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which led shop lights to get?

Printed From: The Ford Torino Page
Category: General Discussion
Forum Name: Tools & Shop Equipment
Forum Description: Tool and shop discussion
URL: https://forum.grantorinosport.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=17675
Printed Date: 28-March-2024 at 4:27AM
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: which led shop lights to get?
Posted By: MrSmog
Subject: which led shop lights to get?
Date Posted: 20-December-2018 at 8:18AM
I think i'm about to convert one of my barns into a shop since I am not much of a horse guy but more of a horsepower guy and its cheaper to just buy eggs anyways. I have 3 stalls that are approx 10'x10' in the barn, not sure if i will tear interior walls down to open them all up or just leave walls in place but I was curious which led overhead lights to get for light output and also energy savins? The ceilin is only about 7-8 ft from the floor in the stall areas and will be where I keep all my tools, bench grinders/belt sanders/drill press, engine rebuild bench's etc so I do want some good light in there. I can always have soem extra lights wired up in the same area and leave them off majority of the time until I REALLY need a lot of light as well. I just see so many of those led overhead lights on ebay and other places, not sure which ones are the best or will do what I want while still savin all the pennies i can on the bill. any suggestions with pics would be helpful. Are they all rated differently as far as watts/lumens etc goes so the numbers can be misleadin? or they all pretty much equal if they say they are x amount of watts? thanks in advance



Replies:
Posted By: hogfiddles
Date Posted: 20-December-2018 at 2:06PM
It's the perceived brightness and color that ends up being the differences. I have converted half of my shop to LED. Here's what I notice:

1. The LED light ARE brighter. To the point that when I took pictures, it was very obviously. One LED tube was brighter than TWO fluorescent tubes.

2. The color is a tad more stark....more like super bright out in the sun. It was a little more 'blue' or 'cold' than the 'orange/pink' or 'warm' color of the fluorescent tubes.

3. One LED tube at 14.4 watts vs. Two 48watt fluorescent tube fixtures. And then--the drastic difference in visibility when I added the second LED tubes. Up until that point, I had just one LED tube in the double fixtures.

4. The BEST thing though, is not the brightness or clarity of light.........the best thing for me is this: being able to walk out to the shop when it's below zero, walking into the shop that is cold, and when I flip the light switch, the lights are full-on bright.....of the dim fluorescent tubes and having to wait for them to warm up any more. The LED tubes don't care about temp.

Dave

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1973 Gran Torino Sport - Q code “Q-Clone” project-on-hold
1972 Gran Torino Sport - Q code new project
1972 Gran Torino - parts
1969 Torino GT - M code
95+/- mid-80's Yamaha XJ-Series (10 trophies)


Posted By: 72FordGTS
Date Posted: 22-December-2018 at 6:20AM
Keep us posted on what you get, I need some new shop lights too.

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Vince

1972 Ford GTS Sportsroof - Survivor, One Family car

GTS.org Admin


Posted By: MrSmog
Date Posted: 22-December-2018 at 6:45AM
well from what i can find out 6000-6500k is like natural daylight and you need to make sure they are rated for residential use or you may end up with radio interference and if you're like me, you like the bluegrass nice and loud while you tinker on stuff. When I listen to flat and Scruggs, so does the general store down the road lol


Posted By: Bensport
Date Posted: 22-December-2018 at 7:03AM
I just had a 18x21 metal garage put up and I installed these...Aimco 42 watt 4000LM 500 K Daylight, 6 pack. 139.99 on Amazon. These lights are super bright and better quality and price than Lowe's or home Depot. You can also plug more of these in series together then other brands I researched. Had good reviews too. 4 would probably have been enough but it came in a 6 pack and more is always better. Especially the older I get... I've only had them about 3 months, but no problems yet. "Knock on wood".

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Ben

73 GTS Sport Roof
96 F350 7.3 Powerstroke/Chip
96 Bronco 5.8 Eddie B on 35's
95 Bronco 5.8 Eddie Bauer
06 Peterbilt 335


Posted By: MrSmog
Date Posted: 22-December-2018 at 7:25AM
Originally posted by Bensport Bensport wrote:

I just had a 18x21 metal garage put up and I installed these...Aimco 42 watt 4000LM 500 K Daylight, 6 pack. 139.99 on Amazon. These lights are super bright and better quality and price than Lowe's or home Depot. You can also plug more of these in series together then other brands I researched. Had good reviews too. 4 would probably have been enough but it came in a 6 pack and more is always better. Especially the older I get... I've only had them about 3 months, but no problems yet. "Knock on wood".



you notice any radio interference with them?


Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 22-December-2018 at 7:37AM
hmm wonder how long they last? compared to normal florescent... i have some 8' HO and some 8' standard bullet ends and a few 4' lights. do you have to change ballasts too?


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JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION


Posted By: Bensport
Date Posted: 22-December-2018 at 7:53AM
Haven't put a stereo out there yet... just been using the phone.. Put LEDs in my pick up and had to put ferrite ring clips on the wires at the lights... worked like a charm. $11 bucks for a pack of 20, 3mm to 13mm assortment pack.

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Ben

73 GTS Sport Roof
96 F350 7.3 Powerstroke/Chip
96 Bronco 5.8 Eddie B on 35's
95 Bronco 5.8 Eddie Bauer
06 Peterbilt 335


Posted By: Bensport
Date Posted: 22-December-2018 at 8:07AM
I had to replace my dusk to dawn light 3 years ago and went with LED and it has been great.. super bright white light.. The only negative I've seen with the shop lights are they are so bright white I now see all the imperfections in the paint of my 73 gts... damnit now I gotta think about a paint job.

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Ben

73 GTS Sport Roof
96 F350 7.3 Powerstroke/Chip
96 Bronco 5.8 Eddie B on 35's
95 Bronco 5.8 Eddie Bauer
06 Peterbilt 335


Posted By: andrewok1
Date Posted: 22-December-2018 at 8:34AM
NEED TUNES TO WORK 


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GET IT GOT IT GONE !!!!!!!


Posted By: Big Bird
Date Posted: 23-December-2018 at 11:32AM
So there's a solution/better alternative to fluorescent lights?
Was out in my garage Friday and found it amusing watching the cold lights.


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"What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind."
Randy
1979 T-Bird
2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD
How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds?


Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 23-December-2018 at 11:45AM
Originally posted by Big Bird Big Bird wrote:

So there's a solution/better alternative to fluorescent lights?
Was out in my garage Friday and found it amusing watching the cold lights.
LOL 70's acid trip


-------------
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION


Posted By: hogfiddles
Date Posted: 23-December-2018 at 1:35PM
Originally posted by Big Bird Big Bird wrote:


So there's a solution/better alternative to fluorescent lights?
Was out in my garage Friday and found it amusing watching the cold lights.


Definitely! It took me a little bit to get used to the little bit different color of the LED tubes, but now I'm very happy with them. I still have the other half of my shop to convert to LED's.....that's next.

Dave

-------------
1973 Gran Torino Sport - Q code “Q-Clone” project-on-hold
1972 Gran Torino Sport - Q code new project
1972 Gran Torino - parts
1969 Torino GT - M code
95+/- mid-80's Yamaha XJ-Series (10 trophies)


Posted By: legend onirot
Date Posted: 25-December-2018 at 3:05AM
i just finished wiring up lights in my new 30x50 shop.  my last shop was 24x32 and had 8 regular light fixtures and it was always dark.  so i went with 4 foot LEDs (2800 lumens) in this one.  i wired up 10 spaced out and left enough wire to add more if needed.  when we finished wiring up the 10, i am very very pleased.  it is quite bright.  

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---------------------
malcolm
1973 gran torino sport (formal)... "Stacy Lynn"
1972 gran torino (formal)... "Mackenzie"
1973 gran torino sport (sportroof)... "Leela"


Posted By: lynchster
Date Posted: 25-December-2018 at 2:18PM
I'd love 30'x50' but I'm just starting the fight with the borough to get a 30'x 32'.

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Chuck
72 Gran Torino Sport
13 Taurus SHO "Mr Pig"


Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 25-December-2018 at 4:35PM
 hell mine's 24' x 130' and i'm out of roomConfused


-------------
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION


Posted By: RandyF
Date Posted: 18-January-2019 at 6:01AM
I just bought some of the LED shop lights over holidays and switched out the old fluorescent fixtures. Amazing improvement in lighting. Instant on in cold temp. The lights come with a connector cord to chain up to six fixtures to the same power plug.

Menards had these on sale for two in a box for $29.99 with a $10 store money rebate. Hard to beat. Now I need six more for the garage where the Torino is in!

Randy

72 GTS
67 Cougar

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Randy


Posted By: hogfiddles
Date Posted: 18-January-2019 at 8:37AM
Told ya!!

-------------
1973 Gran Torino Sport - Q code “Q-Clone” project-on-hold
1972 Gran Torino Sport - Q code new project
1972 Gran Torino - parts
1969 Torino GT - M code
95+/- mid-80's Yamaha XJ-Series (10 trophies)


Posted By: Bensport
Date Posted: 18-January-2019 at 9:28AM
LED is the only way to go nowadays...for vehicles too. Once you drive with them you won't want to drive at night without them.

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Ben

73 GTS Sport Roof
96 F350 7.3 Powerstroke/Chip
96 Bronco 5.8 Eddie B on 35's
95 Bronco 5.8 Eddie Bauer
06 Peterbilt 335


Posted By: MrSmog
Date Posted: 18-January-2019 at 2:57PM
have any of you noticed fm radio interference?  sposed to be a common problem with leds


Posted By: hogfiddles
Date Posted: 18-January-2019 at 3:35PM
Haven't noticed it at all.

-------------
1973 Gran Torino Sport - Q code “Q-Clone” project-on-hold
1972 Gran Torino Sport - Q code new project
1972 Gran Torino - parts
1969 Torino GT - M code
95+/- mid-80's Yamaha XJ-Series (10 trophies)


Posted By: Dubz
Date Posted: 25-May-2020 at 5:11AM
I've got a new shop to outfit as well and was thinking LEDs strips would be good over florescent tubes.

I do have a bit of an issue with the garage door though, it's an 18' wide and 12' high, so when it's open it covers more than half the ceiling real estate.

Anyone tried mounting LED lights vertically on the walls?  I'd think it might work better for working under the hood instead of overhead lights.


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1974 Gran Torino in flat black 351W/C6


Posted By: Steve M.
Date Posted: 25-May-2020 at 7:33AM
I did mount 4 ft.. strip lights along both sides of the garage. That was at the place I just moved from. I found that two strips on each side lit up the garage nicely.. They were converted to LED. I'm getting ready to do the same thing at the house I just bought.
  Newer strip lights have electronic ballasts. That makes them completely LED compatible. 


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Steve M.


Posted By: Dubz
Date Posted: 31-May-2020 at 8:50AM
I mocked up what I was thinking, but will have to buy a few lights and see how directional the LED strips are.  I might have to instead run them on the wall but horizontally and angled towards the floor.


Has anyone got just the LED housings, or just done the florescent housing with a LED bulb?


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1974 Gran Torino in flat black 351W/C6


Posted By: hogfiddles
Date Posted: 31-May-2020 at 3:17PM
you have to be sure to check if the are ballast vs. non-ballast, etc....some are interchangeable and other are not.

-------------
1973 Gran Torino Sport - Q code “Q-Clone” project-on-hold
1972 Gran Torino Sport - Q code new project
1972 Gran Torino - parts
1969 Torino GT - M code
95+/- mid-80's Yamaha XJ-Series (10 trophies)


Posted By: Dubz
Date Posted: 22-June-2020 at 4:11AM
I found some APL Akron LED shop lights at princess auto on sale for $30 so bought a few to test with.

They are bright as heck, but they do for sure cause radio interference.  When the radio is plugged in close to the lights (also on the same breaker circuit) I get fuzz with one light on, and lose all signal with two.


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1974 Gran Torino in flat black 351W/C6



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