120v t8 led retro recommendations.

[Firebrick43]

I am working on my 1450 square foot basement. I need basic utility lighting in the half that will remain "unfinished" and be used for utilities, woodworking, and reloading hobbies. For now I am putting up 8 4' twin tube fluorescent fixtures. They are cheap Menards metaluxand bought the wire guards for protection.

I have read through many threads here on led retrofitting and want to go the ballast removal and wire the tombstones for 120v route.

I sort of like a higher k light. Fixtures are 9.5 ft and will cover approx 13.5' square grid. Any recommendations as far as bulb and retailer?

These are area lighting, lights over the benches will be added later.

 

[ctgoodman]

I went with these Hyperikon bulbs from Amazon in my laundry room. I did the 4000K in the laundry but they are available in 5000k and 6000k also. I do recommend the frosted tubes.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S5O83BG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

They are dual ended so they are easily fitted into existing fluorescent fixtures by removing the ballast. Currently I'm hoping to score some second hand 4ft fluorescent fixtures for cheap or free and put these up in my new workshop as well.

 

[Bmwsyc]

+1 on the Hyperikon, great product. I retrofitted 8 twin lamp fixtures and am very happy with them. I ordered them through Amazon. I have the tubes that required ballast removal and fed from one end.

 

[ard]

Ditto. Over 30 hyperikon 4k bulbs, frosted tubes, direct wire, dual ends. Cut out the old ballasts. Very happy with the results

I was able to wire them up with two circuits, each bulb in the fixture on a separate switch. Excellent way to have low level light, or high level.

 

[ctgoodman]

Ditto. Over 30 hyperikon 4k bulbs, frosted tubes, direct wire, dual ends. Cut out the old ballasts. Very happy with the results

I was able to wire them up with two circuits, each bulb in the fixture on a separate switch. Excellent way to have low level light, or high level.

I've had the thought of wiring every other fixture on two different circuits for a similar effect, but I like where you went with this. It should be easy to do with no ballast in the way. Do you have a thread with any pictures of this? Care to post a few with both levels of lighting?

 

[ard]

No threads, and really a picture of a lit room is pretty worthless. Especially when cell phone cameras (and most other point and shoots) will automatically adjust exposures... (hey, they look the same?!?!)

When I built it, I wired each ceiling box with 12/3. I had no idea what lights Id put up eventually, but thought it might work. For 12 years I had dual tube fluorescent with a single ballast- so I was forced to light it in two 'banks'. But when I yanked the ballasts and went with the led tubes, it was easy.

Lots of commercial/office space with 4 tube 2'x4' troffers are wired like this- two ballasts in each, so straighforward.

 

[Firebrick43]

Dual ends will be better to wire up as my fixtures have shunted tombstones. Thanks for the suggestions on the Hyperikion lights. I have looked at so many and some of the reviews were pretty lousy but percentage wise good on Amazon. I guess your average novice is going to have issues rewiring the fixtures and he sees bad reviews.

 

[ctgoodman]

Dual ends will be better to wire up as my fixtures have shunted tombstones. Thanks for the suggestions on the Hyperikion lights. I have looked at so many and some of the reviews were pretty lousy but percentage wise good on Amazon. I guess your average novice is going to have issues rewiring the fixtures and he sees bad reviews.

You will see a portion of the negative reviews are also from many who just did the plug and play install without removing the ballast. There are only a small amount of ballasts that will work with these or even the big name brands of bulbs. So I discounted those reviews right off the bat. I did try it just to see and in my fixture they where dim and the light flickered like an old fluorescent with a bad ballast. In the instructions it says in case of this ballast removal will be necessary.

 

[6PTsocket]

I have a question. I am not familiar with Hyperikon but I assume the leds are all in a plane that you adjust to face down. A florescent tube emits on all sides and the reflector serves a purpose to redirect the light down and out to the sides. If you install leds in a florescent fixture, does the reflector serve much purpose or would a bare strip fixture do as well? With so many that have converted fxtures I am sure I came to the right place. Thanks.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[ctgoodman]

I have a question. I am not familiar with Hyperikon but I assume the leds are all in a plane that you adjust to face down. A florescent tube emits on all sides and the reflector serves a purpose to redirect the light down and out to the sides. If you install leds in a florescent fixture, does the reflector serve much purpose or would a bare strip fixture do as well? With so many that have converted fxtures I am sure I came to the right place. Thanks.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Yes, you are correct the Hyperikon "tubes" are made up of and aluminum frame on the back with the led strip covered by a plastic shield. So you are correct no light is emitted from the back side of these. So the reflector would do little in directing light. This is also why many find the led tube with the same lumen rating as a fluorescent appears much brighter because the light is directed down without needing to reflect like a fluorescent bulb would need.