Workers Of Wood

I finally quit putting off changing out the rest of my T12 ballasts with LED tubes. I still have 3 out of 12 fixtures with T8 ballasts and bulbs that won’t get changed out until they go bad most likely.

I used the bulbs with internal drivers which meant the ballasts were no longer needed but the fixtures need re-wiring which takes a few minutes but isn’t hard to do. One less component to fail with this system.

The new bulbs are brighter and only use about 60% as much energy. With fluorescent tubes light is emitted in all directions so you need a clean reflector behind it and a cover (diffuser) to keep it all clean. With the LED tubes 100% of the light is on the bottom side of the tube so I can operate them without covers. Plus the light is whiter which also helps. It’s easy to spot the T8s in the pictures.

are they near daylight in color???

Nice big shop.

Bushwhacker

Stick486 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 07, 2023 11:34 pm are they near daylight in color???

I think they are 5000K in color so close. I don't like the 6500K ones, they are too close to blue in color. I don't like the T12 color either, too yellow. Around 5000K illuminates better with the best color accuracy for me.

David it is a good size but it still falls under one of Murphy's Laws. "No matter what size your shop is you will eventually over fill it."

I replaced mine with the direct wire 4000K bulbs. I didn't choose them, I bought them because that is what they had. They are supposed to be a warmer tone than the 5000K but still look quite white and bright to me. I have been happier with them than the florescent bulbs. Better light and none of that buzzing that can go on.

HandyDan wrote: ↑Wed Feb 08, 2023 2:46 pm I replaced mine with the direct wire 4000K bulbs. I didn't choose them, I bought them because that is what they had. They are supposed to be a warmer tone than the 5000K but still look quite white and bright to me. I have been happier with them than the florescent bulbs. Better light and none of that buzzing that can go on.

Sort of the same for me. I was at a ReStore (I think ours are also associated with Habitat for Humanity) and they had a box with 21 tubes for $5 each so I bought them all. 4000K would be more yellowish than 5000K. The florescent tubes would have been between 2700 and 3200K I think. They are better light, instant on with no warm up period like florescent, and as you say they don't hum. Plus only 60% as much power to run them. And they last much longer. Pretty much superior in every way.

Stick486 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:08 am

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I thought florescent light was farther down the scale than that. I think it also makes a difference which type you have. The T8s I installed seemed whiter and brighter than the T12s were despite being 32W instead of 40W. The 32W T12s seemed yellower than the 40W tubes as well. I find light from 6500K bulbs to be too blue and hard on the eyes. My wife put blue halogen lights in her vehicle years ago and I had trouble seeing with them despite they supposedly being brighter than standard bulbs.

any style tube in any output in a 5600K will give you white light...

Cherryville Chuck wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 11:25 am and I had trouble seeing with them despite they supposedly being brighter than standard bulbs.

here too.. age catching up w/ us...

color of artificial matters to many as health issues...
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