LED Lighting

[MoeBawlz]

New to the site here and did some searching but to no avail. Has anyone considered LED lighting? Are there any manufacturers that anyone has dealt with? I am buying a house and the garage was used by a non garage person before so it is BARE in there with only the garage door opener light in there pretty much.

I was going to just run standard T8 lights but thought I would look at other avenues as well.

 

[rsanter]

right now the best bang for the buck is to go with the T8 HO lighting

LED is still growing and getting better month by month.
one down side of LED is that the light is harsh on the eyes. it is best to use LED behind a difuser and you do not want to be where the LED will shine in your eyes.

for can lights the LED have gotten very good. LEDs by nature are directional lighting so they work great in can housings.

LEDs also make great flashlights

bob

 

[Jack90210]

I've got several of these (2700K) in the kitchen and like them very much -- they're not harsh at all, and produce a very broad even flood of light. They're meant to be a 65w equivalent but they're significantly brighter than the 65w BR30s that they replaced. Expensive though ... hopefully the price will come down at some point.

T8s are what I've got in the garage. The newer electronic ballasts seem to be very efficient.

 

[Mr_fixit]

Led lighting is just not there yet. They're way to expensive and don't give enough light yet. Give it a couple years, and maybe they'll be replacing fluorescent lights. or maybe 10 .

 

[scooby074]

For a shop, today, id pass on the LED. Cost is just too high. Technology is advancing daily. Theres already LED industrial and street lights being used.

once this technology matures on the industrial market, the price will come down to a point where it makes sense for a homeowner shop.

I predict within the next 2 years or so, LED will be cheap enough and light output will be high enough to consider for the average home shop.

As the banning of mercury (fluorescent) and incandescent (wasted energy) continues, more money will get funneled into LED. LED is definitely due for a big increase in use.

 

[Dragster Racer]

I've got several of these (2700K) in the kitchen and like them very much -- they're not harsh at all, and produce a very broad even flood of light. They're meant to be a 65w equivalent but they're significantly brighter than the 65w BR30s that they replaced. Expensive though ... hopefully the price will come down at some point.

T8s are what I've got in the garage. The newer electronic ballasts seem to be very efficient.

May I ask what those cost? They are darn cool for sure.

 

[Torque1st]

One thing I have noticed about LED lights is that they do not seem to draw the bugs like incandescent or fluorescent lights. That may be an advantage in certain areas. It is like the bugs can not see the wavelengths that the LED gives off.

On the other hand if you go with CFLs with an Edison base they most likely will be making LED units with an Edison base for many years and you can upgrade. I can not see them making LED replacements for T8 fixture tubes.

 

[nate379]

$130 on that site.

I ran the calculator and that light vs a CFL would take almost 18 years to start saving money.

May I ask what those cost? They are darn cool for sure.

 

[scooby074]

One thing I have noticed about LED lights is that they do not seem to draw the bugs like incandescent or fluorescent lights. That may be an advantage in certain areas. It is like the bugs can not see the wavelengths that the LED gives off.

On the other hand if you go with CFLs with an Edison base they most likely will be making LED units with an Edison base for many years and you can upgrade. I can not see them making LED replacements for T8 fixture tubes.

LED t8 replacements exist. Im not sure if all lengths are available yet, but i imagine they are

http://www.greenenergymgmt.com/t8.html

http://www.earthled.com/DirectLED-t8-fluorescent-led-tube-replacement.html

http://www.ledlight.com/t12-t8-led-tube-light-4foot-15-watt.aspx

http://www.reledsystems.com/


your right, most Bugs cant see LEDS. I have some outdoor LED light by my front door for this reason

 

[Torque1st]

Thanks, last time I looked I had not run across those.