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Thread: LED Shop Lighting

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Illinois
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    246

    LED Shop Lighting

    Does anybody have a favored LED shop light?
    Teaching grandchildren the hobby is rewarding. Most of the time

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
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    868
    I don't have a favorite LED shop light, but do have an observation.

    There seems to be two types of LED tubes. One is translucent ( milky appearance) and the other is clear, where you can see the LEDs.

    Initially I bought the milky type, and thought I wouldn't like the clear ones.

    Turns out that I now have both, and like them equally well. The milky ones seem to disperse the light more, and the clear ones seem to focus the light downwards more (less light hits the ceiling when using shop lights without reflectors)

    Actually, thinking about it, I think I like the clear ones just a tad more...

    Bill
    Too much to do...Not enough time...life is too short!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    Falls Church, VA
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    I redid my shop about a year ago and installed 20 of those 4' lights from Home Depot. I had about a 20% failure rate. That is, I had to return 4 of them for replacement in the first few months. After that initial period, they have been great. At 36 watts each, it meant that I could have all my lights on one circuit. It used to be 20x2 tubesx40w = 1600 watts. I used three circuits.

    They are linkable but the link cable was too short for my needs at 12". I just cut the link cable and soldered in some wire so I could put them farther apart.

    I think they came from Commercial Electric. I paid about $40 each. I see that they are down to $34.

    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commerci...-205331022-_-N

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    My entire shop is lighted with Feit LED fixtures or Feit replacement "tubes" from Costco. It's like being on the surface of the sun now...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
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    I kicked around the idea of converting the shop lighting to LED for a bit, but honestly when I really thought about it I just couldnt figure out how to justify it. Most of the bulb and fixture options out there are produced by no name brands and that concerned me regarding the longevity and quality of the product. Then there was the issue with color temperature, I like my work light at 5000K and not all LED solutions offer that. Some dont even state what color temp they are. And lastly there was the issue with the amount of lumens they put out. I bought a box of Phillips 5000K 2600 lumen T8 bulbs (LINK) and use them in 2x4' fixtures. Two of those is 5200 lumens per fixture and the only cost was the bulb replacement since the ballasts I had were already 32W T8 compatible. I dont think I have seen a 4' LED fixture or two 4' LED replacement bulbs that went up that high in lumens AND was 5000K color temp. So for me, for approximately $60 shipped I was able to light up my shop like the sun with a full spectrum bulb and at the color temp I wanted. I'd suggest considering that route unless you are dead set on saying you have the shop lit with LEDs or reeeeeeeally have to save that extra power.
    Last edited by Ben Rivel; 09-24-2018 at 7:14 PM.
    If at first you don't succeed, redefine success!

  6. #6
    I bought my LED fixtures through Alibaba. I don’t really care about brand names as virtually all come from China anyway and just have them packaged in boxes with their brand on them. I’m very happy with them and recommend buying direct. I’ve mentioned them a number of times but if you want to go that way message me and I’ll link you to them.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    SoCal
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    My entire shop is lighted with Feit LED fixtures or Feit replacement "tubes" from Costco. It's like being on the surface of the sun now...
    I'm converting to these as my cheap T-8 fixtures die. It took about 10 years for the first $17 fixture to die but, 2 more went in the last few years. Only a dozen to go. By the time they all fail there will be a new technology but, the Feit LED shop lights have been fine and I will replace as needed.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
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    I will replace my T-8's with LED replacements when they go bad and the box of replacement T-8 tubes goes bad too.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Cache Valley, Utah
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    1,722
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    My entire shop is lighted with Feit LED fixtures or Feit replacement "tubes" from Costco. It's like being on the surface of the sun now...
    I have eight or ten of the Costco Feit fixtures in the shop and eight in the garage. Love them. I still have four (original) T-8 two tube fixtures left in the shop. As soon as the ends start getting dark they'll get replaced with LED tubes. LED shop lights are great.

  10. #10
    I have a 30' x 40' x 10'h workshop and am quite satisfied with my lighting (installed a couple years ago). I have 18 Commercial Electric lights from Home Depot and they have been quite dependable, are quite bright with a great color temperature, work well at all temperatures (from the 90's through well below freezing) and I have had no failures or any problems. They install easily and I have the lights mounted directly to the ceiling where they have a low profile and well out of the way. While there area many choices you can make, I don't hesitate to recommend these...

    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commerci...3141/206028970

  11. #11
    Art your lights are similar to mine except they cost close to twice what I paid. Great light though.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Pueblo, CO
    Posts
    328
    I just re-lamped my shop with LEDs a couple weeks ago and love it. I got mine through an Amazon warehouse deal for <$6 per bulb. I got the ones that don't use the ballast. I think the first one took about 15 minutes to re-wire and re-lamp. By the time I got to the last few, I could re-wire and re-lamp a fixture in under 5 minutes with only one trip up the ladder.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Oakley, CA
    Posts
    322
    I replaced a bunch of my fluorescent lights with LEDs from Costco or Lowes. I like them a lot. Good light and quiet. The 4000K color temp is just about right for me. Any higher and the light starts getting too blue-ish, any lower and it starts getting too yellow-ish.

    Wayne

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    central tx
    Posts
    589
    I have these:
    https://www.amazon.com/Hyperikon-Dua...igh%2Bcri&th=1

    The High-CRI claims seem to be legit to me based on my subjective comparison to other crappy fluorescents.

    I bought the 4000K bulbs and I'm very pleased with the light. I don't have them all up yet but I think they will work out well. I am rewiring old fixtures I got off Craigslist to remove the ballast. Note these are dual-ended lamps.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    San Diego, Ca
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    1,647
    I am surprised that after 14 posts, no one commented on the issue of (1) compatibility with the existing fixture (electronic start, old ballast, new ballast, etc.) or (2) the ballast bypassed (direct wire) approach. Perhaps many of the posters were thinking of replacing their bulbs AND fixtures at the same time.

    Some LED bulbs are compatible with some magnetic ballasts (and not some other ones). Some LEDs are only compatible with electronic start fixtures and not ballasts. But if you leave the ballasts in place, they draw power and dissipate heat. If they fail, the LEDs stop running. They really don't provide anything positive.

    I chose to convert my T-12 fixtures to direct wire/ballast bypass. I think that if you are buying a new fixture with an LED bulb that they do NOT include a ballast. So I eliminated the power-wasting ballast. They work fine. They put out a bit more light than the T-12 32 watt bulbs used to do. I think that the LED bulbs draw 17 or 18 watts.

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