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Review: LED replacements for T8 Fluorescent Tubes

As mentioned previously to DerbyDad, I ordered 40 of these LED replacements for fluorescent tubes.

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They arrived yesterday. Today I decided to relamp two, four tube fixtures. So far, I am thrilled with these tubes. 2500 lumens at

6000 degrees Kelvin, these tubes are very bright and come very close to daylight.

Installation was very easy, I could have simply put them in the fixtures with the existing ballasts, but I wanted to get rid of the ballasts as they were old and in need of replacement.

A really nice feature of these tubes is, you can use fixtures with either shunted or non-shunted tombstone connectors. Hot connects to one end of the tube and neutral to the other end. I simply cut out the ballasts, stripped the wires from either end of the fixture, bundled each side's wires together and connected one side to black and one side to white.

These two relamped fixtures give me more usable light in the barn / shop / stables than three good condition normal fluorescent fixtures.

Now to get my great grandson to convert the other eight fixtures.

Reply to
Stormin' Norman
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I installed 2 LED tubes in one shop light fixture last night. 4000K, 2400 Lumens. So far so good.

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Much brighter than the 40W T12's that are in the other fixtures and just as important, they are instant-on in a cold shop. I just ordered more for the other fixtures.

I left the ballasts in the fixture and just cut the wires close enough that they can't be used. My tubes are powered at one end, really easy to wire right where the Romex enters the fixture.

A tip: To remove the old wires from the tombstones grab the wire and spin it around while pulling gently. After a few spins it will right pop out without damaging the connection.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

For any of you guys following the thread about changing your own tires at home, I'm not saying you handy guys can't or shouldn't change your own tires. However, you really should consider something a few steps above the cheap Harbour Fright POS that is being discussed. If you want to be a cheap-ass - sure it is possible for someone who knows how to change tires to get away with the POS -but there are much better units on the market - and still at a reasonable price. No, I have not used the actual unit I am pointing you at.

Look at the Northern Tool offering -- Manual Tire Changing Station Without Floor Plate, Model# CH-22/23 for $449. Also available is TSI Manual Tire Changing Station With Floor Plate, Model# CH-22/23 FP for $649. It's only 5 times as expensive as the Harbor Fright tool - but it's at least 10 times the tool

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or
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See the tubular bead breaker, and the "rim clamp" that won't chew up yhose fancy alloy rims, A whole lot more adjustment to the bead braker, and a much better designed "shoe" on the breaker too.

With that tool, you might actually pay for it with your savings changing your own tires - if you have an understanding of what's involved and can appreciate the differnce between the "machines"

Reply to
clare

The guy at the end of my street will mount and balance tires for $15 a wheel. I can't even make a Harbor Fright tire tool make fiscal sense. The last time I had a set of mower tires mounted he just said "take care of my guy". I gave him the $30.

Reply to
gfretwell

This is the machine I'm talking about.

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Reply to
clare

I agree with you. The guy that bought my brother's shop let me do the last set I had to do for $20 for the use of the machine and the weights. He knows I know as much about using the machine as any of his guys or him, so he trusts me. That was switching over a set of used tires I bought for my truck (yes, I can be a "cheap-ass" sometimes too - but they were a set of Nokian Hakkepelitta tires I bought for half price with one easy season's use on them - still cost more than a set of cheap chinese snows.

Reply to
clare

Why are you talking about tire changers in a thread about LED replacement tubes?

Why didn't you start a new thread with a relevant subject line?

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Strange, in my reader the subject line reads "Manual Tire Changer" and when I thread the view, that is exactly how the message is displayed. Clare's message does not appear in the LED replacement tube thread.

Reply to
Stormin' Norman

Stormin' Norman laid this down on his screen :

Clare's references header (which *should* be used for threading) references this article:

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It shows as a new subject line midthread. Are you threading by subject line?

Reply to
FromTheRafters

I am using the view by thread function in Forte Agent. I am not positive what approach is used by Agent, if I have time later, I will try to look it up.

Reply to
Stormin' Norman

My guess is that Clare changed the Subject Line in the LED thread. Some news readers will create a new thread based on the changed subject line, others, such as GG will note the new subject in the post, but keep the original thread intact.

For example, n GG, your OP shows your handle and then the body of your post:

***** Stormin' Norman

As mentioned previously to DerbyDad...

*****

My response shows the same thing, i.e. my handle and then the body.

However, Clare's "response" has his handle, his new Subject Line (in bold in GG) and then body of his post.

***** snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca

Manual tire changers (in bold)

For any of you guys following the thread about changing your own tires...

*****
Reply to
DerbyDad03

If it were me, I would consider using a real news reader....;-) Oh wait, you didn't want me to write that... ;-)

Come on, that fruit was hanging just a little to low to not pick it....

Reply to
Stormin' Norman

I don't mind it as joke, it's the high and mighty responses from those that don't walk in my shoes that show how clueless some people can be.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Yeah, it does.

1 D 25:[Stormin' Nor] Review: LED replacements for T8 Fluorescent Tubes

-> D-9999 45:[DerbyDad03 ] > 3 D 27:[clare@snyder] Manual tire changers

nb

Reply to
notbob

I relamped the 2 tube fixture in my computer work room and could probably have used one tube to be as bright as the old tubes. They are bright and very easy to install. They seem to work ok in my garage at cold temps too no waiting for them to warm up.

Reply to
Larry Fisk

Question: in a two bulb fixture with florescents, do you have to replace both bulbs at the same time with LED?

Reply to
T

I would imagine the current draw is completely different, so yes (if they're wired in series).

Reply to
James Wilkinson Sword

Leaving the ballast in reduces the life of the LEDS.

Reply to
James Wilkinson Sword

No, not if you understand how to properly rewire the fixture. Note, I made an error in my review. These tubes WILL NOT run off the existing ballasts. The ballasts need to be removed from the circuit.

This was not an issue for me as I wanted to get rid of the ballasts completely.

Reply to
Stormin' Norman

On Tue, 13 Dec 2016 22:36:08 -0500, snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca advised:

Motorcycles are different than cars in that every biker I know changes his own tires at home.

Most car owners don't.

Two different beasts altogether.

The tools are different (especially for balancing).

Reply to
Frank Baron

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