Fluorscent to LED lighting transition

[wrb]

Like most people, I have 4-ft double tube fluorescent lighting fixtures in my shop. While at Costco I saw LED tubes to just replace the fluorescent tubes, while keeping the old fixture. This is a pretty effortless way to transition to LED lighting. Are there any downsides to doing this versus replacing the entire fixture?

[MikeBob]

The replacement ones I looked at had lower Lumen levels then new 48" LEDs. I bought a single tube LED that has 4200 lumens and a
one that was 3600 lumens. very happy with them. $30 and 25 respectfully.

[Cdshakes]

the downside of the instant replacements is that you are still depending on the ballast in the fixture, even though one isn't really necessary for LED tubes.

They also have ones where you open up the fixture and bypass the ballast.  A little more complicated, but then you are just putting the 110v into the LED tube, and not depending on that old ballast to keep working.

Colin

[Ohio Mike]

Make sure your existing fixtures have electronic ballasts before buying the LED bulbs.  All the plug-and-play LED bulbs I've ever seen won't work with old-fashioned (non-electronic) ballasts.

[bob-t]

I just replaced a 4' and 8' tubes in shop.  I used tubes from keystone direct drive led.  Local supply house sold 4' for $8 each and 4000K.  They didn't have the 5000k in stock. The guts were removed and one end was rewired based on instructions.  Took about 1/2 hour.  They were powered from one end only. I wanted ones that didn't depend on ballast, since if the ballast goes bad the LED's won't work.  Very happy so far with conversion. 
Side note, we had a fixture at church that needed a new ballast and replaced all 4 tubes with LEDs.  I made one of the members do all the work and it took about 1 hr including training.

Bob

[MikeBob]

I just replaced a 4' and 8' tubes in shop.  I used tubes from keystone direct drive led.  Local supply house sold 4' for $8 each and 4000K.  They didn't have the 5000k in stock. The guts were removed and one end was rewired based on instructions.  Took about 1/2 hour.  They were powered from one end only. I wanted ones that didn't depend on ballast, since if the ballast goes bad the LED's won't work.  Very happy so far with conversion. 
Side note, we had a fixture at church that needed a new ballast and replaced all 4 tubes with LEDs.  I made one of the members do all the work and it took about 1 hr including training.

Bob

When you are talking K value is that light spectrum or Lumens with a K? K is light spectrum Lumens is the amout of light given off.
I was talking lumens, dont want the issue to get confused.

[wrb]

The ones I saw at Costco are these:

http://www.feit.com/led-lamps/LED_Linear...-ledif-41k

So, they are 4100K and 1650 Lumens per tube.  Price was something like $14 for pack of 2.  They are a direct replacement without any changes to the fixture, which is attractive.  Are these good or low end as far as LED tubes go?

[rwe2156]

First of all, I've never seen an LED tube that uses a ballast.

Is it really cost effective to replace existing lights that work?  

If you think about the amount of electricity you're saving + cost of bulbs I don't know you would have to do the math.

[JDuke]

Led that keep the ballast are all I can find locally.

I'd rather have ones that get rid of the ballast

When I build a shop I'll probably just go with LED fixtures rather than converting another fixture.

Duke

[MikeBob]

1650 lumens is not much.