Author Topic: Suggestions for LED replacing 8' fluorescent lights?  (Read 843 times)

Kingcreek

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Suggestions for LED replacing 8' fluorescent lights?
« on: October 16, 2020, 11:45:38 AM »
My 26x28 heated garage doubles as my workshop. 24 years ago I wanted plenty of light. Following my father's advice I installed 8' double fluorescent fixtures. 4 each side on 2 switched circuits for a total of 16 single pin tubes. Yeah I got light. Or I did have light.
They have been slowly going until about 1/2 of them currently work and I refuse to buy any more. Looking at options to replace with LED. Don't want to keep the inefficient ballasts and ballast bypass types are available and would use the same fixtures. (The rewire for bypass is within my skill set). About $300. I'm concerned it might be too much light with the doubles.
I can go with all new fixtures of any length or type as long as I keep 2 circuits and have enough light for shop stuff and vehicle detailing etc.
The lights are currently configured so that the 16' runs provide side light for the vehicles. All are ceiling mounted and parallel to the vehicles but not directly over the vehicles per dad's advice and have worked very well.
Any suggestions or thoughts on new illumination? I only want to do this once more.
Thanks
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cordex

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Re: Suggestions for LED replacing 8' fluorescent lights?
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2020, 11:54:03 AM »
Last night I just installed six cheap, linkable, 4 foot long LED lights from a company called Sunco to augment and replace some of the 4 foot fluorescent lights in my new barn.  Light output and quality are very good, but the units are pretty cheap and feel flimsy so if the goal is to never have to do it again I'm not sure I could recommend them.

Kingcreek

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Re: Suggestions for LED replacing 8' fluorescent lights?
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2020, 12:05:29 PM »
I wish I would have bought the 4' motion activated Feit that were on sale at Costco awhile back but I would need 16 of them. I don't suppose it would be a problem having 8 on each switch. I think they were about $25/2pack on sale.
I don't need weather resistant but covered would be better than the open tube I have now.
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Perd Hapley

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Re: Suggestions for LED replacing 8' fluorescent lights?
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2020, 12:14:59 PM »
If the fixtures are still in good shape, aside from the ballasts, I would recommend the 8' LED tubes, especially as it sounds like you're getting a reasonable price on them. If you're worried about them being too bright, you could start off with just a single tube in each fixture, and go up from there.

The only caveat with the 8' LED tubes is that some of the earlier generation bulbs weren't rigid enough, and started to droop, then fell out of the sockets. As always, try to buy quality.
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Nick1911

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Re: Suggestions for LED replacing 8' fluorescent lights?
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2020, 12:40:44 PM »
I've been using $10 4ft LED shop lights from menards to slowly phase out my T12's as they die.

They feel cheap, and I did have one fail prematurely due to a SMD LED not being positioned quite right when it was soldered in.

I don't know how long they will last.  I suspect the LED's will last a long time, provided the designer is adhering to the maximum current specs of the LED's.  However, the electrolytic capacitors in the power supply?  who knows.

Brad Johnson

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Re: Suggestions for LED replacing 8' fluorescent lights?
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2020, 12:46:36 PM »
I replaced all the 8' lamps in Dad's shop last Christmas. We did the 8' sticks that required ballast removal. Took about ten minutes per fixture. My brother did the same in his shop but used the 4x4 retrofit kits. In hindsight, I'd probably go 4x4 if I ever did it again for the simple reason that carrying eight feet of anything is a pain and 4" tubes are easier to find, easier to haul, and have a much better selection locally.

Brad
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K Frame

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Re: Suggestions for LED replacing 8' fluorescent lights?
« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2020, 01:18:11 PM »
I put 4 of these in my basement utility room last year.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TM97LWY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They're great. Lots of light, much better than the fluorescents I had down there year, and no noise. The fluorescents sounded like a swarm of angry bees.


Here's a 10-pack of 8 footers with good reviews for $200.

https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-8500LM-Daylight-Output-Linkable/dp/B07RKZFD5Z/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=8+foot+led+shop+light&qid=1602868700&s=hi&sr=1-4
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