Thread: Workshop LIghting .. LED Replacements for Fluoroescent Tubes

Hi Bob,

So your power consumption should drop to 480 or so Watts after fixing the ballasts, and I'd estimate it would drop to 170-180W after changing to LED tubes.

Changing all of the 10 fittings to led tubes will draw a total of 0.75A that's less than the 0.8A drawn by that one fitting you have without ballast...

Ray

Since this thread is basically about workshop lighting, here's an interesting alternative approach.. This lighting system came up for discussion on the old tools mailing list, and would make for the ultimate in workshop lighting..



http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-.../#.voeeenzfs1y

Ray

Very interesting Ray.
I wonder how hot that light source is and how much space it takes up?
I have one clear PC sheet in the WW section of my shed but it lets way too much heat in so I keep it covered with shade cloth in summer so something like this could maybe get around this.

BTW forgot to ask if the LED tubes will work with the old Ballasts I have in my fluoros or will I have to get the newer electronic type?

Originally Posted by BobL

Very interesting Ray.
I wonder how hot that light source is and how much space it takes up?
I have one clear PC sheet in the WW section of my shed but it lets way too much heat in so I keep it covered with shade cloth in summer so something like this could maybe get around this.

BTW forgot to ask if the LED tubes will work with the old Ballasts I have in my fluoros or will I have to get the newer electronic type?

You can leave the old ballast in, or you can remove it. The LED tubes will work either way. They were designed to be drop-in replacements without need to call the electrician.

Originally Posted by BobL

BTW forgot to ask if the LED tubes will work with the old Ballasts I have in my fluoros or will I have to get the newer electronic type?

If you have old style magnetic ballasts you can just leave them. If you have electronic ballasts fitted, they must be removed. Refer back to the first post for circuit diagrams of the two types of tube.

Ray

Originally Posted by RayG

If you have old style magnetic ballasts you can just leave them. If you have electronic ballasts fitted, they must be removed. Refer back to the first post for circuit diagrams of the two types of tube.

Ray

Thanks, I figure If I'm up for two ballasts I might as well just buy the LED tubes instead.

Howdy
I work for Philips, medical not lighting, but we share a building. The LED fluro replacements have several generations and variations. Some can be just swapped leaving wiring the same. Others require ballast bypassed or shorted and a "starter" replaced with one provided that is actually. 500mA fuse. Good to google the ones you have to check.
The light output is almost always only to one side not 360 degrees and does not work in some housings. There are some expensive ones where the caps can be rotated to account for this.
I picked up some from work and modded all the ones at home and love them. Our power bill for a house of 5 is less than the average for a single occupant dwelling! And we do not have gas.

They make special ones for butchers and coloured ones too. Got given some and they are red, not very useful.

James


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is this correct ...scroll forward to just after 5mins and watch the the watt meter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMtwqyB3Z6U

Originally Posted by eskimo

is this correct ...scroll forward to just after 5mins and watch the the watt meter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMtwqyB3Z6U

I think he screwed up somewhere, he says he is running two 40 watt tubes, and drawing only 35 watts? Doesn't make sense to me.

Ray

Originally Posted by RayG

I think he screwed up somewhere, he says he is running two 40 watt tubes, and drawing only 35 watts? Doesn't make sense to me.

Ray

Yeah I reckon he measure the power through 2 LED tubes but through only one fluro.

Originally Posted by BobL

Yeah I reckon he measure the power through 2 LED tubes but through only one fluro.

but both were lit and I could only see one plug
assumming he isnt deliberately falsifying the results, led doesnt really look that cheap to run

but that doesnt make sense does it?..we are being told otherwise.

I wouldn't trust one of those plug packs unless you'd tested it yourself. I have two that are no were near each other and from memory even on their own aren't repeatable enough to compare two readings. Maybe I just got a dud? I really should test them one day, though I was planning on making the problem go away by buying a real meter.

Stuart

I think that each of his tubes may be actually be 20 watt that give a similar light output as a 40 watt (actually 36 watt now in Aus) fluorescent tube.
I bought 2 LED tubes from Ebay and they are 20 watt tubes but are every bit as bright as the old flouro's. I am very happy with them. No flicker and instant on.
I bought them about 6 months ago and paid about $30 each. The price is dropping and I am thinking I will replace the ones in the shed.

One advantage of LED Fluoro replacements that has not been mentioned so far is, that they generally are repairable. The innards can be removed from the clear plastic tube. Single LED's may be replaced. And also the series capacitor can be replaced (that is probably the most likely single component inside a LED replacement tube to fail). For a handy diy'er, this may be a very major benefit.

Disadvantages of LED Fluoro replacement not mentioned so far:
- there is likely a mayor reduction of light output during the lifetime.
- and be wary of some older make LED fluoros that still used series resistors to reduce the line voltage and limit current. For a given light output, these are not any more energy efficient than ordinary fluoro tubes, because voltage is just tranformed into heat in the series resistors.
- also, older make LED fluoros did have problems with temperature. By the long clear tube design, it is not possible to mount the LED's onto heat sinks to dissipate heat, like this is done in other lights. Once the LED's inside reach a certain temperature, the light output is diminished, and at the same time the life of the tube diminishes too, by as much at halving life span for every 10 degrees temperature rise. Temperature rise may be much less of a problem in an European home, compared to an Australian workshop/shed. Energy savings are calculated based on an assumed life of the LED tube, but a tube operated at 20C above normal room temperature may live for only 25% of the design life.