Lowes Utilitech LED T8 drop in bulbs closeout

[Falcon67]

Was in Lowes Saturday and noted that they are closing out their Utilitech brand 4' T8 LED drop ins. $9.99 for a 4 pack, bought two 16 packs of 6500K for $39.95 a box. This store looked to have 6500K and 5000K on the shelf.

Allowed me to do the other 6 fixtures in the shop and the race trailer with a couple left over for spares. Offered FWIW.

Saved to old T8 6500s and will take to the ReStore.

 

[aka Larry]

Was in Lowes Saturday and noted that they are closing out their Utilitech brand 4' T8 LED drop ins. $9.99 for a 4 pack, bought two 16 packs of 6500K for $39.95 a box. This store looked to have 6500K and 5000K on the shelf.

Allowed me to do the other 6 fixtures in the shop and the race trailer with a couple left over for spares. Offered FWIW.

Saved to old T8 6500s and will take to the ReStore.

Did you miss my post about this last week? They had the same deal at my store so I bought enough of the 6500K tubes to retrofit my entire shop (40 tunes) for just a little under $100 + taxes. Good deal for sure!

I donated all my old T8's to a local church so they didn't go to waste.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Just so everyone understands - These Utilitech bulbs (link) require a fluorescent electronic ballast.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Just so everyone understands - These Utilitech bulbs (link) require a fluorescent electronic ballast.

Unless you can find item number 778115, but I had no luck anywhere around here. I needed direct wire LED's.

Also they do carry LED tubes that will work with T12 magnetic ballasts, but only one item here, a GE 2-pack I think, for $14.98. The Utilitech LED's are an ok deal if you already have T8 installed.

 

[Falcon67]

Did you miss my post about this last week? They had the same deal at my store so I bought enough of the 6500K tubes to retrofit my entire shop (40 tunes) for just a little under $100 + taxes. Good deal for sure!

I donated all my old T8's to a local church so they didn't go to waste.

Apparent not LOL. Worth a duplicate maybe anyway.

Just so everyone understands - These Utilitech bulbs (link) require a fluorescent electronic ballast.

Yes. I rewired one fixture in the trailer for direct wire bulbs. It was a PITA, required new tombstones and cost more than I expected - about $40 when done. So I just went with drop ins.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Yes. I rewired one fixture in the trailer for direct wire bulbs. It was a PITA, required new tombstones and cost more than I expected - about $40 when done. So I just went with drop ins.

The newer universal lamps are easier. Both the Greentek (link) and GLLUSA (link) bulbs are universal, so no lamp holder issues.

 

[n20junkie]

Thanks for the tip OP. I just bought 5 boxes of these! Just so happened that I needed bulbs for the shop.

 

[GRB]

Just because they are marked down doesn’t make them a good deal. I wouldn’t take these for free.

 

[In The Doghouse]

I bought a bunch of these Utilitech 0852829 T8s for about $2/bulb and replaced those in six fixtures, each containing 4 bulbs, in my backyard shop. I experienced an immediate improvement in lighting over the fluorescents and I was happy.

Now one fixture fails to light. Reading this thread and some others it seems I have to replace my ballast to rectify the concern. I guess my purpose of writing this is to warn others to source LED bulbs that do not require the ballast.

Edit: A photo of the ballast is attached. When can I get a cheap replacement?

 

[cybrdyke]

I bought a bunch of these Utilitech 0852829 T8s for about $2/bulb and replaced those in six fixtures, each containing 4 bulbs, in my backyard shop. I experienced an immediate improvement in lighting over the fluorescents and I was happy.

Now one fixture fails to light. Reading this thread and some others it seems I have to replace my ballast to rectify the concern. I guess my purpose of writing this is to warn others to source LED bulbs that do not require the ballast.

Edit: A photo of the ballast is attached. When can I get a cheap replacement?

Lowe's should be able to provide a list of ballasts that are compatible with their lamps.
Dont assume that any T8 electronic ballast will work.
CD

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Lowe's should be able to provide a list of ballasts that are compatible with their lamps.
Dont assume that any T8 electronic ballast will work.
CD

Lowes hasn't carried Utilitech LED tubes since last summer, so I doubt he'd have any luck asking Lowes.

I would just replace the bad ballast with whatever T8 electronic ballast was available, I'm sure the majority would be compatible with those bulbs.

 

[cybrdyke]

Lowes hasn't carried Utilitech LED tubes since last summer, so I doubt he'd have any luck asking Lowes.

Yeah, that was my point.
They weren't able to provide that info even when they did carry them.

I would just replace the bad ballast with whatever T8 electronic ballast was available, I'm sure the majority would be compatible with those bulbs.

That's a **** shoot. But your best chances would be with the Philips/Advance ICN series, Universal B232 series, or Sylvania QHE series.
CD

 

[In The Doghouse]

I bought an $8 ballast from Amazon and my light now again functions as it should. The other three fixtures on this switch start almost instantly while this repaired unit pauses for a moment. The pause is probably due to the new ballast, it must be a slow starter.

I purchased one of these:
General Electric GE432-MVPS-L 4-Lamp Program Start Ballast, T8, 120-277V, 60HZ

 

[Norcal]

Here is something to think about with ballast bypass LED's, which the lamps in the orginal post are not.

https://www.uslamp.com/Leviton_LED_Retrofit_Position_2012.pdf

 

[cybrdyke]

Here is something to think about with ballast bypass LED's, which the lamps in the orginal post are not.

https://www.uslamp.com/Leviton_LED_Retrofit_Position_2012.pdf

You can also look at the current spec sheet for their sockets: https://www.leviton.com/sites/REST/controller/LCDownloadController/download/PK-93480-10-02-0J-W.pdf?docurl=/en/docs/PK-93480-10-02-0J-W.pdf
Note the 2nd bullet: Not intended for direct connection to the branch circuit.
CD

 

[Norcal]

You can also look at the current spec sheet for their sockets: https://www.leviton.com/sites/REST/controller/LCDownloadController/download/PK-93480-10-02-0J-W.pdf?docurl=/en/docs/PK-93480-10-02-0J-W.pdf
Note the 2nd bullet: Not intended for direct connection to the branch circuit.
CD

Since they are a major supplier of lampholders, it does make things more difficult to do, & I doubt they the only one.

 

[cybrdyke]

Since they are a major supplier of lampholders, it does make things more difficult to do, & I doubt they the only one.

I've asked them several times for an explanation of why they say this so adamantly. I've never received an answer. I mean, the socket is rated for 600v, and a ballast delivers a lot more than 120v, so I dont understand why. But, they are pretty insistent about it.
CD

 

[Bib Overalls]

I did this several months ago and I am very pleased. 26 tubes in all. Bought all they had and thought that was it. Next time I came in they had some more so I bought enough to finish the job with a couple of spares. T8s went to the Salvation Army.

 

[ichabod]

I've asked them several times for an explanation of why they say this so adamantly. I've never received an answer. I mean, the socket is rated for 600v, and a ballast delivers a lot more than 120v, so I dont understand why. But, they are pretty insistent about it.
CD

it might be that when a ballast is supplying the power to the tube, the ballast is limiting the available current to the sockets. but when ballast has been removed the only thing that is limiting the current is the breaker. so I might guess it more of a current rating then a voltage one, but I might be all wrong here......