The Best Light Fixture Ever!

[seths1985]

would the 4' fixtures be ok for a 30x40 pole building with 12' ceiling height?

 

[Platonic Solid]

would the 4' fixtures be ok for a 30x40 pole building with 12' ceiling height?

Read through this recent thread: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=395346

 

[sbarton]

Anyone use these lights? Seems like a pretty good deal, four 4' LED lights for $89. I don't have any fixtures currently. Would like some feedback before pulling the trigger though.
https://amzn.to/2uxoKG1

 

[benchracer1]

I've decided to go with the green tek 2 ft. Lights you recommend. Does anybody have any wire recommendation. I will run romex to the switch box but out of the switch box to the lights I was looking for something a bit more attractive and easier to hide...Steve

 

[benchracer1]

I guess a bit more info would help. It's on a 15 amp circuit with 14/2 wire. Single romex going into box to 4 lights switches

 

[benchracer1]

Actually after some reading it appears that mc wire is a better choice than romex

 

[Platonic Solid]

Anyone use these lights? Seems like a pretty good deal, four 4' LED lights for $89. I don't have any fixtures currently. Would like some feedback before pulling the trigger though.
https://amzn.to/2uxoKG1

Poor Lifespan: 30,000 hours. Unable to verify ETL and DLC certification claim.

 

[jptbay]

Please check my plan. I've spent hours reading threads here and this is what I've come up with:

Moving to a new house with detached shop 30'x40'x12.5' high ceilings.

Going to replace existing lighting.

Going to do a 3x4 grid of these Green Light Depot 2ft LED Linear High Bay - 110W - (UL+DLC) wired to a single dimmer switch. https://greenlightdepot.com/collections/led-high-bay/products/lhb-110w-with-lens-and-w-o-lens?variant=36041819012

Have I got this all figured out, or am I out to lunch?

Thanks!

 

[ahazi]

Please check my plan. I've spent hours reading threads here and this is what I've come up with:

Moving to a new house with detached shop 30'x40'x12.5' high ceilings.

Going to replace existing lighting.

Going to do a 3x4 grid of these Green Light Depot 2ft LED Linear High Bay - 110W - (UL+DLC) wired to a single dimmer switch. https://greenlightdepot.com/collections/led-high-bay/products/lhb-110w-with-lens-and-w-o-lens?variant=36041819012

Have I got this all figured out, or am I out to lunch?

Thanks!

I have a similar configuration with 11 ft ceiling with the lights mounted flush to the ceiling. The most useful feature other than great light is the dimmer as most of the time you will not need all the light output.

Go for it and Good Luck!
Ariel

 

[Platonic Solid]

Please check my plan. I've spent hours reading threads here and this is what I've come up with:

Moving to a new house with detached shop 30'x40'x12.5' high ceilings.

Going to replace existing lighting.

Going to do a 3x4 grid of these Green Light Depot 2ft LED Linear High Bay - 110W - (UL+DLC) wired to a single dimmer switch. https://greenlightdepot.com/collections/led-high-bay/products/lhb-110w-with-lens-and-w-o-lens?variant=36041819012

Have I got this all figured out, or am I out to lunch?

Thanks!

3x4 pattern is correct. 10' x 10' spacing. The perfect fixture would be 11,600 lumens to hit 93 fc @ workplane. As long as you use a dimmer you're on the right track.

 

[jptbay]

Thanks for the replies. Glad to hear I am not out to lunch.

I'm open to suggestions on light fixtures too. Better quality, cheaper, more efficient, better light etc. Think I would like to go with 4000K brightness.

Cheers!

 

[socapots]

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00YWG5L0C/ref=s9_acsd_simh_hd_bw_b3PpBo3_c_x_w?pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=WNNZHZ12MX86TMV49CR8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=5e3a9ac6-adcb-5dc2-8211-e61aa534d9b8&pf_rd_i=3130007011

Anyone have any thoughts on these?
I am thinking of going this way with some used fixtures i can get pretty cheap on our local buy and sell.
Thanks all.

 

[jaycoflyer]

3x4 pattern is correct. 10' x 10' spacing. The perfect fixture would be 11,600 lumens to hit 93 fc @ workplane. As long as you use a dimmer you're on the right track.

I’m outfitting a garage of nearly identical dimensions (30x40x12’H). Reading through the threads, the consensus seemed to be that high-bay style lights such as these are better suited for higher mounting (14’ and up). And they’re advertised for 15’ and higher. I had nearly decided that the 2-tube LED fixtures were a better choice for surface mounting on my 12’ ceiling to achieve more even distribution and light levels. Either way, I plan on using dimming. Am I unnecessarily concerned?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Platonic Solid]

socapots - Those are miniature bipin, thus require T5 (aka: G5) lamp holders. Hyperikon generally has decent quality products. Their specs are often missing something, as is the case here = no lumen output spec. The UL-pending doesn't thrill me, but at least they're honest. Check the prices on their website too. If you order direct, they may send you a 10% discount coupon good for 4 weeks after your first order. Depending on shipping costs, might be able to save a few bucks by placing a small order first to get the coupon code.

 

[Platonic Solid]

jaycoflyer - At 12ft mtg height you can go either way. Most bypass bulbs are not dimmable, but you could easily do a 2 circuit arrangement where the left and right bulbs are on a different circuit. The budget priced GreenTek linear high-bay does not have surface mounting brackets. Don't get too hung up on price and your life will be much easier. Here's one dimmable fixture that has a mounting bracket option: https://www.ledlightingwholesaleinc.com/SLB2-95-p/slb2-95.htm

 

[pbon]

When using LED strip lights that are only 2-3 inches wide like these

https://www.ledlightingwholesaleinc.com/ZY-ST8FT68-p/zy-st8ft68.htm

do you just use a ceiling box cover and paint it paint when flush mounting the 2-3 inch wide lights over the 4 inch wide box? There will be an overlap on one or both sides since the light is not wide enough to cover the box.

I am wondering whether it is easier to use a wider light in a finished garage. In the middle, I have rails for the 2 garage doors about 6 inches apart so I can’t go too wide on the lights (I would probably hang the lights flush with the rails at the entrance to the garage and surface mount the rest that are further into the garage).

 

[Platonic Solid]

pbon - You don't need a box, just romex through hole in ceiling. If the box is already there the cover overhang would be pretty minor. In your average garage I wouldn't think twice about that. For the above average space I suppose you could skip the cover and use a couple short corner molding pieces to cover the exposed box edges.

 

[pbon]

Ok — that is great news. From what I have read some of these LED are so cheaply made you can see the wiring connections through the diffuser, unlike older florescents that had a metal baffle between wiring area on top and the bulbs underneath. I was not sure which category the James lights fit into. It would certainly be easier to use the light fixture as the junction box since I will be installing 26 of them (8 will be butted end to end and I figured linking them would be fine).

 

[Platonic Solid]

pbon - All the James fixtures I've seen have properly enclosed wire compartments. I would be very surprised if your linked fixture didn't follow suit. No problem with continuous row mounting.

 

[socapots]

socapots - Those are miniature bipin, thus require T5 (aka: G5) lamp holders. Hyperikon generally has decent quality products. Their specs are often missing something, as is the case here = no lumen output spec. The UL-pending doesn't thrill me, but at least they're honest. Check the prices on their website too. If you order direct, they may send you a 10% discount coupon good for 4 weeks after your first order. Depending on shipping costs, might be able to save a few bucks by placing a small order first to get the coupon code.

Thank you sir. They actually directed me to the Canadian amazon and offered a 15% discount for that..
Unfortunately i also came across T8s from hyper with free tombstones. The price was also about half the cost of the T5s.. Can anyone tell me if tombstones can be changed out on any fixture to suit any base style?
As in if i had T5 lights, could i just throw away all the guts and use the metal fixture itself with T8 tombstones, and tubes?

i really hate researching things.. i always end up all over the place and over complicating things..
but if i can save a thousand bucks on tubes.. that's a lot of beer and cigars..

 

[cybrdyke]

As in if i had T5 lights, could i just throw away all the guts and use the metal fixture itself with T8 tombstones, and tubes?

No. T5HO and T8 lamps are different lengths, T5HO being shorter.
Also, the sockets are different sizes, so the cutouts in the socket holders will be the wrong size.
CD

 

[sierradmax]

How many lights do you have? I have 30 pairs (wired end and blank end) of T5 tombstones. Maxlite G5KIT6

 

[evilcheese]

Can the GLLUSA GL07103-3M(5000K) bulbs (bought from ProLighting) be used in single ended mode? The reason I ask is, I received a batch and each bulb has a sticker on it showing only double ended wiring, in both ballast and bypass mode. And for single ended wiring, is there a pin designated for load and one for neutral? I also bought the MaxLite housings and the tombstones are prewired. Can I assume the load and neutral are on the correct side on those?

 

[Platonic Solid]

evilcheese - Yes, single end works properly without specific load/neutral pin designation. See review here (link)

 

[socapots]

No. T5HO and T8 lamps are different lengths, T5HO being shorter.
Also, the sockets are different sizes, so the cutouts in the socket holders will be the wrong size.
CD

Gotcha. Thanks for the input.

How many lights do you have? I have 30 pairs (wired end and blank end) of T5 tombstones. Maxlite G5KIT6

If this was directed to me. I am set to buy 25 used 8ft t5 fixtures. Ill pull the guts And replace bulbs with led.

 

[Glenn M.]

*********************************************
Best bang for the buck LED 4ft 2-lamp strip light as of 3/14/2018:
(UL Listings verified for all bulbs)

To make one 4ft strip light, you need 2 LED Bulbs and 1 LED Ready Fixture Housing:

LED BULBS

LUMEGEN LG-4T8-22WBB-SM50K(5000k)(4000K)(3000K) 48" 22W LED T8
2640 Lumens per bulb, 120° Beam Angle
Single Ended Power
5000K, 4000K or 3000K - 120-277V - 120 Lumens/Watt - Frosted Lens - Extruded Aluminum Body
$7.99 ea. (link) - no minimum - Free Shipping $50
$7.19 ea. after below discount applied at checkout.


Greentek Energy Systems GT-T8-18W1200 BIXX(5000K)(3000K) 48" 18W LED T8
2520 Lumens per bulb, 120° Beam Angle
Universal Ballast Compatible / Ballast Bypass via Single End or Opposing End Wired
5000K or 3000K - 120-277V - 140 Lumens/Watt - Frosted Lens - Extruded Aluminum Body
$7.99 ea. (link) - no minimum - Free Shipping $99

GLLUSA GL07103-3M(5000K) 48" 18W LED T8
2664 Lumens per bulb, 120° Beam Angle
Universal Ballast Compatible / Ballast Bypass via Single End or Opposing End Wired
5000K - 120-277V - 148 Lumens/Watt - Frosted Lens - Extruded Aluminum Body
$8.99 ea. (link) - no minimum + Shipping from Brighton, MI 48116 (bulbs do not qualify for free shipping)
$8.36 ea. after below discount applied at checkout.

See pictorial review of this lamp in this thread (link).​

LEDMyplace WEN-T8-4FT-18WF(4000K) 48" 18W LED T8 *** OUT OF STOCK ***
2400 Lumens per bulb, 120° Beam Angle, Single Ended Power
4000K - 120-277V - 133 Lumens/Watt - Frosted Lens - Extruded Aluminum Body
$7.34 ea. (link) - no minimum - Free Shipping $49

LED Ready Fixture Housing

Maxlite LSS2XT8USE4803 (link to data sheets) 2-Lamp T8 LED Tube Ready 4ft Linear Utility Pre-Wired Strip Light Housing:

See pictorial review of the Maxlite housing in this thread (link).​

ProLighting $15.00 ea. - no minimum + Shipping from Brighton, MI 48116 (Same distributor as GLLUSA GL07103-3M Lamp above)
$13.95 ea. after below discount applied at checkout.


Bee's Lighting $15.96 ea. - no minimum - Free Shipping over $99
(site states: Free shipping Excludes items over 42", but some still received free shipping.)

LED Lighting Wholesale $14.50 ea. - no minimum + Shipping from Kalamazoo, MI 49001 (free over $1000) Watch for additional charges at checkout.

Shineretrofits $15.96 ea. - 10 piece minimum - Free Shipping over $95


Alternate Housing:
PLT TXFC232X1 2-Lamp T8 LED Tube Ready 4ft Linear Utility Pre-Wired Strip Light Housing:

1000Bulbs $12.99 ea. - no minimum + Shipping from Garland, TX 75041 - Watch for additional handling and/or high shipping charge at checkout.




*********************************************
For an excellent deal on 1x4 5000 lumen flat panel LED edge lit

For an excellent deal on 16400 lumen high bay
*********************************************

Yes, the title was meant to get you here. There are way too many threads about the exact same: “What light fixture should I buy for my garage?” question. Should you go LED or Fluorescent? Strip Light, recessed cans, screw-in bulbs of any flavor, … the options never end.

Disclaimer: I have been designing lighting products for over 30 years, primarily for the military and specialty markets. I do not design consumer grade residential lighting. Designing a 200 Lumen per watt fixture is easy, but not cost effective (yet). I have no affiliation with any company mentioned and I have nothing to gain by sharing my research. Everything stated is my opinion. I am human.

Typical Garage/Workshop Lamp options:

• Bare F54T5HO lamps produce too much glare when mounted below 15 feet. If you like them, put them in a wrap style or louvered fixture to cut down the glare.
• 400W Metal Halide can be quite efficient, but also produce too much glare when mounted below 15 feet. Additionally a 20,000 hr. 36,000 lumen 400W MH lamp will only produce 25,000 lumens after 8,000 hrs. = 30% light output loss.
• All T12 and T12HO Lamps should be considered obsolete. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some very efficient T12 options out there.
• Recessed Can type fixtures do not have the beam spread necessary to produce high lumen shadow free lighting unless you use a ridiculous amount of them.
• LED ballast-bypass 4ft retrofits are your best bang for the buck option. Long life, excellent efficiency and immediate full brightness in cold temperatures. Just be aware that there’s no shortage of no name Chinese LED bulbs and fixtures with questionable specifications and no third party certification.
• F32T8 Lamps are designed to be mounted below 20 feet and there’s quite a head spinning variety out there. Some are capable of lasting 84,000 hrs., providing 100+ lumens per watt and a reasonable 85 CRI.
• You can have higher CRI in both fluorescent and LED, but you will sacrifice efficiency and light output. I’m not going to address that here as the vast majority of people do not need CRI higher than 85 in their garage.

Here’s the original comparison spreadsheet, though as of this post edit (7/12/17) it's now almost 2 years old so all links and data are questionable: Lighting System Comparison. (I'll have to get around to making it mostly LED related.)

Here's an Excel viewer if you don't have Excel: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=10
Spreadsheet was created in Excel 2010 and has xlsx extension.
You can also open and edit in Google Sheets.

I apologize if I've missed the answer to this question, but I searched this thread with the words "paint room" and found no results.

I'm 'refurbishing' an automotive paint room (Not paint booth) from old 100 watt incandescent bulb fixtures on the walls to no-ballast 120 VAC 48" led lamps. I've about settled on these bulbs (And I'm aware that these are surely the "there’s no shortage of no name Chinese LED bulbs and fixtures with questionable specifications and no third party certification." The price drives my choice, of course:

eBay:
25 4 Foot LED Light Fluorescent Replacement Tube 6000K 48 Inch 18w G13 BiPin 4ft
( 232676739423 ) 75 CRI advertised, 1600 lumen, 18 watts.

I know these will be better than what I had, but never having had led bulbs previously, I'm cautious about them.

Have you covered this subject and I missed it? Link please?

If not, would you please give some input on things I should be looking for in this particular application?

Thank You,

Glenn M.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Glenn M.: You should be very cautious. Without any certifications you have no idea what you're getting. Caveat Emptor.

No Brand Name - No UL Listing - No DLC Listing - No L70 life estimate - No Warranty - No Frosted Lens - Poor Lumen Output - Poor efficiency (89 L/W) - Poor claimed 75 CRI.

I wouldn't install them if they were free.

6000K won't give you any better spectral power distribution than 5000K (ability to render colors "naturally"). Seek CRI of <80 good <85 better <90 best.

 

[fourjeepin]

• Bare F54T5HO lamps produce too much glare when mounted below 15 feet. If you like them, put them in a wrap style or louvered fixture to cut down the glare.

Is there a wrap style fixture you recommend? I have many of the cheap Lithonia lighting ones from HD, but they won’t work with the single ended bulbs and I ended up with a couple of those type bulbs. Plus I read that you can’t get new tombstones for these lights either.

 

[Platonic Solid]

fourjeepin - The F54T5HO bulbs are shorter than F32T8, thus even if you could get the lamp holders to fit, changing from mini-bipin (G5) to med-bipin (G13) wouldn't work. You can get T5 LED retrofits, but I haven't tested any. What is your ceiling height?

Though it's not a retrofit lamp housing - at the moment this wrap fixture is a good value: https://www.ledlightingwholesaleinc.com/ZY-ST8FT68-p/zy-st8ft68.htm

 

[pbon]

I just bought 15 pairs of the James 4’ 40w in 5000k, which put me over $1000 and got me free shipping. Thanks for the lead. The claimed 5400 lumens seems high for 40w though.

Now I am looking for reasonably priced 0-10V dimmers, one of which might run 13 of these lights or 520w or a little under 5 amps.

 

[Platonic Solid]

pbon - dimmer = https://www.ledsupply.com/led-drivers/dimming-control-0-10v-low-voltage-wall-mount-control use with standard On/Off wall switches. 135 L/W is not unrealistic.

 

[pbon]

Aren’t there dimmers that will turn the lights on and off and dim all in the same switch? Any reason not to use those? I think Lutron makes some, and maybe lumegen. I will have 4 switches in a box and would rather not have a second box of 4. I don’t mind walking to the box to dim, rather than having the dimmer separately and closer to the light set it is controlling. The space is 23x28 with a 6x15 bumpout on one side so not far to go. The dimmers will be for front, center, bumpout and rear. But now you have me thinking about separate dimmers so my wife does not turn every switch in the box and change my settings.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Yes, you can use all-in-one dimmer-On/Off switches. I just provided the lowest cost option.

 

[jrj3rd]

Just wanted to thank Platonic Solid for all the efforts he puts in here. Switched out 7 8ft T12 fixtures for 10 of the Maxlite/GLLUSA Led combos and what a difference. More apparent light and no flickering. 65% less energy is a bonus. Had a few ballasts bad/going bad so it was a no brainer. Thank you PS!!

 

[cybrdyke]

Aren’t there dimmers that will turn the lights on and off and dim all in the same switch?

Search for Cooper Wiring Devices #SF10P or DF10P.
On/Off with 0-10VDC dimming.
Good luck,
CD

 

[fourjeepin]

fourjeepin - The F54T5HO bulbs are shorter than F32T8, thus even if you could get the lamp holders to fit, changing from mini-bipin (G5) to med-bipin (G13) wouldn't work. You can get T5 LED retrofits, but I haven't tested any. What is your ceiling height?

Though it's not a retrofit lamp housing - at the moment this wrap fixture is a good value: https://www.ledlightingwholesaleinc.com/ZY-ST8FT68-p/zy-st8ft68.htm

Sorry! My post was confusing. I have some 48” T8 fixtures from Lithonia Lighting (model 3348). I would like to find a fixture that will somewhat match these or find replacement tombstones for these fixtures which will allow me to run the single ended bulbs I mistakenly purchased.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Platonic Solid]

fourjeepin - Best method is to take one of the existing lampholders to your local electrical supply house and purchase same brand/style tombstone in non-shunted. If you remove one and take really good pictures of the logos molded into it I might be able to identify the manufacturer. Most of them comply with a universal standard, but there are exceptions and variations within the standard.

 

[pickmh]

The best light?Philips?

 

[A.Delaney]

So I was looking at one of the many links provided and it looks like a 110w LED is ideal for a 16’ ceiling height which I have. Some guys I talked to have 200w fixtures around 26000 lumen they really like for 16’ ceilings. The more I read the less I figure out it seems. My building is all new. I have no lights yet. It’s 50x72x16’ all open floor space. My last shop was smaller. 36’x36’x14’ and I had 6 fixtures. They were 6 bulb T8’s. The shop was very bright. I’d like something comparable to that in LED. Looks like 110w isn’t quite as much but 200w may be more? I know I need to go by lumens and not Watts. I don’t know what the T8 fixtures I had put out in lumens though. I want to make sure whatever I get that they are a good quality fixture. I don’t mind spending a little more for higher quality. I want them to hang from chains and plug into outlets on the ceiling if possible. How many fixtures will I need? Does it matter if they are round or rectangle? The T8’s were much easier lol.

 

[bizzton3k]

Is the LumeGen MX452-LT4X2 (can't post link to lightup.com) an acceptable alternative to the Maxlite LSS2XT8USE4803? It is priced at $10.99 (very inexpensive) but doesn't seem to have a UL rating.

I am looking to pair with the LUMEGEN LG-4T8-22WBB-SM50K.

Thanks!