The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Workshops and Garages Shop lights

Most everyone knows I'm NOT a fan of HF tools and will never buy one that my life or livelihood depend on BUT I do own a few. Since I had my shop built (30x40) I've struggled with how to light it properly and not spend a fortune. The latest effort is with THESE. Prior to this I was using WallyWorld LED flood lights that were supposed to be good for 10,000 hours. Half are burned out with barely a couple hundred hours. As a test I bought five of the HF shop lights and put them up. Remarkable amount of light. I have my shop on two lighting circuits so today I came home with enough to do the rest of the shop. I'm satisfied with the amount and quality of light but the true test will be how they perform when it gets cold and how long they last.

in 2010 I wired my shop with T-12 fluorescent shop lights plugged into ceiling outlets because that was the cheapest option. Over the years most of the ballasts failed so I had several non-working fixtures. This summer I converted them to direct wire LED fluorescent replacements. The direct wire LED's cost $5.00 each at Lowes if you buy a box of 20. Conversion takes about 10 min. and a couple wire nuts. Light is brighter and more white, a definate improvement for $10.00 per fixture.

I put LEDs in the big barn a couple of years ago. Ordered a special package deal of 10 for $100 from Amazon. Hard wired the receptical boxes to the switch by the door so they all come on at once. Very impressive amount of light but I still use direct task lighting when working on equipment inside the barn. Happy so far.

I used these led lights for my garage and carport. I plan to replace my T8's when they start to fail.

16 years ago I got some 2x4 "lay in lights" from a telephone building they were tearing down. 4 bulbs in each of 12 fixtures using the T-8 bulbs for my 30x40 shop. Since I was in construction back in the day and having put up many acoustical ceilings I decided to do a "drop ceiling" in my shop using 2/4 grid and tile and therefore used the lights. (and insulated, labor was cheap)!

....for a spell it appeared the "starters" were not lasting to long, even the new replacements I bought. So, I called Phillips lighting and as a customer accomodation they sent me an box of 12 at no charge. I think I've only used 3 of them in years and the bulbs I bought a contractor box. Still using them after all these years.

....it makes a difference in what color walls/floor you have and what type bulb you use....as in daylight or cool white ect.
I played around with a couple types to choose mine.

I helped install a number of LED fixtures in a shop for a friend, it was amazing the difference those lights made. Since that time he has added 2 of the 4 foot fixtures from HF over his work benches, it's like daylight in his shop now.

I installed 9 4’ LED lights on the ceiling and 2 over my work bench a lathe. Several years ago in my shop. Definitely like daylight. I love tha amount of light they project. Mine were about $25 apiece. Well worth the cost!

I see you can buy the at HF for $20 and I just found them on Amazon for $10 if you buy a 10 pack. https://www.amazon.com/Hykolity-FlushMount-Workbench-Fluorescent-Replacemen/dp/B07YLQRJSQ/ref=sr_1_5?crid=26R2D3EWN278D&dchild=1&keywords=led+shop+light+4ft&qid=1628252609&s=hi&sprefix=led+shop+light%2Ctools%2C273&sr=1-5

I also installed vapor proof 4’ LED shop lights in my shed/carport that were reasonable that I purchased from Amazon that I would recommend. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SQW7GN3?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details

Home Depot has a nice selection of LED Shop Lights/Lamps.

Pretty much what I did. Run over to Lowes. Last fluorescent is the one closest to the camera. It's seeing its last days. The LED to the right is off to reduce glare on the TV. I think the oldest LED is 2 years old now. All lights are brighter than the old ones they replaced. I used to work swing shift and trying to see things in a fully lit fleet shop was tough enough. First thing I did when I moved to this house almost 30 years ago, was get rid of the single filament in the middle of the garage and light up every dark corner I could.

I put up two fluorescents in my single car garage, plus one over the workbench. A few years ago, I put LED tubes in them and MAN, what a difference. I can actually see stuff now.

My shop is 32' X 35' with 14' ceilings. I had a customer of mine buy me 18 double 4' LED fixtures and 4 8' quad LED fixtures. These are nice commercial fixtures that we put in factories. He even had them delivered from Michigan. I am blown away at the amount and quality of the light. When I was replacing the old florescent lights the side by side was apparent. Now I have to worry about them tripping my welding helmet.

Our shop, two paint booths and two storage sheds all had FREE 8' fluorescent tubes and ballasts that a friend brought us from a large chip manufacturer that changed them out on a timed schedule. In cold or damp weather they had a delayed start up time so we replaced the fluorescent ones in the finish paint booth first. Once we experienced the LED's we now PAY for them over getting the others for free. With a total of 162 LED tubes this was no small decision.