Shop lighting, tool and ect.

[rickwai]

I know most of us on here tinker and as we all know good lighting in the shop is a huge help especially as we get older! I replaced my aging T8 bulbs with the led direct wire bulb. What a difference!! And my trailer I picked up this fall to haul stoves, pellets and my Grasshopper when needed. What do you all got?

 

[zrock]

Ahhh yes the led bulbs are nice... Did a reno in a public bathroom a few years ago and on sale it was cheaper for me to replace the fixture and all instead of getting just the bulbs. Same amount of fixtures and light output was double and they payed for themselves the first year in power savings.. Now i wish i had a shop that size id never leave

 

[tlc1976]

https://www.ruralking.com/feit-elec...MI8MaouoSw7gIVBNvACh2xGgghEAQYBiABEgLpJvD_BwE

Mine had 4 100w bulbs from the previous owner. So I replaced them with these 300w equivalent CFLs. Got mine from Menards I think for $17 a bulb. It took a few days to get used to the brightness.

For a trailer I’ve got a Haulmark 5x8 enclosed. It just fits a ton on a pallet. I got it on Christmas eve 2000 and it’s paid for itself easily over the years.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Depends on the application. The general machine and weld shop is all LED but the motorcycle storage is T8's in quad fixtures with diffusers.

Over the precision machines, lather, mills and grinders, there are additional and lower hanging double tube T8's that I run 6000K tubes in because I need concentrated lighting there.

One downside of any LED is, if one SMD fails in the tube, the tube goes dark and has to be replaced and I've had that happen a couple times. The best use scenario on LED's is never power them down just run them 24-7. The SMD's really don't like to be cycled. The LED over my engine lathe that resides in the motorcycle storage area has never been powered down, has run for over 4 years and never failed. That is a lot of run time 24 x 365 x 4 = 35,000 + run time hours.

 

[SidecarFlip]

https://www.ruralking.com/feit-elec...MI8MaouoSw7gIVBNvACh2xGgghEAQYBiABEgLpJvD_BwE

Mine had 4 100w bulbs from the previous owner. So I replaced them with these 300w equivalent CFLs. Got mine from Menards I think for $17 a bulb. It took a few days to get used to the brightness.

For a trailer I’ve got a Haulmark 5x8 enclosed. It just fits a ton on a pallet. I got it on Christmas eve 2000 and it’s paid for itself easily over the years.

Don't much care for CFC's because the aren't very efficient. They produce a lot of wasted heat that the ballast requires. That heat is a 100% loss.

 

[Highbeam]

I have a shop with the same white metal ceiling. Tons of t8 fixtures. 1000 watts when both switches are on.

So did you just bypass the ballasts, use the same tombstones, and pop in the led tubes?

 

[SidecarFlip]

If you are asking me, I did the ballast delete on the existing fixtures and used the tombstone ends., but I also have some dedicated LED fixtures as well. Like I said, the one downside is, when you loose an SMD, you loose the tube. The upside is the current draw. The entire shop on LED's draws maybe 1/4 of what it was on T8's. I can eat that up pretty quick when I fire up a big 3 phase motor or fire up the TIG welder.

Other plus is, LED's are basically unimpacted by colder temps. My shop is heated and air conditioned but I don't keep the ambient like in the house where the corn stove is always chugging. The shop has in floor PEX and I hold the slab at 60 in the winter.

 

[rickwai]

I have a shop with the same white metal ceiling. Tons of t8 fixtures. 1000 watts when both switches are on.

So did you just bypass the ballasts, use the same tombstones, and pop in the led tubes?

Exactly. Just wired 8 ends as neutral and 8 centers as line and marked it. Very easy, there is plenty of wire in there to do it. Led bulbs are polarity sensitive. bulbs are marked line and neutral. I checked amp draw before and after, it reduced by almost half

 

[rickwai]

https://www.ruralking.com/feit-elec...MI8MaouoSw7gIVBNvACh2xGgghEAQYBiABEgLpJvD_BwE

Mine had 4 100w bulbs from the previous owner. So I replaced them with these 300w equivalent CFLs. Got mine from Menards I think for $17 a bulb. It took a few days to get used to the brightness.

For a trailer I’ve got a Haulmark 5x8 enclosed. It just fits a ton on a pallet. I got it on Christmas eve 2000 and it’s paid for itself easily over the years.

I have tried those in different applications, but they take to long for me to warm up when it is cold out. My shop is only heated when I am out there.

 

[Ssyko]

Closed my shop 7yrs ago so now the paint booth is full of motorcycles and STUFF. some stoves are still in there but most of my time is spent in the new hangout. lighting is led

 

[tlc1976]

I have tried those in different applications, but they take to long for me to warm up when it is cold out. My shop is only heated when I am out there.

Mine is too. By the time I get the heater ready, and get my stuff ready to work, the lights are full brightness. I just wanted something plug and play, and economical as I didn’t have a lot of money, and that was the best solution 5 years ago. If I was out there all the time I might install LED fixtures. They’re always getting better and cheaper.

 

[stoveliker]

Don't much care for CFC's because the aren't very efficient. They produce a lot of wasted heat that the ballast requires. That heat is a 100% loss.

But your T8s are precisely the same, just straight...?

 

[tlc1976]

Don't much care for CFC's because the aren't very efficient. They produce a lot of wasted heat that the ballast requires. That heat is a 100% loss.

It’s also a 100% loss having to run your lights 24/7 when you’re not out there. To each our own.

 

[SidecarFlip]

It’s also a 100% loss having to run your lights 24/7 when you’re not out there. To each our own.

I don't, was just pointing out that cycling them on and off decreases the overall life. I do leave on on, the one over the toolroom lathe in the cycle storage section as a night light. Only one so I'm not stumbling around in the dark and tripping over stuff.

Obviously you read my comment selectively... "The LED over my engine lathe that resides in the motorcycle storage area has never been powered down, has run for over 4 years and never failed. That is a lot of run time 24 x 365 x 4 = 35,000 + run time hours. "
Cherry picking a comment isn't the proper way to address it.........

 

[SidecarFlip]

But your T8s are precisely the same, just straight...?

No, they aren't. The replacement tubes are LED, the old tubes were fluorescent.

 

[tlc1976]

I don't, was just pointing out that cycling them on and off decreases the overall life. I do leave on on, the one over the toolroom lathe in the cycle storage section as a night light. Only one so I'm not stumbling around in the dark and tripping over stuff.

Obviously you read my comment selectively... "The LED over my engine lathe that resides in the motorcycle storage area has never been powered down, has run for over 4 years and never failed. That is a lot of run time 24 x 365 x 4 = 35,000 + run time hours. "
Cherry picking a comment isn't the proper way to address it.........

I did read it all. That’s why I said to each our own. No hard feelings. None of our lighting methods are perfect but they work for us. Mine make a little more heat but they were a cheap quick install and have lasted over 5 years even with the vibration of the roll up door. Yours you have to leave running but the extra expense is worth it vs replacing them more often. Higher efficiency lights come at a higher price but depending on how much you use the shop it can be worth it or not.

 

[SidecarFlip]

My shop is part of my income and I'm always in there if I'm not farming. I do heavy fabrication and repair earth moving loader buckets plus I do welding in the field and in the shop so at least 25 hours a week year around. being a working farm, most all of everything is a tax write off anyway and I have a crack accountant that takes full advantage of every loophole. I will say that the LED's have appreciably cut down the electric bill, the shop is on it's own meter so I can track KWH usage if I want too and I have 408 / 3 on the pole and 220 / 3 incoming with 300 amp mains.

 

[Highbeam]

I know most of us on here tinker and as we all know good lighting in the shop is a huge help especially as we get older! I replaced my aging T8 bulbs with the led direct wire bulb. What a difference!! And my trailer I picked up this fall to haul stoves, pellets and my Grasshopper when needed. What do you all got?
View attachment 272502View attachment 272503View attachment 272504

So, after reading this thread one of my ballasts failed in a t8 fixture. It’s actually cheaper to do this led conversion than to replace a ballast.

Turns out that these led t8 bulbs actually make much less light output at 1800 Lumens than the t8 at like 2800 but since they are directional, the output is equivalent if not slightly brighter. Half the wattage and instant full power.

I converted 20 bulbs so I save 360 watts anytime they’re on.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I could make you all jealous if I posted pictures of my shop but I'm not photogenic. Lets just say it's loaded with metal fabrication tools and even has an overhead crane. Mills, drills, lathes, surface grinders, plasma table, slip rolls, arbor press, forming brake arc, gas pulsed MIG and TIG welders too.

I don't do wood, I do metal. I suck with wood plain and simple.

Heated and air conditioned too. I like comfort, winter and summer.

 

[stoveliker]

I do wood. But I used to do metal. And I'm still jealous...

Checked out your website. If (when...) I get a bike again, you'll be hearing from me.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I have patents on all the signature products for what a patent is worth which is about nothing. More of a feel good thing than anything else. I do a ton of heavy fabrication, mostly loader buckets for articulated loaders and some large backhoe buckets plus I do in the field repairs but I like my 'junk' delivered, I don't like fixing stuff in muddy construction sites, especially in the winter. I sharpen commercial chipper knives too (another dirty job), have a contract with Asplundh to run their commercial chipper knives. Keeps my big surface grinder busy and an employee, employed.

I retired from my 'day job' and got busier with my own business. Advantage is, instead of having a boss, I'm the boss.

I toy around with cleaning and servicing biomass stoves but I'd never tell my wife that. far as she's concerned I'm crazy.

 

[JRHAWK9]

Picked up a couple of these to see how I like them. If I like them I will replace the rest of them with them.
Amazon product ASIN B0897JC95G

 

[SidecarFlip]

Wrong link. It's your weather but it did conjure up a long forgotten memory, I was engaged to a 'cheesehead' gal from Wisconsin Dells years ago.

 

[JRHAWK9]

Wrong link. It's your weather but it did conjure up a long forgotten memory, I was engaged to a 'cheesehead' gal from Wisconsin Dells years ago.

You are probably running an ad-blocker....as I am. It blocks all Amazon links. You have to temporarily disable it and then you will see it.

Small world! Wonder if my GF knows her, as she's been living here her whole life. She's 46.

 

[SidecarFlip]

She was a hottie back then but probably not so hot now. That was 30 years ago. I'm an old fart. Most likely has a bunch of kids and weighs 300 pounds. I love good memories.