bought the Feit 41k LED shop light from amazon. Which to my eye is perfect. Wish they had a version with a on/off pull switch.

[cody michael]

I just put up a roll of led "tape light" its is a bunch (i think 600) leds on a backing that is sticky, I put in im my basement room where i do glue ups and finishing in the winter, I have 1/2 a strip up so 8ft, it is about as bright as a 75 watt bulb, I have the other 8ft to put up when I get a chance. and a another roll on the way in case it is not bright enough, awesome solution if space is an issue. it is about 1/8 of an inch thick, I stuck mine directly to the joist.

[Steve Goetz]

Bryan, I'm not sure whether you purchased these or not, but thanks for the information. I too live in Beavercreek and just picked up five of these for my garage at our local SC. I'm going to see how they do in there before purchasing more for my pole barn. Good Luck!

-Steve

[Jack Lemley]

I picked up one of the Lights America LED 4' lights from Sams and really like it. I changed all my T12s to T8 daylight bulbs a couple of years ago (5 - 8' fixtures, 2 - 4 ft fixtures plus this LED over the work bench. The color temp of the LED is 4000 and frankly I can tell little difference between it and my T8 2 bulb daylight fixtures. Bright white light. Comes on instantly.

Jack


I'd be interested in anyone's experience with the Sam's Club 4' LED shop light made by Lights of America. The stated rating is 4200 lumens, but I also know that FTC ordered Lights of America to pay 21 million for wildly exaggerating the light output of their LED bulbs (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/246355581.html). So has anyone had good or bad experience with this 4' LED shop light? Is it a decent product?

[Tom Hyde]

I bought 3 of the FEIT LED shop lights to give them a try. Liked them so much I went back and bought 7 more at Costco. Light output seems a (maybe) bit less than my old T8s but the LEDs are very bright. Very happy.

My "old" T8s were all failing after a few years. The T8s were flush mount and hard wired on drywall ceiling. I bit the bullet and installed remodel boxes and plugs at each light location. I flush mounted the light-weight FEITs using just two screws in the ceiling and the slots on the back of the light. Plugged them into the new outlets. Now, if I want to move a light, it's easy to do ... like if I miscalculated on the path for new dust collection ductwork, not that it would ever happen. Replacement will now be easy as well, if needed. Given the price of a decent T8 fixture (one that won't burn out the cheap ballast in 12 months), the FEITs at $40 seem an excellent value even if they last just a year, and I suspect they'll last quite a bit longer.

A friend who works at Costco said the lights are one of their hottest selling items. While we were talking for about 15 minutes in the store, half a pallet was sold. He said they have received very few returns, which is a good sign, at least in the short term.

[Bryan Rocker]

I saw those bulbs at Home Depot too, I looked at the lumens they put out and they didn't appear to put out that much light...may buy a pair and give them a try, YMMV.

Steve, no problem I hope they work great for you. On a side note BigAssFans now sells LED lights. I am looking into them, they put out 13K lumens!!! Yes they are $400 each and they can come with a proximity switch for $40.......

[John K Jordan]

Bryan, Did you look at the high output T5 fluorescents? They are a lot brighter than the T8s and any LEDs I found. I put nine 4-bulb fixtures in my new shop and the light intensity and color temp is incredible. I wired them so I can turn on separate zones. (I also put lower intensity LED lights in cans in the ceiling all through the several rooms so I can get around everywhere to fetch tools and materials without turning on the bright working lights.)

A great feature of the T5s is the electronic ballast can be wired such that when I throw the switch just two of the four bulbs in each fixture come on which is plenty of light for most tasks. I have separate switches mounted higher in each area that turn on the remaining bulbs when I want extra light. I am extremely pleased with these and would buy the same today if building again.

Extra light is even more important for aging eyes. I think I paid about $80 each for the fixtures and $10 each for the bulbs.

JKJ

[Keith Pleas]

I flush mounted the light-weight FEITs using just two screws in the ceiling and the slots on the back of the light.
I added a third screw to keep the light from sliding back along the key slots.

[Mark Carlson]

I added a third screw to keep the light from sliding back along the key slots.

I didnt trust the mounting holes, and screwed through the center section.

I replaced all 5 of my shop lights with FEIT 41k leds. Love them.

[Charles R Johnson]

I just ordered some 4' replacement LED lamps from Greentek Energy systems to try out. Beauty of this option is that I already have fixtures with 4' T8's. One simply removes the ballast and direct wires with nonshunted tombstones and you are good to go. They have several to pick from the ones I selected are $10.25 per lamp. They come in 5K and 6K clear and frosted. If ones existing fixtures are serviceable this is a good option as new fixtures and wiring not required (except within the fixture which is quite simple). If these work out I'll be changing out the lamps as they fail.

I've also purchased one of the costco LED lights and they work very nicely - a good option for new areas that need lighting.
CJ

[Tom Hyde]

I added a third screw to keep the light from sliding back along the key slots.

Good idea, did that today. Thanks! Really love these lights but not on my head.

[Bob Falk]

I just bought LED 4' shop lights in my local Costco for $35. Feit brand, 38W, 3700 lumens, 4100K temperature. These are nice bright lights. I bought 5 for my basement and they were so nice, I bought 12 more for my shop. You can find other opinions on these earlier in this thread. You can also buy them at Costco online for about $40 with free shipping.

http://www.costco.com/Feit-Electric-4%E2%80%99-LED-Shop-Light-2-pack.product.100155638.html

[ryan paulsen]

Now that you guys have been using the Sam's LED shop lights for a few months, are you still happy with them? I'm looking at getting a few for my garage, as the price and light output is tempting. It seems like most have liked them so far, just wanted one more opportunity for someone to vent before pulling the trigger.

[Steve Peterson]

I bought one from Costco and one from Sam's to compare. I like the one from Sam's better. It appears brighter and it has a pull switch that I wanted where I have it installed.

The Sam's club bulb has more of a blue tint, while the Costco bulb is more brown.

Steve

[Alan Bienlein]

I love the ones I got from Sam's and won't go back to fluorescent! I had T-12 hi output fixtures that put out 17,200 lumen each and two four foot led fixtures from Sam's blows them away with only 8400 lumen combined. It's like night and day. I can also take pictures now with out needing to do color correction settings.