LED fluorescent replacements...

[ba-doyn]

Hi all,

I have about 5 T12 fluorescent shop lights that I would like to switch to LED tubes. I did some research and see that there are a few ways to covert the lights. One involves bypassing the ballast and choosing the correct lamps to replace.

I'm not electrician, but can follow directions and I'm very capable, so has anyone done this and can offer suggestions?

Thanks,
Michael

[EricU]

I had replaced the ballasts in my lights with electronic ballasts, so I just bought the $10 bulbs from HD.  For whatever reason, they are still charging $30 for the ballast bypass bulbs, and I'm a sucker for instant gratification. Online prices for bulbs is about equal for the two styles, as you would expect. The ballasts are going to go bad eventually, and shop lights come with cheap ballasts, so ballast bypass is the way to go.

The only complication you might have is rewiring your tombstones, which actually aren't as cheap as you might expect.  I have seen kits the come with tombstones.  I haven't seen one that couldn't easily be rewired, so that's a needless expense for most lights.

I would expect a bulb to come with instructions, it's easier than replacing a ballast

[chrisexv6]

Hi all,

I have about 5 T12 fluorescent shop lights that I would like to switch to LED tubes. I did some research and see that there are a few ways to covert the lights. One involves bypassing the ballast and choosing the correct lamps to replace.

I'm not electrician, but can follow directions and I'm very capable, so has anyone done this and can offer suggestions?

Thanks,
Michael

Not sure what your budget is, but if you are (or know someone who is) a Costco member, they have their LED workshop lights on sale for 23.99 each right now.  Its a complete unit, no ballasts to bypass, no tubes to swap out.

They are VERY bright, Ive converted my shop over and now have 4 of them to put in my garage.

[Robert Adams]

Hi all,

I have about 5 T12 fluorescent shop lights that I would like to switch to LED tubes. I did some research and see that there are a few ways to covert the lights. One involves bypassing the ballast and choosing the correct lamps to replace.

I'm not electrician, but can follow directions and I'm very capable, so has anyone done this and can offer suggestions?

Thanks,
Michael

Here you. Led ballast bypass bulbs for $7 each. I prefer the 5k ones and they are often out of stock due to being the most popular color. 4k  is always in stock. Wiring is very simple. Hot to one end neutral to the other.

http://greenlightdepot.com/products/4ft-...3706869956


         There are versions that will work with or without a ballast now(quick start t8 ballast). They are usually $10 each.

[rednoblue]

Hi all,

I have about 5 T12 fluorescent shop lights that I would like to switch to LED tubes. I did some research and see that there are a few ways to covert the lights. One involves bypassing the ballast and choosing the correct lamps to replace.

I'm not electrician, but can follow directions and I'm very capable, so has anyone done this and can offer suggestions?

Thanks,
Michael

Just my thoughts:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-El.../205331022
I used these from Home depot. Very bright, 3200 lumens, 4000k color.  About $39. and linkable.
I also have one of the costco versions. Very good also. but need to catch them on sale.

Between the 2, I think i like the home depot/commercial electric a bit better. They have a better reflector shield which works better with the high ceilings.
Both are very good. Current pricing would push me one way or the other.

This is after I considered all the work involved and then I did the math on replacement $10 bulbs ($20/fixture) plus the pain in the butt rewireing toombstones and whenever the ballasts failed and figured These were cheaper in the long run. Hang them up with the chains and plug them in. NOthing to replace/rewire/purchase in addition to. So, I put up 10 new fixtures without wireing anything.
GP

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

Costco has these on sale now. $6 off for only $23.99. Great deal, lowest price yet. I grabbed 8

[Robert Adams]

Costco has these on sale now. $6 off for only $23.99. Great deal, lowest price yet. I grabbed 8

The only  problem is that if there is an issue with the light you have to replace the whole fixture. And mounting isn't as easy as a conventional fixture as it o lyrics has the key holes on the back. There is no provision to just screwing the fixture to the ceiling.

[frule]

I replaced my T12 and T8 bulbs with this type from Amazon:

Hyperikon: energyEfficiency  
4-Pack of Hyperikon T8 LED Shop Light Tube, 4ft, 18W (40W equivalent), 4000K (Daylight Glow), Single-Ended Power, Clear Cover, G13 Lighting Fixtures, UL-Listed & DLC-Qualified. Tombstones included and you must use the correct type of tombstone on the powered end as some are shunted and some are not.

You simply remove the old ballast and wire one end (so one tombstone gets power and the other does not). VERY easy and no ballasts to ever replace. And you use your existing fixture without taking it down.

[ba-doyn]

Lots of great answers. I guess I'll do some more research. I would like to keep my existing fixtures if I can, but if it's too much of a pain I guess I can do a total replacement. 

I'll try with one and let you all know how it goes.

Thanks for all the help.

Michael

[Bope]

You should not have to buy new tombstones when rewiring your old fixtures. There are shunted tombstones and non-shunted tombstones. One side of your lights may be shunted the other will be non-shunted, electricity needs and in and out. If there are 2 wires coming out of the tombstone it will be non-shunted. The only thing you should need are wire nuts. I always tape the wire nuts just to make sure nothing vibrates loose over time.

I am slowly replacing bulbs in my fixtures as the ballasts die. I know the cheap fixtures from Costco might be less expensive to start but what happens when the bulbs start to die. One one of my bubls die I can replace it and have a 2 light fixture again. What happens when one bulb in those self contained fixtures dies. You have half the light you wanted and to get back top normal you need to buy 2 bulbs and a fixture. I know they say LEDs have a long life span but that implies the electronics last as long as the LED. Just like the fluorescent lights. I have never replaced a bulb but have replaced a number of ballasts.