Automotive LED's for shop lighting?

[jack stand]

I need to light a 38x64 shop with 16' ceilings. I have been advised to go with T-5 HO fluorescent by people I trust. The big orange & blue box store's seem to be very limited with both the fixture & lamps, also expensive. Looking on line, a little better but….. during my search I came across low bay LED's. About $170.
Last year I got some 48 watt (12v) for my tractor on ebay, they work fine. I just checked ebay and a 10 pack is $100 - $10 bucks each. Get a 120v/12v transformer and some lamp cord for wiring.
What am I missing? Even if I needed 20 or 30 of them, the money would come out well short of a quarter of the price of either fluorescent or LED "building" lights.
This would be cheap enough to try even if it all went into the trash in a year.
Any thoughts or experience?

 

[matt_i]

One thing to point out...12vDC on a tractor is not the same thing as 120vAC transformed into 12vAC. If you need DC it will require a power supply.

There is a decent deal (in my opinion) on Amazon for 4 tube t5HO "grow light". It includes the 4 light tubes, none of which have failed in 2 fixtures x 2 years. I don't use them everywhere, just over workbenches and shop machines where I need to see what I'm doing.

 

[cybrdyke]

What kind of lights are the 48 watt on the tractor?

 

[rockwithjason]

You won't be able to push 12vdc very far so you will need multiple power supplies. A transformer ain't gonna get it as automotive lights are dc.

 

[Showkey]

I would not use these LED lights indoors in a garage for general lighting. ( unless battery power was the only choice.)
But I do use them for outside lighting, 5 lights, powered by a auto battery eliminator, switched by WeMo.( allows switching witha smart phone). Power run is well over 100' with no issues or concern. Total amp load was less than 6. The math does not work for 27watt lights but they are Chinese so take that in consideration.

My goal was low voltage, remote switching, yard and drive lighting, weather proof, no maintenance. They do work for a driveway, but as full time lighting for a garage I think not a great option.

 

[sberry]

Transmission is a problem at low voltage. A tractor isn't very long and these lights are only a few ft from the power supply. This is not the correct thing for a garage, find some fixtures.

 

[FTG-05]

I agree with all above: buy some good LED 120 VAN light fixtures, don't mess around with 12vdc in the shop for lighting.

Too bad we don't have a shop lighting sticky on this forum..... http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278420

 

[Catadj78]

The other day I wired one of those small led light bars on the nephews golf cart. I was really impressed with the light output. So I ordered 2 24" bars and was thinking the same thing. I believe the light would blind you looking up at them so the lense may have to be modified a bit.


The voltage drop can be dealt with I believe. Or in my situation the run wouldnt be but 50' or so. Anyone other LED light made for AC use has a transformer in it changing AC to DC. I am sure you can just use a single larger transformer and make them work. However like I said I believe the lense would be the biggest issue.

 

[86turbodsl]

Go with T5HO. You'll be very hard pressed to hit that amount of light cost effectively in LED without spending $$$

 

[jack stand]

I thought about the "DC" part of my OP today. That made me think about actually having a battery on a maintainer, of can you get a 120v (AC) to 12v (dc) transformer? Another point brought up is the wire distance, I thought that dc was better than ac in that reguard.?
The tractor lights are from China, just like the ECCO lights that I first bought, a USA Co. but the lights were made in China. Very bright & white light that "throws" a good distance outdoors.
I know, I'm hard headed, but mostly cheap! In my past expreiance, more lights are better than less when it comes to shadows. I'm just wondering if a LED is a LED, that is are they all the same, but they charge more for a "fixture" intended for a building rather than a light some "goober" bolts on to his tractor fender?

 

[rockwithjason]

much depends on the amount of load you intend to run. 12v isn't much pressure to push electricity around be it ac or dc. LED fixtures are more expensive due to the multiple ratings and UL testing that must be done before they can be sold for installation in buildings, not to mention the R and D costs and such.

You can buy 120vac to 12vdc power supplies but by the time you do all of that you will be close to buying t8 fixtures. If you decide to do this you will need to spend some time calculating the loads and voltage drops and think out your power supply placement. you will also need to think up how you plan to contain those power supplies so there are no exposed parts over 50v. you will be surprised how much voltage drop will limit your design.

 

[dreamingmuscle]

These 4 ft LED bulbs and fixtures look like a good deal at $36 and 4200 lumens. The reviews look good. Any one try them yet?

http://m.samsclub.com/ip/4-foot-led-shoplight/prod16460030

Glen

 

[Catadj78]

Voltage drop can be accounted for by increasing the size of the wire in dc. LEDs are dc powered. The converter is located near the LED so there is no voltage drop.

The needed amps for LEDs is much lower as well. Also the operating range of LEDs are more efficient I believe.

I do believe that DC powered LED lights could possible be more economic than the AC ones if you are doing a new install.

I am going to be testing this real soon as I already have everything other than the LED lightbar. I do think you would have to modify the lense to keep from being blinded. However the lightbars that I have researched have screws over the lense and it may be easy to modify

 

[jack stand]

Love your sig line rockwithjason

Yeah, I bet that UL sticker does not come cheap.

 

[Catadj78]

Love your sig line rockwithjason

Yeah, I bet that UL sticker does not come cheap.

and yours too!

 

[cybrdyke]

If it were more practical, worked as good, and cheaper to use tractor headlights instead of indoor fixtures, thousands of people would be doing it, if not millions. Besides the electrical issues pointed out above, there is almost nothing similar between what your tractor lights are trying to accomplish vs what you need indoor lighting to accomplish. And YES, there is a huuuuge difference between LEDs used for cheap tractor lights vs what is used in lighting fixtures. Strapping automotive lights to your ceiling might light up your space, but it's gonna look like ****.
Cant blame you for trying, but you're on a wild goose chase.
CD

 

[teamextreme]

Would you mount an inverter and strap 4 ft fluorescents on the front of your tractor cause it was a cheaper option than tractor lights? I doubt it and for the same reason you shouldn't mount tractor lights in your garage.

 

[rockwithjason]

Love your sig line rockwithjason

Yeah, I bet that UL sticker does not come cheap.

thanks! I couldn't find a name for the person who originally said it but credit to him anyhow!