The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest LED Workshop Lights?

Hey guys,

Many of the 4 foot fluorescent bulbs in my shop are beginning to flicker leading me to think that the ballast resisters are on their way out. Instead of investing money on old lighting technology, I am thinking of changing these light fixtures out for LED lights. Has anyone installed LED light fixtures in their workshop recently? Any lessons learned? What is the light quality? My eyes aren't getting any better so a little brighter work environment would be a good thing. Look forward to hearing your experiences.

Paul

Installed LED’s in my garage and barn a couple of years ago. Work really well. I highly recommend them.

They are getting better/brighter, and less expensive as time moves on.

I replaced a bad double 4' fluorescent hung over my truck with the one hanging over my workbench, then added two single 4' LED fixtures over the work bench (Northern Tool, $19.99 ea on sale). I love them! They are bright, silent, and the light is slightly warm instead of the cold bluish fluorescent light. I put the LEDs over the front edge of the work bench instead of against the wall where the fluorescent was, so each will light the bench and the underhood area of each car. The LEDs are pull string, while the fluorescents are on the light switch, so there are options.

https://media.fotki.com/2v2EQg65nxDubp.jpg

I built a shop and have 32 four foot LED bulbs on the ceiling. I planned for 100 lumens/SF and actually have 112lumens/SF. I only need 1/2 of my lights on when I'm tinkering. All the lights go on if I really need them. I also bought DIY clip-on-the-wall style LED lights from Amazon. Loved them so much (cheap too) that I bought another set of 8. Some went on the wall to provide light from the side. Others went above my workbench. Let there be LIGHT!

LINK HERE for a video.

Absolutely nothing better for a shop, phasing my T8s out and replacing with 4' LEDs

Lugnutz, who supplied the shop building?

This LINK tells the story. The building went up in one day. Concrete was already poured a month earlier. The link to the supplier is at the top of the page.

This is a fun video I made on construction day. LINK HERE

We recently installed 21 new 4' fixtures with two each 4' LED bulbs in my wife's shop. They're great, nice light, and plenty.

My research started here, https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278420
Note coupon codes in that first post applicable to below items.

We ended up ordering from here
These bulbs, https://www.prolighting.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=GL07103-2M
Choose the 4000 instead of the 5000 because the softer (less blue) seemed better for my wife's purposes, and I think they'd be great in my shop as well.
These bulbs wire from one end or both, direct wired 120V or with existing ballast. Keep it simple and more efficient by direct wiring them, from one end.

These fixtures, https://www.prolighting.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=LSS2XT8USE4803
no ballast, just steel box with things to plug in the above lights. They're sturdy enough.

Next I'll buy more bulbs for my shop and remove the ballast from existing fixtures that take 4 bulbs each.

With a lot of lights it still adds up, but in the long run it's a pretty cheap option, and I believe the fixtures and LED bulbs are cheaper than the florescent fixtures I started with that have lasted ~10 years or a little more before replacing some ballast and bulbs.

Last thought, if you want solar power do that before you reduce power usage with LED lights. They don't generally want you to install more panels than your demand, which means averaging out you still owe the power company something each month or year instead of them owing you. So get that solar panel calculation done with your higher electrical load, then if you use less power with better lights or other energy saving measures you're more likely to have a zero or negative power bill.

Grigg

If you've got older 4 shop style fluorescent fixtures, you can change out the tubes in them to LED. I've bought LED tubes at Costco for less than $20/pair and they work in any old fixture. They are much brighter than the fluorescent tubes.
Really easy upgrade.
Another option is to buy fixtures with bulbs. My son in law bought about 20 new fixtures for his 25x25 shop. He got a smoking deal on them from Costco He'll probably need to wear sunglasses with them on.

I'm just curious, did you remove the ballast or wire around it? I've seen where the tubes can be wired from one end or both ends. Maybe it's cheaper to buy new light fixtures designed for the LED light......

Andy
The ones I got just directly replaced the tubes. No ballast removal at all.

If you have T5 fluorescent don’t buy new fixtures.

Many of the new “LED” fixtures are same old fluorescent fixtures simply without any ballast.

If the LED tubes you choose will operate without a ballast, most will, then you’re better off sniping out your ballast and wiring direct. You don’t need to physically remove it if you don’t care to.

Hey all,

Thanks for the great input on the LED lights. Good to hear that those that have made the switch are happy with the light quality produced from the LED style bulbs. I went to our local Lowes yesterday in attempt to see some LED shop lights on display. Unfortunately in spite of the giant size of the store, they had little LED shop light inventory and no working display. They were not cost competitive with online vendors either. As of now, I believe my choice of direction is to replace all of the old fixtures with ones that are designed to function with LED bulbs as my existing fixtures are the simple (cheap) units that hang from a chain. The problem is that I have (16) - two bulb fixtures so it will cost a bit to make the change. You all have equipped me with much more information and resources to study, now all that is needed is some comparison shopping. Thank you to all that have responded.

Paul

Do your existing fixtures have 4’ bulbs? If so probably don’t have to change the fixtures.

Where do you find type B bulbs? Home depot and Lowes only carries type A, which only work with the ballast connected. I currently am steadily having more and more ballasts going out on me.
I like my fluorescent lighting just fine. Multiple failing ballasts, not so much.

Carl, you will like the instant bright when turning the LEDs on.
A buddy of mine just put some on the wall to help with painting the sides of his car, he was more than happy with the amount of light a definite plus over the fluorescent lights.

Thanks Grigg!

You’re welcome, and try this.
7% off coupon code GARAGEJOURNAL

I put the FEIT LED's in my shop a couple years ago. Started with just two and then just kept adding them because I "saw the light". I've got them everywhere now. A tube in two of the fixtures failed several months ago. I didn't think they were supposed to do that. They are self contained, so not replaceable (they say). Anyway, I contacted FEIT just for the heck of it. Their rep confirmed that my thinking was correct. They asked where I got them (Costco), how many I have, and asked for my address. They sent me two new ones ----no charge!

Thanks Grigg. I placed my order before I saw your discount code. Oh well.
I got the bulbs, bypassed the ballasts and put the bulbs in place. Got light and no fire. Woo hoo!
I went for this change over to avoid the crappy ballast issue that I have had on a continuous basis. These bulbs are less expensive than new LED fixtures and less work to do the change over than to change out entire fixtures.

WalMart>they sell a 4' LED plug and play fixture that has plenty of lumens. No bulbs to contend with. I had a 30 x 30 garage built recently and wanted something other that the same old run of the mill fluorescent tube style lighting. Never liked the fact that when the gas got cold during the winter months they performed poorly...but to mention they are phasing out tube fixtures.
No ballast to fool with...light weight...extremely bright...in fact don't look directly at one or you get that camera flash in the eye effect.

19.00 bucks + tax ea. Operating for a year now w/o issue.

Worth checking out

I have a 4' fluorescent light fixture over my workbench in the garage. It was getting difficult to start with this cold weather and always seemed kind of dim to me.

Today, I headed out to one of the big box stores and bought a couple type B LED T8 replacement lamps. I removed the ballast and re-wired the fixture as per the instructions. The new LEDs are 2200 lumens and 4100K cool white. What a tremendous difference the LEDs make.

Thanks for all the great information. Let there be light!

My friend installed them in his shop. They make his radio buzz. I have LED's pointing on my polishing machine and they make my radio ear muffs buzz.

There is one unusual occurrence that I never experienced using these LED fixtures. When the 5hp Air comp cycles on the lights go into what I suppose can be referred to as stroboscopic effect. Its hard on the eyes so much I turn out the lights when working in the shop during the day. My sky lights afford me that. Don't know if it alters the incoming 100 amp service from the main house or what. Alters the cycles, frequency issues, etc. I was told by the electrician who wired the new garage its a common problem with LEDs and its not a safety concern. So I guess I live with it while using my air tools. :>(

Hey Andy,
Which Big Box store? Lowes and Home Depot don't carry type B around here.
Carl

I bought 3 sets of these for the shop.LINK HERE
The “built in switch” is actually a corded switch. You can link them end to end, link with cords, or use as a single light. Enough cords for each light if you want to have a switch for each light.
I use them over the workbench and tool boxes. I have some mounted along the wall for side lighting too. I am very happy with how easy they are to install.

Carl,

It was Menard's.

Sylvania 48" 32W White Equivalent Linear Cool White Ballast Bypass T8 LED Light Bulb

I was gonna guess Menard's. They aren't out this far east. They seem to be centralized in the sod buster region of the country.