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Studio Lighting Led Bulbs To Replace T-8's


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I read an article in home power magazine about LED florescent tubes. They bought them on e-bay to replace T-8s for about $12 each.The t-8s draw 46 watts the led use 20 watts.
I have a boat load of t-8 fixtures in 4 and two bulb configurations.
Since then I have replaced about 9 fixtures most in studio and some in kiln loading area. I still have about 5 left to do but am now testing them. They come is warm and cold lights and clear and striped (diffused).I have mixed some warm and cold in the studioand the light quality is good . Outside kiln area I want the most light so I chosse the 6500 clear bulbs. These are all plastic lens and are made in china. They say 50,000 hours.
These bulbs operate on 120 volts and you need to cut the ballast out of the circuit. So one end of fixture wires to the nuetral the other end wires to the hot wire. You can leave the ballest in place or remove it.These tend to be brighter or as bright as the t-8s.In our area we have expensive power so this will make sense in the long run-within two years the bulbs will be close to free..
Mark

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I do run my lights lot so half the cost makes sense to me.Since retrofiting is so easy-thats why I'm posting this energy saver. They also run cool compared to ballast lights.Another asspect is outside in cold weather they do not flicker at all.

Mark

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I do run my lights lot so half the cost makes sense to me.Since retrofiting is so easy-thats why I'm posting this energy saver. They also run cool compared to ballast lights.Another asspect is outside in cold weather they do not flicker at all.Mark

Sorry but could not resist being silly ... I also switched to bulbs that are guaranteed to last forever ... The outdoor ones barely lasted through one winter ( well, sometimes winter seems like forever ) but the indoor ones are still working .... cooler and brighter.

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I have two questions regarding the Led light bulbs

1. Specifications say you need to replace all bulbs in a fixture, if the fixtures are wired in a series do you need to replace all the bulbs at once or just the two in the fixture.

2. Is it worth the cost if rent your space and don't know how long you will be there?

Thanks for any input. You have.

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emptynester ... as an alternative to replacing bulbs and ballasts to get LEDs in a rental space, you might consider these LED shoplights offered by samsclub.  I have recently setup a small studio in our semi-finished basement.  We have not yet done the work to put in suspended ceilings and permanent fixtures but I want to work in the studio NOW.  The space is roughly 12x24 and 2 of these fixtures light the place up like the sun.  They are plugin (5 ft cord so may need an extension cord) rather than permanently wired so you can take them with you when you leave.  Once we get the ceilings in, I plan to move these to our workshop space.  At 4200 lumens, 40 watts,  50,000 hrs and $37 they are a bargain even if they can't be maintained (no user replaceable parts).  And maybe best of all, they DO NOT HUM!

 

The only negative I can really find (and it's not a big deal) is that there is no difuser cover over the fixture.  You should mount these high enough that you aren't looking at the LEDs directly as they are very bright.

 

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/4ft-led-shoplight-shoplight-led/prod16460030.ip

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I have two questions regarding the Led light bulbs

1. Specifications say you need to replace all bulbs in a fixture, if the fixtures are wired in a series do you need to replace all the bulbs at once or just the two in the fixture.

2. Is it worth the cost if rent your space and don't know how long you will be there?

Thanks for any input. You have.

 

#1 You cut the wiring out so you bypass the ballest-most fixtures use a jumper so each bulb will work on its own.

#2 since you rest I would not cut the ballest out and just by a complete fixture and take that when you leave as mentioned in above post

Costco sells these as well.

mark

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