Garage lighting upgraded - WOW

DynamicCaps

DynamicCaps

Dynamiccaps.com
Regular
C6 C7 You're Liked You're a Regular
Messages
507
Reaction score
770
VetteCoins
17,858
Car
22’ C8 Corvette 2LT
Province
NB
I was never happy with my garage lighting and I found when doing paint correction and coatings/waxes … I have to use a hand held light.

I purchased these 4’ LED tubes , and with a simple removal of the ballast in my original fixtures , BAM …. I have mega MEGA light.

I also installed 2 of these 4’ LED shop lights from Costco for some extra light when I want/need it.

Complete transformation and detailing my car(s) just levelled up ! If your lights are not the brightest , consider these above. Read the specs! The Amazon LED’s will work in any 4’ fixture. You just remove (or bypass) the ballast. Super simple to do.

IMG_4857.jpeg


IMG_4859.jpeg


IMG_4860.jpeg
 
So I bought a pack of 48” LED tubes from Home Depot that install directly into the identical fixtures you have, and I do too. Run on the oem ballasts. No modification required. Pathetic light compared to my high intensity fluorescents that are long discontinued, and my stash is dwindling. Returned them.

Any experience with those as compared to the Amazon ones? Hate to have to pay for return shipping if they are no bueno. I am picky on lumens. Most lie about CR and lumens.

Most if not all LEDs produce harsh light, unless filtered. Do yours?

Hard to tell from photos how much light yours put out. We need a light meter 🤪
 
Ok, so here are the finer details.

I went from standard 4' fluorescents (pathetic light) to Costco LED's .. and while I thought wow, great improvement, I still had to use a handheld light to detail my cars. and I have 8 tubes overhead the 2 car side of my garage.

The Costco LED's were FEIT Electric, 4000K/14WS, 1750 Lumens (use existing ballast)

After a year or so now of being disappointed, I started looking for a solution. The Amazon Bulbs had the specs, so I thought what the heck, and ordered them

Amazon LED's (linked above) are SHOPLED, 5000K/36W and 4680 Lumens (ballast bypass)

THEY ARE WAY WAY WAY WAY (3x-4x?) Brighter than the Costco LED's I have now thrown out. Not sure about "Harsh" .. I love these and they do not burn out my retina's at all. Pleasent.

So while you are overthinking my assessment, they are on sale for 11% off + a $10.00 coupon for 4 bulbs :) $59.99 for 4

DO IT ! Thanks me later @carbuff :Cheers2:
 
OK, thanks so much for the info. Sounds good. I will order a set to test out!

[EDIT]/ Wait! Just read the reviews on these tubes.
The bad reviews are really bad. You bought a bunch of these. How many were bad/cracked/damaged in the package?
People also say they burn out in 2 weeks.

But the good reviews are really good! So it seems like very inconsistent product.

Have you tested them in an unheated garage in the winter? Most LED have a minimum temperature rating, below which they will not turn on (similar issue to fluorescent ballast). Is there any rating stamped on the tubes?
 
Last edited:
Mine have been installed only a couple weeks.

1 bulb out of 12 was bad and they swiftly replaced it

Otherwise these live in a heated garage so not worried about that if it’s even an issue in the winter.

Try them, send them back if you don’t like them.

I love them
 
carbuff said:
OK, thanks so much for the info. Sounds good. I will order a set to test out!

[EDIT]/ Wait! Just read the reviews on these tubes.
The bad reviews are really bad. You bought a bunch of these. How many were bad/cracked/damaged in the package?
People also say they burn out in 2 weeks.

But the good reviews are really good! So it seems like very inconsistent product.

Have you tested them in an unheated garage in the winter? Most LED have a minimum temperature rating, below which they will not turn on (similar issue to fluorescent ballast). Is there any rating stamped on the tubes?
Click to expand...
I bought these over 3 years ago from amazon and they are still working. On almost every day for most of the day. I cut out the ballasts because I didn't want the extra electricity usage. It's a waste of money.

 
carbuff said:
So I bought a pack of 48” LED tubes from Home Depot that install directly into the identical fixtures you have, and I do too. Run on the oem ballasts. No modification required. Pathetic light compared to my high intensity fluorescents that are long discontinued, and my stash is dwindling. Returned them.

Any experience with those as compared to the Amazon ones? Hate to have to pay for return shipping if they are no bueno. I am picky on lumens. Most lie about CR and lumens.

Most if not all LEDs produce harsh light, unless filtered. Do yours?

Hard to tell from photos how much light yours put out. We need a light meter 🤪
Click to expand...
Look at the K number, like 5000k which is a measurement of degrees kelvin and determines the colour of the light. The higher the number the more white the light is. 5000k is considered full spectrum. Balance of blue and red wavelengths leaning toward blue. 3500k would be a “ softer “ colour leaning more to the red spectrum. If you want high light levels go with T5 HO ballasts and tubes. You can get them up to 6500k . Although LED are much more energy efficient. But hard to get the output of T5’s from them . As well as far as efficiency goes you want to compare the number of lumens per watt that each different type of lighting unit produces.
 
Last edited:
vacek said:
I was never happy with my garage lighting and I found when doing paint correction and coatings/waxes … I have to use a hand held light.

I purchased these 4’ LED tubes , and with a simple removal of the ballast in my original fixtures , BAM …. I have mega MEGA light.

I also installed 2 of these 4’ LED shop lights from Costco for some extra light when I want/need it.

Complete transformation and detailing my car(s) just levelled up ! If your lights are not the brightest , consider these above. Read the specs! The Amazon LED’s will work in any 4’ fixture. You just remove (or bypass) the ballast. Super simple to do.

View attachment 126421

View attachment 126422

View attachment 126423
Click to expand...
If you install 4 foot long LED or HO fluorescents on the wall about a foot and a half down from the ceiling you will get much better lighting on the side of your vehicle. Works well.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Murray! I think yours, the ShopLED brand, and other same-looking ones, are all made in the same China factory. They seem to come in different light output and color configurations from the same guys. And they use the same photos in their ads.

I just refreshed, and the ShopLED seller must have read my post on CCF, LOL! They are back up and available on both Amazon Canada and Amazon USA.


Cheaper in the USA if you live close to the border:

Just ordered a set, so I will report back as to whether they work or arrive broken/faulty (like 25% of them supposedly do).

What I do like about them is the high lumen output, which I need to replace my special HO fluorescents, which put out mondo lumens. Not sure these will actually be as bright as my fluorescents, but we shall see.....
 
Last edited:
carbuff said:
So I bought a pack of 48” LED tubes from Home Depot that install directly into the identical fixtures you have, and I do too. Run on the oem ballasts. No modification required. Pathetic light compared to my high intensity fluorescents that are long discontinued, and my stash is dwindling. Returned them.

Any experience with those as compared to the Amazon ones? Hate to have to pay for return shipping if they are no bueno. I am picky on lumens. Most lie about CR and lumens.

Most if not all LEDs produce harsh light, unless filtered. Do yours?

Hard to tell from photos how much light yours put out. We need a light meter 🤪
Click to expand...
LED's don't produce light any different than Incandescant, flourescent etc. You just have to pick the right color temperature. Don't buy anything over 3500K. 4000K, 4500K and 5000K approach the color of sunlight and are very stark white and hard on the peepers.
 
Vetteboy21 said:
LED's don't produce light any different than Incandescant, flourescent etc. You just have to pick the right color temperature. Don't buy anything over 3500K. 4000K, 4500K and 5000K approach the color of sunlight and are very stark white and hard on the peepers.
Click to expand...
I totally disagree. 5000k or higher is a must if you really want to see what you're doing.
Over the bathtub 3000K is fine for mood lighting, but in the garage it's not. Of course age has something to do with it. lol
 
Murray20c8 said:
I totally disagree. 5000k or higher is a must if you really want to see what you're doing.
Over the bathtub 3000K is fine for mood lighting, but in the garage it's not. Of course age has something to do with it. lol
Click to expand...
My first headlights with a quoted colour temperature were HID's on my then '01 Chrysler 300M. They were rated 4300K, and chosen as an ideal balance between the yellow-orange hues of lower temps, typical of tungsten filaments, and the purple tendency of higher. As you go higher, towards the UV area, less light is actually visible to our eyes. 10,000K is available and it's like wearing sunglasses at night.
5000K is very popular in aftermarket offerings.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top