Recessed lights vs. LED Tubes

[tomedkaz]

Hello.

This is my garage thread:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5602172#post5602172

The plan is to install 6 recessed lights in a 12x20 garage.
The boxes are IC rated, will be wrapped with ROXUL R23.

Question: Will there be heat loss associated with installing recessed boxes? I absolutely love the look, but worry about letting cold air get in and enter the ceiling, eventually cooling the bedroom upstairs.

What are good options for LED tubes? I want a LOT of light in the garage, since my dream car will be there one day soon.


Thanks in advance!

Tom

 

[tomedkaz]

nobody?

 

[Crazyjake8493]

By LED tubes, do you mean replacements for 4' fluorescent tubes? I had a bunch of 2x4 drop-in troffers I got for free, and replaced all my T12 bulbs with the Thinklux ballast-bypass LED tubes from Earthled.com, and I love them. Much better light, no hum, full brightness, instant on. If you already have fixtures with ballasts, you can get direct replacements that work with the ballasts, no rewiring required. The ballast-compatible tubes usually cost more, but are quicker to install. Either way, you can't really go wrong with LED.

 

[Showkey]

The LED tube thing has been beat to death.........with HD, Lowes, Sam's, Costco and the off shore eBay stuff to mention a few.

Just scroll down the lighting and find hundreds of posts.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Showkey is right, search "LED replacement tubes" and I'm sure you'll find everything you need to know.

 

[TwinCharged RX-7]

I'm on the fence too. I remodeled my house with 6" LED recessed (in IC boxes).

Working on the garage plans now, but kind of want the same recessed lights instead of the typical 4' fixtures. Haven't done the cost variance yet, but regular recessed lights would give a different look to the garage. I'll go LED no matter what though.

 

[GarageSpider]

Be sure to consider high CRI bulbs.

 

[ddawg16]

Yea....it's been beat up pretty good....but it also goes in cycles....so unless you catch one of the 'cycles', you would have to do some searching to find posts on the subject.

As for me....recessed cans is the best way to go. Total flexibility....I really doubt you will ever see an end to the Edison socket....and the options of bulbs to fit in them. And if cities outlaw them....well...it's real easy to yank out the Edison and put in a GU24.

By going with recessed cans you have a much larger selection of wattage's, shape, color, etc.

I have 18 6" cans arranged in 3 zones in my garage. If I had anything to do different, I would have added more cans in the ceiling where the garage door is. I didn't put any there thinking the door would block the light. I 'overlooked' the fact I spend a lot of nights in there...with the door down.





I have no issues with shadows....

Right now all of the bulbs are CFL's, and the bastards won't die. I have a mix of 2700K, 4000K and 6000K. I prefer the 4000-5000K color range. All are 23w (100w equiv). About halve are PAR bulbs, the others, just bare squirlies....I can't really tell a difference....other than the PAR bulbs look 'cleaner' in the recessed can.

 

[scout89402]

As a guy who's just done this, I have two sides to my shop. One side I have the pretty recessed lights, and the other I have the LED tubes. When it comes to light output there is no question that the tubes do a better job. I'll try to post pictures when I get a chance.


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[simpler=better]

Be sure to consider high CRI bulbs.

^^ THis right here. I have 93CRI Cree cans in my bathroom, they match the tone of my 60W incandescent soft white vanity bulbs perfectly.

 

[black00lightning]

I prefer the look of recessed cans over flourecent fixtures so for my 30 x 32 x 12 workshop, I used 36 6" cans with 100 watt equivalent bulbs. Fits the look i wanted and gives me plenty of light.

Sorry for the pic orientation? ?

 

[Autorotica]

1200 lumens per 23w fixture in recessed lighting?
https://a89b8e4143ca50438f09-7c1706...4/original/ushio-1003922-specs.pdf?1440215338

3800 lumens per 37 watt Costco light.

Not much of a output/input equation.
Chris

 

[Ghoster]

I did 16 recessed lights in my garage. Right now I am using the cheapo LED bulbs from home depot. I am very happy with the lighting. My plan is to change these bulbs out for the nicer retrofit ones. They are almost double the lumens. I think I may ne d to install dimmers!

 

[black00lightning]

Do you have a link to the retrofit lights. I'm using Phillips 100 watt equivalent that produce 1600 lumens. What bulbs are you planning to use.

 

[aar0s]

We have been selling lights like these in place of can lately, the ones we have are about half the price, wire and mount to a octagon box and look great.
http://www.lightingdirect.com/progr..._kwcid=AL!3805!3!52719497609!!!g!148204370489!

 

[TwinCharged RX-7]

Cans with nice LEDs are way cheaper than those. If the ones in link are $50 each and they are half price of cans with LEDs, that would make cans with LEDs $100, mine were $25, I just did the whole house.

 

[ddawg16]

While the tubes might have more 'output' vs cans, I have the position that I don't want ALL of my light to be from above.

My garage has more than enough 'general' lighting for me to do 95% of what I need to do.

For that other 5%, you need task lighting. As in under cabinet lighting...lights on the drill press....lights above the radial arm saw, etc.

Additionally, cans give the user a lot more flexibility than tubes. Like, being able to find plenty of bulbs to fit those cans. You are not going to find replacement LED tubes at HD....at least not yet.

 

[aar0s]

Cans with nice LEDs are way cheaper than those. If the ones in link are $50 each and they are half price of cans with LEDs, that would make cans with LEDs $100, mine were $25, I just did the whole house.

I think ours are in the 30 dollar range, iirc it was priced around what a can light with trim ring and an led was priced. Biggest difference is that when you take down the led disk light you have a wired box that gives you other options, with a can light your kinda stuck with it.

 

[tomedkaz]

Went with 4 foot one piece LEDs from HD. 2400 lumens each. Slim design. Super happy with the light output and layout.
Paired it with an occupancy sensor.
Pic of a recent photo. Still need to install floor tiles






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[tomedkaz]

Edit


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[simpler=better]

Looks good to me