# Shop lighting



## larryc (Dec 15, 2016)

Anyone using LED shop light fixtures? How do you like them? Where's the best place to buy them?


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## oldtoolsniper (Dec 15, 2016)

I use the bulbs and I have one double fluorescent style over my table saw. I use the daylight bulbs. 

I heat with wood (pen blanks) so the advantage is no more orange barely working buzzing fluorescent bulbs when it's cold. Even the pigtail bulbs struggle in the cold. 

They don't seem to be effected by machine vibrations and hammering on the bench, incandescents used to fail on me all the time from this. 

They are not nearly as easy to shatter as the pigtail fluorescent of incandescent bulbs by a long shot. I'm speaking bulbs not the tubes above my table saw, I haven't hit that one or dropped it yet. 

Some of the bulbs get warmer than others, it just depends on the brand. I buy what's on sale. None of them get hot. You will still need incandescent bulbs for a dry box or heat box for finish as I've yet to buy a hot led bulb. 

I've went to them for most everything I need light for. I've had one in the basement burning non stop for three years now so they seem to last quite a while. 


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## southernclay (Dec 15, 2016)

Larry I got the 4' ones from Sams Club and really happy with them. 


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## qquake (Dec 15, 2016)

I just put one of these in a dark area in my garage. It's much brighter than I expected. I'm very happy with it.

Commercial Electric 3 ft. LED Black Shop Light-54254141 - The Home Depot


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## CHARLES STOPCZYNSKI (Dec 15, 2016)

*LED's way to go...*

Larry,

I picked up some at COSTCO locally.  Great.  Newer ones have two small improvements over first ones.  Pull chain, and an outlet in end opposite pull chain so you can "string" them without additional wiring.

There ARE LED lamps for T-8 (1" dia), T-12 (1.2" dia.), as well as compact  fluorescent lamps of many configurations.  READ LABELS CAREFULLY.   There are two types.  Generally you find the style that REQUIRES a working ballast.
Saw T-8 replacements at COSTCO, they're pricey.  Found better prices at GEXPRO (REXELL) a wholesaler who will make cash sales at the pickup counter. 

That should put a permanent end to replacing ballasts, as there is a minimal load on them.  However, there are LED T-8 replacements that require the ballast to be removed, and rewiring of the fixture.  

One source is www.earthled.com     INFORMATION, as well as a source for lamps.  Wiring diagrams.


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## leehljp (Dec 15, 2016)

I got two sets at Costco also about 6 months ago. Daylight.

Love them, especially for wood color.


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## eharri446 (Dec 15, 2016)

There is a web site call 1000Bulds.com which sell LED replacement bulbs for florescent bulbs. They have two different types: 1 works with the existing ballast and the other requires that you bypass the ballast. The bypass process is fairly simple. However, if you are not comfortable doing it yourself you can get an electrician to do it for you.

The bulbs range in price from $7 to $10 each. The $7 price requires that you by a case of 16 bulbs for $112.00. That might be a good price if you have a lot of the old 48" florescent fixtures to replace the bulbs in.


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## Curly (Dec 15, 2016)

A week ago I received 22 fixtures I found and purchased through alibaba.com, a Chinese selling site. From the time I ordered until the day FedEx delivered took three weeks. The site is geared towards business but many will sell small numbers of lights to individuals like me. The company I bought from is Lonyung LED Lighting Co., Ltd. The light model number is LY-T5SL1500-40W and cost just over $18US each. Shipping was about $180US for a total of $570.70. When the package arrived in Canada I had to pay another $36Can for brokerage and tax. That is about 1/2 to 1/3 of what I can get lights for locally. Since virtually all LED lights are made in China I don't mind cutting out the middle men and buying them direct. The lights are 60" long x 1 1/2" x 1 1/2", 40 watt equivalent, and come with a cord to wire direct to the mains or put a plug on along with another to connect multiple fixtures to a total of 200Watts, and mounting hardware. One thing influencing my decision to buy form Lonyung was that they were certified by UL for both Canada and the US. My electrician can't legally put fixtures in unless they are approved. Many companies aren't. The lights will be going into the garage and workshop soon.


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## Curly (Dec 15, 2016)

A couple pics from the phone. 
Note the wiring was just for a quick check to see what I bought. They will be properly wired when installed.


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## TonyL (Dec 15, 2016)

I only have experience with these and love them. They have a pull chain and can be linked (although, I never linked any) ,
4

Costco also sells individual fixtures but I couldn't find the link. I haven't seen the individual fixtures for less than $25.


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## cjester (Dec 15, 2016)

Not yet, but I'm planning to put these in eventually. In part, because I can chain them together off one outlet.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HENDTO...UTF8&colid=AR1C7G4WBNW0&coliid=I1XTTYC2Z4BSXZ


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## TonyL (Dec 15, 2016)

Costco (if one is a member or knows a member) is selling two for the same price as that Amazon link is selling one.

Here is the Costco link again: 4


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## Rounder (Dec 15, 2016)

I am fixing to get a building for my shop built and hauled in. I am putting 4 of these lights in, generously donated by my boss as they were extra from a job. These are dim-able LED panel lights. He actually ordered non dim-able but they sent these since they were out of stock on the non. They are daylight white and very bright. 2' x 4' troffer light size and 3/8" thick. The cost on them was 87.00 each. Dim-able were a little more but we were charged the cheaper price. Sealed unit so no bugs or dirt getting inside


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## Phillip Kelley (Dec 15, 2016)

There has been some issues in Texas Schools with non-UL listed LED bulb replacements causing fires.....In my office, we have retrofitted existing lay-in fixtures & removed the T-8 energy saving ballast..the new lighting is brighter & we reduced the energy (amp load) by 50%.....I personally would not want to use the LED bulbs that use existing ballast....
just another opinion..


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## larryc (Dec 15, 2016)

Thanks for all the info. I have 20 two-bulb 4ft fixtures in my shop and I am about to run out of replacement bulbs. 
I found a six pack on amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HGDXVT0/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

that requires the ballast to be rewired. From a YouTube video it doesn't look that difficult to do.
I was able to get the bulbs free since I had enough Discover rewards to cover the cost.

I also saw somewhere that these LED bulbs put out more light so only one bulb is needed per fixture. Anybody confirm that?


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## oldtoolsniper (Dec 15, 2016)

I will add that there are some amazing things being done with LED lighting. 

I do security and stage hand work for concerts and some of the acts come with huge led screens that roll up as well as the lighting that is for the most part LED. All of it must be UL listed for obvious reasons. The old can lights are being replaced by much smaller and more efficient LED lighting. When you have twenty five of the can lights pointing at you on stage you learned what the fries at McDonald's feel like under a heat lamp. With the new LEDs we don't have that issue and I don't replace bulbs before every show. They can change the colors and control the moving lights all from a smartphone. I don't climb ladders to aim the spots anymore either. 

These LEDs get moved in boxes on trucks, buses and in trailers from cold to hot all over the place. Set up and torn down on stages during tours more times in one year than most people would move a portable light in a lifetime. They get the snot knocked out of them and keep on working. 

I'm sure there are LEDs for any and every application you can imagine. 

Just like everything they are not all the same and shopping pays off. 


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## lorbay (Dec 15, 2016)

Pete it says T5 on the label but your pic looks like T8.

Lin.


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## lorbay (Dec 15, 2016)

I just changed my shop over from T5 H.O. to T5 LED's wow what a difference.

Lin.


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## raar25 (Dec 15, 2016)

I have several kinds of flourscent lights in my shop based on when I bought them.  For immediately over my high use work stations like the main work benches, lathe and assembly station I have T5 54 watt HO bulbs and they have awesome light output but run about $60 each so I only use them where I really want it to be like daylight.   The rest of the shop are the  twin 1" 4' standard fluorescent because they are cheap at HD of which I have 12 of those I think.

Bottom line you can never have enough light.


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## leehljp (Dec 15, 2016)

TonyL said:


> I only have experience with these and love them. They have a pull chain and can be linked (although, I never linked any) ,
> 4
> 
> Costco also sells individual fixtures but I couldn't find the link. I haven't seen the individual fixtures for less than $25.



Tony,

The "2-pack" - does that mean there are 2 fixtures with 2 bulbs each? Or one Fixture with 2 bulbs? I bought mine one fixture (with 2 bulbs) at a time way back when.

Wording can get tricky, quick.


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## HamTurns (Dec 15, 2016)

larryc said:


> that requires the ballast to be rewired. From a YouTube video it doesn't look that difficult to do.
> I also saw somewhere that these LED bulbs put out more light so only one bulb is needed per fixture. Anybody confirm that?


 
I've now installed two dozen of those, they are easy to re-wire/retrofit your old 4' fluorescents, both old ballast type and the newer electronic ballast types are easy to do.

Actually old style (new)4' fluorescent tubes put out more lumens of light than the LED replacements do.  Fluorescent tubes put out light all around the tube, so a lot of light is lost that is not reflected back down to you.  With the LED tubes the light is all coming out one side of the tube all aimed down at you.  Fluorescent tube light output degrades over time.  For LED's, they degrade over a longer period, the time it takes to happen is so long and the reduction is so slight, you'd never notice.

I put two LED tubes in each fixture and find it brighter then before.

Happy Turning - Tom


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## jimm1 (Dec 15, 2016)

southernclay said:


> Larry I got the 4' ones from Sams Club and really happy with them.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app



I 2nd the vote for the Sam's Club 4' lights. Simply put, they go beyond expectations.


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## sschering (Dec 15, 2016)

So overall would you say the Costco 2 bulb 48" LED fixture is brighter than a 2 bulb t-8?

I currently have 2 screw in 60w CFLs ( a true 60w 4000 lumen bulb.. it's huge), 2  48" twin tube T-8 fixtures and a 19w LED flood over the lathe.

I've been looking at the LED ones since my bulbs are almost a year old now.


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## leehljp (Dec 15, 2016)

sschering said:


> So overall would you say the Costco 2 bulb 48" LED fixture is brighter than a 2 bulb t-8?



For Me: Yes, without a doubt.


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## Curly (Dec 15, 2016)

lorbay said:


> Pete it says T5 on the label but your pic looks like T8.
> 
> Lin.



Lin I wouldn't know the difference between a T5 an a T8 if you belted me with them. :beat-up: I just assumed it is equivalent to a T5 fixture of 40 watts.


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## lorbay (Dec 15, 2016)

Curly said:


> lorbay said:
> 
> 
> > Pete it says T5 on the label but your pic looks like T8.
> ...


Well a T5 tube is about 5/8" and a T8 is 1". So if that tube in your picture is 1" then it's a T8

Lin


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## Curly (Dec 15, 2016)

The fixture is an inch and a half wide so I suppose it's a T5.


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## jeff (Dec 15, 2016)

larryc said:


> Thanks for all the info. I have 20 two-bulb 4ft fixtures in my shop and I am about to run out of replacement bulbs.
> I found a six pack on amazon:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HGDXVT0/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> ...



I've got 60 two-bulb 4' T8 and T12 fixtures and I've been working on replacing them with LEDs for a couple years. I use these Hyperikon bulbs and I remove the ballast. I use the 5000k bulbs and I'm very happy with the color and amount of light. Takes about 5 minutes per fixture. I replace both bulbs in each fixture. I use the dual end powered.


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## EBorraga (Dec 18, 2016)

I just added an led light to my shop. Man is it bright compared to flurescents. I picked up one at the depot for 29.99. I also noticed that they are selling led bulbs that fit in your fixtures. They say that they don't require re-wiring. I'm going to swing by there tomorrow and pick up 2 of them to try. Here's the link on the led light I purchased.

Commercial Electric 3 ft. LED Black Shop Light-54254141 - The Home Depot


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## Timbo (Jan 9, 2017)

I had mentioned on this forum some time ago that my wife and I were planning to move from PA to NC.   Well...it's happening!  We're in the planning stages now for our new home.  Part of that plan includes my shop.  All you folks have convinced me that LED lighting is the way to go.  

I did a little searching and found that you can get LED T8 bulbs cost effectively when purchased in bulk.  The fixtures seems to be another story.  I could not find a source for T8 troffer or suspended fixtures without bulbs or ballasts.  Seemed like this would have been the lowest cost way to get all the fixtures I'm going to need. Salvage sources might be an option to find units I can retrofit.


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## Curly (Jan 9, 2017)

I'm happy with the lights I bought and doubt you'll find it much cheaper at $26US per 40watt fixture delivered to your door. Marla says they are too bright.  PM me and I'll send you the company name to look for on Alibaba.


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## lorbay (Jan 9, 2017)

Curly said:


> I'm happy with the lights I bought and doubt you'll find it much cheaper at $26US per 40watt fixture delivered to your door. Marla says they are too bright.  PM me and I'll send you the company name to look for on Alibaba.



Just think when you paint that ceiling white how bright it will be.:glasses-cool:
Lin


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