Shop lights and trouble light

[jcummins]

It may be my eyes....actually hope not....but my shop lights don't seem near as bright as they were say a year ago. I'm using the typical shop light T8s. Others having this problem?

Trouble lights. I just used the one I current have, which is a led replacement head for the old time trouble light that used regular light bulbs. It is bright...when you look at it...BUT it simply doesn't throw an abundance of light out, While it's bright when you look directly at it, I don't understand why it doesn't throw more out on what I want it to. Others have this problem?

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Are you turning your lights on in the cold? I know the CFL bulbs in the horse barn take A LONG TIME to warm up enough to throw their normal amount of light. I'm not overly impressed with LED lights for the most part. The lights they are replacing seemed like they threw alot more light out. Given the energy savings the LED's provide I'm willing to give up some lighting ability.

 

[k0ua]

When was your last eye exam? Macular degeneration? What would a young person brought into the shop think about the lighting in general? Eyesight doesn't seem to get any better as we age. We seem to need more and more light to discern things that we could have easily seen a few years back..I dunno, I have zero qualifications in this field, but I seem to need more light every year.

Fluorescent lights often don't put out as much light in the cold, especially taking a long time to warm up. I have found T8 lights to do a pretty good job of lighting generally.

 

[kelving884]

I did a study for work, making the case to replace fluorescent lights with LEDs. I don't have the chart handy, but fluorescents definitely have a life span. If I remember correctly, (big if) after about 10,000 hours they are putting out 60% or less light than when new. Personally I love the Super Brite 4000K LEDs. They are spendy, but last forever and it's a brite, sharp, white light. Perfect for work areas.

 

[ArlyA]

I loved and installed fluorescent lights for years and years. No longer. LED lights have finally got good enough AND you get them in the temperature I can appreciate. The temperature is the color or there brightness. LED's is what we've been replacing all our incandescent bulbs and in the temperature to match there use. As others have stated, fluorescent lights are sensitive to air temperatures and dim with age. Fluorescent bulbs be gone!

 

[newbury]

OP -
Do you have a smart phone? There are several free apps that measure lumens, I use one called Lux. They may not be as accurate as a good light meter but the price is right.

 

[jcummins]

OP -
Do you have a smart phone? There are several free apps that measure lumens, I use one called Lux. They may not be as accurate as a good light meter but the price is right.

I'll check that out.

As to the 'volume' of light that is put out....regarding what I mentioned about the led trouble light. What measurement is used to gauge that? Lumens? LED is bright....but light volume is low. Probably not saying that right, and I don't think lumens is the right measurement for that.

 

[kelving884]

I'll check that out.

As to the 'volume' of light that is put out....regarding what I mentioned about the led trouble light. What measurement is used to gauge that? Lumens? LED is bright....but light volume is low. Probably not saying that right, and I don't think lumens is the right measurement for that.

Lumens is correct. You may be thinking of watts. It's what most people are use to measuring light bulbs by. But it's a measurement of how much power they suck, not how much light it puts out. That's why a lot of LEDs will say "equivalent to 60 watts" but actually only use 4 or 5 watts.

 

[Oldpath05]

Wonder if painting the shop ceiling white would help the lumens, thinking of doing that in my shop, lot of wood showing with no sheet-rock........

 

[k0ua]

Wonder if painting the shop ceiling white would help the lumens, thinking of doing that in my shop, lot of wood showing with no sheet-rock........

I believe it would help, and help by quite a bit.