LED Garage Lights

[Ehanson]

I build my shop just under two years ago. I purchsed thirteen household fixtures from Costco for about $34 CDN each. They give 1800 lumens and is very adequate in a 26' X 32' building, 3 rows, each switched, two rows of 5, one row of 3 in the middle.
My friend just did the same to replace flourescents in his shop. He got the works lights at Costco, installed a receptacle in the ceiling, plugged them in, utilizing the bracket attached to the work light to aim them. These work lights, (I think Snap on)
are 2800 lumens, what a difference over his old tube lights!

 

[LD1]

Problem with the porcelain/plastic bulb holders is that they have no reflector (the painted white backing in a fluorescent troffer does a lot), lens, or diffuser and they are jammed up against the ceiling (often unpainted drywall or just framing in workshops, garages, basements, etc). I have upgraded several porcelain holders to a basic fixture with a reflector and diffuser, and it makes way more light from the same bulbs. Made me realize how lousy a bare bulb is when it's stuck right next to the ceiling. I think even if you could put a white painted board a few feet around the porcelain bulb holder it would have to help. A fixture with a diffuser or frosted globe would help even more.

Painted metal liner panel for ceiling

 

[dragoneggs]

hoping someone will post links to good LED garage lighting. My issue with the LED's I have used is they cause too much havoc with my AM radio.

 

[PhysAssist]

We have 4- 20-Watt Led floodlights mounted facing downwards evenly spaced just at the level of the bottom of the trusses.

Supplemental lighting will added by 2 strings of 45' long, 80 lumen per foot LED rope lights, with shorter strings for task lighting under cabinets and shelves over workbenches.

While I can't help you with a source for the rope lights, we got the other lights from LED Wholesalers.com

 

[PhysAssist]

hoping someone will post links to good LED garage lighting. My issue with the LED's I have used is they cause too much havoc with my AM radio.

Hi DE,

I know whereof you speak...

The LED foglights I put on our car cause a hiss of static whe we use either the AM or FM radio....

Thomas

 

[Sodo]

I just replaced my 4 foot tubes with 4 foot LED 'tubes' that I bought on Amazon for $19 each. They are a lot brighter than the fluorescent tubes. And they light up to full bright in 1 second, whereas the fluorescents would struggle for awhile when its cold.

The LEDs I bought required that I re-wire the fixtures to eliminate the ballasts. It's simple re-wiring, just a couple wire nuts (the small 18-22ga wire nuts). Simply put 120v to the two pins at the tube end. I suppose the pins on the other end are just decoys (?) to hold the 'tubes' up?

There are "replacement" LED 'tubes' you can get that retain the ballasts. Problem with that type is if the ballasts go out (which is common) then your light doesn't work until you renew the ballast. Or maybe that's why the fluorescent tube is not working now. Also the ballasts waste 30% additional power.

My light fixtures had the ballast in the tombstones at the end (rather than the middle). It was not so easy to get the tombstones end off, it was one complete plastic molding. I pounded it off anyway, pried out the ballast parts, circuitboard, capacitor (all of it) and thought maybe was ruined as some tabs broke. But enough were remaining that it all snapped back together nice and tight and works perfect so just screwed it back to the rafters and let there be light!

 

[4shorts]

I put LEDs in our shed. Very happy with them.
http://youtu.be/qCAj6wxaPyE

 

[Gunny]

I've got the 4 foot led shoplights from Homedepot, I think they run right at $39 now.

Neither my woodworking shop nor my garage are heated until I get down there and get a fire going, but cold doesn't affect them, always instant on.

My radios are always tuned in to AM talk radio stations and I haven't noticed any interference caused by the lights, makes no difference if 1, 2 or all 3 are turned on. One station I listen to is at 550 on the dial, it used to be during cold weather with the florescents I had so much RF noise that I didn't even bother to try to listen to that one.

 

[newbury]

Problem with the porcelain/plastic bulb holders is that they have no reflector (the painted white backing in a fluorescent troffer does a lot), lens, or diffuser and they are jammed up against the ceiling (often unpainted drywall or just framing in workshops, garages, basements, etc). I have upgraded several porcelain holders to a basic fixture with a reflector and diffuser, and it makes way more light from the same bulbs. Made me realize how lousy a bare bulb is when it's stuck right next to the ceiling. I think even if you could put a white painted board a few feet around the porcelain bulb holder it would have to help. A fixture with a diffuser or frosted globe would help even more.

LED lights may not have that problem if you get bulbs with the chip facing down.

I've a thread on LED replacement tubes http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/338919-led-workshop-lighting-saga-continues.html?highlight=

Many of my ballasts are failing. Removing the ballast and plugging in the light was a good way to go for me.

 

[GregbkH]

I just put 6 1x4 led shop lights in my 24x24 tractor shed. They come on instantly in the cold and are bright as can be. I'm very happy with them. I got them from home depot.