Decent 4-lamp, 4', led-ready fixture?

[mike93lx]

I'm trying to keep the number of fixtures in my garage (12.5' ceiling) under control, so I was hoping to grab six 4 lamp fixtures, but I don't want to buy ballasts as I'll use led tubes from the get go. I don't want wraps, just simple, open bulb fixtures.

Maybe this? Price seems reasonable. https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/219844/PLT-90195.html

Then load them with ~2000 lumen/~16 watt tubes.

 

[CitadelBlue]

I d remove the ballast. That seems to be a point of falure with or without the LED tubes

 

[mike93lx]

I d remove the ballast. That seems to be a point of falure with or without the LED tubes

Huh?

I am looking for fixtures without ballasts... As stated in the OP

 

[u2slow]

Buy the ballasted fixtures on clearance. Save the ballasts to use up the rest of your case of T8 lamps in existing fixtures. Or sell the ballasts to somebody in a similar situation.

New LED fixtures are generally not based on 48" T8/T12 tube sizes. They are a 1-shot deal and disposable.

 

[mike93lx]

Buy the ballasted fixtures on clearance. Save the ballasts to use up the rest of your case of T8 lamps in existing fixtures. Or sell the ballasts to somebody in a similar situation.

New LED fixtures are generally not based on 48" T8/T12 tube sizes. They are a 1-shot deal and disposable.

I have no spare bulbs and have no desire to resell ballasts.

Any links to these clearance fixtures you are referencing? Not looking to spend a bunch of time going between stores to find 6 fixtures

 

[u2slow]

Sorry, no recent links. My last liquidation fixtures came from a local tool store (reselling old stock from a wholesaler; multiple pallets worth). It was an advertised sale.

 

[mike93lx]

So let's narrow this down to fixtures I can order online or walk into HD/Lowes and buy. No ballasts, ready to go for direct wire led tubes

 

[N969DP]

I’m looking for the same thing for my 27’x42’x11’ garage and also looked at the fixture in your link. However it’s a high bay fixture and really not ideal for mine or your ceiling hight. So far I’ve been considering buying the Metalux model#8TSSF232 4 bulb ones from homedepot.

Metalux 32-Watt 4-Light White 8 ft. Tandem Fluorescent Strip Light 8TSSF232 - The Home Depot

Give your home some smart illumination with the selection of this exclusive Metalux White Tandem Fluorescent Strip Light.

www.homedepot.com

Then either getting hybrid A/B led tubes, and remove the ballast and direct wire when they go bad years down the road. Or just remove the ballast from the start while installing and use B tubes.

​

 

[mike93lx]

They also have one with a white reflector. If you use regular tubes, I can't imagine why it wouldn't work

 

[billconner]

Why would you buy and install a fluorescent fixture and put LED retrofit lamps in it when LED fixtures - more efficient and often less expensive than just the retrofit lamps - are so readily available? Just curious in what you see as advantage.

 

[mike93lx]

Why would you buy and install a fluorescent fixture and put LED retrofit lamps in it when LED fixtures - more efficient and often less expensive than just the retrofit lamps - are so readily available? Just curious in what you see as advantage.

I am not looking at a fluorescent fixture. I am looking at led ready fixtures and tubes made for the purpose. These are single ended fixtures, no ballasts, and tubes that require direct wire. Not what I would consider retrofit, but maybe we are defining them differently.

Are you talking about integrated fixtures?

My thought with staying away from them is the possibility of failure. If I have a tube go bad, I can swap in another. If I go integrated and one of my 6 fixtures fails, I have to swap the whole thing and likely won't be able to get an exact replacement down the road.

All in, I would be into this setup for less than $500. If there is a substantially cheaper integrated solution, I am all ears

 

[billconner]

I'm a little surprised that it's more economical to buy fixtures and led lamps - I think these tubes were originally designed as retrofit lamps for flourescent fixtures - than LED fixtures.

It would be interesting to compare output as well. Can you share a specific model number?

As a (retired) lighting designer I've designed lighting and specified probably 1000s of LED fixtures and have had almost no reports of failures, maybe 2 or 3, all drivers, not the LEDs, and drivers can be replaced. It seems the "tubes" have the driver integrated in them.

 

[mike93lx]

I'm a little surprised that it's more economical to buy fixtures and led lamps - I think these tubes were originally designed as retrofit lamps for flourescent fixtures - than LED fixtures.

It would be interesting to compare output as well. Can you share a specific model number?

As a (retired) lighting designer I've designed lighting and specified probably 1000s of LED fixtures and have had almost no reports of failures, maybe 2 or 3, all drivers, not the LEDs, and drivers can be replaced. It seems the "tubes" have the driver integrated in them.

I seriously doubt drivers are going to be available for most inexpensive fixtures. I feel like you are comparing high quality commercial fixtures to the cheap stuff that most people buy. If I was spending a couple grand to light my 2 bay garage, I would have a different expectation.

There are a bunch of bulb options offered by the company I linked in the OP. 1800-2000 lumens, 15-18 watts. My preference is 4000-4100k and I'd probably lean towards something at around the $5/bulb mark.

 

[cybrdyke]

Multiple companies manufacture LED-ready highbays and strips. TechBrite, Eiko, Saylite, Maxlite and more. You can find them all over the internet at lamp and fixture websites like 1000bulbs.com and prolite.com. Some electrical supply houses stock them too. You wont find them at the big box stores.
They'll likely be prewired. Get the double end powered version if you can since single-end powered tubes are getting harder to find and most manufacturers have stopped making them. Whichever way you go, just make sure your fixtures are wired the same way your tubes require. As for the differences in quality, keep in mind that all there is to these is bent metal and some sockets, so any differences will be minimal. The cheaper ones will have sharper edges. That's about it.
If you can find tubes that are 2200 to 2500 lumens, you should be happy.

If you do the math, you'll be all in on these fixtures at about 80-90 bucks. For 12,000 lumens that's not bad. A new UFO can probably be had for nearly the same amount. I dont buy into the theory of "if it fails I wont find another one". These things are gonna be around for a long long time.
Good luck,
CD

 

[mike93lx]

Multiple companies manufacture LED-ready highbays and strips. TechBrite, Eiko, Saylite, Maxlite and more. You can find them all over the internet at lamp and fixture websites like 1000bulbs.com and prolite.com. Some electrical supply houses stock them too. You wont find them at the big box stores.
They'll likely be prewired. Get the double end powered version if you can since single-end powered tubes are getting harder to find and most manufacturers have stopped making them. Whichever way you go, just make sure your fixtures are wired the same way your tubes require. As for the differences in quality, keep in mind that all there is to these is bent metal and some sockets, so any differences will be minimal. The cheaper ones will have sharper edges. That's about it.
If you can find tubes that are 2200 to 2500 lumens, you should be happy.

If you do the math, you'll be all in on these fixtures at about 80-90 bucks. For 12,000 lumens that's not bad. A new UFO can probably be had for nearly the same amount. I dont buy into the theory of "if it fails I wont find another one". These things are gonna be around for a long long time.
Good luck,
CD

Thanks, this is helpful.

A UFO for 12.5' ceilings? Feels low, no?

OK, I may be getting on the integrated bandwagon but I am still not convinced on the long term

For $390, this would cover all of my general lighting and I'd add a couple task lights over the benches.

Seems like decent specs for the money and it would offer a lot of mounting flexibility.

Commercial Electric 8 ft. (Two 4 ft.) 440-Watt Equivalent Integrated LED White Strip Light Fixture High Output 11000 Lumens (4-Pack)

Commercial Electric Commercial 8 ft. (Two 4ft.) 440 Watt Equivalent Integrated LED White Multi-Volt Strip Light Fixture 11000 Lumen (4-Pack) 54598191-A-4PK - The Home Depot

Commercial Electric LED 8 feet or two 4 feet Commercial Strip Light fixture can be installed in a wide array of configurations to create the optimal lighting for your workspace. This strip light is easy

www.homedepot.com

SKU# 316012786

 

[N969DP]

A 12’ ceiling is to low for high bays. As for not wanting fixtures intergraded with LED’s I’m in the same boat. I like being able to change a bulb when it goes bad vs changing the entire fixture. I’ve seen at least a dozen LED fixtures/bulbs of different verify’s (commercial and residential) go bad. They all will with time where 4’ bulbs will for sure be around as long as I am.

The Original Poster is right about not finding the same fixture years down the road. Some of us want things to match, and just because there will be led lights in the future don’t mean they will be the exact same as the ones already installed. That’s the exact reason I didn’t want led puck lights in the new house, true can lights are easy to change a bulb without having to hunt down a new puck that looks close enough to the old ones.

 

[N969DP]

These look like a good choice for me.

8 ft. LED Ready Strip Fixture - Four Lamp

Add lighting wherever you need it most by installing this LED ready strip light fixture. Buy this and more LED ready fixtures at 1000Bulbs.com!

www.1000bulbs.com

With these bulbs since I like 5000K for the garage

2200 Lumens - 4 ft. LED T8 Tube - Type B Ballast Bypass - 17 Watt - 5000 Kelvin

Ease eye strain by improving visibility with these LEDT-10075 LED T8 tubes. Find an LED T8 with your ideal color temperature in our inventory at 1000Bulbs.com!

www.1000bulbs.com

 

[sparky 1971]

The fixtures in post #1 will work but.... With a 12'6" ceiling are you going to hang them from the chain or save ceiling height and mount them directly to the ceiling? If the latter, I personally wouldn't think they look right. If it were my shop, I would use plain old eight foot, four lamp and four foot, two lamp strip lights coupled together to make continuous rows of fixtures and throw the led tubes in them.

 

[walta]

With only a 12 foot ceiling and if you space the fixtures more than a few feet apart you will have bright spots and dark spots in your shop.

What is the advantage of a low fixture count given that they seem to cost twice as much?


Walta

 

[mike93lx]

With only a 12 foot ceiling and if you space the fixtures more than a few feet apart you will have bright spots and dark spots in your shop.

What is the advantage of a low fixture count given that they seem to cost twice as much?


Walta

Wiring simplicity is probably the biggest. I currently have three two-bulb wrap fixtures on one half of the garage and one fixture on the other. My plan was to add two more boxes on the side with just one to give two rows of three.

Any upgrade will be significant