Garage lighting replacement and wiring?

[Michael J Evans]

I need to replace two of my three garage lights, likely will replace all three. They are all t8, 4ft long ,2 bulb fixtures. I've tried replacing the bulbs with the LED type where you don't need a ballast replacement and the lights only work intermittently. I'm at the point where I would just like to replace them all with something better for my work space and overall. Hoping everyone's collective experience can help me.

I have a three car garage, 1 double door and one single door, that my "shop" is in. Two lights are in the double and one in the single. The most important light to me is in the single.

Ally lights are currently hardwired

1) Can anyone recommend good replacements. I've Googled and Amazon searched and there is like 4 bajillion make, model, mfgs at many different price points. Price is a consideration for me, I'd ideally like to stay around 200-300 but can spend more / flexible.

2) I have never changed one of these type of lights.
2a) to access the wiring do I have to go into the attic crawlspace or will they drop down? ( I can access the attic area, but there is no direct walkway, I'd have to create a plywood walkway per se)
2b) are wiring these any more difficult than any standard home fixture? I've done outdoor lights, indoor chandeliers, fans etc.

3) if I do buy new fixtures will there be anything else needed like brackets, hardware etc?

4) how hard is it to add a brand new fourth light / second light In my work area?

Thank you in advance
Michael.

[Todd Trebuna]

Good morning Michael,
I am in a Double garage. About 500 Sq. Ft of space. Originally, About 10 years ago, I replaced the 2 4ft units (2 tubes each) with 2x 4 tube units. About a year ago, I replaced both units with Barrina T5 tubes from Amazon. 43 dollars for 6 Tubes. I bought 12. The light difference is AMAZING. They attach by clips with tiny screws. Weigh almost nothing. Would probably hold with double sided tape. You can run a string of 8 at a time of each source, but I haven't felt the need to buy more. My door is mostly down and I would consider it bright in my shop. My Garage ceiling is textured, but there was no issues installing. I moved a couple and plugged the tiny hole with caulking and it was virtually invisible.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Michael, I just converted to LED lamps which require a T8 ballast.

It sounds like you need new T8 ballasts for your fixtures, you'll find that's easier than replacing the fixtures.

To add another fixture run a piece of armoured cable (BX) or conduit (EMT from one fixture to the new one..............Regards, Rod.

[Jim Becker]

Just buy an equivalent sized LED "shop light" fixture from your choice of vendors....all mine are from Costco. They are very light weight and easy to screw up. If your current lamps are plug in, choose that version. If they are hard wired, choose a fixture that permits that. The two in our kitchen over the island are the latter...sourced from Home Depot.

[Ron Selzer]

Good morning Michael,
I am in a Double garage. About 500 Sq. Ft of space. Originally, About 10 years ago, I replaced the 2 4ft units (2 tubes each) with 2x 4 tube units. About a year ago, I replaced both units with Barrina T5 tubes from Amazon. 43 dollars for 6 Tubes. I bought 12. The light difference is AMAZING. They attach by clips with tiny screws. Weigh almost nothing. Would probably hold with double sided tape. You can run a string of 8 at a time of each source, but I haven't felt the need to buy more. My door is mostly down and I would consider it bright in my shop. My Garage ceiling is textured, but there was no issues installing. I moved a couple and plugged the tiny hole with caulking and it was virtually invisible.

Agree with Todd Have 6 of these in the basement shop. Easy to install/mount and just string them together. I would remove the old light fixtures working below the fixture and terminate the wiring in an old work box with a receptacle that you plug the light into and then plug one light into the nest light.
Good luck
Ron

[George Yetka]

The led replacement bulbs i went with for our warehouse were good. They bypass the ballast jesled was the company.

You cut the wires to ballast and rewire direct from line voltage to the end connectors of your fixture. the only thing i added was a clamp in the middle to prevent them from sagging as mine were 8'

I really like the high bay lights in about 12k lumen for 10' plus garage. and I did put 4 in our warehouse but that did 1 bay (4 lights at 200 each) I did 5 bays of lights with these jesled retros for 30 a fixture

[Bill Dufour]

Sounds like a good choice would be to pull the fixtures and install an outlet into the exiting junction box. Buy the plug in style lights from Costco or horrible freight. Some can be daisy chained together to get the needed coverage.
Bil lD

[Doug Garson]

Agree with Bill, once you have receptacles installed, there are lot's of plug in LEDs to chose from. I installed Jesled brand from Amazon a year ago, great bright light, no problems.

[Michael J Evans]

Thanks everyone, I think I seen some of those daisy chain able lights at Costco. I do like the idea of just putting plugs and then being able to add of remove a light at any time.

Probably a dumb question, but if I wire in plug receptacles will the lights still be activated by the wall switch to turn them on and off?

I'm new to wiring / homeowner ship, so ever electrical project is a learning experience.

[Doug Garson]

If the receptacle is controlled by the switch, anything plugged into the receptacle will be also. This assumes you install the receptacle in place of the existing lights that are controlled by the switch.

[Kev Williams]

Between the basement and garage I have over 60 tubes lighting this place up. About a year ago I bought a case of T8 LED ballast-less replacements. Every time a florescent burns out I pull them and replace the tubes with the LED's. Takes about 10 minutes to do the re-wire, haven't had a bit of problem yet. I've changed about 20 tubes so far.

[Bill Dufour]

Any normal light will be controlled by the wall switch. There may be some oddballs with touch switches or such that have to be physically turned on when the power comes on.
It is hard to find a shop radio that comes on when plugged in anymore. Most I can find have to be plugged in first then a touch switch has to be manipulated to hear anything. I prefer a shop radio that comes on with the lights and off with the light so I do not forget.
I think the costco led shop lights can daisy chain 6 units from one outlet. And then 6 more from the other plug in. When my father did his that way around 1950 he used square boxes and installed two duplex receptacles at each junction. This allowed up to three lights and an extra to plug in a small tool like a drill or drop light.
I install a extra switched outlet, controlled b ythe light switch, down the wall for a radio or task lights for machines like the drill press. That way I remember to turn them all off.
Bill D

[roger wiegand]

I'm a bit of a contrarian these days, I've been using T5HO fixtures and lamps. The lumens/watt (and therefore energy cost) are very similar to what you get from LED bulbs (LED tubes can be slightly more efficient, as are T8 bulbs), but the total lumens produced is way higher (>2X), so it's possible to achieve very high illumination levels (critical for my old eyes) without festooning my ceiling with fixtures. Two-tube fixtures with a prismatic cover were about $55 at the home depot when I last bought them a couple months ago. The tubes last a long time, my shop lights are on 6-8 h a day, 7 days a week minimum, it's been 7 years and I haven't needed to replace a bulb yet.