led shop light ?

[TDKPE]

The LEDs seem to run around twice the efficiency overall,* at least glancing at 4 ft tube replacements.  A significant portion of that is used in the ballast, though the bulbs themselves get pretty hot, too.  LEDs - not so much.  Just rectification and (probably) current regulation.  But if digitally switched, the transitions between on and off are pretty short, and since that's where the heat is generated (the resistance greater than zero but less than infinity while changing state), keeping that part short means less energy wasted as heat.  That's the root reason digital amplifiers (real digital amplifiers) are so efficient - you're not varying a resistance to control the output current; you're just switching it on/off real fast to resemble the wave form you want.  Like a VFD.


*Edit: The light output also seems a little less with LEDs for a given 'equivalent', so that may also contribute to lower current draw of LED compared to fluorescent.

[daddo]

We've come a long way from the oil lamp in the 1600's workshop.  They'd call us all witches today.

I find the need for more light as I age. I think it's because dark matter is more abundant now than ever.


 I need to query about these LED's, as before I never liked that type of light. I always took to the warm glow instead.

[TDKPE]

I need to query about these LED's, as before I never liked that type of light. I always took to the warm glow instead.

I use 3000K LEDs around the house and in my office, as I too like the warm yellowish glow of incandescents.  Especially during the 6 months of winter clouds (or so it feels) up here.  I have a 60W incandescent in my night table lamp, and a similar output LED in DW's table lamp, and I can't tell the difference unless I look into the top of the shade and see that odd flat lamp that looks like a bulb that was slabbed off on two opposite sides.  Holds a standard bulb-mount lamp shade, and is dimmable.

[fredhargis]

are any of these shop 4' fixture mountable by any other way than hanging chain?  I'd love to get more, but ones that screw right into the ceiling structure above-- not with hooks and chains.  
I keep hearing on home improvement shows "these LED bulbs and fixtures will last 15 to 20 years"... i call BS!  As someone else mentioned, sure the LEDs themselves will last a LONG time, but the junky electronics will most surely die before that... i've had a few LED replacement bulbs go already... so annoying!

Colin

The Feit lights I linked (from Costco) are labeled for flush mounting. Even better, while flourescents have that tunnel down the center of the fixture that holds the ballast and wires (making hanging them an even bigger PITA) those LED fixtures are bare. You can screw through the metal anywhere you want along the length and hang them. I mentioned earlier their light weight, it would not take a large screw to hold them.

[oscarMadison]

i hooked up a couple of the shop lights up in my basement this last week and left the old fluorescent there. So I could compare, led's were better. I'm impressed with the led's, course I started getting them early on for security lights. Don't have to get out the ladder anymore. I've had one security light in for 6 or seven years.

I prefer the daylight bulbs, blue looks blue, green ...

[Jack in omaha]

How much of a savings was the Costco sale offering from everyday price?

[Strokes77]

I have been slowly replacing the old 4' T-8's that I have in the shop.  When I bought the place there were about 16 of these ballasts around the shop...  A few years later, half don't work...

I am replacing with these.. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-Pro-S...n/50352822

They are a direct replacement, just wire them in and go.  Another perk, is they can connect together.  So, where I used to have 1 ballast above my dovetail bench, now I connected two of these puppies right above it.  (one of the LED's wires in, the next one can just snap into a plug on the side of the 1st, and they can connect in a long strip... as much as 7 together I believe)

I've replaced I think 4 of these ballast so far, and I'll keep going until they're all gone.  

This upgrade is a no brainer.

[fredhargis]

How much of a savings was the Costco sale offering from everyday price?

In the store the fixtures were $30/ea. regular, and the sale price was $20. On line, they were $60 for a 2 pack regular, and $40 sale price.