LED Strip Lights in a Garage

[Uncle Meat]

I have 4 in my garage and absolutely love them.

 

[dennishoddy]

Replaced all of my fluorescent with LED in the 30X40 shop by bypassing the ballast as well. That way you don’t have to change fixtures, just bulbs.

 

[Mad Professor]

Just what are you doing to " ... bypass the ballast ..." ???



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There are a few kinds of LED conversions.

Some pop into existing 4’ tube and use the existing ballast. This least recommended type to use.

With the others, you remove the existing ballast. It will have replacement ends to either power the new LED tubes from direct 115v, or a LED driver will replace the ballast and include ends or replacement wiring going to the existing ends.

 

[Mad Professor]

Now that my attic is at a comfortable temperature to work, I'm thinking about adding some lighting in my garage. Years ago, I would have gone with 8' fluorescent strips. But now I'm thinking about the LED strip lights. The lumen levels and wattage used look decent enough. Has anyone made the switch to LED lights in their garage?

If you are replacing 8’ fluorescent tubes, take a look at the existing lumens. My high output tubes are 9000 lumen per pair. You have to look carefully to find replacement fixtures that get close to that. Or at least you did when I first swapped mine. Most 4’ replacement are 4000 and under. More recently I’ve seen a few at 5500. So two 4’ replacements can put out 11,000 lumen.

It’s not going to be the ultra cheap stuff. This is the reason i still have several fluorescents in my garage. I’ve replaced a few and used the old parts to keep the others going. I just don’t want to shell out $1500 on lighting at one time.

 

[DRC458]

Some pop into existing 4’ tube and use the existing ballast. This least recommended type to use.

Thanks. This is what I did for my 4-foot fixtures. Why is it the least recommended? I guess I should look for the replacement/conversion ballasts and swap out my 8-foot as well!


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[rickm]

Thanks. This is what I did for my 4-foot fixtures. Why is it the least recommended? I guess I should look for the replacement/conversion ballasts and swap out my 8-foot as well!


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You can buy a kit that changes the end pieces and adds more to the center on a 8' fixture so you can have 4 4' led bulbs and wire them direct and do away with the ballast and driver.

 

[Mad Professor]

It’s the most inefficient from a energy use standpoint for one. You are using a ballast differently in a fluorescent light application that what is used for led lights. This involves more components within the tubes to correctly power the LEDS.

The other thing is you will still be using a component (the ballast) that is already prone to failure.



I’m not sure I would go to the trouble of replacing what you already have installed. But from a scratch conversion, I would use a kit that eliminates the ballast from the existing unit. It does involve a bit more work than simply swapping tubes.


I still prefer to swap panels or fixtures instead of using tubes. The light projected seems to be better.

 

[Mad Professor]

I’m blaming you guys!

I just walked out into the garage and I have another 8’ light that has failed. [emoji50]

 

[xring33]

I don’t have fluorescent lighting but, I went with the fan shaped LED that you screw into the fixture. They really light up the area.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[kroberts2131]

Man what's with all the lights failing? One of my went out this weekend too. Guess ollI convert to led also