LED light in garage

huntinstuff · #1 02-10-2020, 07:55 PM

Today I was messing around in the garage and decided today was the day

Drove to Home Depot and bought a 4 bulb 4ft LED light

Hello!

I do believe i will be buying 3 more. Way better light than my existing fluorescent ones

Just cut the plug in cord, wire it up and mount it flush to the ceiling.

This one was $120. Pretty simple and very light in weight. 7000 lumens

I think a couple wall mounted ones will be next. That way the hood of my vehicles doesnt block the overhead light.

I would prefer 8' ones, but they didnt have them. Guess I will have to search around.

Has anyone tried those TV advertised Bell&Howell tri lights in LED? Of course the commercial shows them being incredible but just wondering if that might be a better idea????

Ideas?

6.5 shooter · #2 02-10-2020, 07:58 PM

There is a way to use LED's in your existing florescent light fixtures and I believe they are 8'

Albertadiver · #3 02-10-2020, 08:00 PM

I have an amazon version of the bell and Howell style lights. Very happy with them. I’d buy more. Got them on amazon for about a hundred bucks for two. Just be careful of which colour spectrum you get.

huntinstuff · #4 02-10-2020, 08:07 PM

I went with "bright white"

Mostly because its all they had

huntinstuff · #5 02-10-2020, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6.5 shooter

There is a way to use LED's in your existing florescent light fixtures and I believe they are 8'

I have 8' fluorescent now. I didnt even think of just using LED bulbs for it...... I wonder if they would work

Hunter65 · #6 02-10-2020, 08:28 PM

I ordered these about 6 mos ago - but I see they are no longer offered. Love 'em. They were on sale for ~$160 if I recall correctly. Sounds cheap but haven't missed a beat yet. Awesome lights.

https://www.amazon.ca/Fluorescent-Fi.../dp/B079HWYH26

I would buy from JESLED again. Maybe there's something similar if you look around. He has LED bulbs, maybe fits your fluorescent fixture.

speedfreak · #7 02-10-2020, 08:40 PM

I grabbed these. Amazing the difference they make. Also linkable so you can daisy chain a few together

http://https://www.amazon.ca/LVWIT-Equivalent-Integrated-Daylight-Certified/dp/B0739THBJN

EZM · #8 02-10-2020, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

I have 8' fluorescent now. I didnt even think of just using LED bulbs for it...... I wonder if they would work

I think you need to do some retrofitting - and, quite frankly, the cost of the fixture is less than the bulbs ...... buy yeah you can retrofit it and save a little i guess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmR5iEEP9q8

I just bought fixtures, and like others mentioned, the are bright, cheap to run and don't burn out as often.

kbobbeck · #9 02-10-2020, 09:19 PM

peavey mart has some led corncob lights for shops, screw into normal socket, 8000 lumens i think.Costco has the 4 ft led shop light, put 2 of those in my double garage, 4000 lumens each, auto shut off, motion detection, etc. Think they were $ 40 each

Au revoir, Gopher · #10 02-10-2020, 09:25 PM

You might want to have a look at this thread.

ARG

Kev · #11 02-10-2020, 09:26 PM

I put some in my garage as well, but now get interference on the FM radio. Price I pay for being able to see I guess.

jr_80 · #12 02-10-2020, 11:24 PM

Like Hunter said amazon is a great way. If you prefer to buy local the different hardware stores are starting to get this stuff more frequently.

I’m in the process of changing out every bulb in our local rink. It will be over 140 fixtures by the time I’m done. The 400 MH over the ice went to cobs. Now the 8 and 4 ft’s are next. Simply cut wires off ballast and splice to the feeders. Make sure and purchase dual ended bulbs since when you go to LED they are polarity sensitive. Dual ended bulbs take the hot to one end and the neutral to the other. That way you don’t have to worry about non-shunted (tombstones) sockets.

4 ft’s @ $9.75 each.
8 ft’s @ $17.00 each.
Cobs @ $110.00 each.

I like bright white over warm or soft and seems like everyone else does too.

Okotok · #13 02-11-2020, 07:40 AM

I put the Big Ass lights in my garage. Two small lights and you could do brain surgery in there it's so bright. Very pricey though. https://www.bigassfans.com/lights/the-garage-light/

DWS · #14 02-11-2020, 08:15 AM

I recently purchased these....https://www.amazon.com/Deformable-Li...%2C250&sr=8-10

very bright, low profile and easy installation..
Since i only bought 1, I can not say how well they would work in a complete garage/ shop setup.
They might not work well with ceilings over 10 or 12 ft either.

EZM · #15 02-11-2020, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kbobbeck

peavey mart has some led corncob lights for shops, screw into normal socket, 8000 lumens i think.Costco has the 4 ft led shop light, put 2 of those in my double garage, 4000 lumens each, auto shut off, motion detection, etc. Think they were $ 40 each

Yes, there are some LED's that can go in, as is, into a normal fixture except that's largely pointless, as the ballast delivers too much voltage to the fixture so you end up not saving electricity in the long run anyways.

The retrofit removes the ballast, wires up the posts on one side, and "ignores" them on the other (snip and terminate wire). Which will save you power. LED's only take power from one side I guess.

The point of LED's is 80% less power used for the same output kinda thing, using a normal fixture gets you nowhere - there's no real point.

Anyways, that's what I read anyways.

huntinstuff · #16 02-11-2020, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZM

Yes, there are some LED's that can go in, as is, into a normal fixture except that's largely pointless, as the ballast delivers too much voltage to the fixture so you end up not saving electricity in the long run anyways.

The retrofit removes the ballast, wires up the posts on one side, and "ignores" them on the other (snip and terminate wire). Which will save you power. LED's only take power from one side I guess.

The point of LED's is 80% less power used for the same output kinda thing, using a normal fixture gets you nowhere - there's no real point.

Anyways, that's what I read anyways.

Personally I dont care about saving on my power bill. I just want great light. (I think I just heard Greta cry a bit)

Au revoir, Gopher · #17 02-11-2020, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

Personally I dont care about saving on my power bill. I just want great light. (I think I just heard Greta cry a bit)

How dare you!

Somebody had to say it

ARG

carlson · #18 02-11-2020, 02:58 PM

Anyone try this style of led light yet in their garage?

https://www.amazon.ca/Lighting-Defor...s%2C207&sr=8-6

Albertadiver · #19 02-11-2020, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlson

Anyone try this style of led light yet in their garage?

https://www.amazon.ca/Lighting-Defor...s%2C207&sr=8-6

That's what I bought. There are varying qualities on Amazon. The ones I have are great.

Justfishin73 · #20 02-11-2020, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

That's what I bought. There are varying qualities on Amazon. The ones I have are great.

Me too--just put them in on the weekend, very good

carlson · #21 02-11-2020, 04:41 PM

I just ordered a set off Amazon should be here tomorrow. Bought the ones with quite a few reviews and highest rating. Hopefully they are decent

EZM · #22 02-11-2020, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

Personally I dont care about saving on my power bill. I just want great light. (I think I just heard Greta cry a bit)

Shame on you ….. for taking her childhood away with your selfishness ….

kodiakken · #23 02-11-2020, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

I have 8' fluorescent now. I didnt even think of just using LED bulbs for it...... I wonder if they would work

The ones I got you take the ballists out of the light and wire the tubes direct.
I got mine off Amazon 8' double row of LED's they work fantastic beautiful light.

Anyone in Central Alberta wanting to see or buy a couple let me know I have extras.

The four footers I bought about a year earlier a JUNK have replaced most of them in just over two years. They were the same take out the ballist and wire direct.
The cheap ones were just that cheap.
I bought a clear and an opaque one they cost three times the money. The clear one you could just the ends of the tubes so that they point the way you want the light (Great in a Quonset). They are still going strong.

What I've learnt about LED lights.

Jerry D · #24 02-11-2020, 05:57 PM

I put a 4ft led fixture into our unheated garage.

Replaced the flouresencent that never worked in the cold and way brighter.

Can be had for 40 or 50.00 from electrical supply stores

Warrior · #25 02-14-2020, 12:57 PM

Are they as bright as they claim?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justfishin73

Me too--just put them in on the weekend, very good

Osky · #26 02-14-2020, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZM

Yes, there are some LED's that can go in, as is, into a normal fixture except that's largely pointless, as the ballast delivers too much voltage to the fixture so you end up not saving electricity in the long run anyways.

The retrofit removes the ballast, wires up the posts on one side, and "ignores" them on the other (snip and terminate wire). Which will save you power. LED's only take power from one side I guess.

The point of LED's is 80% less power used for the same output kinda thing, using a normal fixture gets you nowhere - there's no real point.

Anyways, that's what I read anyways.

EZM is right here. I just had a warehouse switch d out. 8' fixtures. Take out the existing 8' lamps, cut the wires off at the ballast, tie the wires together correctly then insert the new lamps. Took about 12 minutes per fixture to do.
Down here 8' lamps run 18.50 each 2 to a fixture of course. I have seen them online for 14.00.
Be sure and check the ends of your current lamps to see if they are single pin or forks so you get the proper style in your LED.
A note to folks with un heated buildings, the LED is instant light, no warm up time.

Osky

Justfishin73 · #27 02-14-2020, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrior

Are they as bright as they claim?

Pretty bright--I got the medium ones---there are brighter too

fishtank · #28 02-14-2020, 04:50 PM

they sell 8ft led bulb at uncle weiners its $20 each

Osky · #29 02-14-2020, 06:32 PM

They also make flat panel LED lites in 2x2 and 2x4 sizes. I switched out the 2x4 fluorescent tube units for flat screen LED panels in my work shop and the change is incredible.

Osky

EZM · #30 02-14-2020, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrior

Are they as bright as they claim?

You can buy them in different "brightness" (lumens is the proper term I think) but the basic premise is they are sucking in a fraction of the electricity to make the same amount of light.

I got some for the dining room fixture, and, they were so bright you needed sunscreen. (8 bulbs on that fixture).

Also need to consider the "warmth" of the light - yellow orange, to yellowish, standard soft white and all the way up to bright white and even that annoying LED headlight blue white.

I some areas, like kitchen work areas, garage, etc... brighter is better but not everywhere.