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Thread: changed my lights to led's

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2,383

    Default changed my lights to led's

    I just switched my 8 foot fluorescent lights and boy are they nice and bright. I went from 10 strips to 8 and I get about twice the light. I just bought the bypass bulbs and used the old fixtures but spaced them out. I got them From Green Light Depot for $ 17.99 a 8 foot tube and I have some 4 foot tubes coming for over the Shopbot that is in another room.

















    '

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Alberta
    Posts
    109

    Smile

    Jerry,

    What wattage and kelvin rating did you get?

    J
















    '[/QUOTE]

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    344

    Default

    I switched to LED a few months ago, glad I did.
    Brightest was too bright for me [daylight I think], "warm" did the trick for me, I don't want it as bright as an operating room in my garage.

    Outside of the extra brightness and clarity and small savings on electricity, they seem impervious to the cold unlike the fluorescents which would struggle and flicker in freezing temps and sometimes stop working all together.
    Doug

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2,383

    Default

    I got the 36 watt 6000k as they were sold out of the 5000k

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Timmins, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    1,825

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jerry_stanek View Post
    I got the 36 watt 6000k as they were sold out of the 5000k
    I just changed all 70pcs of 48” fluorescent to 5000k led in the main part of my shop... wowee!

    It was literally like night and day. I was thinking of it for a while. I bought twenty to try it and changed the rest a week later.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    iBILD Solutions - Southern NJ
    Posts
    7,986

    Default

    The 5000k ones are nice...I'm rockin T8s with 5000k 'sunshine' bulbs in the shop right now; LEDs in the scanning lab. It's really nice having enough light not to cast a shadow when doing precision work with older eyes

    Although not top quality, these are really bright for $55: 6x 4' LEDs Via Amazon They can be used individually and come with plug & play wiring....if you want to 'try on' LEDs before you pull the trigger for the whole shop. They're great for under-counter lights.

    -B
    High Definition 3D Laser Scanning Services - Advanced ShopBot CNC Training and Consultation - Vectric Custom Video Training IBILD.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    2,383

    Default

    I liked how I didn't have to use a ballast I wanted 5000k but they were sold out so I ended up with 6000k really nice to go out to the shop and turn on the lights and be able to see in the winter time no warm up required. The place I ordered them from shipped really fast also Ordered on Tuesday and installed on Thursday.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Lakin KS
    Posts
    316

    Default

    I changed out the 30 bulbs in my shop a couple weeks ago. Eliminated the ballasts went with the 36 watt (equivalent) 5000k bulbs. When my wife came in the first time she says "How many more new fixtures did you install?" "None, just swapped out the bulbs, Dear" It looks like twice the light, crisp and clean light.

    They are so nice, I bought 30 more to swap out the lights in the garage and basement.
    Tom Bachman,
    Drafting/Woodworking Instructor RETIRED!
    Lakin, Kansas

    2001 PRT4896
    https://i.imgur.com/xWEFfDk.jpg

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Miller Marine Products, Ridgefield Washington
    Posts
    877

    Default

    I replaced the ones in my shop a couple years ago. I had a mix match of fixtures in my shop installed by the previous owner what a mess. There were extension cords ran through the attic with some electric boxes mixed in facing up in the attic with no covers. I rewired the whole mess and swapped out the mix match of fixtures some 8' and some 4' fluorescent I bought 4' LED fixtures from Costco. Now they are evenly spaced and light up the area much better than before. My calculated power usage went down to about 1/3 what it was before and I got rid of all the dark spots in the shop. I am going to add some where my firewood storage is and in my barn the ones Costco has now have motion sensors which will be ideal for these new locations.
    WWW.MillerMarineProducts.com
    Proto Trak DPM CNC Bed Mill
    Brand X Industrial router
    Sharp SVL-2416SE-M VMC

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Diamond Lake, WA
    Posts
    1,746

    Default

    Very interesting thread. Few questions:

    I've got the T8 chroma correcting bulbs with the fixtures that have 4ea 4' fluorescent bulbs with the ballasts. How does one convert from that setup to running 4ea 4' LED bulbs?

    Is the cost worth the savings in electricity and the better/more consistent lighting/supposed longer life then fluorescent bulbs and ballasts?

    Is there a chroma correcting LED bulb that fits in these fixtures?

    Do the ballasts all have to be taken out and the fixtures rewired to use the LED bulbs? Two banks in my shop require an 8' ladder to get to and the other two banks require a 12' ladder to get to.

    My shop is heated with radiant floor heating so I am lucky to not having the flickering fluorescent bulb issue, so is it worth it to change to LED, considering the cost of making the conversion?

    Thanks in advance!!
    Don
    Diamond Lake Custom Woodworks, LLC
    www.dlwoodworks.com
    ***********************************
    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece; But to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, bank accounts empty, credit cards maxed out, defiantly shouting "Geronimo"!

    If you make something idiot proof, all they do is create a better idiot.

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