Shop Lights

ddickey said:
I do not have fixtures so will probably get the integrated. I thought 6000k were bad for your eyes?
Everything I've seen around here so far are 4000k.
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Some of the newer LED fixtures offer variable color. I just got an LED panel to replace an old Fluorescent fixture in the laundry room. My wife wanted this one because it has three light spectrums to choose from so she can try out the different ones then leave it on whatever she likes best.

The bad thing about LEDs is they just go and go, so you want to get it right, or you will be replacing a perfectly good bulb. I've been replacing bulbs with LED as they go out since 2012 and I haven't had to replace even one of the LED bulbs yet.
 
In the shop I already had fixtures with 4' 2 tube Florescent lights. I bypassed the ballast and installed LED T8 tubes. 24 tubes in a 20X36 shop. Amazing change and they have been in for about 4 years now with only one tube failing. I also installed a 4'X2' panel in the kitchen and it is way more light than the old 4 tube florescent fixture.
 
I have four shop lights in my shop. Two are t8s and the other two are LEDs. All four work fine, the LEDs are a little brighter but sharper. For a different room I replace the incandescent bulb with a Philips wide surface LED that I got from Home Depot. Uses 16 watts but the same as 75, The darn thing fills the whole room (12x12) with a nice light. Had to leave the glass globe off. Doesn't matter, looks nice without it.
 
Harbor Freight has 5000 lumen fixtures, that can be had for $18 if you get a coupon online. Don't know if they have one right now. But I put up 6 of them in a 24x32 room with white painted walls and ceiling, and it's very bright.
I've had T12 (ballast) and T8 (solid state) fixtures in the shop, and they all fail over time. Especially if it's cold.
 
Walmart sells 4 foot 3000 or 5000 lumen LED shop lights with a pull chain. I have one above every machine in my shop, must have 8 or 10 of them. My general shop lighting in a 40 x 32 shop is 9 4' old fluorescent fixtures converted to LED lights.

Bruce
 
I started with 20 fluorescent lights in my basement shop 30 years ago. I started replacing them with Home Depot LED ones when they went out. Now, I'm replacing them with the Harbor Freight LED ones (SKU #64410). They are brighter than the HD ones and cheaper. I really like them. With coupon, they can be had for under $20.
 
You should be able to find 'single strip integrated 4' tubes' for under $7 ea in quantities of 10 -16. Double strip or bulbs side by side do little to increase light but do double the power usage.
Aaron
 
I have one 6000K fixture, and one several 5000K fixtures, I never bought a 4000K because that is to yellow for my taste, I have found the the 6000K is to blue for my taste. 5000K is for me the closest to the color of sunlight. So if I paint something in the house it looks the same when it gets outside. The blue in the 6000K makes the colors look weird. Everyones eyes are different. you have to experiment to find which color works best for your eyes. My best color may not be your best color.
 
I put 12 of these to cover 980 sq ft of shop floor. I am impressed and amazed. I might add another over my machine area to buck the shadows under my mill head, but otherwise the shop is bright and awesome.


For kelvin temperature, I prefer 5000K. 6k is too harsh and leads to fatigue. My opinion may not be shared, but I've spent a lot of time on illumination studies as part of my job and can get mind-bogglingly technical on the subject. 5k is a sweet spot.
 
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