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+-- Thread: LED shop lights (/showthread.php?tid=7358958)
LED shop lights - Kudzu - 11-16-2020
Planning a new shop and looking at lights. Have used T8 florescent when I built my current shop and happy the light but seems like I am always replacing bulbs of ballasts. But obviously LED is the way to go now.
Looking at options and trying to decide on the best option balancing installation costs and replacement bulb cost. Using the florescent style LED fixtures on a new build seems costly.
Because of that my first thought was just go with standard Edison base because they are cheap easy to install and add more where needed Then that leaves me trying to decide on which bulb(s). There are so many options.
I was thinking just standard flood bulbs. Cheap and easy to find. Takes more of them
Then I saw garage lights. Cost more but more light. Less fixtures.
![[Image: 173334-2858.jpg_500x500.jpg]](https://gloimg.gbtcdn.com/images/pdm-provider-img/straight-product-img/20200224/T005581/T0055810397/source-img/173334-2858.jpg_500x500.jpg)
Then there are corn bulbs. Then probably need a reflector and some come with them.
![[Image: 61ClmrDsLuL._AC_SX466_.jpg]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61ClmrDsLuL._AC_SX466_.jpg)
Plus other options that leave me with my head spinning.
Hoping someone had some experience with some of these and might shed some light on this... no pud intended.
RE: LED shop lights - fredhargis - 11-16-2020
I have the corn bulbs in my garage right now. They replaced 3 -250 watt incandescent lamps, and I have one that's 500 watt (equivalent) and 2 others that aren't (don't remember what they are). The increased light is amazing, and it's actually distributed very well (no reflectors). But while that's good for my garage, that's not what I have in my shop. I went with 4'-twin lamp fixtures from a couple of places. The very first ones I bought were from Costco. They had them on sale for $20 each. Later I needed a few more and bought these from Amazon. The Amazon lights are much better, they just seem to put out more light. Now, here's why you want them: these are plug inn fixtures, and they can be surface mounted. So you install switched outlets in the ceiling, spaced somewhat evenly. Then these are light enough that they will hang from 5/8" sheetrock with no anchors (for the record, I did use anchors) and you can put them wherever they are needed. If things change they can be moved easily, and hanging them is a breeze compared to flourescents, they only weigh a couple of pounds. They are linkable...so you can daisy chain them, up to a point. Lastly, if one goes bad, just replace the fixture (they do not have replaceable lamps). There's no ballast hum, no radio interference, and instant start up. (A lot of that you already latched onto, sorry.) As for how many, I'm old and need lots of light. So for my 32x 50 shop I have a total (right now) of 25 and find that to be about right for me. That's 17 of them in the 32x30 shop room, and 8 in the second room (mostly mechanical stuff). As for life, I've had them for about 3 years now and haven't had the first failure. I do admit the cords to the outlets aren't the most attractive, but I tied them up so they don't hang down and given the other advantages I don't mind...after all, it is a shop.
RE: LED shop lights - fixtureman - 11-16-2020
I replaced my 8 foot and 4 footers with bypass LED tubes just bypass the ballast and they are good to go. I got mine from Green Light Depot very reasonable. I did use 6000k and the shop is twice as bright and they come on when it is really cold in there as part of the shop is not heated.
RE: LED shop lights - Cooler - 11-18-2020
I've been considering tacking LED light strips to the rafters in my basement. I have not been able to determine the total output of light, however until recently.
This quad row strip calls out 1170 lumens per foot, and costs $90.00 for a 16 foot strip--about the same cost as four 4-foot LED light fixtures. I wonder if this is a better approach. It would be very low profile and installation would be easy. It would require a light source--an extra cost.
I see LED shop lights (4 foot) with a 4,000 lumen rating--so about the same as the strip lights. A set of four costs $60.00. So cheaper than the strip lights.
https://www.amazon.com/Quad-Row-LED-Strip-Lights/dp/B073QH3JJW/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=high+output+led+light+strips&qid=1605719332&sr=8-5
RE: LED shop lights - R Clark - 11-18-2020
For me, in addition to light output (lumens), I'm finding that light color is nearly as important (the degrees K rating).
I tend to prefer the warm daylight colors around 3000-4000 K vice the whiter/bluer end up between 5000 and 6000. I just feel better and I think it makes the work space more inviting.
I am interested in the garage lights with the Edison base. My garage needs better light. Shop is doing OK with the flourescent fixtures I put in six years ago. However, when they start failing, I'll swap over to LED. Basement flourescents need to be replaced now, so I'm going LED down there, too.
RE: LED shop lights - Cooler - 11-18-2020
(11-18-2020, 01:13 PM)WxMan Wrote: For me, in addition to light output (lumens), I'm finding that light color is nearly as important (the degrees K rating).
I tend to prefer the warm daylight colors around 3000-4000 K vice the whiter/bluer end up between 5000 and 6000. I just feel better and I think it makes the work space more inviting.
I am interested in the garage lights with the Edison base. My garage needs better light. Shop is doing OK with the flourescent fixtures I put in six years ago. However, when they start failing, I'll swap over to LED. Basement flourescents need to be replaced now, so I'm going LED down there, too.
I have this bulb from Northern Tool. It was on sale (and is even cheaper now), a 60 watt bulb with a built in reflector and 5,000 lumens. It spreads the light well, but it is actually brighter than the midday sun outdoors. It probably would make more sense mounted higher (mine is at 10 feet), but I don't regret the purchase. I had a CFL before and in the winter it took forever for it to burn brightly. The LED is bright from the very start.
Just $22.00 now. They have some lower wattage options and they may make more sense. You almost need sun glasses with the 5,000 lumen version. Great for detail work though. And a good daylight color balance.
If you join their membership the shipping is free. Northern is an excellent vendor. I buy from them regularly and the service and quality has always been excellent. Their own brand is priced like Harbor Freight, but is much better quality.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200788744_200788744
RE: LED shop lights - Robert Adams - 11-18-2020
(11-18-2020, 03:44 PM)Cooler Wrote: I have this bulb from Northern Tool. It was on sale (and is even cheaper now), a 60 watt bulb with a built in reflector and 5,000 lumens. It spreads the light well, but it is actually brighter than the midday sun outdoors. It probably would make more sense mounted higher (mine is at 10 feet), but I don't regret the purchase. I had a CFL before and in the winter it took forever for it to burn brightly. The LED is bright from the very start.
Just $22.00 now. They have some lower wattage options and they may make more sense. You almost need sun glasses with the 5,000 lumen version. Great for detail work though. And a good daylight color balance.
If you join their membership the shipping is free. Northern is an excellent vendor. I buy from them regularly and the service and quality has always been excellent. Their own brand is priced like Harbor Freight, but is much better quality.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200788744_200788744
Those are really good lights for the price especially if you already have bulb sockets. I put a bunch of those on a 30x50x 20' tall carport at a friends place and it lights it up really well. Lots of them are used in old barns and rodeo arenas as many just had regular light bulbs to light them.
The store has them in stock as well and for a fee... They will even deliver from the store the same day you order it. I am just barely inside their delivery zone by a half mile.
RE: LED shop lights - Kudzu - 11-21-2020
(11-18-2020, 01:13 PM)WxMan Wrote: For me, in addition to light output (lumens), I'm finding that light color is nearly as important (the degrees K rating).
I talked the wife into going with Daylight LEDs (5000-600K) in the house and she hated them. Within a few days I hate them too. I will not make that mistake in my shop. As we replace burned out bulbs we going back to the lower K rated bulbs. Much nicer feel.
(11-18-2020, 03:44 PM)Cooler Wrote: I have this bulb from Northern Tool. It was on sale (and is even cheaper now), a 60 watt bulb with a built in reflector and 5,000 lumens.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200788744_200788744
That is an interesting option. I am leaning toward the garage lights because of the Edison bases. If I try something and don't like it I can just change it out. So these are going on the list too.
RE: LED shop lights - TDKPE - 11-21-2020
(11-21-2020, 09:39 AM)Kudzu Wrote: I talked the wife into going with Daylight LEDs (5000-600K) in the house and she hated them. Within a few days I hate them too. I will not make that mistake in my shop. As we replace burned out bulbs we going back to the lower K rated bulbs. Much nicer feel.
I use 3000-3500K LED’s wherever I had LED’s, to replace the 3000-3500K fluorescents over time. I hate that bluish white light from higher color temps.
We also have 6 months of gray around here in the winter (think SADS), so having yellow sunlight-like bulbs actually makes us all feel a little better. I even use them in the shop. And I don’t care if the CRI isn’t as high as some others - I like the feel of them.
RE: LED shop lights - Robert Adams - 11-21-2020
I use lights that are around 4100K. I cant stand the yellow lights as it makes everything feel like a dingy nasty badly lit bar covered in nicotine. I prefer 5K but getting real 5K lights is expensive. Most of the ones you find are not really 5k and have that bluish green color. For those with SADS the higher K is what you want as it more replicates the color of true sunlight. One of the treatments uses a very high K light that puts out a very bluish/green light.