Tube swap

[John Rudd]

Swapped out the fluey lights in the garage for led tubes…,Boy big difference, more light for less power….

Checked the current draw the other day, with all six on, pulling just over 2 Amps…now with leds, just over 1A….

In fact the light output is so good and distributed, I can see quite well in the garage with just one bank on….

Cost me £42 for 6 4’ tubes.

Result!….Eat that British Gas……


I can go back in and start working again…l

[Pete.]

I have done the same with the same revelation. You get loads more light for a lot less power but it does make for crappy photos.

[mcostello]

I changed the whole house over to LED's. Found a Company selling them for around $3.40 a peice. Spent $140 projected payback was around 2 years. The savings were a little more than I figured and it took around 1 year and 2 months. I am now approaching 3 years usage and had 1 die. Another benefit was some in garage and basement did not like to start in winter, LED's fixed that. Also electric bill went up and is close to the amount it was before improvement.

[tom osselton]

That was my complaint they tell you how much you’ll save then up their prices to compensate for their loss. Remember self serve gas stations when they first came out? “Pass the savings to you”  ( for a while )

[SwarfnStuff]

Swapped out the fluey lights in the garage for led tubes…,Boy big difference, more light for less power…

Ha John, I just suggested that in the other thread. (Ain't depression grand?)
   Great minds and all that.
Cheers,

John B

[John Rudd]

John,
It was your reply that prompted my action, and Andrews (awemawson) comments some time ago too, so credit to you both….

[hanermo]

My tubes are also getting swapped.

8x about 1.6 m long ..
I just need to find a nice colour and fitting.

My test versions (3) are nice and (too) bright, but a bit cold.

[SwarfnStuff]

Glad you had a saving in cost John.
Might gain more savings by eliminating the ballast but a quick search on that topic got me confused as it seemed to depend on type of LED tube etc.
Google, the source of mixed information a lot of the time.
 
John B

[John Rudd]

John,
The replacement tubes came with instructions on fitting, I just followed them for the sake of simplicity, but as you say the ballast and starter can be removed and the incoming supply wired directly to the tube as annotated…

However, if the need arises I can revert to refitting the original tubes.

[philf]

Hi John, Are the tubes available in Warm White? All the LED batten fittings seem to come in Cold White which I don't like at all. Phil.

[SwarfnStuff]

Yeah John, I think most do come with the easy install option and keeping the ballast and starter gizmo does make it a reversible lighting setup.

Personally, I cannot think of a reason i would ever want to go back to Flourescent lighting.
See how you go with the new set-up as so far it sounds like you are happy with em.

John B (the other John  ).

[awemawson]

I kept the ballasts and used the shorting ‘starter’ on mine simply for convenience as many of my tubes are way up in the gods and access is not at all easy to do any internal Re wiring.

[John Rudd]

Phil,
There were 2 choices of tube, 4000k and 6700 (? )….I opted for the 4000k version and is pleasant enough.