Switching to LED bulbs in shop?

Logan in S.E. Texas · Oct 2, 2018

I have 4 flourecent fixtures, 3 are 48" and 1 is 8'. Have any of y'all switched to LED? I have heard the cost of the new bulbs are very expensive but they last a whole lot longer and are a lot cheaper to operate. How difficult is it to convert an existing fixture to LED?

Steve@Advance · Oct 2, 2018

There are 2 kinds of LED replacement lamps.

One is a direct replacement that depends on a working ballast. If your ballasts are good, these are the cheapest way to go. But if you have bad or aging ballasts, you will be committed to replace them as they fail, or replace the bad ones now.

The other type LED has built in power supply in each lamp, cost more, and the fixture will need to be rewired eliminating the ballast.

I recently looked into LED replacements for my 2 8ft/2 lamp/HO fixtures in the garage. The lamps were good, but needed ballasts.

Did some comparison, the LED's were considerably less lumens than the fluorescent lamps. I didn't want to give up the brightness, so I just replaced the ballasts, about the same price as replacing the lamps. They don't get much use, so power consumption was not a real issue.

Ozlander · Oct 2, 2018

I don't agree they are dimmer.
I removed the ballast and two lamps in 9 8' fixtures in my garage.
Installed 1 LED lamp per fixture and my garage is better lit that it every has been.
Replaced 200 watts with 43 watts per fixture.

Jack345 · Oct 2, 2018

I just switched to LED's in shop, purchased the GE 16 packs,60 watt replacement bulbs take 8.5 watts & provide 780 lumens each.Had some fixtures that hold more than one bulb some 8s, 6s , in other words several LED bulbs in a row, produces more light for lesser cost than the LED Fluorescent shop lights. Example: 8 ea @ 780 lumens provides little over 6000 lumens & cost $1.04 each for a total $8.32 per 4' light. Having the fixtures does help a great deal, but I think its better to replace one bulb at a time if they fail that the tube . BTW :I do have LED fluorescent fixtures on one side of shop & mulip separate led in a row is brighter.

kcm.MN · Oct 2, 2018

I got rid of the fluorescent fixtures and went with these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KFU8C7W/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
They're for use indoors or out. I have 20w, 50w and 100w lights. Works amazingly well, and turns night into day!

Am about to add some 20w lights around in the basement. We have high water table and the fluorescent light....well, I'm just afraid of it anymore. It doesn't come on, but keeps trying to. Buzzes loudly. Also doesn't like the cold much. LED don't care.

I tried a couple other brands, but sent them back and will stick with these. Yes, a [i:e2a1f5c0d5]very strong[/i:e2a1f5c0d5] recommendation on these lights!

D beatty · Oct 3, 2018

If you find them dimmer you did not get the right bulb. Here is a chart that shows the different shade of brightness and color given off by bulb.

Geo-TH,In · Oct 3, 2018

I did convert two 4 ft to bulbs.
Then I bought 4 ft complete fixtures form Rural King.
I like Rural King's better. LED's are the only way to go.

Do your homework before buying. Not all 4 ft LED are the same. I look for the K rating. I like to find 5K, brighter white, not yellow.

I mounted some LED on the wall and send the light sideways instead of downward.

I put one at an angle, so when I park truck in barn, it shines light under the hood.

I use LED lights as grow lights when I start garden plants in house before I move plants to greenhouse.

John M · Oct 3, 2018

We had all of our 8ft replaced in our warehouses, 50 total units in one 40 in another. The light is so much better, BUT in the cold storage warehouse they don't seem to be lasting long. I have 2 out now, and these are the last 2 that haven't been changed since they were installed 3 years ago.

Destroked 450 · Oct 3, 2018

Check with an electric supply house, they make a kit to convert the old fluorescent fixtures over to LED, we got the kit that does away with the ballast.
I converted a two bulb 8' fixture over to a four bulb 4' LED light, we used 4000 k bulbs and are very happy with the light output.
Brighter than the 8' daylight bulbs we had using half the wattage.
The rest of my lights are 4 footers so it'll be easier the convert them.

Spend a little more and get good quality LED bulbs, the cheaper ones are just cheap junk, poor light quality and don't last long.
Been there, tried them, wasted my money.

wfw · Oct 3, 2018

I replaced my kitchen lights with LED bulb. they were the t8 replacement bulbs. got them at Lowes and the cost was about the same as using regular t8 4' bulbs. Less than a dollar difference in price. box had 4 bulbs in it . about $20. they give plenty of light. Lowes has since marked them down to $5 a box to get rid of them. Have not had any problem with them yet.

ivan in michigan · Oct 3, 2018

Do a search on the internet and there is info on changing your fixtures over to LED bulbs. I bought new fixtures for our grarge on the house and one replace 2 I had in there with more light. On another forum the took the old fixture and disconnected the ballast and used LED bulbs. But there are directions to do it on the internet. This spring we were at COSCO and they had the fixtures with bulbs for 10.00 each

Blackhole49 · Oct 3, 2018

I have 11 4' florescence fixtures in my shop. I've replaced most of the ballasts (+-$15) over the years and some twice. I got tired of replacing ballasts in the ceiling and lights flickering at 45* which is what I keep the shop @ unless I'm in there. In June I bought 4 linkable 4' LED fixtures from Amazon for $99 and really like them. Instant on and way more light. Over the next year, I will be replacing all of them.

Texasmark1 · Oct 3, 2018

Ebay sells them in a bundle at a great price, most with free shipping. I just redid my shop and a double garage/old shop. Perfect upgrade and this winter, no dimming down nor failing to light off.

I have the 6500 and 5000 mixed. Reason is the first packs I bought were 6500 and looked good but only did part of the shop. I liked them so well I went back and they were sold out and I had to get a different source which were 5000, still great price. In the shop it doesn't matter that much but in the house, I just replaced an old neon fixture with a surface mount 5000 fixture and that hue is just right.....just a tad of tan to offset the glare of the 6500.

No doubt LEDs are here to stay.

Keith True · Oct 3, 2018

I have converted everything to LED.I bought the tubes that I had to wire around the ballast.I see no point in trying to keep the ballast in play,it is just something to suck juice and waste it.It takes a few minutes to eliminate it.I am paying about $10.for those tubes at Batteries Plus.A few years ago they were around $30.My old ballasts were supposed to draw about .77 amps,but my fixtures with four bulbs and old worn out ballasts were pulling between 190-240 watts.With the LED tubes they are at 60 watts per fixture.My theoretical lumens number is down,but in reality the buildings are brighter.One very clear fact is that my light bill is down 35%.It dropped and stayed that way from the week I changed over to LED.

dr sportster · Oct 3, 2018

It is easy and takes less than five minutes. You want to bypass the ballasts.

D beatty · Oct 3, 2018

I have LED in almost every thing and have cut wattage in shop alone by over 3,000 watts. With the LED I can run more light on generator during power outage.

dr sportster · Oct 3, 2018

About the lamps themselves. Home Depot sells them for around 15 dollars . You can find them on line for 5.99 with bad reviews and another for 6.99 with good reviews. Shop around.

Switching to LED bulbs in shop?

Logan in S.E. Texas

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Steve@Advance

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Ozlander

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Jack345

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kcm.MN

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D beatty

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Geo-TH,In

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John M

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Destroked 450

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wfw

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ivan in michigan

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Blackhole49

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Texasmark1

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Keith True

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dr sportster

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D beatty

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dr sportster

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