LED replacement for T8 fixtures a few thoughts

[cooch366]

We have replaced almost every CFL or incandescent bulb in the house with LEDs. Things are certainly brighter. We used 100 watt equiv. to replace 60 watts in most situations because heat isn't a huge factor with LEDs.
So, I was considering replacing my 8' T8s in the shop but waiting until the 8' become more readily available (read cheaper).
However, I'd really like to see, in person, a large shop or large garage installation to gauge for myself if they would really increase the brightness enough to justify the switch.
The most important factor for me is brightness. Second is longevity. I'm not really too concerned about color rendering or cost per lumen.
At 75 yr.s of age, I might not ought to be too concerned about longevity, either.

Gene,
This is one of two lighting systems I have been drooling over for a while. Both have reduce their price significantly in the last 6 months. Still a bit to pricey for me, but If they come down farther .....

http://www.bigasslight.com/products/garage-light/

13000 Lumens 5000K

If you watch the video, turn off the sound. Their is only "dramatic music", no monologue not description.

Be well,
Ben

thats one "bigass" price. .

[garys]

My concern with the (expensive) LED bulbs is their actual longevity. I fee I have been bitten by the longevity claims of CFLs and I find myself wondering if the same thing is going to happen with LEDs. It doesn't bother me much when a $3 bulb lasts only 50% of its expected life but it's a different matter for a $30 bulb.

I agree that actual life matters. Very few LED lights have been around long enough to find out what their actual life might be.
I switched over to CFL lights around 12 years ago. I have a number of outdoor dusk to dawn lights that run every night,so I have an easy way to calculate hours on them. The outdoor CFL bulbs have been running an average of 35,000 hours for me between failures, with some lasting as long as 50,000 hours. Indoors, I can't calculate actual hours, but I can say that all my standard base CFL bulbs are still working aster those 12 years. The only failures I have had are with one ceiling fan I have and that one has the tiny candelebra base lights. I think that base is too small to dissipate the heat of the CFL and that causes the bulb to fail early. I'm finding that LED bulbs also get hot around the base, so I don't expect an LED with the candelebra base to last either. To solve that problem, I just ripped apart that fan light and removed all the candelebra sockets and replaced them with standard sockets. Then I put in standard base LEDs. I expect that IF LEDs actually live up to their claims, I won't be replacing bulbs again for another 12 years. I'll know in the future if LEDs actually last as long as CFLs last.

[Gene Howe]

Now, that sounds like a plan, Ed.

I was in SAMs Club and they have the 4 ft units for $35. The lumens were listed at 5000 and each one was made to plug in. I now have 5 4 ft fluorescents 2 tube in my shop now. I'm guessing 10 of the led units would replace them.

I would replace each hard wired light with a receptacle and plug two units into each one.