Shop Lighting Tip

[Downeaster]

If, like me, your 16 year old ambition is being hampered by 60-mumble year old eyes, you know that lighting is critical.

I started with 100 watt incandescents in my garage. Better than a coal oil torch, but not much.

Then I heard about cold-start T11 fluorescents. MUCH better, and will start down to near zero, but do need some time to come up to full brightness.

Now I've discovered 4 foot LED strips. The fixture looks just like an old-fashioned chain-hung fluorescent fixture, but the light comes from a double row of LED's. HOLY DAYLIGHT, BATMAN!

MUCH brighter, 34 watts power consumption and WalMart has them for less than $20 per fixture. What's not to love?

Oddly, it's not listed on their web site, but its the Hyper Tough 4 foot Hanging LED Shop Light, SKU 755277813005

 

[Jim]

A neighbor of mine just installed these. I'm sold.

 

[ThatXS650Guy]

Nice. I have quite a few four tube fluorescent fixtures that I will be converting over to LED.
I would also suggest painting the ceiling and walls with a semi-gloss bright white. Not only does it reflect the existing light but it discourages spiders and mold.

 

[willis]

I bought these 8’ single row LED lights for $20 each. They flush mount with 2 screws and are inter-connected to each other. I got mine from a guy on CL, he must have bought in bulk and was selling cheap. They really light up my shop. I still use a halogen over my workbench for specific focus area, but I am very happy with them.

 

[gggGary]

4 4' LED shop lights so far, adding more, now the wife wants them in the barn. I'm with you on the no such thing as too much light in the shop.

 

[MaxPete]

I've got several 4 ft LED units and they really are superb.

...I've even got one 4-foot LED light that has a built-in Bluetooth(tm) speaker that links to the music in my iPhone / iPad / iWhateverthehellI'vegot - it works great!.

 

[Beags64]

Re-lamped existing fixtures. Adhesive backed LED strips, gutted tubes and ballasts, fresh coat of paint = WAY better. Got the strips off Fleabay - 10M w/transformer for less than $30ea. Think I bought 3 (and some jumper wires), cut to length and stick away.

 

[MaxPete]

That looks pretty slick Beags - good solution.

I paid about $55/each for my 4-ft LED units (including the Bluetooth one - I guess it was around $62) - but one of my former grad students got a whole passel (like maybe 8-10) of them for $100 on eBay. Identical to mine - but 1/6 the cost.

Young people.....

 

[CoconutPete]

When we bought our house, it had one of those "operating room" 4-tube monstrosities in the kitchen. One of those random things that seemed like a good idea in the 90's along with gold door handles......

Anyway ... I moved it to the garage after a kitchen remodel and also discovered LED tubes in the process. Big fan here!

 

[cra-z1]

I opted for these square led lights from Home Depot. I little spend I thought, Have 10 total . They give off a lot of light but I could use a bit more over the bench. What is nice about them is thsy can be operated from the existing switch. I just had to wire in a few more boxes.

 

[Jim]

There's too much room in there... you need more bikes.
I used to live in Mt. Home. Where abouts in Idaho are you?

 

[cra-z1]

Coeur D Alene. Two hours south of the border. No on more bikes. Over the last year I sold 4 of them. There are a few more you can't see

 

[ThatXS650Guy]

It's a rather tidy shop cra-z1. I can see you are a Kawasaki fan as well.

 

[DogBunny]

Helped a friend retrofit to 8' LEDs in his shop a year ago. Yeah, they are amazing... Blindingly bright -- literally. If you look at them, you will be seeing after images every time you blink for the next 5 minutes...

 

[Downeaster]

Nice Shop cra-z1. Jim covered the obligatory "need more bikes" crack so I'll just comment on your rather anemic CD collection...

 

[angus67]

What is a passel? Like a bushel?
I have 4x4 footers, 3 of them ,and a 2x4 over work bench, and another over washer and dryer. I really should convert .

 

[racerdave]

I opted for these square led lights from Home Depot. I little spend I thought, Have 10 total . They give off a lot of light but I could use a bit more over the bench. What is nice about them is thsy can be operated from the existing switch. I just had to wire in a few more boxes.View attachment 114045

Wait a Minute, Craz. More pics of that root beer Z please

 

[MaxPete]

View attachment 114133 What is a passel? Like a bushel?
I have 4x4 footers, 3 of them ,and a 2x4 over work bench, and another over washer and dryer. I really should convert .

PASSEL(n) = a sh!tload, a frickin' bunch, a big-@ss load...etc.

....unlike cra-z1 who has just a few bikes and not nearly enough Kawasaki Z1s...

 

[cra-z1]

Nice Shop cra-z1. Jim covered the obligatory "need more bikes" crack so I'll just comment on your rather anemic CD collection...

Gotta have tunes out there.

 

[cra-z1]

Wait a Minute, Craz. More pics of that root beer Z please