Fluorscent to LED lighting transition

[bob-t]

Here is a link to the ones I used.  They are wired at one end only.  OIther tubes can be wired at both ends.
http://keystonetech.com/spec_sheets/KT-L...-850-X.pdf

[Gabby]

hank you , will be very helpful . Gary

[WarEagle Todd]

The Home Depot sells these Phillips 4ft LED bulbs for $6.97 each they have 5000k and 4000k.  They use a electronic ballast (so no rewiring existing fixtures) and have 2100 lumens so they're pretty bright.  I've used the 5000k and they work well.

Phillips LED Bulb

[Edwin Hackleman]

The only squawk I have about typical fluorescent fixtures in my shop is that two of them have trouble starting up in high humidity conditions. They eventually come on but sometimes it takes 15 minutes. The other 6 have no trouble. Will the LED bulb replacements have the same trouble in the humid summer?

Also, garage fluorescent fixtures have both this problem and trouble in really cold weather. Will the LED bulb replacements have trouble lighting at 10 degrees F or lower?

[EricU]

leds don't have problems with cold.  I replaced all my cold location bulbs with led bulbs years ago.  If you are having problems with humidity and fluorescents, you might want to go to ballast-bypass lights.

I am really happy with the HD/phillips lights that use the ballast. I figure at some point I'm going to have to replace them. Lots of people have problems with them, but they require a digital ballast, and I think that's where the problems come from. Also, most people don't replace bulbs until the ballast dies.

ETA: if your florescents are slow to start, that probably means you don't have an electronic ballast, so the replacement LEDs will not work without a ballast upgrade. I have done that recently, just because it's easier. But long-term, the ballast has to go, so might as well figure out how to do it now.

[Edwin Hackleman]

Well, I suppose I could try a couple of LED replacement bulbs and see if the situation improves. Humidity and cold have always been a major problem with fluorescent lights. I built several CFL fixtures a few years back in my own shop, and they always work. No buzz, no starting delay, and no problems with weather conditions. However, it took a lot of work to make them.

[CARYinWA]

Here are the ones I am using.  You have to gut the ballast.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G4G...=UTF8&th=1

18W, 2065 lumens, 50000K.  Love them.

[Arlin Eastman]

Mike,

Thanks for the information.  Unfortunately, we don't have Menards in CA, but I will look at some other options.  This explains the such low price for those that I saw at Costco.

You can order them from their web site and have them mailed to you.

[nicobie]

No need to remove the ballast, just wire around it.

On 8' ones hot leg goes on one end and neutral goes on the other. With 4', both wires go on one end. The other end gets left bare.

Check ebay.You can get a good price from US sellers. Free shipping from most.

[EricU]

what's a good brand to order from ebay?  Amazon seems like it's all $10 a tube for bypass tubes.  I have some troffers where I don't want to use the ballast since I don't want to worry about them generating heat