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Thread: Are LED 4 ft. lights durable?

  1. #21
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    LED’s are the way to go.

  2. #22
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
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    I had all the shop lights replaced with new 4' LED fixtures & bulbs 4 years ago .
    Haven't replaced a bulb , no ballast , none flicker and none are humming ...thank you Lord ! the humming used to drive me batty . Still nice and bright too .
    Worth it ....you betcha , I love em!
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  3. #23
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
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    Glad to hear a lot of people have had goo luck with LED tubes. I personally, am very frustrated with the normal Led light bulbs. Some last a long time, but half don’t last as long as old fashioned bulbs, but cost much more. Even an outside floodlight I installed, didn’t last nine months.

  4. #24
    Boolit Grand Master

    dragon813gt's Avatar
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    Have fourteen lights and replaced all the fluorescent bulbs w/ LEDs. Was in Lowe’s and they had three contractor packs of bulbs marked down to practically nothing. I did not bypass the ballasts. This was a few years ago and all of them are going strong. In the winter I have more light at the start. Don’t know if I would have switched if they weren’t marked down. But not having to get a 12’ step ladder out to replace bulbs has been great.

  5. #25
    Boolit Master
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    UAF replaced every bulb for LED and found LEDs burn out faster in a hot enclosed fixture like a ceiling globe or can. For the ceiling cans, a retrofit can in a can to let some air in, and globe were changed to LED friendly fixtures. Fluorescent fixtures are usually ventilated to let the ballast heat out, but some aren't, like a u-tube troffer covered with insulation. LED streetlights apparently last forever at -50.
    4' LEDs are great.

  6. #26
    Boolit Master

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    LED lights are brighter , use much less electricity, and do not shatter when you drop them
    Short answer, you will wonder why you waited to up grade.
    Go now and pour yourself a hot one...

  7. #27
    Boolit Master

    monadnock#5's Avatar
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    A leap, not just a step forward in the technology.
    You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.
    Winston Churchill

  8. #28
    Boolit Grand Master

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    We did a major remodel to our kitchen a little more than a year ago and I replaced the T-8 bulbs in 3 fixtures with LEDs. They have been trouble free since then. But the T-8's were pretty trouble free too. These fixtures started life as T-12's and I upgraded to T-8's when they came out. These were also pretty trouble free but slow to warm up. Every upgrade has been an improvement. We'll see about LEDs in time. There is also a big difference in quality between the fixtures that you buy at the wholesale house vs what you buy at the big box stores. This makes a difference too.

    We also remodeled the bathroom 2 years ago and I installed 2 new fixtures with screw in LED bulbs. I have replaced all of them once and a few twice. The same for some lamps around the house that I started using LED's in. I'm not sold on the screw-ins yet! These were different brands, not all the same.

    The company that I retired from started using LEDs in their streetlights, nightwatchers and floodlights after I left. I'll try to think to ask Biggin (the guy that took my place) how they are holding up.

    The same goes for the local school system that I did the electrical work for. They converted hundreds of T-8's to LED's after I retired. I'll also try to think to ask the boy that got that job about how they hold up.

    Years ago, before LEDs were on the scene you could buy LED pilot lights for use on machinery and electrical panels. There were extremely expensive but held up well.

    Well, enough rambling about LEDs, lets cast some bullets!

  9. #29
    Boolit Master Handloader109's Avatar
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    I caught the HF lights every time they had a sale last fall and earlier this year. Was replacing 8 ft fluorescents. Those tubes cost almost the same as each of the 4ft leds. I changed the direct wire to add outlets so I could just plug them in. (Shop lighting which has a Sheetrock ceiling that is stippled dang it!) So far, great. And I can use the cords to turn off any if I don't think I want them on.
    Ive put in several in my basement from Lowes and HD and coming up on 4 years for the first 3. No issues, good light and no flickering when it is cool in the winter.

  10. #30
    Boolit Master


    Burnt Fingers's Avatar
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    I've got a bunch of the Costco fixtures in my shop. They are AWESOME.
    NRA Benefactor.

  11. #31
    Boolit Master
    Mal Paso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Burnt Fingers View Post
    I've got a bunch of the Costco fixtures in my shop. They are AWESOME.
    +1 and they go on sale every few months. Last time they were $18 and it was driving me crazy because I have as many as I can use. LOL
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  12. #32
    Boolit Buddy memtb's Avatar
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    Like anything else....you generally get what you pay for. There are internet resources available to give an indication of a particular brand/ manufacturer. That said, one of my pole barns our basement and all of the fluorescent lights in our 5th wheel rv, have LED lighting. “Knock on Wood”....all have been very good. All of the incandescent bulbs as well as the fluorescent bulbs in the living areas of our home are now LED! I just replaced a two bulb 8’ fluorescent fixture in my reloading room with a 4’ double bulb LED.....instant on, quiet, and much brighter! You might say that we’re convinced that they are better! memtb

  13. #33
    Boolit Master pjames32's Avatar
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    I need a sparky! I bought the suggestion GE bulbs.....GE 32-Watt EQ 48-in Daylight Linear LED Tube Light Bulb (2-Pack) from Lowe's this morning on closeout. They are 2 pin lights like my fixtures. My fixtures have a ballast that is intact. I've tried them in 3 fixtures that were working with fluorescent tubes. One did not work at all. Two fixtures are barely lit. Help!!
    NRA Benefactor Member

  14. #34
    Boolit Buddy memtb's Avatar
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    I’m no electrician but, we removed the ballast on all of our conversions....the 120v home fixtures and the 12v lights in the camper! One of the primary purposes for the rv conversion was to minimize battery draw, the ballast of a fluorescent light is the primary energy consumer!

    There should be lots of you tube videos pertaining to your specific job/needs! memtb

  15. #35
    Boolit Master pjames32's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pjames32 View Post
    I need a sparky! I bought the suggestion GE bulbs.....GE 32-Watt EQ 48-in Daylight Linear LED Tube Light Bulb (2-Pack) from Lowe's this morning on closeout. They are 2 pin lights like my fixtures. My fixtures have a ballast that is intact. I've tried them in 3 fixtures that were working with fluorescent tubes. One did not work at all. Two fixtures are barely lit. Help!!


    Update- I found a guru who told me my ballasts are not compatible with the bulbs I bought. I have magnetic ballasts and need electronic ballasts. The bulbs I bought are not ballast removal bulbs. I bought the wrong bulbs. Not my first mistake! Now to decide if I pitch the bulbs or buy different ballasts.
    NRA Benefactor Member

  16. #36
    Boolit Buddy memtb's Avatar
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    Good Luck, sorry I couldn’t be of much help! memtb

  17. #37
    Boolit Master
    BD's Avatar
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    My shop had twelve double 48" fluorescent shop light type fixtures. About 6 years ago Home Depot had a promotion on 4' LED single tube "shop lights" for about $30/each. I replaced all twelve of the fluorescents with these single strip LEDs. I was amazed at the time. Twice as bright with no flicker, no hum, no buzz and they all come on instantly, even if its 20 below in the shop when I walk in. I used to have to build a fire before I could turn the lights on. To be honest, I haven't given them a thought since then until I read this thread. I highly recommend this type of lighting. I think the brand I bought was "Commercial Electric" or something like that. They are lightweight and a little cheesy feeling, but they daisy chain together and I can light the whole shop on one 15 amp circuit.

  18. #38
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    After reading this thread I ordered 3 of the 5000 lumen single tube LED shop lights from Harbor Freight.

    They arrived 2 days ago. I unboxed one, plugged it into the wall by the kitchen and turned it on. Was like God turned on a second sun. OMG.

    1 hour later one is installed in my basement shop that has always been dim. No more.
    This morning I drove to Harbor freight and bought 3 more at 19$ each with the coupon.
    Killer deal. One of those replaced the flourescent 2 bulb light on my unheated front porch. At 20 below it can take 10 -20 minutes for it to come on. Led won't have those problems.

    Now the wife wants me to swap the one in the kitchen. It was originally a 4 bulb unit with a nice oak surround and cover over the bulbs. That got gutted 10 years ago when the ballasts went. I wired in 3 dual bulb Y sockets and put 6 twist flourescents in them.

    That is my job for the morning. Find the right breaker, cut the power, wire in an outlet and install the LED about dead center.

    As to how long they will last, with no ballasts to burn out or bulbs to go bad they should last a long time.
    We'll see.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  19. #39
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by GhostHawk View Post
    After reading this thread I ordered 3 of the 5000 lumen single tube LED shop lights from Harbor Freight.

    They arrived 2 days ago. I unboxed one, plugged it into the wall by the kitchen and turned it on. Was like God turned on a second sun. OMG.

    1 hour later one is installed in my basement shop that has always been dim. No more.
    This morning I drove to Harbor freight and bought 3 more at 19$ each with the coupon.
    Killer deal. One of those replaced the flourescent 2 bulb light on my unheated front porch. At 20 below it can take 10 -20 minutes for it to come on. Led won't have those problems.

    Now the wife wants me to swap the one in the kitchen. It was originally a 4 bulb unit with a nice oak surround and cover over the bulbs. That got gutted 10 years ago when the ballasts went. I wired in 3 dual bulb Y sockets and put 6 twist flourescents in them.

    That is my job for the morning. Find the right breaker, cut the power, wire in an outlet and install the LED about dead center.

    As to how long they will last, with no ballasts to burn out or bulbs to go bad they should last a long time.
    We'll see.
    The best part is your electrical bill will drop.
    Go now and pour yourself a hot one...

  20. #40
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    10x Exactly so sir. Also considering adding one to my Hydroponics setup. Set behind and probably lower than the rest. Something to get those baby's standing up and growing.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

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