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LED Shop light discussion

84turbotoy

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Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
517
Location
Cordova, Al
OK so here's the story, i have about 15 t12 single pin fixtures and 1/3 of the ballast are burned out and I'm tired of constantly changing bulbs and ballast and bulbs are getting scarce, that being said have any of you guys done any conversion bulbs or led strips? Just trying to find the most cost effective alternative and some feedback if anyone has some.
 
I've replaced about half of my 8' 96 watt ho 2-pin florescent bulbs with Hyperikon single pin led tubes. Had to replace tombstones and rewire. Took me about 30 minutes real time per fixture. Internet forum claimed time would be about 10 mintues per fixture. I also got tired of flickering bulbs, replacing bulbs and ballasts. New LED tubes don't use the ballast. I remove the good balasts and keep them for spares for the few florescent fixtures I have left.

If you get led tubes, make sure you get the frosted tubes. The little leds are so ****in bright that they kinda blind you if you look right at them in the clear tube bulbs. Frosted doesn't do that.
 
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I've replaced about half of my 8' 96 watt ho 2-pin florescent bulbs with Hyperikon single pin led tubes. Had to replace tombstones and rewire. Took me about 30 minutes real time per fixture. Internet forum claimed time would be about 10 mintues per fixture. I also got tired of flickering bulbs, replacing bulbs and ballasts.

If you get led tubes, make sure you get the frosted tubes. The little leds are so ****in bright that they kinda blind you if you look right at them in the clear tube bulbs. Frosted doesn't do that.



same here. I had 9 8' t12ho

been replacing with led as the ballast go out.

I got non frosted bulbs one time. Had to hit them with sandpaper to diffuse the light.

ive also been piggy backing on some of the $20 4' dual strip led fixtures to add light in certain areas. Like directly over the parts washer and right above where a car hood is usually open.

my garage ceiling is a hodgepodge of lights and looks terrible, but works well. Eventually I'm gonna pull it all down and sheet the ceiling, blow in insulation, and re hang lights.
 
I've replaced about half of my 8' 96 watt ho 2-pin florescent bulbs with Hyperikon single pin led tubes. Had to replace tombstones and rewire. Took me about 30 minutes real time per fixture. Internet forum claimed time would be about 10 mintues per fixture. I also got tired of flickering bulbs, replacing bulbs and ballasts.

If you get led tubes, make sure you get the frosted tubes. The little leds are so ****in bright that they kinda blind you if you look right at them in the clear tube bulbs. Frosted doesn't do that.

I'll second the Hyperikon tubes. I got clear tubes off amazon and they're very bright. You do get used to it, but frosted wouldn't be a bad idea. I did not have to replace the tombstones - just bypassed the ballast.

I was in the same boat and had a garage full of T8s and T12s that were leftovers from jobs over the years and the ballasts were failing. The switch to the LED was a game changer.
 
We had the same garage full of T12s. I was also tired of the flickering bulbs, replacing bulbs and ballasts.
We were in Menards looking for some lights to put in the mother in-laws basement when came across some 4' led lights for around $30. We bought a couple and I put them up. They worked great. So we have been replacing all the 8' in the garage with these. They are 4' and put out as much light as the old 8'. Don't use as much power. Run cooler so it doesn't get as hot in the garage in the summer.
Win Win
 

This thread is all about going LED in your shop/garage. You can get double ended t8 LED bulbs that use your current fixtures. They come in a few styles. Some can use a legacy ballast and some just need power directly to the tombstone. No ballast.
 
I did away with the old florescent fixtures altogether and went with these from Amazon. I just put a couple 4 gang outlets in the ceiling connected to the light switches. So far they have held up well (little over a year). I just zip tied mine to the steel joists, and linked 3-4 of them together. The only draw back so far is that they apparently create a lot of electrical noise, so my FM radio reception is terrible when they are on.

Since putting them in the working garage. I've put them in the garage we park in, overtop the grill on the back porch, and in the wifes craft room over the countertops.
 
I'll have to check out the hyperkion ones, ive been looking at these and they look very tempting.

 
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Went led with the 5k daylighters of Amazon in my new shop, they're great. No flickering, cold don't effect them and are very bright.
 
The other thing I like about the led shop lights is they are actually BRIGHTER the colder it gets. My old florescent light got dimmer as the temp dropped.
 
How tall is yer ceiling Burt? I am thrilled with my high bay ufo lights. I have 2 150w and 2 100w. Bright as fawk. Got all 4 for a few dollars shy of $300 on ebay.
 

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