LED shop light follow-up

[rockfla]

I took 19Fordy & 40Cpe's suggestions this weekend and did the PVC pipe route. I doubled the cord back on itself "close" to being taught between the lights (IF it is too tight then there is not enough cord slack to plug them into the next light so its a bit of a delicate dance). Then I slide the PVC pipe over the cord and all in all it works pretty good (note 2nd row of lights in the third picture). Thanks of all the previous input and I will post a finished picture tomorrow BUT in the mean time here is a few of the process.

 

[cas3]

looks like a nice big space you have there. up on the frozen plains we would have to heat it! you only have to keep out the gators and pythons!

 

[cajunfirehawk]

Been running some $20 4ft leds I got a few yrs back, best lights ever, IMHO

 

[rockfla]

looks like a nice big space you have there. up on the frozen plains we would have to heat it! you only have to keep out the gators and pythons!

We have some "gator's" around BUT NO python's up this far north!!! We just get a little "nicer" weather up here!!! Not as hot in the spring and fall as down south and southwest!!!! IF you look to the right of the Merc you might see my swamp cooler which I will have running here in about a month or so just about full time!!! Thanks for the compliment on the shop!!!

 

[40cpe]

That looks nice! What size PVC did you use?

 

[FL&WVMIKE]

If you already have 8ft fluorescent bulbs, the Retro-fit LED's are a killer upgrade. They bypass the ballast, but it's EASY to wire!

There is a white wire and a black wire coming in from household current. These are your hot wires. May also be a ground. The black wire goes to one end of the bulbs, and the white wire goes to the other side. It's really that simple.

You can use the existing wires in the fixture. Cut all the wires going in and out of the ballast. Then use a wire nut to connect the white wire to the ones running to one end... and a another wire nut to connect the black to the ones going to the other end.

It does not matter which end the white or black wires go to... as long as one goes to one end, and the other to the other end.

Install the bulbs, and enjoy twice the light for half the electricity. As a bonus, they come on with instant full brightness, regardless of the weather. I've wired 40+ fixtures. Each one only takes a few minutes. Each bulb puts out more than TWICE the light as a normal fluorescent... so if you want to be super cheap, you can only install one bulb in each fixture, and still have more light than you did before. But as we get older, the more light the better! lol

The only other decision is clear or frosted covers/lenses. Clear is fine if they are way up high, but if they are within your field of vision, they produce an intense glare. Frosted covers are far easier on the eyes... and still work great when they are high up.

You can also get clips that install with a self tapping screw that keep the bulbs from sagging in the middle. Recommended for 8ft bulbs.

For 4ft fixtures, it's sometimes cost effective to buy the self contained units. But, if you have 8ft fixtures, these Retro-fit bulbs are amazing. FAR better light, easy to install, and you don't have to go tearing down and re-installing fixtures.

 

[rockfla]

That looks nice! What size PVC did you use?

I went with 3/4, 1/2 is too tight for the cord to go through when doubled back onto itself!!! Again......the cut to length gets a little tricky OR the doubled back onto itself length does as there may not be enough sticking out to grab a hold of to plug in!!! My ONLY concern is now, how much will it SAG over time and heat here in Fla???? This coming weekend is the "transition" from the "main power" from the neon's in the center to getting all the LED's on to the main switch....right now I am powering them off extension cords.

 

[flatmotor40]

I changed all mine from Greenlight Depot.8ft were I think 15.00 or so and 4ft were 5 and change.Did 12 8ft and 20 4 ft.They ship free over a certain price.Found them on web.They are here in the Atl area

 

[rockfla]

Here is a few of the finished product, all tidy and covered. I got my lights off Amazon, they were a 10 pack for $189.99 with a $10 OFF coupon attached. Once I got them and installed them to see if I liked them I went back to order them and "Lucky Me" they were on a "Daily Special" for $152.99 for a 10 pack so I bought 2 to finish out my whole shop, pretty much!!! Now, Saturday I will remove the last of the fluorescent light fixtures in the middle and hard wire the new ones!!!

 

[51 MERC-CT]

Now, Saturday I will remove the last of the fluorescent light fixtures in the middle and hard wire the new ones!!!

Ya, when I removed my old 8ft. florescent fixtures, they seemed like they were about 20 pounds apiece including the ballasts. (big difference compared to the new ones)
Made a nice pile of scrap metal along with the ballasts that went to the recyclers for a little cash.

 

[philipswanson]

A waste of money to replace old florescent fixtures. Costco has drop in 4 ft. tubes that work perfect. Can't see why you need PVC. Just use Romex and tack it neatly if you need to.

 

[tubman]

Ah Phil; always the antagonist.

 

[flatheadmurre]

The new ledfixtures for tubes are funny...i installed some and non worked...triple checked my wiring...
Then read the manual saying only one side of fixture is wired...so turned all tubes around and voila

 

[philipswanson]

Ah Phil; always the antagonist.

Opinions are like *** hol** Everybody has one.

 

[Kpar]

Well I'm a little bit jealous of some of you guys. My setup in my workshop, "I have to go outside to change my mind" due to lack of space.
Kpar

 

[rockfla]

Well I'm a little bit jealous of some of you guys. My setup in my workshop, "I have to go outside to change my mind" due to lack of space.
Kpar

Kpar
Don't you know the minute you lay the foundation (or in my case the minute I bought my place)......the shop is too small. My shop is "overall" 50 X 60 and once I put all my tools, equipment and lift in, the space shrunk more than I realized......AND I still have few pieces to add to the shop. It also doesn't help when Dad has "many" V8's. I am "thinking" an 8 car garage out behind my shop is the ticket to help keep my "Shop" as clean and uncluttered as possible.


Phil
you are right about "opinions".....YOU forgot the "and "most" of them stink!" on the end of your statement!!!!


I'm also reminded about what my Dad always says......"Each to his own said the farmer as he kissed his cow!"

 

[J Franklin]

Kpar
Don't you know the minute you lay the foundation (or in my case the minute I bought my place)......the shop is too small. My shop is "overall" 50 X 60 and once I put all my tools, equipment and lift in, the space shrunk more than I realized......AND I still have few pieces to add to the shop."

Exactly too true, photos in order show my first garage. When it got full things went to the barn. Then we added a large garage with shop. Put an only 4' door between the bays and shop so I couldn't buy/store any more cars. Then I moved all the woodworking tools into the newest shed so I could store more in the other garages.

 

[Sparky79]

The sag can get really bad on PVC. Be careful because I could pull the plugs out and drop if not supported. I just instituted a no more fluorescent bulb policy if a bulb goes out it gets replaced with a new LED fixture. Dont get the direct replacement bulbs your still relying on the ballast to work if that's the route you go. I do the plug in fixtures and expensive ones at that but that is the electrician in me that says if it fails I dont need to unwired it and so on.

 

[VeryTangled]

I've seen folks heating and bending PVC. Maybe make a bit of a v shaped kink at the ends and support the tubes from above?

 

[rockfla]

The sag can get really bad on PVC. Be careful because I could pull the plugs out and drop if not supported. I just instituted a no more fluorescent bulb policy if a bulb goes out it gets replaced with a new LED fixture. Dont get the direct replacement bulbs your still relying on the ballast to work if that's the route you go. I do the plug in fixtures and expensive ones at that but that is the electrician in me that says if it fails I dont need to unwired it and so on.

Much to Phil's dis-approval......AS you can see in ALL of my photo's, my shop has a spaghetti bowl of "Sub-par" wiring going on, a mis-mash of several fluorescent fixtures and some that don't work. SO I decided, BASICALLY, that in stages I would totally re-do it all and bring all of my wiring to "code" and it was a small adder to the overall cost to ditch the working and non working fluorescent fixtures for LED's, Simply put AND I just want my work and my shop to NOT look like an 8 year old installed them!!!!