LED lights for garage - what style you using ?
 

Part of my new man cave build will revolve around lighting . The last man cave I had I installed two rows of track lighting with conventional bulb holders . I then installed LED floodlights and was happy with the results . New man cave because of higher ceiling if I went with track lights I think I'll need three rows of track . Not opposed to doing that but cost is also a consideration .

Was skimming CL and came across these lights , I am not really all that familiar with this style . I don't like the idea of not being able to replace just the bulb when it burns out but how often do these burn out ? Not pushing this vendor or his product just using the link for discussion purposes . So any of you guys using this style of shop light ? Any issues ? I have looked in Home Depot and their 4 ' LED fixtures are MUCH more than this vendor is offering . Where are you guys buying your lighting ?

https://knoxville.craigslist.org/mad/d/led-lights-pole-barn-shop/6443413276.html

Wow more internet surfing found these , dirt cheap . Worth the price you think ? Reviews are good but obviously no long term data . I could buy three eight packs and run three six fixture strips and maybe six over the work bench area for less than 250.00 !


https://www.amazon.com/Integrated-Fixture-Utility-Ceiling-electric/dp/B076FQ15R6/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1514809033&sr=8-13&keywords=4%27+led+shop+lights

rfuerst911sc,
We just moved in to our new home five weeks ago. Part of this new construction was a two separate garage bays and a shop for me! These three areas have 10' ceilings and I had some lengthy conversations with our builder addressing the lighting for the shop and garages. He recommended that I visit another one of his earlier clients business' as lighting was very much an important factor. I drove down and took a look and he had used 8' LED throughout his facility. These lights looked very much like what appeared in your Craigslist link. I was going to get exactly the same item for mine but was unable to get the required lights in at the time they were needed. Then I was forced to go with option 2 which was the Home Depot version... these were the 4' LED that were linkable. In fact, I emptied out the inventory at both the Scottsboro, AL AND one of the Huntsville, AL Home Depot locations. Cost wise and as you already know, these were more expensive than the lights from Craigslist.

The shop and garage bays are very well illuminated! I do not have a feel yet about the serviceability or the expected life of these lights but I am EXTREMELY happy with the functionality thus far.

That CL listing looks a little "scammy"
Who miscalculates and overbuys by 800 lights??

I just have standard twist in LED's on the ceiling in my shop.

I replaced (20) 8' fluorescent tubes with LED tubes from here:

https://www.ledmyplace.com/

I had existing fixtures that I rewired to eliminate the ballast, but if you don't already have fixtures, these integrated 8' LED tubes look interesting:

https://www.ledmyplace.com/products/t8-8ft-led-tube-60w-integrated-2-row-6500k-clear

They answered all my questions and delivered what I ordered with no problems.

Some light reading on the subject...

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278420

I keep looking at these too and never pull the trigger. I need to replace the old t12's in my workshop and plan to use t8's over led. I've tried a few options from plug in units from costco to replacement led bulbs... and havent found one that works yet. Sure, they use less power and produce light but the color is off and not enough lumens. t8's are affordable, simple, proven... bulbs will last a lpg time in a hobby shop and you can get them everywhere. If you run 100 lights all day everyday the operating costs are different.

I replaced the standard fluorescent bulbs in my last garage with the “LED” ones and wasn’t impressed. I now have a 20x35 barn that I am planning to convert to a shop and plan to use some 4ft LED fixtures from Costco. They typically are $29 each, but run them on sale occasionally for $20. I’ve used these over a workbench and they are awesome.

I installed 4 Utilitech fixtures that I bought at Lowes and am very pleased. These were only single element fixtures, similar to a single 4' fluorescent blub, and was amazed at the light output. And since they are not affected by cold startup, I have instant light in the coldest months of the year. There is also a 2 element version as well. The nice feature of these lights is there is an included adapter that allows you to connect multiple fixtures together in series, quick and easy!

I’m using and loving them

Can’t comment on the reality of the brightness just yet but I bought some of the 24k lumen lights from BigAss Lights. No, they ain’t cheap but my eyes ain’t what they used to be either....

Well thanks a lot! You put lighting in my head and now I'm off to buy some LED tubes to replace my fluorescent lights that have a bad ballast.

I might do a before and after shot with one side having the LED and the other the fluorescent and post it here once I get done.

Here's the image of the Utilitech lights I used $22 or so.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1514826841.jpg

Costco... But probably more utilitarian than man-cave worthy.

Somehow costco is substantially cheaper than even amazon for comparable led fixtures. Put a bunch in my garage to good effect

Same here did my 50 x 50 metal building with 36 of them.. It's like daylight in there and less than $1k for the whole building

I just pulled the trigger on three of the 8 pack LED shop lights from Amazon . For less than 200.00 I hope it's a no brainer I guess time will tell .

When I had mine wired I did rows of switched outlets on the ceiling and then used the 4 footers from Costco. Very impressed so far.

I switched out my fluorescent for the Costco LEDs and added two. The difference is like day & night.

Costco. 4 of them and I can do surgery in there. Wow.

My garage used to be lighted by two twin tube 8' fluorescent fixtures. I ran 75W tubes.

I replaced them with 4 of these in the same location as the 8' flourscent...placed two of them end to end...sort of an exact swap.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-Pro-Wrap-Shop-Light-Common-4-ft-Actual-5-932-in-x-48-49-in/4480261

Everthing is much brighter now...wish I'd done it earlier.

I did start a thread here at the time, but damned if I can find it now...

did you search using the term "mustang"? haha..just messing with you bud. have a great new year.

I went to Menards yesterday and picked up two boxes of LED bulbs that replace the four foot fluorescent bulbs. These are the style that you do away with the fluorescent ballast and wire one end hot while the other end is just a holder. These were $20 for a two pack so $40 for the fixture. The swap wasn't bad and the light output is nice. I'll wait until they have the 11% sale and go get enough to do every fixture. I don't think the picture does the bulbs justice but the fixture farthest away on the left is the one I replaced. In the shop it's a noticeable difference.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1514918322.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1514918341.jpg

During my recent garage remodel, I found flush mount, round LED fixtures that have really turned out to be perfect. Not sure of your garage setup but for me, I had my ceiling sheet-rocked and then mounted the lights to the ceiling. The wiring comes directly out of the back of the lights which routes into the attic and then connected to the existing outlet boxes that were switched. These lights were $59 per fixture at Home Depot. The fixtures are about 1" thick and 14" diameter.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1514918959.jpg

Besides the lights in my other post, I purchased 4' LED's a while back and they were $99 each. That seemed really expensive but LED was fairly new tech at the time. I have since realized that the units that I bought were for wet locations and that about doubled the price from normal LED's.

I ended up buying the 14" round lights since they look nicer and put the 4' LED's in my attic. Surprisingly, the 14" lights are brighter than the 4' tubes.

I installed 4 Utilitech fixtures that I bought at Lowes a

A friend of mine in Tulsa has a small shop he restores minis in.

He purchased some budget minded led shop lights and declared they were plenty bright for his needs.

Since he is a dear friend of mine, I sent him, as a gift, a Big Ass Solutions or also known as Big Ass Fans LED 15kw shop light.

He said it makes his budget lights look dim.

I have 3 in my garage, spendy? Yes. I am at the point in my life where I prefer quality over quantity.
These lights are like small suns. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...67c59dff8c.jpg

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

I went with outlets and hanging fixtures as well. It allows you to plug in an extension cord or garage extra light, as well as turn on or off light (string on fixture switch doubles as a parking depth guide) in a section of the garage you're not using at the time. 28x32' garage, 6 standard outlets for the fixtures wired to the light switch plus two more, separate switch, over the bench.
I've converted a few of the Florescents to LEDs but it's not quite the same lighting effect, more directional, than a conventional tube.

I put lot os fancy recess lights in people's garages but for myself, I have the Costo's LED. They work well, very well and bright too. The cord is nice too. When and if one goes out, I screw them down and put up another by pulling the plug. None has fail on me yet.

Thought I would provide some feedback after using these for a while . I ended up installing these around the perimeter of my man cave . So coming through the garage doors they are on both side walls and the far end wall . They are switched on two wall switches . I have 12 ' ceilings with white metal roof panels as my finished ceiling and the metal reflects and spreads out the light very well . The far end wall is also where I have my work bench and it lights that area well also . I also installed two of these directly over my 2 post lift to provide additional light in that area .

I am very happy with the lights so far they have exceeded my expectations vs. their purchase price . Only thing I don't like about them is the flimsy mounting clips :mad: If you look at them wrong the light could fall but once they are up you shouldn't have to touch them . When I think about it I may add some plastic plumbing half clamps over the lights just to be extra safe . And to be clear I mounted the lights on the walls aprox. 8 " down from the ceiling . I have some left over that I plan on using in the basement .

For those of you with the Costco fixtures, how high are your ceilings?


some people just using over a benchtop, or how about 12-16 foot high ceilings?


i have 120watt HO magnetic ballast 8 foot twin bulb fixtures, at 16 foot. need more and could supplement with LEDs.


how high are your LED fixtures?

I'm using the Costco fixtures. I replaced four fluorescent fixtures and one over a workbench. Big improvement - almost night vs. day. My ceiling is only 10' though.

I used these from HD. They have "diamond plate" reflector, are linkable and put out great light.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-Lighting-4-ft-40-Watt-Black-Integrated-LED-Diamond-Plate-Shop-Light-SHLDP-48IN-40K-80CRI-BL/300951323

+6 on the Costco FEIT LED replacement bulbs. No rewiring needed on existing 4' fixtures. Just swap 'em out. Have had them for around 2 years w/o issue. Fire right up in the cold too (27*)