4 ft. LED shop light

[Odie]

I've had flourescent fixtures in my shop for the past 25 years, and frankly, a few of them are on the brink of failure. It's my plans to get LED fixtures, when that time comes to replace them......

-----odie-----

Odie they sell 4' led bulbs for under $10 each to replace the standard T8 ( https://www.homedepot.com/p/toggled...Tube-Light-Bulb-2-Pack-D416-65321-2/308086234) (the 1.5" dia x 4' bulbs). You have to rewire the fixture but that only requires you to cut the wires to the ballast. It can stay in place. Then wire the 120V line to the terminals of each bulb on one end. Cut all other wires. Shut the power first.

This doesn't require removing the old fixtures. Get bulbs that can be dimmed (cost a bit more) and use a dimmer.
Stu[/QUOTE]

Thank you, Stu........

I'm not sure what's wrong with my existing fixtures, but I've got five 4' double fluorescent lamps in the ceiling of my shop. Four of the five fixtures don't work on one of the two sockets. I've replaced the bulbs, but that's a no-go......still doesn't work......something is wrong with the sockets themselves (or could the problem be with the ballast?) These existing fluorescent fixtures have been in constant use for about 25 years. I figure when I run out of replacement fluorescent bulbs, I'll start replacing the fixtures with the LED lamps. I think there is still about 4-5 new fluorescent bulbs in my stash, so will keep replacing them as they burn out.

I'm not much of an electrician, but I do know enough to cut the power when I mess with electrical things.....

-----odie-----

 

[stu senator]

odie
<Shut the power first.>

(I'm not much of an electrician, but I do know enough to cut the power when I mess with electrical things..)

That was more a cya statement not directed at any forum member.

Sockets are available for standard T8 bulbs, on line at least, possibly at HD.

Try one fixture that is not working, if it works OK, for the future.

Stu

 

[Dave Landers]

You guys totally derailed my weekend.

This thread got me thinking about upgrading flourescents to LEDs, which started me thinking about the rats-nest of 1960's era wiring in my basement shop (with an associated 50 years of remodels - some of which I have discovered was done in rather frightening ways).

So I've ordered new LED fixtures and am in the process of totally rewiring the lighting - pulling out all the old and replacing everything. Fortunately I rewired most of the shop outlets when I moved in 3 years ago, so it's just the lights.

I did leave myself just enough time to prep for my demo tomorrow, but that could have been better had I not spent the weekend in the wires....

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

I just replaced 8 8 foot fluorescent tubes with LED's that mounted to the same sockets. The only change was to remove or disconnect the ballasts and rewire the sockets for hot on one end and neutral on the other.

 

[JeffSmith]

When I completed the new shop three years ago, I installed 6 - 4ft led strip light fixtures with diffusing covers over the main working area (about 300 square feet). They're 3800k color temperature - after spending four decades in 'daylight' lighting environments (doing critical color work from photography to print evaluations, upon retiring I couldn't bring myself to work in the 'fishbowl' light any longer. I find the warmer 3800k lighting much more eye friendly and really appreciate the diffused, non-directional area lighting. I do use a small fixture with a more specular led bulb at a raking angle for assessing surfaces and finishes. The turning area has 3800k recessed lighting augmented with a 4' four tube led fixture lower and over the lathe with led task lights at the lathe level.
The overall lighting in the shop is both pleasantly bright and eye-friendly. I find the 'daylight' color balance that manufacturer's use to be way too cold and harsh on the eyes - feels like working in a morgue. The shop has plenty of natural light as well with two large (4' x 5') windows along the bench wall, a sliding glass door to the back deck with an adjacent window, two skylights over the turning area and fully opening bi-fold doors (7' x 14' opening) across the front (usually open when not freezing). The warmer led lighting mixes well with the natural light.
While lumen output (quantity of light) is important, lighting color temperature (quality of light) has a greater effect on people working in the area; find a light that feels right to you. There are plenty of options from 2500k (warmer) to 5500k (colder).

 

[Larry Parker]

One of the biggest prob;ems with fluorescent besides the cost of a ballast is that the output begins to fade after two years and the power consumption also goes up . That is why on a 3 or 5 year rotation the better companies will change them all out. Led does not fade as far as I know. I have he Hyperikon in the last four I have purchased and they are brighter than the ones I had previously used as direct replacement (removing ballast). Another advantage of LED is they do not have to warm up in cold weather to get full light. I have one of the new ones above my lathe and could almost do without the worklights, maybe if ny eyes were younger.

Not sure about all LED’s but they do fade over time, I sell them for agricultural use and they have a 5 year warranty but the warranty does not cover lumen depreciation

 

[John Torchick]

They make special fluorescent lights for cold weather applications as barns, shops, etc.

 

[Mike Johnson]

LED lighting does work well in cold weather applications compared to standard fluorescents.
No flickering or waiting for the lamps to warm up, heat is what kills LED lighting.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

They make special fluorescent lights for cold weather applications as barns, shops, etc.

Yes they do and they are $$$

 

[John Torchick]

Yes they do and they are $$$

Compared to what we spend in turning stuff, they might be considered cheap. Some locations require them. I had regular fluorescent lights in my shop before I cured the cold factor. Took forever to warm up. Now the shop, so far, hasn't gotten below 62 degrees. Have had it as low as 42 degrees and took hours to warm up with two electric heaters!

 

[Mike Peace]

Got the shop light at Harbor Freight today; selling at $29.95 each. Plugged it in and it is bright! Might go back and get a couple more with my birthday money. Number is 64410.

Color me cheap but I just bought some Phillips 4ft T8 LED bulbs from HD to fit an old T12 shop light. I had to rewire to bypass the ballast but no big deal. If you have a bunmch of old T12 fixtures, I would certainly consider this approach.

 

[John Landis]

Odie they sell 4' led bulbs for under $10 each to replace the standard T8 ( https://www.homedepot.com/p/toggled...Tube-Light-Bulb-2-Pack-D416-65321-2/308086234) (the 1.5" dia x 4' bulbs). You have to rewire the fixture but that only requires you to cut the wires to the ballast. It can stay in place. Then wire the 120V line to the terminals of each bulb on one end. Cut all other wires. Shut the power first.

This doesn't require removing the old fixtures. Get bulbs that can be dimmed (cost a bit more) and use a dimmer.
Stu

Thank you, Stu........

I'm not sure what's wrong with my existing fixtures, but I've got five 4' double fluorescent lamps in the ceiling of my shop. Four of the five fixtures don't work on one of the two sockets. I've replaced the bulbs, but that's a no-go......still doesn't work......something is wrong with the sockets themselves (or could the problem be with the ballast?) These existing fluorescent fixtures have been in constant use for about 25 years. I figure when I run out of replacement fluorescent bulbs, I'll start replacing the fixtures with the LED lamps. I think there is still about 4-5 new fluorescent bulbs in my stash, so will keep replacing them as they burn out.

I'm not much of an electrician, but I do know enough to cut the power when I mess with electrical things.....

-----odie-----[/QUOTE]
Is it really necessary to cut the wires to the ballast?

 

[Odie]

Is it really necessary to cut the wires to the ballast?

I don't know, John........

-----odie-----

 

[James Seyfried]

Is it really necessary to cut the wires to the ballast?

It depends on the LED tube light, they make some that it isn't required to remove ballast from the circuit. But they are typically more expensive.

 

[stu senator]

Of you use the direct to 120V bulbs, yes but they sell bulbs that can be used with the ballast and are direct replacement for a T8 bulb, no rewiring required.
But the ballast remains in the circuit and will eventually fail. Then you must replace the ballast or the bulb and rewire.
I would, and have, rewired a number of fixtures. If done in place this does not require the actual physical removal of the ballast, just it's removal from the circuit.
Stu

 

[Mike Johnson]

Some of the LED retrofits are designed to operate off of the voltages produced from the ballast, other designs utilize 120V, 277V, 480V and other standard premise voltages. Lamp sockets fail over time along with the small fixture wires used to interconnect to the ballast, a multimeter can be used to test for voltages at the lamp socket contacts. The newer type lamp sockets utilize a quick connect wire termination point for the wiring which can be problematic years later, most of these lamp sockets are easily replaced but you need to make sure and replace them with the same type supplied in your light fixture. Having one in your hand or tracing a drawing of the lamp socket will help your supplier provide the correct replacement.