"GLOWing" LED light review (no pun intended lol)

VintageMusclecar · #1 02-09-2017, 06:19 PM

Been fighting a losing battle for years with fluorescent overhead lights in the shop. Pricey bulbs went out just as quickly as the cheap ones. Cold weather meant working by the braille method. You get the idea.

Decided I'd had enough yesterday, picked up 2 of these at our local Menards:

https://www.menards.com/main/lighting-ce...ainStoreId=3240

Just got one hung.

Holy crap--instant freakin' daylight! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif[/img]

With the old fluorescent lights, I had to resort to magnifying glasses AND a flashlight to be able to read small print--like jet & metering rod #'s.

I can now read them w/o the magnifying glasses or the flashlight. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

These LED's are supposed to last ~35,000 hours. If they last even half that long I'll be happy.

For a measly $40.00 each, I'll be purchasing several more of these very soon. My old eyeballs need all the help they can get.

**scuncio** · #2 02-09-2017, 06:52 PM

Good to hear. I'm swapping out my old fluorescents too.

**Crush** · #3 02-09-2017, 07:04 PM

I have been slowly replacing my fluorescent lights w LED in the house and barn and couldn't agree more on how bright they are! The last one I bought said it will last 46 years, so I told my wife that will be the kids inheritance!!

HawkX66 · #4 02-09-2017, 07:36 PM

Great price Eric. I bought a bunch of banged up LED lights off Craigslist a couple of years ago for next to nothing and retrofitted the ones in my garage. I would NEVER go back to fluorescent. They were the worst in the cold. LED, instant on. Nice! It's nice to see the prices finally settling down a little too. I need a couple more for my reloading area.

**Charley Lillard** · #5 02-09-2017, 07:54 PM

Replaced a 6 bulb T4 4' setup with a LED I bought from Amazon. Looking at the floor you can compare the difference. The LED is over the bright section. Amazing.

**ssl78** · #6 02-09-2017, 11:51 PM

I replaced all 64 florescent bulbs in the original fixtures with LED bulbs that I bought at Costco. The difference was unreal

**mockingbird812** · #7 02-10-2017, 02:18 PM

John - I did not know you could simply swap out the f. bulbs for the LED bulbs. Do the fluorescent ballast resistors interfere with LED bulb operation or do you remove/by-pass those?

markinnaples · #8 02-10-2017, 02:19 PM

Man, I gotta do this. The florescent bulbs I just bought not that long ago are already giving me trouble. They sure don't last long.

**Charley Lillard** · #9 02-10-2017, 03:32 PM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mockingbird812</div><div class="ubbcode-body">John - I did not know you could simply swap out the f. bulbs for the LED bulbs. Do the fluorescent ballast resistors interfere with LED bulb operation or do you remove/by-pass those? </div></div>
You can buy them either way. Costco sells direct replacement bulbs.

70 copo · #10 02-10-2017, 03:47 PM

When I remodeled the 3 bay last year I switched to LED fixtures.... the main building is next. They are bright yet easy on your eyes.