LED replacement for fluorescent light

[Reit38]

looking for a 48" led tube is a direct, "drop-in" replacement for standard fluorescent light tubes. We have two halogen lights in our basement as our main light source other than a table top lamp and was thinking of replacing them with LED. anyone have much luck with this?

 

[Familyof8kids]

LED does not spread in tube style lamps. If they are close to the ground they will spot the area. They will also cost you $50-$100 for the good ones. You can pick up junk 4' LED tubes from Amazon or other websites for $30-$45 but again junk.

You would also need to take out the ballast and re-wire the fixture. LED tubes are power directly with 120 volt and power entry is on one end of the tube.

 

[ddawg16]

Expensive.....

For now, your better off with the tubes, or using a standard fixture with an LED bulb with the Edison base....or go low voltage LED recessed lights (which requires a transformer)....

 

[Reit38]

well that idea got shot down real quick

 

[ddawg16]

well that idea got shot down real quick

:

now you have more money for

 

[Reit38]

true! i like your thinking!

 

[Zeke]

That's why this is a great forum. You learn even not asking.

 

[KTMrider]

You need these!

$9.29 for a 16ft roll on Amazon right now!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002QQ1YOM

 

[Reit38]

Have those in the bed of my truck. Actually work real well. Don't know how well why would work as a main light source for a room tho

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[Reit38]

I do.t mind the halogen lights but it seems whenever they're on for an extended amount of time the room seems really warm.......unless its my imagination

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[rocco]

if you really want proper LED industrial lights look at some commercial grade products.

http://www.lithonia.com/commercial/ibl.html?pt=Fluorescent High Bay

http://www.lithonia.com/commercial/zl.html?pt=Commercial & Industrial Fluorescent

These are fixtures that are engineered and purpose built with LED's, much better performance/life and overall efficiency over the retrofit ****.

 

[rsanter]

You need these!

$9.29 for a 16ft roll on Amazon right now!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002QQ1YOM

This is a better option for what you want to do. Many LED florescent replacement tubes actually just have these in them

Bob

 

[Familyof8kids]

This is a better option for what you want to do. Many LED florescent replacement tubes actually just have these in them

Bob

That is funny. LOL

What will he do with a roll of circuit board mounted LED's?

I will be making a large post soon on LED's since a sister company of ours is the LED Manufacture and Supplier to the US Military. Replaced almost every fixture on Military ships and NO failures in 6 years. It will be a huge discussion with the site.

 

[Big-Foot]

That is funny. LOL

What will he do with a roll of circuit board mounted LED's?

I will be making a large post soon on LED's since a sister company of ours is the LED Manufacture and Supplier to the US Military. Replaced almost every fixture on Military ships and NO failures in 6 years. It will be a huge discussion with the site.

I take it that you've not used this type of LED strip light?

i've seen a number of installations and they're quite nice. I don't know how bright these particular LEDs are, but I have a dual LED work light that will darned near blind you if you look into it.

Here's a pic of the box

The LEDs themselves are these really tiny chips just like the ones on the ribbon circuit you were looking at above.. Yes, I know that there are various levels of light depending on the chip, but these small package LEDs are just flat out amazing!

 

[KTMrider]

The light ribbons I posted are around 1100 lumens per roll. Very bright and at 18 watts per roll inexpensive to run! As far as brightness they produce about as much light as a 4' fluorescent tube. No cold start issues, they last a long time....

 

[Familyof8kids]

What are you doing with your circuit board strip? Any design or pictures for us to see?

LED's are directional only. This is not about saving money or output. LED's are by far the brighest if you look directly into them but are not the best at area lighting due to cost. I cannot even begin to tell you how many LED's I have seen or touched but cart before horse is what marketing groups are doing with LED items.

They are still developing LED technology everyday and in 5 more years they will replace 99% of lighting produced items. I have designed and installed projects that replaced all of the city street lights, red lights, city buildings, etc all over to LED and solar LED.

All of the main MFG's of lighting products were at the US lighting show in Vegas this year and due to rare metals being controled by China NO ONE AT THE SHOW had a fluorescent item in the booth. All MFG's are sticking up the middle finger at China for controlling metals used in fluorescents. It was wild to see all LED's at the show.

 

[Reit38]

well this is what im working with in the family room. fluressents are mounted on return air ducts so they are pretty low already and not really leaving me with many options imo

 

[Familyof8kids]

You could gut the fixture and use the LED circuit board setup posted and wrap the inside of the fixture using double back sticky tape or wire ties with holes. With 1000 lumens inside you would have plenty of floor lighting. You may need to wrap the backplate with aluminum foil or other to get a reflective area to deflect the directional LED's. They would give spots on the front wrap is no reflection was used.

With the fixture that low you for sure are limited unless you change out the fixture to indirect but that will set you back some $$$$