Finally sprang for LED lights for the basement.

[K Frame]

These...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TM97LWY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The three T8 shoplight fixtures I had down there were starting to age out. Ballast was sketchy on one, tubes were starting to fail, and all three sounded like they had angry bees in them.

I bought the 4 pack but have at this time only put two of them up. Together they do a better job of lighting the basement than the three fluorescent fixtures did as the LEDs do a better job of spreading light to the sides.

The color is actually a bit more pleasant than the daylight fluorescent bulbs I had.

And, light isn't the word for it. I think each "fixture" weighs less than a pound.

The one thing that people have mentioned is that you have to be careful handling them, as the plastic "tubes" are quite thin and it's easy to bend/crease them.

[Kingcreek]

LED tubes are great. I put a couple in my basement reloading room.
I really need to replace the 8 pairs of 8' flouros in my garage shop.

[Larry Ashcraft]

LED tubes are great. I put a couple in my basement reloading room.
I really need to replace the 8 pairs of 8' flouros in my garage shop.

Our new house is all LED. The three car garage has three 8' fixtures in the ceiling, 12 feet up, and I swear you could do surgery in there (Well, maybe I couldn't).  We'll be completely rewiring the 1969 detached two car garage this spring, for use as a shop, and blacksmith shop for my grandson.  It will be all LED.

[MillCreek]

Pretty much all the lighting in our house has been replaced by LED with the exception of the garage.  I am changing out the 4' fluorescent tubes with LED as they burn out.  All of the cans and lamps have been changed out to WIZ LED bulbs.  They can change color and be controlled with an app or via voice control to Alexa.

[French G.]

I got 8foot T12 in my shop. Buy the retrofit LED tubes or just buy new lights?

[Perd Hapley]

I got 8foot T12 in my shop. Buy the retrofit LED tubes or just buy new lights?

If the sheet metal and sockets are in good shape, replacing the fluorescent tubes with line voltage, ballast-bypass tubes is simple and cost-effective. We sell those things right and left, and people seem happy with them. I'll be doing that for my Dad's garage next month.

The tubes shouldn't cost much more than $20/each. Make sure you get the right kind of ends on them (single-pin vs HO).

[K Frame]

"Pretty much all the lighting in our house has been replaced by LED with the exception of the garage."

I'm about 90% converted. I still have 2 fluorescent tube fixtures in the front finished part of the basement. Those I'm going to replace with low profile LED cans, I think. Castle Key recently put in a bunch of those in the guest quarters over the garage at his place. The place was a bit on the dim and gloomy side before. Now it's bright and cheerful.

I also have fluorescent undercabinet lighting in the kitchen. I put that in a couple of years ago. Wanted to go LED, but the fixtures would have about tripled the cost of the job. Sorry, but no.

Earlier this year I put in motion sensor LED lights in the master bedroom walk in closet and in the pantry. Small puck that mounts on the box at the ceiling. Very nice device.

[Brad Johnson]

If the sheet metal and sockets are in good shape, replacing the fluorescent tubes with line voltage, ballast-bypass tubes is simple and cost-effective. We sell those things right and left, and people seem happy with them. I'll be doing that for my Dad's garage next month.

The tubes shouldn't cost much more than $20/each. Make sure you get the right kind of ends on them (single-pin vs HO).

I did this very thing in Dad's shop over the summer. Super easy. Pull the ballast cover, remove ballast, wirenut wires direct to tombstones, button up and install new tubes. IIRC the lamps ran about $16 each.

There are also conversion kits to take 8' fixtures and split them into two 4' segments, two lamps each. Essentially it's just a retrofit center plate to hold the additional set of tombstones. If I ever do another 8' fixture I'll go this route for lamp length convenience. Trying to haul an eight foot long anything is a giant PITA.

BRad

[K Frame]

You ever drop one of those 8-foot fluorescent tubes?

Now THAT's inconvenient. Especially when you're on a 20 foot scaffold. 

[Perd Hapley]

I did this very thing in Dad's shop over the summer. Super easy. Pull the ballast cover, remove ballast, wirenut wires direct to tombstones, button up and install new tubes. IIRC the lamps ran about $16 each.

There are also conversion kits to take 8' fixtures and split them into two 4' segments, two lamps each. Essentially it's just a retrofit center plate to hold the additional set of tombstones. If I ever do another 8' fixture I'll go this route for lamp length convenience. Trying to haul an eight foot long anything is a giant PITA.

BRad

We used to sell a lot of those kits to convert 8' fixtures to run 4' tubes, but not since we began stocking 8' tubes.

Instead of removing ballasts, I find it easier to just cut the wires and leave them sitting up there. Then again, you can't scrap them if you do that.

[Brad Johnson]

We used to sell a lot of those kits to convert 8' fixtures to run 4' tubes, but not since we began stocking 8' tubes.

Instead of removing ballasts, I find it easier to just cut the wires and leave them sitting up there. Then again, you can't scrap them if you do that.

Thought about that, but in the end I figured since I was already there and it was only two nuts, might as well get the mess out of the way.

I did take a marker and write, in big letters, "Ballast removed. Fixture modified for direct-feed LED lamps." on the off chance that someone besides me ended up working on them.

Brad

[K Frame]

What happens if you throw a fluorescent bulb into a lamp that's been converted to line voltage...

Urge to experiment rising...

[Perd Hapley]

I did take a marker and write, in big letters, "Ballast removed. Fixture modified for direct-feed LED lamps." on the off chance that someone besides me ended up working on them.

Brad

Good idea. Eiko lamps come with super-sticky, shiny, silvery stickers (say that 3 times fast), and those work, too.